Losing any amount of weight is often a personal decision. It requires dedication and motivation because the results are never achieved overnight. What works well for one person, might not work well for another. What we do know is that a combination of healthy eating and exercise creates a calorie deficit, which is what leads to weight loss. It’s also important to note that weight loss and good health doesn’t always go hand in hand, either. This could be for a number of reasons, including overall health and any medication you take. However, if you’re intent on reaching your desired weight before the year’s out, this is the article for you.
What About Probiotics?
Probiotics are living microorganisms that are said to have proven health benefits when consumed. They can be ingested via supplements or typically found in fermented foods. Although there are literally hundreds of micro-organisms in our stomachs, research has found that people who aren’t obese have different stomach bacteria than those who are obese. In a nutshell, obese people tend to have less diverse bacteria and put more weight on than those not considered obese.
Research has shown that probiotics could play a major role in weight loss, although it’s not quite understood how. Well, aside from the fact that they may inhibit fats which your body then expels. When certain probiotics do this, your body consumes fewer calories for what you eat or drink. Using probiotics for weight loss can also lead to more appetite-regulating hormones being released, which will help you burn off calories and fat. They can also decrease the amount of fat stored in your body by increasing the levels of fat-regulating hormones your body produces.
Protein
It’s long been known that increasing your protein and decreasing your carbs and fat simultaneously can be beneficial to losing weight. By doing this, and also substituting unhealthy foods for protein, research has shown that it can kickstart your metabolism to burn up to 100 extra calories per day.
Additionally, protein will keep you feeling full for longer and curb your cravings in the process. By increasing your protein consumption the hunger hormone is suppressed, which is the main reason that you lose weight. It can literally make you eat fewer calories overnight. However, do not restrict your diet only to protein because it will become too boring, and you’ll struggle to maintain this way of eating for too long.
Increase Your Intake of Fruit and Vegetables
Eating your five-a-day should be as natural as breathing, yet many of us struggle to do this daily. Fresh fruit and vegetables are great for your hair, skin, nails, stomach and also for weight loss, amongst other things. They also have very few calories, making them ideal for smoothies.
You can eat plenty of different fruits and vegetables, feel satiated and still manage to lose weight if you substitute them for unhealthy foods. Research supports this and has proven that smoothies could actually replace high-calorie breakfasts thanks to the quick way they’re made. Furthermore, many dieters quickly get bored or choose a diet that is unrealistic to maintain. However, there is such a wide variety of fruits and vegetables available that you’re unlikely to get bored anytime soon.
Eat More Healthy Fats
Not all fats are bad for our bodies. In fact, there are foods high in fats that are actually good for us and can help with weight loss. They can also help with lowering risks for diabetes and heart disease. Good fats are usually unsaturated and include Omega-3, 6 and 9. They can be found in fatty fish and walnuts and flaxseed if you don’t eat fish. You can also get them by taking supplements as well.
Other foods that are loaded with healthy fats include avocado, which are loaded with potassium and fibre; cheese, which is an excellent source of protein; dark chocolate, which is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants; and nuts, which are one of the best plant-based proteins.
As a general rule, replace animal fats with plant based ones, which are good for your body, and stop consuming trans fats that are typically found in fried foods.
Reduce Refined Sugar
Most food or drinks that have added sugar in them are laden with calories. Even if you regularly exercise, you will find it hard to lose weight if your diet consists of refined sugar. By reducing your refined sugar consumption, you could not only lose calories and weight in the process, but also lower your cholesterol.
It helps to understand how food breaks down and can affect your diet because it’s not just fried food that can be bad for you. Foods that have starch include bread, rolls and sweet treats like doughnuts. By reducing starch in your diet, you will reduce calorie consumption as there is less sugar being absorbed by your body. This has health benefits that include lowering your risk of heart problems, diabetes and weight gain.
Drink More Water!
Water has several health benefits, including weight loss as it helps you to burn more calories. When you’re hungry, research has found it could be due to dehydration. It can also stave off hunger if drunk before meals. As an added bonus, it’s 100% calorie free, as well. Upping your water intake can also help reduce drinking your calories. However, it’s important not to drink too much water because it can lead to hyponatremia, which is known as water poisoning or overhydration, as it can have potentially serious consequences.
Exercise
Although most of our article has been about what you put into your body, activity is also a game changer when it comes to losing weight. The more active you are, the more calories you’ll burn. It’s that simple. OK, the type of exercise is also important, so high intensity aerobics in combination with a healthy low calorie diet will have you losing weight quicker than just healthy eating alone. But it should be something you enjoy because this way, you’re more likely to stick to it.
Some of you may want to target certain areas more than others, so doing specific exercises may be beneficial. However, it still remains the same: the more active you are, the more calories you’ll burn.
At first glance, these tips may seem overwhelming to implement all at once – so don’t. Start with one or two changes and when you feel comfortable with them, add another and another. Before you know it, you’ll have made all these positive changes and will be benefiting from them as well. Getting to your desired weight will happen sooner than you think, but more importantly, you’ll do it in a way that won’t compromise your health and keep the weight off.
