Best 10 Proven Weight-Loss Strategies That Really Work
Follow doctor-approved, scientifically proven strategies to maintain your weight-loss plan. You need to eat well and work out frequently to lose extra weight.
Follow doctor-approved, scientifically proven strategies to maintain your weight-loss plan. You need to eat well and work out frequently to lose extra weight. While it may not sound all that glamorous, research shows that both crash diets and weight-loss medications are ineffective in replacing a healthy diet.
There is no quick fix for losing weight and keeping it off, but you can educate your brain to resist temptation, eat fewer calories, and make better eating choices. Make use of these research- and doctor-backed hacks.
- Always have Fresh Vegetables and Fruits
If your options for satisfying your cravings are restricted to the office vending machine or a pantry full of crackers, you're probably going to overindulge in candy or other high-carb snacks that won't satisfy your hunger or fill you up.
Your sweet craving and rumbling stomach will be appeased with an orange or apple high in fiber and vitamins, says Deanna Ward, M.D., an internal medicine specialist at Palo Alto Medical Foundation's Danville Center. The same is true with salt cravings and vegetables. Store these foods in a convenient location. Maintain a bowl of seasonal fruit on your kitchen counter or front and center in your refrigerator, and bring tiny carrots or celery and nut butter to work.
- Eat Food Carefully
"We don't experience the elements of food because many of us eat while working, watching TV, or running errands," Dr. Ward claims. She advises "focusing on your meal and the people sharing it with you" to prevent consuming hundreds of calories without even realizing it. As you eat, pay attention to your senses of taste, texture, smell, and sight. Consider the feelings that your meal makes you feel.
Emotional eaters will particularly benefit from this. According to Dr. Ward, eating consciously may help you take a moment to reflect on how you're feeling and whether or not food would truly satisfy you.
- Completely chew your food
If you devour meals as though there were a prize for the first person to clear their plate, you most likely consume many more calories than what your body actually requires. As your brain takes around 20 minutes to recognize when you're full, Dr. Ward suggests taking your time eating your food thoroughly. "The mouth is where digestion starts," she claims. "The digestive enzymes in your saliva start to break down food as you chew it, allowing essential nutrients to be absorbed."
- Add a little spice
When cooking, include chile peppers and other seasonings. Capsaicin, a naturally occurring chemical found in peppers, may accelerate metabolism and increase feelings of fullness, according to study. Add more spice to homemade salad dressings, marinades, and morning eggs.
- Keep Liquid Calories Away
According to Dr. Ward, sugar-filled beverages such as fancy coffee drinks, sodas, fruit juices, beer, and cocktails might secretly lead to weight gain. They also digest rapidly and don't include enough fiber or protein to keep you full, so if alcohol lowers your inhibitions, you might eat even more. Choose seltzer, basic coffee, hot or iced tea, or water.
- Drink Water Before Eating
"You will feel fuller sooner if you drink a few glasses of water about 20 to 30 minutes before sitting down to eat," advises Dr. Ward. By doing this three times a day, before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you can reduce your daily calorie intake by 225 to 270.
- begin with soup
According to a Penn State University study, individuals who began their meals with a broth-based, low-calorie soup consumed an overall 20% fewer calories. Opt for something light, such as miso soup with mushrooms and green onions or white bean and kale soup, to avoid excess calories and fat.
- Use Small Bowls, Plates, and Glasses
Using large bowls and plates might lead to overindulgence in food preparation. According to a Cornell University Food and Brand Lab study, people who were given a large bowl of cereal consumed 16 percent more of it than those who were given a small bowl. The same principle applies to wine: consumers pour and consume 12 percent more wine when given large wide-bottom glasses than when using smaller, thinner glasses.
- Floss and Brush Following Dinner
Make a brief trip to the toilet to clean and floss your teeth before settling down for after-dinner family time or watching TV. Dr. Ward says, "This will help keep you from mindlessly snacking before bedtime." Decanting choppers and minty mouth might also take the appeal of dessert down.
- Purchase Candy in Wraps
The best sweets for weight loss is none at all. However, other occasions—such as birthdays for children, holiday gatherings, and office parties—demand sweets. Make sure that any candy you plan to have on hand is wrapped. Studies indicate that the minimal work involved in opening food packaging makes you consume fewer calories.
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