Strategies for Successful Weight Loss

STRATEGIES FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Summer is just around the corner, are you ready for the beach body figure? There are hundreds of diets and weight loss programs out there, however, successful weight loss remains a healthy, calorie-controlled diet combined with increased physical activity (MayoClinic, 2021 para. 1).

If you want to lose weight quickly, some of these tips may help, but quick weight loss is rarely sustainable. Focusing on long-term health and habits that you can stick with over time will help improve your health and are more likely to result in lasting weight loss (Gunnars, n.d.).

Here are the strategies to consider for successful weight loss.

1. Make sure you're ready

It takes a lot of time and effort and a long-term commitment for long-term weight loss. You should make sure you are ready with the changes to your eating and activity habits.

Ask yourself the following questions to help you determine your readiness:

• Am I motivated to lose weight?

• Am I too distracted by other pressures?

• Do I use food as a means to cope with stress?

• Am I ready to learn or use other strategies to cope with stress?

• Do I need other support — either from friends or professionals — to manage stress?

• Am I willing to change eating habits?

• Am I willing to change activity habits?

• Do I have the time to spend on making these changes?

When you're ready, you'll find it easier to set goals, stay committed, and change habits.

2. Cut back on refined carbs

Sugars and starches or carbohydrates are examples of refined carbs. Changing your diet with a low-carb eating plan or by reducing refined carbs and replacing them with whole grains (Gunnars, n.d. para. 8).

When you do that, your hunger levels go down, and you generally end up eating fewer calories (McClernon et al., 2007 p. 186).

With a low-carb eating plan, you’ll utilize burning stored fat for energy instead of carbs.

If you choose to eat more complex carbs like whole grains along with a calorie deficit, you’ll benefit from higher fiber and digest them more slowly. This makes them more filling to keep you satisfied.

A 2020 study confirmed that a very low carbohydrate diet was beneficial for losing weight in older populations (Goss et al., 2020).

Research also suggests that a low-carb diet may reduce appetite, which can lead to naturally eating fewer calories without thinking about it or feeling hungry (Gibson et al., 2014).

If you opt for a diet focusing instead on whole grains over refined carbs, a 2019 study correlated high whole grain intake with lower body mass index (BMI) (Maki et al., 2019, fig. 3).

Consult your doctor for recommendations to determine the best way for you to lose weight.

3. Find your inner motivation

Others cannot force you to lose weight. To make yourself happy, you must make dietary and activity adjustments. What will give you the intense motivation to follow through with your weight-loss plan?

Create a list of your priorities to keep you motivated and concentrated, whether it's a future vacation or improved general health. Next, figure out a technique to guarantee that you can use your motivating elements when faced with temptation. You might wish to leave a motivational note for yourself on the refrigerator or pantry door, for example.

Although you must be accountable for your actions to lose weight, having the appropriate kind of support can be helpful. Choose your supporters carefully; they should boost your confidence and not cause you any embarrassment or sabotage.

Find friends who will ideally listen to your worries and emotions, spend time working out with you or preparing nutritious meals, and value living a healthier lifestyle as much as you do. Accountability from your support group is another benefit that can help you stay committed to your weight-loss objectives.

4. Eat protein, fat, and vegetables Aim to include a variety of foods at each meal. To balance your plate and help you lose weight your meals should include:

• a protein source

• fat source

• vegetables

• a small portion of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains

Protein Eating a recommended amount of protein is essential to help preserve your health and muscle mass while losing weight (Cava et al., 2017, p. 1).

Evidence suggests that eating adequate protein may improve cardiometabolic risk factors, appetite, and body weight ((Moon & Koh, 2020, p. 2).

Diets with adequate protein may also help you reduce cravings and snacking by helping you feel full and satisfied (Dhillon et al., 2016, p. 5).

Vegetables All vegetables are nutrient-dense and beneficial additions to your diet, but some, such as corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, have greater carbohydrate contents.

Because of their fiber content, these veggies are regarded as complex carbohydrates; yet, when adding them to your plate, you may want to be careful about serving quantity.

Healthy fats No matter which eating strategy you adopt, your body still needs healthy fats. You should definitely include olive oil and avocado oil in your diet. Avocados, nuts, seeds, olives, and olive oil are all delectable and nutritious additions.

5. Move your body While it's not necessary to exercise in order to lose weight, it can speed up the process. Weightlifting in particular has many advantages.

By lifting weights, you’ll burn calories and help prevent your metabolism from slowing down, which is a common side effect of losing weight (Hunter et al., 2008).

Cardio exercises like walking, jogging, running, cycling, or swimming are excellent for weight loss and general health if lifting weights is not an option for you.

Exercises like aerobics and weightlifting can both promote health and aid in weight loss.

6. Set realistic goals

Setting reasonable weight loss objectives can seem obvious. But are you truly aware of what is realistic? It's a good idea to set a long-term weight loss goal of 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kilogramme) every week. Typically, you need to burn 500–1,000 more calories per day than you take in through a lower calorie diet and consistent exercise in order to lose 1–2 pounds each week.

Depending on your weight, losing 5% of it might be a feasible objective, at least initially. 82 kilos is nine pounds if you are 180 pounds (4 kilograms). The chance of developing chronic health conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes can be decreased with even this level of weight loss.

Consider both process and end goals when you are setting goals. "Walk every day for 30 minutes" is an example of a process goal. The outcome objective "lose 10 pounds" is an illustration of this. Although it is not necessary to have an outcome objective, it is advisable to have process goals because changing your habits is the key to losing weight.

7. Change your perspective

If you desire long-term, effective weight management, eating well and exercising for only a few weeks or even months won't cut it. These routines need to turn into a way of life. Examining your eating habits and daily schedule honestly is the first step in making lifestyle adjustments.

Try developing a plan to progressively change the behaviours and mindsets that have thwarted your prior efforts after evaluating your unique obstacles to weight loss. If you want to finally succeed in losing weight, go beyond simply acknowledging your obstacles and make a plan for how you'll overcome them.

You'll probably experience a setback now and again. So if you experience a setback, simply start over the following day rather than giving up completely. Keep in mind that you want to change your life. It won't take place immediately. Maintain a healthy lifestyle, and you'll see worthwhile effects.

References: 6 proven strategies for weight-loss success. (2021, December 7). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752

Cava, E., Yeat, N. C., & Mittendorfer, B. (2017). Preserving healthy muscle during weight loss. Advances in Nutrition, 8(3), 511-519. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.116.014506

Dhillon, J., Craig, B. A., Leidy, H. J., Amankwaah, A. F., Osei-Boadi Anguah, K., Jacobs, A., Jones, B. L., Jones, J. B., Keeler, C. L., Keller, C. E., McCrory, M. A., Rivera, R. L., Slebodnik, M., Mattes, R. D., & Tucker, R. M. (2016). The effects of increased protein intake on fullness: A meta-analysis and its limitations. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(6), 968-983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.01.003

Gibson, A. A., Seimon, R. V., Lee, C. M., Ayre, J., Franklin, J., Markovic, T., Caterson, I., & Sainsbury, A. (2014). Do ketogenic diets really suppress appetite? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 8, 36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2014.10.066

Goss, A. M., Gower, B., Soleymani, T., Stewart, M., Pendergrass, M., Lockhart, M., Krantz, O., Dowla, S., Bush, N., Garr Barry, V., & Fontaine, K. R. (2020). Effects of weight loss during a very low carbohydrate diet on specific adipose tissue depots and insulin sensitivity in older adults with obesity: A randomized clinical trial. Nutrition & Metabolism, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12986-020-00481-9

Gunnars, K. (n.d.). How to lose weight fast: 3 simple steps, based on science. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible#How-to-Lose-Weight-in-3-Simple-Steps

Hunter, G. R., Byrne, N. M., Sirikul, B., Fernández, J. R., Zuckerman, P. A., Darnell, B. E., & Gower, B. A. (2008). Resistance training conserves fat-free mass and resting energy expenditure following weight loss. Obesity, 16(5), 1045-1051. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.38

Maki, K. C., Palacios, O. M., Koecher, K., Sawicki, C. M., Livingston, K. A., Bell, M., Nelson Cortes, H., & McKeown, N. M. (2019). The relationship between whole grain intake and body weight: Results of meta-analyses of observational studies and randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 11(6), 1245. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061245

McClernon, F. J., Yancy, W. S., Eberstein, J. A., Atkins, R. C., & Westman, E. C. (2007). The effects of a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet and a low-fat diet on mood, hunger, and other self-reported symptoms*. Obesity, 15(1), 182-182. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2007.516

Moon, J., & Koh, G. (2020). Clinical evidence and mechanisms of high-protein diet-induced weight loss. Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome, 29(3), 166-173. https://doi.org/10.7570/jomes20028

What to know before you buy weight-loss supplements. (2022, March 1). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20046409