While there are endless diets, supplements, and meal replacement plans that claim to guarantee rapid weight loss, most lack scientific evidence. However, there are some scientific strategies that influence weight management. These strategies include exercise, calorie monitoring, intermittent fasting, and reducing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet.
Try intermittent fasting Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that involves regular short-term fasts and eating food in shorter periods of time during the day. Several studies have shown that short-term intermittent fasting, lasting up to 24 weeks, leads to weight loss in overweight people. The most common methods of intermittent fasting include the following: Alternate Day Fasting (ADF): Fast every day and eat normally on non-fast days. The modified version involves consuming only 25-30 percent of the body's energy needs on fasting days. The 5:2 Diet: Fast 2 out of every 7 days. On fasting days, eat 500-600 kcal. The 16/8 Method: Fast for 16 hours and only eat in an 8-hour window. For most people, the 8-hour window would be from noon to 8:00 p.m. A study of this method found that eating for a limited time resulted in participants consuming fewer calories and losing weight. It is best to adopt a healthy Trusted Source way of eating on non-fast days and avoid overeating.
Follow your diet and exercise If a person wants to lose weight, he must know what he eats and drinks every day. The most effective way to do this is to record everything they consume either in a journal or online food tracker. Researchers estimate that in 2017,
Eat mindfully Mindful eating is a practice where people pay attention to how and where they eat food. This practice allows people to enjoy the food they eat and maintain a healthy weight Trusted Source. While most people lead busy lives, they often eat on the fly, in the car, work at their desks, and watch TV. For this reason, many people are hardly aware of the food they are eating. Mindful eating techniques include: Sit down to eat, preferably at a table: Pay attention to the food and enjoy the experience. Avoid distractions while eating: Don't turn on the TV, laptop or phone. Eat slowly: Take time to chew and enjoy your food. This technique helps with weight loss because it gives the brain enough time to recognize the signals that it is full, which helps to avoid overeating. Choose thoughtful foods: Choose foods that are packed with nutritious nutrients and will fill you up in hours instead of minutes.
Eat protein for breakfast Protein can regulate appetite hormones to make people feel full. This is mostly due to a decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin and an increase in the satiety hormones peptide YY, GLP-1 and cholecystokinin. Research in young adults also shows that the hormonal effects of a high-protein breakfast can last for hours. Eggs, oats, nut and seed butters, quinoa porridge, sardines and chia seed pudding are good choices for a high-protein breakfast.
Cut back on sugar and refined carbohydrates The Western diet is high in added sugar, and this has some links to obesity, even though sugar is found in drinks rather than food. Refined carbohydrates are highly processed foods that lack fiber and other nutrients. This includes white rice, bread and pasta. These foods are easily digested and converted into glucose. Excess glucose enters the blood and stimulates the hormone insulin, which promotes fat storage in adipose tissue. It can contribute to weight gain. Whenever possible, people should replace processed and sugary foods with healthier options. Good grocery buys include: whole grain rice, bread and pasta instead of the white version fruits, nuts and seeds instead of high sugar snacks instead of sodas with a high sugar content, herbal tea and water with fruit infusion smoothies with water or milk instead of fruit juice
Eat more fiber Dietary fiber describes plant-based carbohydrates that are not digested in the small intestine, unlike sugar and starch. Including more fiber in the diet increases the feeling of fullness, which can lead to weight loss. Foods rich in fiber include: whole grain breakfast cereals, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, oats, barley and rye fruits and vegetables peas, beans and legumes nuts and seeds
Balancing gut bacteria An emerging area of research focuses on the role of gut bacteria in weight regulation. The human gut hosts a large number and variety of microorganisms, including nearly 37 trillion bacteria. Each person has a different type and amount of bacteria in their gut. Some types increase the amount of energy a person can get from food, leading to fat storage and weight gain. Certain foods can increase the number of good bacteria in your gut, including: A wide variety of plants: Increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables and grains in the diet results in increased absorption of fiber and a more diverse set of bacteria in the gut. People should aim for vegetables and other plant foods to make up 75 percent of their diet. Fermented foods: Improve the function of good bacteria while inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria. Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, and miso contain large amounts of probiotics that help the good bacteria multiply. Scientists have studied kimchi extensively, and study results suggest that it has anti-obesity effects. Likewise, studies have shown that kefir can help promote weight loss in overweight women. Prebiotic foods: Stimulate the growth and activity of certain good bacteria that help control weight. Prebiotic fiber is found in many fruits and vegetables, especially chicory root, artichokes, onions, garlic, asparagus, leeks, bananas, and avocados. It is also found in grains such as oats and grass.
Get a good night's sleep Several studies have shown that sleeping less than 5-6 hours per night is associated with an increased incidence of obesity. There are many reasons behind this. Research suggests Trusted Source that insufficient or poor quality sleep slows down the process by which the body converts calories into energy, called metabolism. If the metabolism is not very efficient, the body can store the unused energy as fat. In addition, poor sleep increases the production of insulin and cortisol, which also causes fat storage. How long a person sleeps also affects the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin. Leptin sends fullness signals to the brain.
Manage your stress levels Stress triggers the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which initially reduce appetite as part of the body's fight-or-flight response. However, when people are under constant stress, cortisol can stay in the bloodstream for a longer period of time, which increases their appetite and can lead to overeating. Cortisol signals the need to supplement the body with nutrients from its preferred fuel source, which is carbohydrates. Insulin transports sugar from carbohydrates from the blood to the muscles and brain. If the individual does not use this sugar in fight or flight, the body stores it as fat. Researchers found that implementing an 8-week stress management intervention program resulted in significant reductions in body mass index (BMI) in overweight or obese children and adolescents. Some ways to manage stress are: yoga, meditation or tai chi breathing and relaxation techniques spend some time outdoors, such as walking or gardening
