There is no silver bullet for weight loss. But there is our handy primer which will show you how a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a good routine can be the foundation for great things.
How to lose weight fast..?
So many people are asking questions like “how to lose weight fast?” or “how much weight can you lose in a month?”
While we understand where questions like this come from, they point to a relationship with weight loss which may not be as safe or healthy as it could be.
Let’s slow things down a bit.
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With that in mind, we’re here to shift the focus away from speed. To lower the tempo a little bit, and to talk about safe, healthy, and sustainable weight loss.
Nowadays fashion and lifestyle mags like Cosmo are quick to remind us that fast weight loss isn’t something to focus on:
Then in another –
But while this shift is good to see, the fact is that there’s a lot of people asking them.
How to lose weight safely
Here’s what you need to remember:
Losing weight is a big change, physiologically speaking. Your body needs time to acclimate to the new rhythm, and rushing makes this harder.
It’s a big change mentally, too. Losing weight requires a shift in habits and things like that take a while to settle.
Hit it too hard and it’s likely you’ll see some results initially, but very soon you’ll see them plateau and stall.
So, let’s take a look at our top 11 tips for losing weight in a safe and sustainable way.
1. Eat a healthy breakfast
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It can be tempting to skip meals if you’re trying to lose weight, but resist the temptation!
A healthy breakfast keeps you full and removes the urge to snack throughout the day. It’s also a reliable way to start your day with the nutrients you need.
2. Get three meals a day
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Following the same logic, make sure you eat lunch and dinner as well. You’ll find yourself snacking less and it’s an opportunity to get a good balance of nutrients (more about this in tip number 8!)
3. Eat at the same time each day
We know this is easier said than done, so our real advice is to eat as close to the same time each day. Your body appreciates regular rhythms and you’ll find it easier to keep on top of things if you try to build routines.
We’ve written more about building healthy habits right here – check it out for some more great tips.
4. Eat smaller portions
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If you’ve got a big plate, the temptation is to fill it. Just like in the first tip though, resisting this temptation is an important step.
Instead of using a large sized plate and resisting the urge to fill it each time, we recommend switching out for a smaller plate. This gives you subtle psychological support in dishing up smaller portions!
You’ll often find that you feel full earlier than you would expect, too. It takes a few minutes for food to register and reduce feelings of hunger, meaning that if you eat a smaller portion and wait a little while you’ll most likely feel comfortably full.
5. Plan meals in advance
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This is one of our top tips because not only does it encourage healthier eating habits, but it saves you money.
By making a meal plan and buying a week’s worth of food in one go (or even a fortnight or longer) you move away from convenience food and small packages and towards buying in bulk – always a good way to reduce costs.
It’s a good way to make sure that the food in your fridge and cupboards is destined for a meal, rather than improvising meals or ringing for a take-out.
6. Choose healthy snacks
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If you shop according to a meal plan, use the opportunity to take control of your snack options too. Instead of buying chocolate bars or chips when you get peckish, go for something a little healthier instead.
Our registered dietician has put together 22 healthy snack recommendations to cater to any lifestyle or dietary requirement – take a look and see which ones you fancy!
7. Learn about your dietary requirements
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Some of us are already familiar with terms like protein, carbohydrate, calorie and so on, but for others these terms remain a mystery.
Getting your head around what your body needs and what constitutes a ‘healthy’ diet is a great way to learn more about the food you eat.
We recommend having a chat with a doctor or maybe even a specialist nutritionist to build your understanding of what a healthy diet looks like.
8. Learn what’s in the food you’re eating
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Applying the knowledge from step 7 means understanding what’s in the food you eat, and how this compares with what your body needs.
When you grab a snack from a store or eat a meal in a restaurant, it can be hard to know which ingredients made it into your portion.
Take a step back and think about what goes into your food. This has a couple of benefits: firstly it helps you to better understand the amounts of fat, carbohydrates and so on. And secondly it’s a way to improve your cooking skills, empowering you to cook more food from scratch.
9. Avoid restrictions
Eating unhealthy foods is OK as long as it’s in moderation.
You’ll get much more from strengthening your ability to eat in moderation than you will from constantly bargaining with yourself whether to eat that slice of brownie or not.
10. Stay hydrated – with water!
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Sometimes when you feel hungry you’re really just thirsty, so reaching for a glass of water before a snack is a good way to potentially nip things in the bud.
Not only that, but staying hydrated is linked with a plethora of health benefits. You can liven up water with slices of fruit if you find it a bit plain, but try to avoid adding squash, juice, or anything else overly sugary.
11. Stay active
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A lot of people ask whether it’s possible to lose weight without exercise, and while the answer is technically yes, most people find regular exercise to be a crucial part of their weight loss journey.
This is for the simple reason that exercise burns calories, and more calories burned means fewer stored around the body as fat.
There are tons of ways to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle. You could join a gym, or switch the car commute to a bike ride. Or maybe you could do a Couch to 5k? Or join a hiking club? Or climb, row, dance, do yoga, or pretty much anything.
How to lose weight and keep it off
In summary, these 11 tips will help you to pave the way for sustainable weight loss. The core principles are simple: learn about what you’re eating, plan to eat healthy, try to reduce unhealthy snacking, and focus on building habits rather than setting arbitrary goals and restrictions.
And above all, be kind to yourself. This is your journey and a gentle discipline is much more effective than being too strict or punishing yourself.
Disclaimer: The information on the Leanbean blog does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as such. If you would like to learn more about your dietary requirements and related aspects of your health, speak with a registered medical professional.
