Losing weight is not as easy as it sounds, and there is a lot of wrong weight loss information available online that is not backed by any scientific evidence. Being overweight comes with many health complications despite the cases of obesity rising at an alarming rate in the past few decades. You do not have to be overweight or obese to cut down a few pounds. Weight loss is paramount in leading a healthy lifestyle. Some health consequences of overweight or obesity include:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Coronary heart disease
- Dyslipidemia
- Gallbladder disease
- Low quality of life
- Many types of cancer
- Osteoarthritis
- Mental illness like clinical depression and anxiety
- Sleep apnea and sleeping problems
- Body pain and difficult physical functioning
- All-causes of death- Mortality
So, to avoid some of these health problems and lead a healthy lifestyle, below are some weight loss tips that have been backed by scientific evidence.
Do not skip breakfast.
All meals are quite essential, but your breakfast is what will help you start your day on the right path. The heartiest and best breakfast is the one that will fill you up, keeping you satisfied, and this will help eliminate cravings later in the day. Add proteins such as eggs as protein is the king of nutrients for weight loss. The body burns calories when metabolizing and digesting the proteins; hence a high-diet protein will boost metabolism. Likewise, a high-protein diet will make you feel fuller, reducing your appetite.
Tracking your diet and exercise
If you’re looking to lose weight, you should be aware of everything you eat and drink daily. The most effective way to achieve this is by logging every item you consume in an online food tracker or a journal. There are billions of health app downloads so far. The most popular apps were for diet, weight loss, and physical activity.
This shows that tracking weight loss progress and physical activity on the go is an effective way of managing weight. There is a direct correlation between the frequency of monitoring diet and exercise and weight loss.
Mindful eating
This is a practice of paying attention to how and where you eat food. This practice helps people enjoy their food as they maintain a healthy weight. In the busy modern world, people often eat quickly on the run, working at their desks, in the car, and while watching TV. Due to this, most hardly aware of the food they eat. Below are some basic techniques for mindful eating:
Eating slowly: It is essential to take time to savor and chew your food. This gives the brain enough time to receive signals that one is full and avoid over-eating.
Avoiding distractions while eating: Avoid turning on your laptop, phone, or TV.
Sitting down to eat at a table: Pay attention to your food and enjoy the experience.
Make considered food choices: Choose a diet full of nourishing nutrients and those that will keep you full for longer.
Balance gut bacteria
One central area of emerging research is the role of bacterial in the gut on weight loss. There are trillions of bacteria lining the gut, and each type has its function. There are good and bad bacteria that must be a balance to ensure a healthy gut. Some bacteria raise the energy amount absorbed from food, causing fat deposition and weight gain. The gut bacteria do the opposite and ensure a healthy gut. Some foods that increase the number of good bacteria in the gut include:
- Fruits, vegetables, grains
- Fermented foods enhance the functioning of good bacteria and inhibit the development of harmful bacteria. These include yogurt, kefir, kimchi, tempeh, miso, and sauerkraut.
- Probiotic foods stimulate the activity and growth of good bacteria that help in weight management. The prebiotic fibers are found in many vegetables and fruits such as avocado, banana, leeks, asparagus, garlic, onion, chicory root, and artichoke.
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting, commonly known as IF, is the pattern of eating involving consistent short-term fasts and consuming meals within a shorter period on the course of the day. Research has shown that intermittent fasting that lasts up to 24 weeks leads to weight loss in most overweight people.
The most popular intermittent fasting methods include:
- The 5:2 diet- means you fast on 2 out of 7 days.
- The 16/8 method- fast for 16 hours and only eat during an 8-hour window.
- Alternate day fasting (ADF) – This means you fast every other day and normally eat on non-fasting days.
