Embarking on a weight loss journey can be both exciting and challenging. To make your endeavor more manageable, we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide with six simple steps. From mindful eating to staying hydrated, these tips cover various aspects of your lifestyle to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Six Simple Steps
- Balanced Plate: Eat Protein, Fat, and Vegetables
- Ensure your meals include a balance of protein, fat, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates.
- Follow the recommended daily servings according to age, as outlined in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025.
- Examples of protein-rich foods and their serving sizes: lean ground beef, skinless chicken breast, black beans, and lentils.
- Move Your Body: Embrace Cardio and Weight Training
- Combine cardio workouts like walking, running, or cycling with weight training for optimal health.
- Consult with a doctor before starting a new exercise plan to ensure safety.
- Fiber-Rich Diet: Eat More Fiber
- Incorporate fiber into your diet to feel fuller for longer and support weight loss.
- Foods high in fiber include oats, chickpeas, bananas, brussels sprouts, beets, apples, and quinoa.
- Mindful Eating: Be Aware of Your Body’s Cues
- Practice mindful eating by slowing down and recognizing hunger versus emotional cravings.
- Cook colorful and textured foods to enhance the sensory experience of your meals.
- Stay Hydrated: Water as a Weight Loss Ally
- Drink plenty of water to reduce food intake, especially before meals.
- Opt for low-calorie drinks and avoid sugar-sweetened beverages.
- Prioritize Sleep: The Overlooked Factor in Weight Loss
- Aim for at least 7 hours of high-quality sleep each night.
- Lack of sleep may affect hunger and appetite-regulating hormones.
Calories and Portion Control
- While not always necessary to count calories, be mindful of your intake and follow a balanced diet.
- Use online calculators to estimate calorie needs if needed.
Sample Meal Ideas
- Poached egg with sliced avocado and berries.
- Baked salmon with ginger, sesame oil, and roasted zucchini.
- Spinach, mushroom, and feta crustless quiche.
Extra Expert Tips for Sustainable Weight Loss:
- Implement long-term lifestyle changes.
- Focus on the first 5% to 10% of weight loss.
- Reduce intake of ultra-processed carbs and sweets.
- Eat more plant-based foods.
- Increase protein consumption for appetite control.
- Drink more water and follow the eight by eight rule.
- Eat a well-rounded breakfast.
- Prioritize non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).
- Include strength training in your routine.
- Avoid overtraining and prioritize recovery.
- Check in with an accountability partner.
- Watch less television to reduce sedentary behavior.
- Reconnect with natural satiety cues.
- Get sufficient sleep for overall health.
- Find non-edible substitutes for emotional self-soothing.
Embarking on a weight loss journey requires a holistic approach that encompasses nutrition, physical activity, and mindful habits. By following these six simple steps and incorporating expert tips, you can create a sustainable and effective plan to achieve your weight loss goals. Remember, small changes can lead to significant results, so stay committed and celebrate your progress along the way.
EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE
Extract of the National Health Service (UK) on how to eat a balanced diet
The Eatwell Guide shows that to have a healthy, balanced diet, people should try to:
- eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day (see 5 A Day)
- base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta
- have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)
- eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein
- choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts
- drink plenty of fluids (at least 6 to 8 glasses a day)
source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible#fa-qs & https://www.forbes.com/health/weight-loss/how-to-lose-weight-fast/
