How long have you been struggling to lose weight… and keep it off? How many gimmicks and fad diets have you eagerly tried, only to feel worse in the end?
You’re not alone! Millions of adults use trendy diets like the Grapefruit Juice Diet and the Cabbage Soup Diet to lose weight fast. There’s just one small problem.
The results don’t last.
Forget the fad diets. Forget dieting altogether!
The best way to lose weight involves making simple lifestyle changes to improve your health. You don’t need to starve yourself or hate what you eat.
It’s actually possible to enjoy delicious food and ramp up your energy while you lose weight!
The tips below show you the healthy way to lose weight. You will look better, feel better, and achieve results that last.
The Real Reason That Dieting Doesn’t Work
If you’re wondering how to lose weight for good, don’t go within 100 feet of a fad diet.
Diets are eating plans that promise dramatic and unrealistic weight loss results in days or weeks. They restrict your food options and demand eating habits that are impossible to continue for a long period of time.
Take The Baby Food Diet as an example. It was created by celebrity fitness guru Tracy Anderson to replace breakfast and lunch with 14 jars of baby food. You don’t need a Ph.D. to realize that eating baby food every day is not a realistic plan for success.
Your body is a complex physiological being. It depends on a full range of nutrients, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to thrive. This is why the healthy way to lose weight is the best way.
The Healthy Way to Lose Weight
The healthy way to lose weight is simpler than any fad diet. You don’t need to count every calorie or avoid half of the food groups.
The best way to cut weight is to nourish your body with whole, unprocessed foods and plenty of water. The following tips will help you drop weight, gain more energy, and improve your overall health.
Stock Your Kitchen With Unprocessed Foods
Processed foods are the enemies of weight loss. Yet 61% of the food Americans buy is highly processed.
Jumpstart your weight loss by limiting the processed foods you choose at the grocery store. Shop around the perimeter of the store to focus on whole food options:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Lean meats
- Fish
- Low-fat dairy
- Nuts and seeds
- Complex carbohydrates
Leave the processed choices like soda, juice, chips, and cookies on the shelf. Fill your cart with wholesome choices that nourish your body:
- Unsweetened Greek yogurt
- Nut butter
- Chicken breast
- Berries
- Green veggies
- Eggs
Fill your fridge and cabinets with unprocessed foods. This makes it easier to improve your eating habits on a daily basis. Whole food choices also boost your energy level, improve your digestion, and enhance your mood.
Drink More Water, Coffee, and Tea
The beverage industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Sweet tea, soda, flavored water, and countless other choices tempt shoppers every day.
They might taste good, but these drinks undermine your weight loss efforts. Stick to water, coffee, and tea for weight loss.
Your body thrives on water. The more you drink, the better you will feel. Try to drink at least 12 eight-ounce cups a day. That equals six water bottles.
Drinking more water supports your body’s natural detoxification process as well. This gets rid of toxins that cause weight gain.
Coffee and tea can also help you lose weight because they are natural diuretics. Enjoy a cup of joe in the morning or early afternoon to kickstart your elimination process. Green tea even offers the added benefit of boosting your metabolism.
Cut Out Hidden Sources of Sugar
Sugar lurks in places you’d never expect. Innocent foods like ketchup, flavored yogurt, and protein bars are often packed with sugar.
Finding and eliminating these sources of sugar is an important part of losing weight. The body can only process a certain amount of sugar into energy before it starts storing sugar as fat.
Your sweet tooth could be contributing to your weight gain more than you realize! Try swapping high-sugar choices with nutrient-dense foods:
- Swap fig newtons for almonds
- Swap a blended frappuccino for an iced coffee
- Swap sweet cereal for oatmeal
- Swap pasta for a colorful salad
- Swap ketchup for avocado slices
Eat Small Meals Throughout the Day
We are trained to eat three square meals a day, but that’s not the best weight loss method. Experts recommend eating six small meals a day to keep your metabolism revved.
Start with a wholesome breakfast that gives your body the energy it needs for the day. Oatmeal, smoothies, and egg sandwiches are all great options.
Instead of starving yourself until lunch, enjoy a small mid-morning meal. Try an English muffin with peanut butter or berries with cheese. This keeps your blood sugar balanced, maintains your energy, and stops you from overeating at the next meal.
You will find it is easier to eat well and make smart choices when you aren’t forced to feel hungry or skip meals.
The Bottom Line: Improve Your Health and Lose Weight
The healthy way to lose weight makes it possible to improve your wellness while you shed pounds. A balanced diet with reasonable portions creates real, lasting weight loss.
How fast can you safely lose weight? One to two pounds per week is best for results that you can maintain over time. This is the rate of weight loss you can expect to enjoy when you create healthier eating habits.
Check out our blog to learn more about the dangers of fad diets and make plans for your improved food choices. A healthier lifestyle is sure to translate into weight loss and a better quality of life.
