Eating fewer processed meals, drinking more green tea, and taking probiotics are natural strategies that help promote weight loss. The speed at which weight loss happens may vary by approach. There’s a lot of bad weight loss information on the internet. Much of what’s advocated is questionable at best and not based on any solid science. However, there are some natural techniques that have actually been demonstrated to work. Here’s how to get started.
What is the easiest approach to lose weight naturally?
Here are 29 natural strategies to reduce weight and the science behind them.
1. Add protein to your diet
When it comes to weight loss, protein is the king of nutrition. Your body burns calories when digesting and metabolizing the protein you eat; thus, a high-protein diet can enhance metabolism. A high-protein diet can also make you feel more full and lower your appetite. In fact, several studies demonstrate that people eat fewer calories per day on a high-protein diet. Even something as basic as having a high-protein breakfast (like eggs) can have a dramatic effect.
2. Prioritize whole, single-ingredient foods
One of the finest things you can do to become healthier is to base your diet on whole, single-ingredient meals. By doing this, you eliminate the vast majority of added sugar, added fat, and processed food. Most whole meals are naturally quite filling, making it a lot simpler to maintain under standard calorie restrictions. Eating complete foods also gives your body the many vital nutrients that it needs to function effectively. Weight loss typically comes as a natural side effect of consuming complete foods.
3. Limit processed foods
Processed foods are frequently heavy in added sugars, extra fats, and calories. What’s more, processed meals are tailored to make you eat as much as possible. They’re considerably more prone to creating addictive-like eating than unprocessed meals.
4. Stock up on nourishing foods and snacks
Studies have shown that the food you keep at home considerably affects weight and eating behavior. By always keeping nutrient-dense food available, you limit the possibilities of you or other family members eating less nutritious products. There are also several healthful snacks that are easy to make and take with you on the road. These include yogurt, whole fruit, almonds, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs.
5. Limit your intake of added sugar
Eating a lot of added sugar is related to some of the world’s leading diseases, including:
Heart disease
Type 2 diabetes
Liver disease
On average, Americans eat around 17 teaspoons of added sugar per day. This amount is generally buried in many processed meals, so you may be ingesting a lot of sugar without even realizing it. Since sugar goes by many names in ingredient lists, it can be very difficult to figure out how much sugar a product truly contains. Minimizing your intake of added sugar is an excellent strategy to enhance your diet.
6. Drink water
There’s definitely validity to the claim that drinking water can help with weight loss. Drinking water before meals may also lead to reduced calorie consumption when water is drunk 30 to 120 minutes before a meal. Water is particularly helpful for weight loss when it replaces other beverages that are heavy in calories and sugar.
7. Drink (unsweetened) coffee
Coffee is filled with antioxidants and other healthy chemicals. Coffee drinking may promote weight loss by improving energy levels and the amount of calories you burn. Caffeinated coffee may also lessen your risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, black coffee is particularly weight loss friendly, since it can make you feel full but contains nearly no calories.
8. Supplement with glucomannan
Glucomannan is one of the numerous weight loss medicines that has been demonstrated to work. This water-soluble, natural dietary fiber comes from the roots of the konjac plant, commonly known as the elephant yam. Glucomannan is low in calories, takes up space in the stomach, and delays stomach emptying. It also decreases the absorption of protein and fat and maintains the good gut bacteria. Its extraordinary ability to absorb water is believed to be what makes it so beneficial for weight loss. One capsule is enough to transform a full glass of water into gel.
9. Limit your intake of refined carbs
Refined carbs are carbs that have had most of their essential elements and fiber removed. The refining procedure leaves nothing but readily absorbed carbs, which may increase the risk of overeating and disease. The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread, white rice, sodas, pastries, snacks, sweets, pasta, breakfast cereals, and added sugar.
10. Fast occasionally
Intermittent fasting is an eating habit that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. There are a number of various ways to conduct intermittent fasting, including the 5:2 diet, the 16:8 approach, and the eat-stop-eat strategy. Generally, these approaches make you eat fewer calories overall, without having to intentionally control calories throughout the meal hours. This may lead to weight loss. However, long-term impacts still need to be investigated.
11. Drink (unsweetened) green tea
Green tea is a natural beverage that’s filled with antioxidants. Drinking green tea is related to several benefits, such as enhanced fat burning and weight management. Matcha tea is a form of powdered green tea that may offer even more potent health benefits than regular green tea.
12. Eat more fruits and veggies
Fruits and vegetables are incredibly nutritious, weight-loss-friendly foods. In addition to being high in water, minerals, and fiber, they usually have very low energy density. This makes it easy to eat huge quantities without absorbing excess calories. Studies have indicated that increasing fruit and vegetable intake is connected with weight loss.
13. Count calories once in a while
Being conscious of what you’re eating is incredibly beneficial while trying to reduce weight. There are various efficient ways to do this, like tracking calories, keeping a food journal, or snapping pictures of what you eat. Using an app or another electronic tool may also be effective.
14. Use smaller plates
Using smaller dishes may help you eat less, as it changes how you see portion sizes. However, additional research is needed. In the same spirit, utilizing plates designated for portion management may minimize how much food you put on your plate and hence how much you end up eating.
15. Try a low-carb diet
Many studies have demonstrated that low-carb diets are useful for weight loss. Limiting carbs and eating more fat and protein lessen your appetite and help you eat fewer calories. Further, a low-carb diet may be more effective at reducing body weight than a low-fat diet. It can also improve risk factors for various diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. However, further research is needed to establish long-term impacts.
16. Eat more slowly
If you eat too rapidly, you may eat more calories than your body needs before your body even knows that you’re full. Fast eaters may be more likely to develop obesity compared to those who eat more slowly. Chewing more slowly may help you eat fewer calories and increase the synthesis of hormones that are connected to weight loss.
17. Add eggs to your diet
Eggs are the ultimate weight loss food. They’re low in calories, high in protein, and loaded with all sorts of nutrients. High-protein foods have been demonstrated to lower hunger and promote fullness, compared to diets that contain less protein. Furthermore, the protein in eggs may lower hunger, which can lead to reduced caloric intake at subsequent meals and weight reduction.
18. Spice up your meals
Chili peppers and jalapeños contain a chemical called capsaicin, which may enhance metabolism and decrease body fat. Capsaicin may also reduce appetite and calorie intake.
19. Take probiotics
Probiotics are living bacteria that provide health advantages when eaten. They can boost gut health and heart health and may even aid with weight loss. Studies have indicated that persons who are overweight and people who have obesity tend to have different gut flora than those who do not, which may influence weight. Probiotics may help manage the healthy gut bacteria. They may also inhibit the absorption of dietary fat while lowering appetite and inflammation.
20. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep is highly crucial for weight loss, as well as to prevent future weight gain. Studies have indicated that sleep deprivation is associated with increased food intake, particularly in foods that are high in carbohydrates and lipids. This is mainly because sleep deprivation alters the daily changes in hunger hormones, leading to poor appetite management.
21. Eat more fiber
Fiber-rich foods may help with weight loss. Foods that include water-soluble fiber may be especially useful, since this type of fiber can help boost the feeling of fullness. Fiber may delay stomach emptying and enhance the release of satiety hormones. This can help you eat less without having to think about it. Many types of fiber can nourish the friendly gut flora. Healthy gut flora have been connected with a lower risk of obesity. Just make sure to increase your fiber consumption gradually to avoid abdominal discomfort, such as bloating, cramps, and diarrhea.
22. Brush your teeth after meals
Many people brush or floss their teeth or use mouthwash after eating. Dental hygiene products can temporarily influence the flavor of food and beverages, which may help decrease the impulse to snack or eat between meals.
23. Work to overcome food addiction
Food addiction involves intense cravings and changes in your brain chemistry that make it tougher to resist eating certain foods. This is a primary cause of overeating for many people and affects a considerable percentage of the population. In fact, it is believed that roughly 20% of persons satisfy the criteria for food addiction. Some meals are considerably more prone to trigger symptoms of addiction than others. This includes highly processed junk foods that are heavy in sugar, fat, or both. Consulting with a healthcare professional can help.
24. Do some sort of cardio
Doing cardio—whether it’s jogging, running, cycling, power walking, or hiking—is a terrific method to burn calories and enhance both mental and physical health. Cardio has been demonstrated to improve risk factors for heart disease. Even lower-intensity aerobics can help reduce body weight. Cardio seems to be particularly efficient at reducing the fat that builds up around your organs and promotes metabolic illness.
25. Add resistance exercises
Loss of muscle mass is a common side effect of dieting. Resistance workouts, like lifting weights, can help prevent this decrease in muscle mass.
26. Use whey protein
Most people receive adequate protein from diet alone. However, for those who don’t, taking a whey protein supplement is an excellent strategy to enhance protein intake. One study demonstrates that replacing some of your calories with whey protein may assist weight loss while simultaneously improving lean muscle mass. Just make sure to check the ingredients list, because some types are laden with sugar and other additives.
27. Practice mindful eating
Mindful eating is a practice used to increase awareness when eating. It helps you make thoughtful eating choices and increase awareness of your hunger and satiety indicators. It then helps you eat well in response to those cues. Mindful eating has been demonstrated to have significant effects on weight, eating habits, and stress. It can also help minimize binge eating and emotional eating.
28. Focus on modifying your lifestyle
Dieting is one of those things that virtually always fails in the long term. In fact, persons who “diet” tend to gain more weight over time. Instead of focusing simply on losing weight, make it a major objective to fuel your body with good food and everyday movement.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to lose 20 pounds naturally?
Three excellent techniques to reduce 20 pounds include:
Decrease and limit the refined carbs in your diet.
Incorporate protein, fat, and vegetables at each meal.
Watch your portion sizes.
Move more—resistance training with weights is a wonderful activity to help you lose weight.
How can I lose 20 pounds in a month?
Doctors recommend a weight loss of no more than 1-2 pounds each week; thus, reducing 20 pounds in one month is not a good objective and may be detrimental, especially if you have any chronic health concerns.
How to lose 10 pounds in 10 days naturally?
Doctors prescribe a weight loss of no more than 1-2 pounds per week. Trying to lose 10 pounds in one week may be dangerous to you, especially if you have any chronic health concerns. Creating a long-term plan for accomplishing healthy diet and fitness goals may be a more effective way to reach your ideal weight.
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Takeaway
There are several natural approaches that can encourage weight loss and help you reach a healthy weight. Limiting your consumption of processed meals, emphasizing whole foods, and incorporating movement into your routine are some approaches that may aid in weight loss. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that outcomes may vary in terms of how long it takes to detect changes in weight, depending on the strategies you utilize.