What Healthy Weight Loss Is and How to Achieve It

in Health & Well-being

Sometimes it seems that everyone is trying to drop a few pounds. Whether it’s for health reasons or to feel confident in a bikini, we’ve all tried to cut down at one point or another.

And with so many people trying to melt away fat, it seems there are thousands of diets, workout routines, and extreme ‘hacks’ that promise you the results you’re looking for.

Needless to say, a shocking number of these weight loss methods are very unhealthy – both for your body and your mind.

Through all this noise, it appears that healthy weight loss has disappeared through the cracks a little. So, what is it and how do you achieve it for yourself?

What is healthy weight loss?

So many people are looking for extreme weight loss by seriously restricting their calories and often opting for dangerous fads or trending diets. This type of eating behavior has been influenced not by health improvements, but by trying to improve appearance [1].

More often than not, these types of methods lead to relapse. A healthy diet is a more gradual, sustainable process that allows you to lose 1-2 pounds a week. This has actually been shown to be the best option for keeping the weight off too [2].

A healthy diet is also synonymous with eating nutritious foods that will nourish your body. This also seems to have been forgotten along the way, as many will opt for a huge calorie deficit over nutrient rich foods.

Choosing this approach is particularly dangerous, as too few calories can interrupt hormonal processes, affect your cognitive abilities and lead to muscle wastage to name just a few issues.

If you want to lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way and keep it off, check out these tips below.

  1. Create a manageable calorie deficit

The fact is, to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit [3]. We’ve talked above about extreme calorie deficits and how dangerous they can be, but they don’t have to be this bad.

However, it doesn’t have to be a massive one. You should aim to reduce your intake by 15-20% below your maintenance calories. This should help you lose weight gradually and healthily, without any of the dangers associated with extreme methods.

You should still feel energized, you will still get the nutrients and energy you need, and you’ll be losing weight in a controlled way.

  1. Enjoy a balanced, nutritious diet

As we mentioned above, often nutritious foods are overlooked in favor of less food. However, this is a big mistake when it comes to losing weight.

Vitamins and minerals found in nutrient rich foods are essential to keeping your body working well. For example, B vitamins play a crucial role in managing your metabolic processes, which are essential for processing the food you eat and losing weight.

On top of that, you shouldn’t completely cut macronutrients out of your diet. By taking drastic action like this, you might begin to crave food, or feel like you’re missing out. This can lead to binges and undoing any weight loss you’ve already achieved.

For example, a lot of people think cutting out carbohydrates is key to losing weight. This isn’t true – it always comes back to that calorie deficit.

If you are going to cut anything out, make it unhealthy, high-calorie refined sugars. These offer very little nutritional value and add a lot of calories to your usual amount.

  1. Eat plenty of protein

A key part of your balanced diet should be protein. Research has shown that a high-protein diet promotes a leaner physique and helps to drop fat [4].

What’s more, because protein encourages muscle development and maintenance, you can rest assured your metabolism will remain higher through your diet. This is due to the fact muscle requires more energy pound for pound than fat does. So, the more muscle you have on your frame the better.

On top of all that, protein can increase satiety, which is that feeling of fullness you get after you eat. So, by eating more protein, you’re less likely to snack between meals, helping you to stick to your nutrition plan.

  1. Get active

Being active is not only complementary to weight loss, its also essential to creating a healthy body.

By getting out more, working your body and even growing muscle, you can benefit in a huge number of ways.

You probably already know that exercise plays a big part in weight loss, but that’s not the only reason you should be doing it.

An active lifestyle can benefit your heart, your mind and even prolong your life [5].

  1. Include weight loss foods

Certain foods can help you burn more calories and improve your dieting efforts. For example, foods like cayenne pepper and caffeine possess thermogenic properties that can boost your metabolism.

Although they aren’t the secret miracle cure solution to all your weight loss dreams, they can help to support your progress and get you in a calorie deficit.

Other natural foods that could help are appetite suppressants like glucomannan from konjac root. This expands in your stomach to make you feel fuller, so you shouldn’t feel like you need to snack between meals.

These types of foods are regularly used in fat burner supplements to aid a healthy weight loss process.

With these 5 tips, you should enjoy healthy weight loss in a way that respects and nourishes your body. Try them out today to start your sustainable journey to fat loss.


Image Credits: i yunmai

Like this article? Share with your friends!

We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links. Learn more.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Related