10 Weight-Loss Strategies That, According to Science, Actually Work

10 Weight-Loss Strategies That, According to Science, Actually Work
 

Here are ten effective weight-loss techniques, 10 crash diet alternatives.
 

Most people with weight loss goals mean well. They get off to a terrific start, but eventually lose their way, and any weight they may have lost slowly creeps back on. In order to learn how individuals may genuinely lose weight properly and keep it off, we looked at the most recent scientific research. Here are ten effective weight-loss techniques, 10 crash diet alternatives.

1. Reduce your weight gradually

You may have persuaded yourself that you can change your diet and begin working out every day, but doing so is similar to boarding a flight without a plan to Antarctica. John Norcross, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Scranton who has researched New Year's resolutions, advises, "You need a plan." What particular changes are you intending to make? The advice of experts is to write down all the changes you want to make, then start with one small, manageable adjustment, such as bringing a nutritious lunch or taking a 20-minute daily walk.

Put a bold tick next to it after it has become a comfortable part of your routine, then make another tiny adjustment. A recent research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine revealed that persons who made one tiny adjustment a week lost weight nearly twice as much as those who followed more general "eat less, move more" recommendations. Sure, baby steps take longer, but they work. And consider how rewarding it will be to watch those checkmarks accumulate as the weight is lost.

2. Maintain Simplicity in Your Meals

The less convoluted the rules you have to follow when it comes to your diet and exercise, the better. Find an eating strategy or plan that works for you.

When researchers compared women following two different diet plans—one that gave dieters a list of foods they could eat and a few simple rules, and another more complicated diet that gave dieters more food options but required them to meticulously record all of their eating and exercise—they found that those who found the latter plan challenging were the most likely to give up. According to research coauthor and director of the IU Food Institute Peter Todd, Ph.D., a professor of cognitive science and psychology at Indiana University in Bloomington, "Complex diets can be burdensome, so choose one that seems manageable." The diet that is successful for your closest buddy could be difficult for you since everyone has a different tolerance. And if a diet is overwhelming you, change to a more straightforward strategy. That's far preferable to giving up completely.

3. Choose two weight goals.

It might be beneficial to pace yourself as you take each modest step along the road if your long-term objective is to drop 20 pounds or more.

Let's face it: dropping 20 pounds or more is a tough proposition. Because of this, Eat to reduce, Eat to Win author Rachel Beller, M.S., R.D.N., suggests focusing on a shorter-term goal weight that is roughly half of the overall amount you want to reduce. "Having an easier-to-reach goal can help keep you motivated," the author claims. And after you reach that initial goal, you may rejoice, rethink your approach, and renew your passion for the subsequent phase.

4. Eat Your Vegetables First 

Researchers at the University of Minnesota conducted a number of trials in which participants were instructed to eat their vegetables before any additional food was placed on their plates. Even the researchers were shocked by the results. People eat up to five times as much vegetables as normal, according to research leader Traci Mann, Ph.D. And after being handed M&Ms, those who initially munched on carrots ate one-third less candy than those who were just given the candy. Why does this ruse succeed? Since we usually eat whatever is put in front of us, the vegetables don't compete with the other items on our plate (which we usually choose first, if given the choice). So start with some crudités or a salad.

Additionally, reserve the bread until the meal's finale. According to obesity specialist Louis Aronne, M.D., professor of metabolic research at Weill Cornell Medical College, eating simple carbs first significantly raises blood sugar, which causes your body to release insulin and cause the calories to be stored as fat—the opposite of what you want if you're trying to lose weight. "Having some protein and vegetables before simple carbs blunts that unhealthy blood sugar response," the author continues.

5. Comfort Food Won't Really Make You Feel Better

Recently, after showing research participants a depressing film, Traci Mann and her colleagues gave some of them permission to indulge in their favorite comfort foods, such brownies, cookies, and ice cream. A third group didn't eat anything at all, while others received granola bars. There was no difference between the three groups when the researchers later evaluated the individuals' emotions. In other words, brownies don't always provide the instant boost we expect them to. The lesson from Mann: "When you're feeling down, it's much better to call a friend or take a walk—both have been shown to improve mood." Additionally, some choices have no calories.

6. Conciliate the Scale 

It's time to make peace if you view the bathroom scale as a torture device. According to studies, those who are able to lose weight and keep it off permanently weigh themselves frequently. If not, you run the danger of mindlessly accumulating weight. According to one research, a third of women had no idea they had gained five pounds in six months and a quarter had no idea they had gained nine. Remind yourself that your weight is not a reflection of who you are as a person to help you overcome your fear of the scale, advises Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D.N. Consider it objective data that can help you determine whether your diet is on track, similar to the temperature displayed on an outside thermometer, she advises. Additionally, weighing yourself every day would be ideal. Weighing-frequency experiments at Cornell University have been carried out by Carly Pacanowski, Ph.D., R.D., who says that it "demystifies the scale and takes away some of its power."

7. Reduce the Time You Eat

Recent research indicates that when you eat can be just as significant as what you eat. In one, individuals who typically ate within a 15-hour window were instructed to limit their meals to 10 or 11 hours. Over the course of the 16-week trial, they lost an average of seven pounds without making any other changes to their eating habits. Author of the research Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego. "The timing of food intake affects the body's internal clock, which in turn affects genes that play a role in metabolism," he adds. In other words, eating during a smaller window of the day may help our bodies burn calories more effectively. Therefore, think about delaying your breakfast and your dinner a little earlier. 

8. Pay Attention to the Foods You Put in Your Shopping Cart

Your purchases might not be as morally upright as you believe. In a recent study of Americans' food purchases, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill discovered that 61 percent of the calories come from highly processed foods including soda, chips, cookies, and refined breads. Additionally, the saturated fat, sugar, and salt contents in these items are greater than recommended. The study's authors advise sticking to single-ingredient foods and browsing the store's perimeter, where fresher, healthier items like vegetables and fish are more likely to be found, in order to fill your basket and aid in weight reduction. While you're at it, chew some gum. When shopping, it could help you buy 7% less junk food, according to research (mint gum works best).  

9. Quit talking to yourself badly. 

I'm so obese, ugh!That serves as our standard for motivation to lose weight, for many of us. According to Kristin Neff, Ph.D., assistant professor of human development at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Self-Compassion, "There is this widespread misconception that being hard on yourself is the only way to achieve your goals."But according to studies, being kind to yourself is a better approach to reinforce your commitment to healthy practices. Neff advises, "Coach yourself through your ups and downs the same way you'd coach a friend—with words of inspiration and support." "For instance, if you overeat or put on a few pounds, remind yourself that everyone struggles to lose weight. I'm going to go cautiously and persevere. Consider every meal-as an opportunity to start over. 

10. Don't expect losing weight to be simple. 

A harsh fact is revealed by studies of successful dieters: "They remain fairly strict about their eating forever," claims James O. Hill, Ph.D., cofounder of the National Weight Control Registry, which records information on thousands of people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. Sound gloomy to you? Consider it in this manner, advises Author Beller of Eat to Lose, Eat to Win: "All you have to do is come up with a long-term nutritional plan that you can stick to, like giving yourself the occasional treat or beverage. It resembles relocating to a new city. It's challenging for the first year or two, but as you build a pattern, you grow used to it. You may still yearn for certain aspects of your former existence, but you are content with the present one.