Here are 9 more tips to help you lose weight:
Eat a high protein breakfast. Eating a high protein breakfast could help reduce cravings and calorie intake throughout the day
Limit sugary drinks and fruit juice. Empty calories from sugar aren’t useful to your body and can hinder weight loss
Stay hydrated. Drink water throughout the day and aim for half your body weight in ounces
Choose weight-loss-friendly foods. Some foods are better for weight loss than others. Here is a list of healthy weight-loss-friendly foods.
Eat more fiber. Studies show that eating fiber may promote weight loss. Find fiber in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and these other high-fiber foods.
Drink coffee or tea. Caffeine consumption may help boost your metabolism. No need to go overboard on caffeine though and be mindful of adding sugar to these drinks
Base your diet on whole foods. They tend to be nutrient rich, more filling, and less likely to cause overeating than processed foods.
Eat slowly. Eating quickly can lead to weight gain over time, while eating slowly makes you feel more full and boosts weight-reducing hormones
Get good quality sleep. Sleep is important for many reasons, and poor sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for weight gain
While these 9 tips are a good starting point, they’re not the only things that impact weight loss. Try to reduce stress, and move your body. Read more about natural tips for losing weight here.
SUMMARY
Eating whole foods, higher protein, fiber, and less sugar can help you lose more weight. Don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep, too.
Sample meal ideas for fast weight loss
These sample meal plan ideas are low carb, which limits carbs to 20–50 carbs per day. Each meal should have protein, healthy fats, and veggies. These meal ideas are just suggestions, as everyone has different needs and food preferences.
If you’d prefer to lose weight while still eating complex carbs, add in some healthy whole grains to your meals such as:
quinoa
oatmeal
whole wheat flour, bread, or pasta
brown rice
rye
barley
Breakfast ideas
poached egg with sliced avocado and a side of berries
spinach, mushroom, and feta crustless quiche
green smoothie with spinach, avocado, and nut milk and a side of cottage cheese
unsweetened Greek yogurt with berries and almonds
Lunch ideas
smoked salmon with avocado and a side of asparagus
lettuce wrap with grilled chicken, black beans, red pepper, and salsa
kale and spinach salad with grilled tofu, chickpeas, and guacamole
BLT wrap with celery sticks and peanut butter
Dinner ideas
enchilada salad with chicken, peppers, mango, avocado, and spices
ground turkey bake with mushrooms, onions, peppers, and cheese
antipasto salad with white beans, asparagus, cucumbers, olive oil, and Parmesan
roasted cauliflower with tempeh, Brussels sprouts, and pine nuts
salmon baked with ginger, sesame oil, and roasted zucchini
Snack ideas
cauliflower hummus and veggies
healthy homemade trail mix with nuts and dried fruit
kale chips
cottage cheese with cinnamon and flaxseeds
spicy roasted chickpeas
roasted pumpkin seeds
tuna pouches
steamed edamame
strawberries and brie
How fast will you lose weight?
You may lose weight more quickly in the first week of a diet plan and then lose weight at a slower but more consistent rate after that. The first week you typically lose a mix of both body fat and water weight.
If this is the first time you are making changes to your diet and exercise habits, weight loss may happen more quickly.
Unless your doctor suggests otherwise, losing 1–2 pounds per week is usually a safe amount. If you’re trying to lose weight faster than that, speak to your doctor about a safe level of calorie reduction.
Aside from weight loss, a low carb diet can improve your health in a few ways, though the long-term effects are not yet known:
blood sugar levels tend to significantly decrease on low carb diets (30)
triglycerides tend to go down (31)
LDL (bad) cholesterol goes down
blood pressure improves significantly
Other diet types that reduce calories and increase whole foods are also associated with improved metabolic markers and slower aging Ultimately, you may find a more balanced diet that includes complex carbohydrates is more sustainable.
SUMMARY
You can reach your weight loss goals by incorporating a low carb or low calorie diet into your life, but the speed of weight loss depends on the individual.
General weight loss can sometimes improve certain markers of health, such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
The bottom line
By reducing carbs or replacing refined carbs with complex carbs, you’ll likely experience reduced hunger levels. Feeling hungry is often why it’s difficult to maintain a weight loss plan, so it’s important to find a way of eating that leaves you feeling satisfied.
By incorporating a sustainable low carb or lower calorie eating plan, you can eat healthy food until you’re full and still lose weight.
Losing weight quickly may be your goal, but it’s important to think about the long run. While you may lose water weight quickly, fat loss takes longer, and developing sustainable weight loss may take longer than you’d like.
