Life can be busy.
Work, family, shopping, cooking, exercise, appointments and everything else that fills our days, can make it difficult to find the time, or motivation, to focus on weight loss.
Losing weight doesn’t necessarily mean making huge changes overnight. Often, small changes that you can maintain consistently, are more useful than trying to completely change your lifestyle, all at once. Small changes added, often contribute to more weight loss over time.
There isn’t one diet or weight-loss strategy, that works for everyone.
Here are 10 strategies that may help. Choose one or two that feel realistic for you, and build from there.
- Plan and Prepare Ahead
When we’re tired and hungry, it’s easy to reach for whatever is quickest, and not always the healthiest choice.
Planning some meals ahead, including lunches for work, can make healthier choices easier. You don’t need to prepare every meal for an entire week. Cooking some protein, chopping vegetables or simply knowing what you’re going to eat tomorrow, can help.
It may also save you money.
Try not to wait until you’re absolutely starving before deciding what to eat, that’s often when the takeaway menu can suddenly become very tempting!
- Choose More Whole or Minimally Processed Foods
Try to make foods such as these the foundation of your diet:
- Vegetables and fruit
- Beans and lentils
- Whole grains
- Fish, eggs and lean meats
- Nuts and seeds
- Dairy, if you tolerate it
These foods can provide protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
Highly processed foods aren’t automatically unhealthy, but some are easy to overeat, and they can contain large amounts of added sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and calories, even for small portions.
A large umbrella review published in The BMJ found associations between higher consumption of ultra-processed foods and a number of adverse health outcomes, although the strength and quality of evidence varied between outcomes.
Rather than thinking, “I can never eat processed food,” perhaps think:
“Can I make whole or minimally processed foods the foundation of my diet?”
That sounds much more realistic, and, easier to manage.
- Do You Really Need Breakfast?
Breakfast isn’t mandatory for everyone.
Research doesn’t support the idea that everyone needs breakfast to lose weight.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found that adding breakfast did not clearly promote weight loss, while skipping breakfast did not appear to cause greater weight gain, in the short-term studies examined.
If you’re hungry in the morning, eat breakfast. If you’re not hungry, you don’t necessarily need to force yourself to eat, simply because it’s ‘breakfast time.’
The same applies to your plate; you don’t have to finish everything on your plate because it’s there. Paying attention to feelings of fullness can be helpful.
- Prioritise Protein & Don’t Forget Healthy Fats
Protein can be useful for any ‘diet’ and during weight loss, because it can help you to feel fuller for longer. Protein also helps to preserve lean muscle mass during energy restriction.
Good sources include:
- Fish
- Chicken and turkey
- Eggs
- Lean meat
- Greek yoghurt and other dairy foods
- Beans and lentils
- Nuts and seeds
Don’t be afraid of healthy fats. Unsaturated fats found in foods such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish, can be a part of a healthy diet. Remember, though, that fats are energy-dense, so portion size still matters. Balance is key.
- What About Low-Carb or Keto?
Low-carbohydrate diets can work for some people, but there isn’t one magical carbohydrate, protein or fat ratio that works best for everyone.
A large systematic review comparing different diets found that, several dietary approaches could produce meaningful weight loss; with differences between diets generally becoming smaller over longer periods.
Keto is a particularly restrictive form of low-carbohydrate eating, and isn’t suitable for everyone.
If you’re considering a ketogenic diet, particularly if you have a medical condition or take medication, speak with your doctor or a registered dietitian first.
- Consider Intermittent Fasting or Time-Restricted Eating
Intermittent fasting (IF) and time-restricted eating (TRE) are approaches that limit when you eat, rather than, necessarily specifying exactly what you eat.
One common approach is 16:8, which is eating within an eight-hour time frame, called a ‘window,’ and fasting for the remaining 16 hours.
Research suggests that IF and TRE can support weight loss for some people, but much of the benefit may come from helping to reduce, overall energy intake. Studies have generally found modest effects, and TRE has not consistently been shown to outperform conventional calorie restriction.
So, if it works for you, great. If it doesn’t, that’s okay too.
I’ve personally used intermittent fasting alongside a lower-carbohydrate way of eating, plus regular exercise. This was over a 10 month-period, and, I lost 50 lb’s.
However, that was my experience, and, it isn’t a prescription for anyone else. I was also exercising regularly, hiking, and had made other lifestyle changes, such as, avoiding alcohol.
You don’t have to fast to lose weight. For me, the biggest lesson was that short-term “diets” hadn’t worked very well, because looking back, they were short term and not long term. Making sustainable lifestyle changes, was a different approach for me, and one that took time, but, worked well.
- Squeeze in Some Exercise
You don’t necessarily need to spend an hour in a gym every day instead, look for opportunities to move, such as:
- Go for a walk. Take the stairs. Ride your bike. Go for a run or hike. Go swimming. Try strength training
- Simply get outside and move
If you’re new to exercise, start gradually and allow your body time to adapt. Recovery is important too. Combining cardiovascular exercise with strength training, can be a useful way to develop overall fitness.
This is where Weights2Go can fit into an active lifestyle. Our Weighted Sports Bottles are designed to let you carry your hydration, while adding resistance to activities such as walking, running, hiking, and other, outdoor activities.
- Consider Reducing Alcohol
Alcohol contains ‘empty’ calories, meaning, the calories don’t have nutrients. Calories from alcohol, can add up.
Drinking ‘booze’ can also make it easier to choose less nutritious foods, particularly when socialising, or relaxing in the evening, watching TV for example.
You don’t necessarily need to think, “I can never drink again.” Instead, you might consider drinking less frequently, reducing the amount you drink, or, choosing lower-calorie options.
If you don’t drink alcohol, there’s certainly no need to start!
I have read that alcohol slows down weight loss, because our bodies break-down the alcohol first, and after that, food is then broken down. I suppose a more accurate statement would be:
The body prioritizes alcohol metabolism; when alcohol is being metabolized, oxidation of other fuels, particularly fat, is temporarily reduced.
This is one reason people often say alcohol “slows fat burning.” It doesn’t mean the body permanently stops burning fat.
- Don’t Rely Solely on the Scales
Some people like weighing themselves regularly. Others don’t.
If weighing yourself helps you monitor progress and doesn’t cause you distress, that’s fine.
But there are other ways to measure progress too.
You could pay attention to:
- How your clothes fit
- Waist or other body measurements
- How far you can walk
- How long you can exercise
- Whether you are lifting heavier weights
- Whether everyday activities are becoming easier
- How strong or fit you feel
Body weight can fluctuate from day to day because of hydration, food, sodium, hormones and other factors.
So, don’t panic if the scales are up a pound overnight. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve gained a pound of body fat.
- Remember Your ‘Why’
Why are you trying to lose weight?
Perhaps you want to improve your health, become fitter, have more energy, feel more comfortable in your clothes, or improve a health marker recommended by your doctor.
This is your ‘why.’ Whatever your reason, remember it!
There will be days when you’re motivated, and days when you’re not.
There will be birthdays, holidays, meals out, and evenings when the chocolate somehow finds its way into your hand!
Don’t expect perfection.
One ‘meal or overeating session with the cookies’ isn’t going to ruin your progress! It’s the same for, one missed workout, isn’t going to undo everything that you’ve worked towards!
Small Changes Add Up
You don’t have to completely change your life tomorrow.
Choose one or two things that feel realistic.
Prepare your lunches. Eat more vegetables. Pay attention to portions. Walk for 20 minutes. Add some strength training. Reduce your alcohol intake. Get to bed a little earlier.
Once one change becomes a habit, add another.
Over time, small changes can become part of your lifestyle.
There is no magic diet, and no, perfect exercise programme.
What matters is finding an approach that is healthy, realistic, and, sustainable for you.
Progress isn’t always a straight line. Don’t let one little mistake ruin your entire week.
Weight Loss is a Journey – not a Sprint!
Disclaimer
The information provided in this article, and on this website, is for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.
If you experience rapid or unexplained weight loss or weight gain, persistent abdominal swelling or bloating, significant changes in your bowel habits, abdominal pain, or any other symptoms that concern you, please speak to your doctor.
If you are new to exercise, have an existing medical condition, are taking medication, or are unsure whether a particular exercise, diet or weight-loss approach, is suitable for you, speak to your doctor or another appropriately qualified healthcare professional, before starting or changing, your exercise programme.
Research is continually evolving, and individual responses to diet, exercise, sleep and weight loss, can vary considerably.
Research & Further Reading
Ultra-Processed Foods and Adverse Health Outcomes: Umbrella Review of Epidemiological Meta-Analyses
A large umbrella review examining the relationship between ultra-processed food consumption and a wide range of health outcomes. The researchers found associations with numerous adverse health outcomes, although the strength and quality of evidence varied. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Effect of Breakfast on Weight and Energy Intake: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
This review found that adding breakfast did not clearly promote weight loss, while skipping breakfast was not shown to cause greater weight gain in the short-term trials examined. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Effects of Higher-Protein Diets on Body Weight and Fat Mass: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials
Research examining higher-protein diets suggests that increasing protein can modestly improve weight and fat loss while helping to preserve lean mass during energy restriction. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Comparison of Weight Loss Among Named Diet Programs in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Meta-Analysis
This large systematic review and network meta-analysis found that many different dietary approaches can produce weight loss, with differences between diets generally becoming smaller over longer periods. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Time-Restricted Eating for Weight Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
A recent systematic review examining Time-Restricted Eating found modest effects on body weight and fat mass, but considerable variation between studies. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Does Time-Restricted Eating Add Benefits to Calorie Restriction? A Systematic Review
This review found that adding Time-Restricted Eating to calorie restriction generally did not provide additional weight-loss benefits compared with calorie restriction alone. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Alcohol Consumption and Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Research into alcohol and obesity is complex, but alcohol can contribute substantially to overall energy intake and may influence eating behaviour and body weight. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)