One-sided diets were a thing of the past, as more and more people shift their focus away from rapid weight loss toward a long-term strategy to lose weight healthily . What this means exactly will be described in our 5 weight loss tips, which actually deliver what they promise. Instead of banning certain foods, these weight loss tips start at a particularly promising point.
How can I lose weight healthily?
The most important component for preventing obesity is prevention. For this to be effective in the long run, we need to create an environment that supports us in maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding excessive weight gain in the form of fat. 1
To lose weight in a healthy way and thus be successful in the long term, you should follow a similar approach. One-sided diets usually only yield short-term success and, in the worst-case scenario, lead to the yo-yo effect, where you end up gaining more weight than you lost.
However, if you integrate a predominantly healthy diet, exercise, knowledge of healthy eating, and an awareness of your body into your life, you are much more likely to feel comfortable in your body in the long run.
Weight loss tips are aimed at people who, according to the Body Mass Index calculator , are overweight or should reduce their weight based on a doctor's recommendation.
Lose weight with a calorie deficit
In principle, weight gain or weight loss can be simply explained: if you consume more calories than your body burns, you gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than your body burns, you lose weight. In this case, one speaks of a calorie deficit. This principle applies consistently, regardless of the weight loss tips you follow.
To find out how many calories you can eat per day to neither gain nor lose weight, it's best to use a calorie calculator . To not only maintain your weight but also lose a few kilos, your daily energy intake should be about 300 to 400 kcal below the calculated value. You should definitely not save more than 500 kcal; otherwise, your organs (which, by the way, consume the most energy) can no longer perform at their full capacity, and you will quickly feel tired and constantly exhausted.
You're guaranteed to lose weight with these 5 tips
Classic diet tips aside, to make it work with healthy weight loss, we aim for long-term satisfaction with your body and a healthy lifestyle that brings you joy through our weight loss tips. As mentioned earlier, a calorie deficit is key for all weight loss tips.
Weight Loss Tip 1: Question Your Eating Habits
Studies show that certain eating habits are more likely to be related to obesity than others. These include, for example:
- Eating out often (cooking little yourself)
- Choosing mostly fatty and sugary meals
- Consuming strongly industrially processed snacks for in-between meals
Unhealthy habits should therefore be replaced by the following examples:
- Preparing meals and taking them with you.
- Studying the nutritional values of your favorite foods and identifying fatty and sugary products.
- Not skipping meals to avoid cravings for unhealthy snacks. 1
Eating habits are very individual. If you have trouble identifying and changing unhealthy habits, dietitians can help you with their expertise.
Weight loss tip 2: Exercise regularly
In addition to nutrition, exercise is the second important pillar in the fight against excess weight. Create an environment that encourages movement. For example, explore the bike paths on your way to work or see which gyms are near you.
Make exercise a part of your everyday life and incorporate 2-3 sports sessions per week into your routine. The best sport for losing weight is a combination of strength and endurance. However, what's even more important is that you choose a sport that you enjoy, so that you can stay on track in the long term.
Weight Loss Tip 3: Make a Balanced Diet Your Priority
Your diet should cover all the important nutrients and provide your body with vitamins and minerals. However, a balanced diet also means that you allow yourself your favorite dishes, even if they contain a lot of fat or sugar and are therefore considered unhealthy.
Prohibitions create cravings for "forbidden" dishes, which often ends up with you overeating, eventually giving in, and feeling guilty. Once your body understands that all foods are allowed, the cravings will also decrease.
Weight loss tip 4: Eat regularly
Thinking about saving calories by skipping entire meals may sound logical. In truth, excessive hunger is often followed by excessive satiety from overeating.
For this reason, you should eat when you are hungry. For example, eat 2-3 large meals and 1-2 snacks throughout the day. Listen to your body. If you prefer to eat very large meals and are not hungry in between, you can simply leave out the snacks.
Weight Loss Tip 5: Choose a Healthy Breakfast to Start the Day
Choosing your breakfast wisely will help you manage your hunger throughout the day. For example, if you eat a lot of sugar for breakfast, it will negatively affect your blood sugar level. It rises quickly and then falls rapidly. This means that your breakfast won't keep you full for long, and you'll get cravings sooner or later.
The best choice for a healthy breakfast, and thus part of our weight loss tips, is the absolute classic porridge . It is quick to prepare and meets all the criteria for a healthy breakfast. Due to the fiber and long-chain carbohydrates it contains, it makes you feel full for a long time. With toppings of your choice, oatmeal turns into a healthy and varied breakfast in no time.
Basic Recipe: Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 250 ml milk or a plant-based alternative for vegans (oat milk, almond milk, soy milk,...)
- 50 g oatmeal (grams of oatmeal)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tsp agave syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon of your choice
Preparation
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Boil the oatmeal with the pinch of salt and the sweetener of your choice in the milk or plant drink (preferably with constant stirring). Cooking the cereal flakes only with hot water is also a possible variant.
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Let the porridge steep for 3 minutes.
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Empty the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.
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Enjoy!
Nutritional Values
Sources:
1
Institute of Medicine (US) Subcommittee on Military Weight Management. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221839/
