Weight loss is easy. Ignore the fad diets, secret workouts and magic pills. The only thing that matters is calories. Here are the top weight loss tips to help you shed those pounds off, but most importantly keep them off for good.

Understanding Weight Loss

To understand how weight loss works, we must understand what calories are. In the most basic sense, calories are just a unit of measurement used to measure the amount of energy in the food or drinks we consume. Our bodies require calories to survive. You may not realize, but as you’re sitting there reading this, your body is burning calories as we speak. To lose weight, we must simply consume less calories than the body requires. Conversely, if we consume more calories than the body requires, we gain weight. It’s that simple.

The important question is – how many calories do i need? Unfortunately there is no definitive answer for that. The amount of calories required varies from person to person and depends on many factors including height, weight, gender, genetics, age and lifestyle. For example, who do you think would require more calories? A sedentary man with an office job, or a 250-pound-bodybuilder who spends hours lifting weights daily. Intuitively, you’d guess that there calorie requirements differ significantly.

To estimate your specific caloric needs, you can use an calorie calculator. Your daily caloric needs will be evaluated based on your age, height, weight, gender and life style.

It is important to understand that this calculation is a rough estimate. Individual variations such as metabolic health, muscle mass, and genetics play a crucial role in determining your precise required caloric intake. Regardless, this estimate gives us a strong reference to begin with. To lose weight, we must simply create a caloric deficit by either consuming less calories than we require or by burning excess calories through exercise. That’s it, it really is that simple.

The Importance of Nutrition

If weight loss is all about the calories we consume then technically I could lose weight by eating fries, burgers and pizza right? Yes! You’d be absolutely right. Even if you were to only consume junk food, but still maintained a caloric deficit, you’d lose weight. This may sound great! I mean who wouldn’t want to eat pizza and fries and still lose weight? However, would I recommend anyone to do this? Absolutely not! As tempting as it may sound, junk food does not offer the amount of vitamins and minerals a healthy balanced diet would.

Junk food is often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats and packed with sodium, potentially contributing to an increased risk of chronic diseases. Contrarily, healthy foods are rich in essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. These support overall health and may aid in weight loss by improving metabolic processes. Make sure to include a balanced diet of fruit, whole grains, healthy fats and lean proteins.

Incorporating Physical Activity

Although you can lose weight purely by focusing on diet alone, it is highly recommended to include cardiovascular exercise and strength training into your weight loss journey. Physical activity offers plenty of benefits that extend beyond weight loss alone.

1. Physical Activity Can Help Burn More Calories

Physical activity can help you achieve a caloric deficit. Cardiovascular exercise depending on intensity and time length, can burn upwards of 500 calories per hour. However, we must keep in mind that it is impossible to out run a bad diet. Physical activity plays a significant role in ones weight loss journey, but we must absolutely ensure that our diet is healthy and balanced before hand. To further put things into perspective, running for an hour burns anywhere between 500 to 800 calories. While an entire pizza can contain over 2000 calories. Would you rather run for 3 to 4 hours to burn the pizza off, or would you rather make smarter dietary decisions and skip the pizza?

2. Benefits of Cardio Training

Cardiovascular exercise is a great way to burn off excess calories, but it also offers numerous health benefits beyond just burning calories. Regular cardio exercise strengthens the heart and may reduce the risk of heart diseases including heart attacks and strokes. Not just the heart, but engaging in cardio exercise can improve lung capacity and efficiency, leading to better respiratory health and reduced shortness of breath. Most important of all, cardio is a great mental health booster and can help reduce stress, anxiety and may even combat depression.

3. Benefits of Weight Training

As beneficial as cardio is, incorporating weight training into your fitness routine offers additional benefits that cardio alone cannot provide. Weight training is a great way to increase muscle mass and strength. Being stronger and having bigger muscles goes beyond just aesthetics. Increased muscle mass through weight training can elevate one resting metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories even at rest. For example, research shows that one pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day while at rest compared to 2 calories for 1 pound of fat. Not only does weight training increase muscle mass, but also improves bone density which may reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

Common Challenges

Embarking on a weight loss journey is a roller coaster ride. Inevitably, one will experience many ups and downs and will come across challenges and set backs. However, it is important to keep in mind that these are normal. What’s important is that you’re aware of these challenges and know how to overcome them.

Cravings

Every once in a while, you’ll deviate from your diet. This is nothing to be ashamed about and is simply a common event in everyone’s weight loss journey. Some days you may stick to your diet comfortably, while on other days you want nothing but that juicy burger with a side of fries. Here a several strategies to help manage and reduce cravings:

1. Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can often be mistaken for hunger, leading to unnecessary cravings. Ensuring adequate water intake throughout the day can help distinguish between true hunger and the desire to eat out of habit.

 

2. Consume Balanced Meals

Most commonly, we get cravings when we’re feeling hungry. Eating balanced meals rich in protein, fiber, healthy fats and complex carbs can reduce the likelihood of cravings by keeping us feeling fuller for longer.

3. Making Food Taste Good

Another reason we get cravings is simply because we aren’t satisfied with the meal we just consumed. This is completely normal and understandable. I don’t know about you, but I certainly do not look forward to or get excited about chicken, broccoli and rice. However, we must forget the idea that healthy food has to be boring and bland. Learn to make healthy food more enjoyable by exploring different cooking methods, and incorporate more herbs and spices into your food.

Hunger

Learning to manage ones hunger effectively could ultimately mean the difference between a successful weight loss journey and a failed one. Here are several tips to help combat hunger while working towards your weight loss goals.

1. Increasing Volume of Food

Perhaps the most effective way to combat hunger is by increasing the volume of food consumed. To achieve this without consuming excess calories, one must consume more calorically less dense foods. For example, a slice of pizza contains around 250 calories while blue berries only contain 60 calories per 100 grams. This means you could eat 400 grams of blue berries compared to one slice of pizza for roughly the same amount of calories. By making smarter food choices, one can eat a larger volume of food for the same amount of calories, thus feeling fuller and more satiated.

2. Consume Adequate Protein

Consuming adequate protein can enhance feelings of fullness and reduce hunger. Foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, and plant-based proteins are excellent choices to help manage appetite.

3. Eat Regular Balanced Meals

Skipping meals can lead to excessive hunger later, increasing the temptation to overeat. Eating regular, balanced meals helps maintain energy levels and control appetite.

Not Losing Weight

Imagine putting in all that effort, and you feel like you’ve made progress. However, the moment you step on that scale hoping to see lower numbers, you realize you haven’t lost a single pound. This can be a demotivating experience but do not worry. Here are several tips moving forward:

1. Not Achieving a Caloric Deficit

Remember, the science never lies. In order to lose weight, one must achieve a caloric deficit through consuming less calories than required or by burning more calories through exercise. If you’re not losing weight, it simply means you’re not achieving a caloric deficit. Make sure to keep track of the amount of calories you’re consuming per day. If you’re still not losing weight, it simply means you’re consuming too many calories and must further reduce your daily caloric consumption.

2. Do More Physical Activity

We’ve already gone over the myriad of benefits cardio and weight training can offer. Physical activity is a great accessory to burn more calories helping you to achieve a caloric deficit.

3. Miscalculating the Amount of Calories Consumed

It is very easy to miscalculate the amount of calories we consume per day. For the most accurate results, it is recommended to weigh your food to get an accurate idea of how many calories you’re consuming. Also, remember to take into consideration things such as oil when cooking. Although, it may not look like much, oil is very calorically dense and can add hundreds of calories to your daily consumption.

Unrealistic Expectations

Setting realistic expectations is crucial for a successful and sustainable weight loss journey. Unrealistic goals can lead to disappointment, unhealthy practices, and affect long-term progress. Remember, weight loss is not a race. Everyone’s journey is different, but we must be honest and realistic. Here are some things to remember:

1. Setting Achievable and Healthy Goals

If you think you can wake up tomorrow and look like you’re ready for a body building show. I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to be disappointed. Health experts recommend aiming for a gradual weight loss of 0.5 to 1 kilograms per week. This rate is considered safe and more likely to result in long term success. Furthermore, it is recommend to not purely focus on the numbers on the scale, but rather on increased physical activity and healthier eating habits.

2. Dangers of Rapid Weight Loss

Everyone desires quick results. But rapid weight loss can have adverse effects. Studies have shown that individuals who lose weight more quickly are more likely to regain it. Weight loss is not just about losing the pounds, it is also about creating a lifestyle that you can sustain long term. You may be able to lose weight through shear will power, but what good is it if you cannot maintain it long term? Rather, focus on creating a life style that contains more physical activity, healthier eating habits and is enjoyable and sustainable.

Your Weight Loss Journey Starts Here

The best time to start is now. Remember, there is no shortcut or cheat code. It is all about consistency. Everyone’s weight loss journey is different, but never forget that it is not a race. You need to create a sustainable approach that fits your lifestyle and works long term. There is no point in dreadfully losing weight rapidly just to gain it all back months later. Remember:

• • Small changes create big results – Start with one habit at a time

• • Strength is your secret weapon – Muscle burns more calories than fat

• • Food is fuel, not the enemy – Eat for energy and nourishment, not deprivation

• • Consistency beats intensity – Slow and sustainable progress is better than short term temporary progress

Your journey starts now. Not Monday. Not Tomorrow. Now! I believe in every single one of you. Here’s to a healthier and fitter tomorrow.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a healthcare provider before making changes to your diet or exercise routine.

References:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/healthy-weight

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/basics/weightloss-basics/hlv-20049483

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/maintaining-healthy-weight

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/benefits-of-strength-training

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise