Just ramp it up gradually to avoid gas and bloating, says Sassos. Building muscle is "essential" for your body on so many fronts, says Sassos, but it also aids in achieving a healthy weight.

Exercise in general can help you manage your weight, says Sassos, who is also a personal trainer, but "the more muscle mass you have the higher your metabolic rate," says Sassos.

Strength training can be done with weights , resistance bands or using your own body weight in activities like yoga and pilates , and don't worry if you're a beginner. Just know that because muscle is denser than fat, you might be losing body fat even if the number on the scale doesn't reflect weight loss.

Instead of restricting different foods and food groups, focus on incorporating an abundance of nourishing foods that you can add into your diet to promote overall health and weight management.

The water and fiber in produce adds volume to dishes and are naturally low in fat and calories but nutrient-dense and filling. You can create lower-calorie versions of delicious dishes by swapping out higher calorie ingredients for fruits and veggies. A balanced breakfast — one that is stacked with fiber, protein, healthy fats, coming together in a delicious dish — will revolutionize your day, especially if you are currently skipping it and still find yourself struggling to prioritize a healthy lifestyle.

Skipping breakfast may influence your hunger hormones later in the day, leading to you feeling "hangry" in the afternoon which makes it harder to refrain from oversized portions or cravings for sugary and refined carbohydrate foods.

The best, heartiest breakfasts are ones that will fill you up, keep you satisfied, and stave off cravings later in the day. Starting your day with a blood sugar-stabilizing blend of nutrients will help you slim down. We just don't feel full by liquid calories in quite the same way as we do real food.

Drinking a juice or caramel coffee drink just isn't as satisfying as eating a bowl of veggie- and protein-packed stir-fry.

Skipping sugary beverages is often the easiest way to lose weight faster, and bonus, it's good for things like heart health and diabetes prevention too. Monitor your intake of juice, soda, sweetened coffee and tea and alcoholic beverages.

If you consume each of those beverages during the day, you'll have taken in at least extra calories by nighttime — and you'll still be hungry. Incidentally, alcohol may suppress the metabolism of fat, making it tougher for you to burn those calories.

Movement of any type can be a very useful weight management tool. Walking is a great, inexpensive option that doesn't require any extra gym equipment except for a good pair of kicks. One study showed that people who walked 8, steps per day were less likely to become obese, suffer from major depressive disorder and others chronic health related conditions, but any amount is good.

Consider walking for weight loss and better overall health. Slowing down to focus on things like the taste, textures, temperature and smells of what you're eating can help with portion control. But mindful eating also means really focusing on what you're eating and when—this can help you identify unnecessary munching moments you may not realize you're engaging in throughout the day that may be tacking on extra calories.

More importantly, try to avoid eating foods that you don't choose for yourself. Mindful eating can help shift the focus of control from external authorities and cues to your body's own inner wisdom.

Noticing where your extra calories actually come from is another step to making better choices in the short and long term. Spicy foods can actually help you cut back on calories.

That's because capsaicin , a compound found in jalapeño and cayenne peppers, may slightly increase your body's release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, which can speed up your ability to burn calories.

What's more, eating hot peppers may help you eat more slowly and avoid overeating. You're more likely to stay more mindful of when you're full. This includes highly processed junk foods that are high in sugar, fat, or both.

Consulting with a healthcare professional can help. Cardio has been shown to improve many risk factors for heart disease. It can also help reduce body weight 95 , Cardio seems to be particularly effective at reducing the fat that builds up around your organs and causes metabolic disease 97 , Loss of muscle mass is a common side effect of dieting.

If you lose a lot of muscle, your body will start burning fewer calories than before 99 , Resistance exercises, like lifting weights , can help prevent this loss in muscle mass , Most people get enough protein from diet alone.

One study shows that replacing part of your calories with whey protein can cause significant weight loss, while also increasing lean muscle mass , Just make sure to read the ingredients list, because some varieties are loaded with sugar and other additives.

Mindful eating is a method used to increase awareness while eating. It helps you make conscious food choices and develop awareness of your hunger and satiety cues.

It then helps you eat well in response to those cues Mindful eating has been shown to have significant effects on weight, eating behavior, and stress in individuals who have obesity.

By making conscious food choices, increasing your awareness, and listening to your body, weight loss should follow.

Dieting is one of those things that almost always fails in the long term. Instead of focusing only on losing weight, make it a primary goal to nourish your body with nutritious food and daily movement.

Doctors recommend a weight loss of no more than pounds per week, so losing 20 pounds in one month is not a health goal and may be harmful, especially if you have any chronic health conditions. Doctors recommend a weight loss of no more than pounds per week.

Trying to lose 10 pounds in one week may be harmful to you, especially if you have any chronic health conditions. Creating a long-term plan for reaching healthy diet and fitness goals may be a more effective way to reach your desired weight.

There are many natural methods that can promote weight loss and help you reach a healthy weight. Here are 29 science-back, natural ways to help. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

VIEW ALL HISTORY. This article…. Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed…. Some studies suggest vaping may help manage your weight, but others show mixed….

The amount of time it takes to recover from weight loss surgery depends on the type of surgery and surgical technique you receive. New research suggests that running may not aid much with weight loss, but it can help you keep from gaining weight as you age.

Here's why. New research finds that bariatric surgery is an effective long-term treatment to help control high blood pressure. Most people associate stretch marks with weight gain, but you can also develop stretch marks from rapid weight loss.

A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic? How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based 29 Ways to Lose Weight Naturally Backed by Science. Medically reviewed by Danielle Hildreth, RN, CPT — By Adda Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN Ice — Updated on January 8, Natural ways to lose weight FAQ Summary Eating fewer processed foods, drinking more green tea, and taking probiotics are just a few of the natural methods that can promote weight loss.

What is the easiest way to lose weight naturally? Add protein to your diet. Prioritize whole, single-ingredient foods. Limit processed foods. Stock up on nutritious foods and snacks. Limit your intake of added sugar.

Drink water. Drink unsweetened coffee. Supplement with glucomannan. Limit liquid calories. Limit your intake of refined carbs. Fast intermittently. Drink unsweetened green tea. Eat more fruits and vegetables. Count calories once in a while. Use smaller plates. Achieving and maintaining weight loss is possible when people adopt lifestyle changes in the long term.

Regardless of any specific methods that help a person lose weight, individuals who are conscious of how and what they eat and engage in daily physical activity or regular exercise will be successful both in losing and keeping off excess weight.

I have an injury that is keeping me from physical exercise. Is there any way to continue keeping the weight off? If your injury allows, you can do some simple exercises while sitting in a chair, such as lifting light weights.

You can also use resistance bands while sitting or lying down. Some other ways to keep the weight off include counting calories and sticking to a healthful diet that includes fruits, vegetables, lean meat and fish, and whole grains.

Ensure that you include plenty of nutrient-dense foods in your diet, take the time to plan meals, use portion control, drink plenty of water, and maintain a positive attitude. Gerhard Whitworth, RN Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts.

All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice. A new trial explores the effect of varying the portion size of food and making healthful, low-calorie choices on women who are trying to lose weight…. So many of us try so hard to reach the ideal body weight that we desire, but the question is: once we achieve our weight goal, can we maintain it?

Exercise alone is unlikely to help you shift the pounds, a new study finds. Instead, physical activity should be combined with a healthful diet. Although obese participants had higher levels of hunger and satiety hormones after 2 years of sustained weight loss, hunger hormones seemed to be….

Starting the day with a big breakfast, followed by a medium lunch and a small dinner, may benefit people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, new study…. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health? Why Parkinson's research is zooming in on the gut Tools General Health Drugs A-Z Health Hubs Health Tools Find a Doctor BMI Calculators and Charts Blood Pressure Chart: Ranges and Guide Breast Cancer: Self-Examination Guide Sleep Calculator Quizzes RA Myths vs Facts Type 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood Sugar Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction Connect About Medical News Today Who We Are Our Editorial Process Content Integrity Conscious Language Newsletters Sign Up Follow Us.

Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, R. Share on Pinterest Eat a varied, nutritious diet.

Share on Pinterest Regular physical activity can help a person lose weight. Share on Pinterest Having social support is a great way to stay motivated. Losing weight. Q: I have an injury that is keeping me from physical exercise.

A: If your injury allows, you can do some simple exercises while sitting in a chair, such as lifting light weights. Was this helpful? How we reviewed this article: Sources. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

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This fiber forms gel that slows down digestion. Drinking water can help you eat less and lose weight, especially if you drink it before a meal. One study found that drinking water before a meal reduced the amount of food consumed, without significantly affecting satiety Another study showed that drinking 1 pint milliliters of water before a meal decreased calorie intake and hunger while also increasing fullness and satisfaction If you replace calorie-loaded drinks — such as soda or juice — with water, you may experience an even greater effect Drinking water before meals may help you eat fewer calories.

Replacing a sugary drink with water is particularly beneficial. Paying attention to what you eat may help you consume fewer calories.

This, in turn, can cause overeating. Additionally, absent-mindedness during a meal has an even greater influence on your intake later in the day. If you regularly consume meals while watching TV or using electronic devices, you could be inadvertently eating more.

These extra calories add up and have a massive impact on your weight in the long term. However, more research is needed, as studies have turned up mixed results on how mindful eating may affect food consumption 18 , 19 , People who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat. Paying attention to your meals may help you eat less and lose weight, but more research is needed.

When it comes to health, people often neglect sleep and stress. Both, in fact, have powerful effects on your appetite and weight. A lack of sleep may disrupt the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. Having these hormones fluctuate can increase your hunger and cravings, leading to higher calorie intake 22 , Poor sleep and excess stress may imbalance several important appetite-regulating hormones, causing you to eat more.

High consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages , such as soda, has been linked with a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes According to one meta-analysis, replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with low calorie or no calorie sweetened beverages could be linked to reductions in body weight, BMI, and percent body fat Lower calorie beverage options include water and plain or lightly sweetened coffee or green tea.

Sugary drinks have been linked to an increased risk of weight gain and many health conditions. Many simple lifestyle habits can help you lose weight. Some have nothing to do with conventional diet or exercise plans. You can use smaller plates, eat more slowly, drink water, and avoid eating in front of the TV or computer.

Prioritizing foods rich in protein and viscous fiber may also help. Experiment with one technique for a while, and if that works well for you then try another one. A few simple changes can have a massive impact on your weight over the long term.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Highly effective, well-researched ways lose weight include limiting processed foods, drinking more green tea, and taking probiotics. Calories matter, but counting them is not at all necessary to lose weight.

Here are 7 scientifically proven ways to lose fat on "autopilot. Many weight loss diets exist and each claims to be the best. This is a review of the 9 most popular weight loss diets and the science behind them.

You've probably been told it's better to lose weight slowly rather than quickly. But is it true? This article takes a look at the evidence. The 17 Day Diet promises quick weight loss by switching up your food combinations and calorie intake through different cycles.

This article reviews…. Nutrient-rich superfoods can benefit your health in many ways, including by helping you lose weight. Here are 20 of the best superfoods for weight…. Patients with diabetes who used GLP-1 drugs, including tirzepatide, semaglutide, dulaglutide, and exenatide had a decreased chance of being diagnosed….

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Nutrition Evidence Based 9 Proven Ways to Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise. Medically reviewed by Amy Richter, RD , Nutrition — By Hrefna Palsdottir, MS — Updated on May 31, How we vet brands and products Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

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Slow and steady wins the race. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your mind and body, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. Aim to lose one to two pounds a week so you're losing fat rather than water and muscle. Set goals to keep you motivated.

Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don't work as well as wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children's sakes. When temptation strikes, focus on the benefits you'll reap from being healthier.

Use tools to track your progress. Smartphone apps, fitness trackers, or simply keeping a journal can help you keep track of the food you eat, the calories you burn, and the weight you lose. Seeing the results in black and white can help you stay motivated. Get plenty of sleep.

Lack of sleep stimulates your appetite so you want more food than normal; at the same time, it stops you feeling satisfied, making you want to keep eating. Sleep deprivation can also affect your motivation, so aim for eight hours of quality sleep a night. Whether or not you're specifically aiming to cut carbs, most of us consume unhealthy amounts of sugar and refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pizza dough, pasta, pastries, white flour, white rice, and sweetened breakfast cereals.

Replacing refined carbs with their whole-grain counterparts and eliminating candy and desserts is only part of the solution, though. Sugar is hidden in foods as diverse as canned soups and vegetables, pasta sauce, margarine, and many reduced fat foods.

Since your body gets all it needs from sugar naturally occurring in food, all this added sugar amounts to nothing but a lot of empty calories and unhealthy spikes in your blood glucose. Calories obtained from fructose found in sugary beverages such as soda and processed foods like doughnuts, muffins, and candy are more likely to add to fat around your belly.

Cutting back on sugary foods can mean a slimmer waistline as well as a lower risk of diabetes. Even if you're cutting calories, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to eat less food. High-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains are higher in volume and take longer to digest, making them filling—and great for weight-loss.

It's generally okay to eat as much fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables as you want—you'll feel full before you've overdone it on the calories. Eat vegetables raw or steamed , not fried or breaded, and dress them with herbs and spices or a little olive oil for flavor.

Add fruit to low sugar cereal —blueberries, strawberries, sliced bananas. You'll still enjoy lots of sweetness, but with fewer calories, less sugar, and more fiber. Bulk out sandwiches by adding healthy veggie choices like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, and avocado.

Add more veggies to your favorite main courses to make your dish more substantial. Even pasta and stir-fries can be diet-friendly if you use less noodles and more vegetables. Start your meal with salad or vegetable soup to help fill you up so you eat less of your entrée.

Set yourself up for weight-loss success by taking charge of your food environment: when you eat, how much you eat, and what foods you make easily available. Cook your own meals at home. This allows you to control both portion size and what goes in to the food.

Restaurant and packaged foods generally contain a lot more sugar, unhealthy fat, and calories than food cooked at home —plus the portion sizes tend to be larger. Serve yourself smaller portions. Use small plates, bowls, and cups to make your portions appear larger. Don't eat out of large bowls or directly from food containers, which makes it difficult to assess how much you've eaten.

Eat early. Studies suggest that consuming more of your daily calories at breakfast and fewer at dinner can help you drop more pounds. Eating a larger, healthy breakfast can jump-start your metabolism, stop you feeling hungry during the day, and give you more time to burn off the calories.

Fast for 14 hours a day. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Eating only when you're most active and giving your digestion a long break may aid weight loss. Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You can create your own small portion snacks in plastic bags or containers.

Eating on a schedule will help you avoid eating when you aren't truly hungry. Drink more water. Thirst can often be confused with hunger, so by drinking water you can avoid extra calories. Limit the amount of tempting foods you have at home. If you share a kitchen with non-dieters, store indulgent foods out of sight.

The degree to which exercise aids weight loss is open to debate, but the benefits go way beyond burning calories. Exercise can increase your metabolism and improve your outlook—and it's something you can benefit from right now.

Go for a walk, stretch, move around and you'll have more energy and motivation to tackle the other steps in your weight-loss program. Lack time for a long workout? Three minute spurts of exercise per day can be just as good as one minute workout.

Remember: anything is better than nothing. Start off slowly with small amounts of physical activity each day. Then, as you start to lose weight and have more energy, you'll find it easier to become more physically active.

Find exercise you enjoy. Try walking with a friend, dancing, hiking, cycling, playing Frisbee with a dog, enjoying a pickup game of basketball, or playing activity-based video games with your kids. Far from it. Since it was established in , The National Weight Control Registry NWCR in the United States, has tracked over 10, individuals who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off for long periods of time.

Whatever diet you use to lose weight in the first place, adopting these habits may help you to keep it off:. How choosing healthier carbs can improve your health and waistline. This diet can help fight heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, and more.

How focusing on the experience of eating can improve your diet. Tips for building a fitness plan, and finding the best exercises for you. BetterHelp makes starting therapy easy. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist.

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Harvard Health Partnership Audio Meditations Newsletter. What's the best diet for healthy weight loss? Weight Loss How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off There's a better way to lose weight. Copy Link Link copied! Download PDF. By Melinda Smith, M. and Lawrence Robinson. Four popular weight loss strategies Control emotional eating Stay motivated Cut down on sugar and refined carbs Fill up with fruit, veggies, and fiber Take charge of your food environment Get moving Keeping the weight off.

Four popular weight loss strategies 1. Cut calories Some experts believe that successfully managing your weight comes down to a simple equation: If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. Weight loss isn't a linear event over time. When you cut calories, you may drop weight for the first few weeks, for example, and then something changes.

You eat the same number of calories but you lose less weight or no weight at all. That's because when you lose weight you're losing water and lean tissue as well as fat, your metabolism slows, and your body changes in other ways.

So, in order to continue dropping weight each week, you need to continue cutting calories. A calorie isn't always a calorie. Eating calories of high fructose corn syrup, for example, can have a different effect on your body than eating calories of broccoli.

The trick for sustained weight loss is to ditch the foods that are packed with calories but don't make you feel full like candy and replace them with foods that fill you up without being loaded with calories like vegetables. Many of us don't always eat simply to satisfy hunger.

We also turn to food for comfort or to relieve stress—which can quickly derail any weight loss plan. Cut carbs A different way of viewing weight loss identifies the problem as not one of consuming too many calories, but rather the way the body accumulates fat after consuming carbohydrates—in particular the role of the hormone insulin.

Cut fat It's a mainstay of many diets: if you don't want to get fat, don't eat fat. Not all fat is bad. Unsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts, seeds, soy milk, tofu, and fatty fish can help fill you up, while adding a little tasty olive oil to a plate of vegetables, for example, can make it easier to eat healthy food and improve the overall quality of your diet.

We often make the wrong trade-offs. Many of us make the mistake of swapping fat for the empty calories of sugar and refined carbohydrates. Instead of eating whole-fat yoghurt, for example, we eat low- or no-fat versions that are packed with sugar to make up for the loss of taste.

Rapid weight loss diet is a type of diet in which you lose more than 2 pounds 1 kilogram, kg a week over several weeks. To lose weight this quickly you eat very few calories. Slow and steady weight loss is the only way to avoid yo-yo dieting, where you lose a great deal of weight, only to regain it within a few months or years.

There are no miracles in weight loss, go for steady progress toward a healthier life. Losing excess weight by eating a healthy diet and increasing physical activity can help prevent future health problems. Obesity increases the risk of illness and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, kidney and gallbladder disorders, and cancer.

The more overweight, the higher the risk becomes. These diets are most often chosen by people with obesity who want to lose weight quickly. These diets are less commonly recommended by health care providers. People on these diets should be followed closely by a provider.

Rapid weight loss may not be safe for some people to do on their own. These diets are only to be used for a short time and are usually not recommended for more than several weeks. The types of rapid weight loss diets are described below.

People who lose weight very quickly are much more likely to regain the weight over time than people who lose weight slowly through less drastic diet changes and physical activity.

The weight loss is a bigger stress for the body, and the hormonal response to the weight loss is much stronger. The hormonal response is one of the reasons that weight loss slows down over time and also why weight gain occurs when the diet is stopped or relaxed.

On a VLCD, you may have as few as calories a day and may lose up to 3 to 5 pounds 1. Most VLCDs use meal replacements, such as formulas, soups, shakes, and bars instead of regular meals. This helps ensure that you get all of the nutrients you need each day. A VLCD is only recommended for adults who have obesity and need to lose weight for health reasons.

These diets are often used before weight-loss surgery. You should only use a VLCD with the help of your provider. Most experts do not recommend using a VLCD for more than 12 weeks. These diets usually allow about 1, to 1, calories a day for women and 1, to 1, calories a day for men. An LCD is a better choice than a VLCD for most people who want to lose weight quickly.

But you should still be supervised by a provider. You will not lose weight as fast with an LCD, but you can lose just as much weight with a VLCD. An LCD may use a mix of meal replacements and regular food.

This makes it easier to follow than a VLCD. This diet strategy is becoming more popular. It is often compared to fasting, but the two strategies are slightly different.

During a period without eating, insulin levels drop to the point that the body begins burning fat for fuel. Numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of intermittent fasting for weight loss. One possible reason for the success of intermittent fasting is that most practitioners have quit the habit of eating during the late evening and night hours.

There are certain people who should not try intermittent fasting without first checking with their doctor, such those with diabetes or heart disease.

It sounds counterintuitive, but many people find success losing weight—especially initially—by eating more fat, not less. The theory is that by eating so many healthy fats and restricting carbohydrates, you enter an altered metabolic state in which you force your body to begin relying on fat for energy, burning away your fat stores instead of sugar for fuel.

Research does show that keto is an effective way to jump-start weight loss and improve blood-sugar levels. However, it is hard to maintain, and to date we are lacking long-term studies that show it to be a sustainable eating pattern for keeping weight off. Because both weight loss and overall health are tied to some basic eating patterns, we have developed the Harvard Healthy Eating Plate as a model for meal planning and for your overall balanced diet.

Imagine a round dinner plate with a line running vertically down its center dividing it evenly in two. One half of the plate should be taken up by equal portions of whole grains not refined grains like white bread and white rice and healthy protein such as fish, nuts, beans and poultry—not red meat or processed meats.

Two-thirds of the other half should be filled with vegetables, with the remaining portion consisting of fruit. To the other side of the plate, imagine a vessel containing healthy oils such as canola or olive oil.

Use it for cooking or at the table instead of butter. Adhering to its guidelines will optimize your chances of remaining healthy and of maintaining a desirable body weight. Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift.

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Which migraine medications are most helpful? How well do you score on brain health? Shining light on night blindness. Can watching sports be bad for your health? Glucomannan is one of several weight loss pills that has been proven to work.

This water-soluble, natural dietary fiber comes from the roots of the konjac plant, also known as the elephant yam.

Glucomannan is low in calories, takes up space in the stomach, and delays stomach emptying. It also reduces the absorption of protein and fat, and feeds the beneficial gut bacteria 30 , 31 , Its exceptional ability to absorb water is believed to be what makes it so effective for weight loss.

One capsule is able to turn an entire glass of water into gel. Liquid calories come from beverages like sugary soft drinks , fruit juices , chocolate milk , and energy drinks. These drinks can have a negative impact on your health in several ways, including an increased risk of obesity.

Refined carbs are carbs that have had most of their beneficial nutrients and fiber removed. The refining process leaves nothing but easily digested carbs, which can increase the risk of overeating and disease 36 , The main dietary sources of refined carbs are white flour, white bread , white rice , sodas, pastries, snacks, sweets, pasta, breakfast cereals , and added sugar.

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. There are a few different ways to do intermittent fasting, including the diet , the method , and the eat-stop-eat method. Generally, these methods make you eat fewer calories overall, without having to consciously restrict calories during the eating periods.

This should lead to weight loss, as well as numerous other health benefits Drinking green tea is linked with many benefits, such as increased fat burning and weight loss 39 , Matcha tea is a variety of powdered green tea that may have even more powerful health benefits than regular green tea.

Fruits and vegetables are extremely nutritious, weight-loss-friendly foods. In addition to being high in water, nutrients, and fiber, they usually have very low energy density.

This makes it possible to eat large servings without consuming excess calories. Numerous studies have shown that people who eat more fruits and vegetables tend to weigh less 45 , There are several effective ways to do this, including counting calories , keeping a food diary , or taking pictures of what you eat 47 , 48 , Using an app or another electronic tool may be even more beneficial than writing in a food diary 50 , Some studies have shown that using smaller plates helps you eat less, because it changes how you see portion sizes 52 , People seem to fill their plates the same, regardless of plate size, so they end up putting more food on larger plates than smaller ones Using smaller plates reduces how much food you eat, while giving you the perception of having eaten more Many studies have shown that low-carb diets are effective for weight loss.

Limiting carbs and eating more fat and protein reduces your appetite and helps you eat fewer calories This can result in weight loss that is up to 3 times greater than that from a standard low-fat diet 57 , A low-carb diet can also improve many risk factors for disease.

Fast eaters are much more likely to develop obesity, compared to those who eat more slowly Chewing more slowly may help you eat fewer calories and increase the production of hormones that are linked to weight loss 62 , Eggs are the ultimate weight loss food.

High-protein foods have been shown to reduce appetite and increase fullness, compared to foods that contain less protein 64 , 65 , 66 , It may also help you eat fewer calories throughout the rest of the day 4 , 5 , 6 , Chili peppers and jalapeños contain a compound called capsaicin , which may boost metabolism and increase the burning of fat 68 , 69 , 70 , Capsaicin may also reduce appetite and calorie intake 68 , Probiotics are live bacteria that have health benefits when eaten.

They can improve digestive health and heart health , and may even help with with weight loss 73 , Studies have shown that people who are overweight and people who have obesity tend to have different gut bacteria than average-weight people, which may influence weight 75 , 76 , Probiotics may help regulate the healthy gut bacteria.

They may also block the absorption of dietary fat, while reducing appetite and inflammation 78 , 79 , Of all the probiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus gasseri shows the most promising effects on weight loss 81 , 82 , Getting enough sleep is incredibly important for weight loss, as well as to prevent future weight gain.

This number is even higher for children This is partly because sleep deprivation disrupts the daily fluctuations in appetite hormones , leading to poor appetite regulation 85 , Fiber-rich foods may help with weight loss.

Foods that contain water-soluble fiber may be especially helpful, since this type of fiber can help increase the feeling of fullness. Fiber may delay stomach emptying, make the stomach expand and promote the release of satiety hormones 87 , 88 , This can help you eat less without having to think about it.

Many types of fiber can feed the friendly gut bacteria. Healthy gut bacteria have been linked with a reduced risk of obesity 90 , 91 , Just make sure to increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid abdominal discomfort, such as bloating , cramps , and diarrhea.

Many people brush or floss their teeth or use mouthwash after eating. Dental hygiene products can temporarily affect the taste of food and beverages, which may help limit the desire to snack or eat between meals Food addiction involves overpowering cravings and changes in your brain chemistry that make it harder to resist eating certain foods.