Category: Metabolism

Are you looking to shed those excess kilos that you just can’t seem to

shift?Ask anyone about the most effective way to lose weight, and they will

probably give you a simple answer: go on a diet and exercise. Sure, this

works. However, there are numerous other factors that influence weight

loss, hundreds of diet plans to choose from, and the question still remains:

How do you keep the weight off? 

Here are some sure-fire ways to lose weight and an effective diet plan to

keep it off, once and for all.  

Calories measure the energy content of foods and drinks. To lose weight,

you need to reduce the number of calories you consume to 500 fewer

calories. 

One way to achieve weight loss quickly is to cut back on sugar and refined

carbohydrates such as bread, white rice, and pasta. Eating a lot of high-

calorie foods can lead to being overweight or obese. According to the

World Cancer Research Fund, high-calorie foods to avoid include things

like chocolate and sweets, chips, biscuits, cake, ice cream, fast food, and

pastries. Adding vegetables and other fiber-rich foods to your diet does not

only make you healthier; it will also help you curb your calorie

consumption.  

It is universally acknowledged that exercise can help you lose weight. Your

metabolism goes up when you exercise, which means that the number of

calories that you burn in a day increases. A 2017 article in Healthline,

reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, a licensed and registered dietitian,

recommends that you perform some form of aerobic exercise at least three

times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes per session. More than 20

minutes is even better if your goal is to lose those few pounds. Aerobic

exercises include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing. Find

something you love and make it part of your routine.

Apart from weight loss, other benefits from exercise include lowered risk of
many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, various

types of cancer, and depression and anxiety.  

Losing weight is more than just diet and exercise; your mind and behavior

play an essential role in your weight loss journey.

“Weight is hugely psychological,” Katie Rankell, a registered dietitian and
program director of the UCI Health Weight Management Program, says. “If

it were just a hunger thing, we’d eat when we are hungry and stop when

we’re full.”

Psychological or emotional eating happens when you eat food to make

yourself feel better. When your hunger is dynamic rather than actual or

physical, you will likely eat mindlessly and crave specific comfort foods,

which are usually unhealthy and high in calories. 

 

Practice mindful eating by paying attention to your food and eating it slowly.

Instead of using food as your primary coping mechanism, try non-food-

related activities such as reading a book or listening to music to reduce

stress.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation also significantly impacts weight loss. Sleeping less

makes us eat more because it affects peptides, which are responsible for

appetite regulation. “Ghrelin stimulates hunger, and leptin signals satiety to

the brain and suppresses appetite,” says Allison T. Siebern, Ph.D., a
Fellow in the Insomnia and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program at the

Stanford University Sleep Medicine Center. “Shortened sleep time is

associated with decreases in leptin and elevations in ghrelin.”

Being deprived of sleep does not only whet our appetites; it also fuels the

desire to munch on high-calorie foods. It should come as no surprise that

people who sleep less than seven hours a day tend to gain more weight

and have a higher risk of becoming obese than those who get seven hours

of shut-eye.

In the early 1970s, dieticians started using a high-protein diet as a useful

weight-loss tool. Since the late 1990s, there have been numerous weight

loss studies using high-protein diets. Recent studies show that protein has

a satiating effect. “It takes a longer time for your body to break down and

digest most protein, so it delays your appetite and keeps you feeling fuller,

longer,” says Roger E. Adams, Ph.D., a nutritionist, and weight-loss

consultant.

A high-protein diet does not only reduce your appetite and keep you from

overeating; it also helps reduce cravings and prevent you from emotional

eating. Studies published in the National Library of Medicine found that

high protein intake significantly boosts metabolism, thereby increasing the

number of calories you burn. It can amount to 80–100 more calories burned

each day. Since a high-protein diet boosts metabolism and automatically

reduces calorie intake and cravings, many people who increase their

protein intake tend to lose weight almost instantly. 

Several studies have found that when people eat diets high in protein, they
burn more calories for several hours after eating. The Harvard School of

Public Health recommends that you consume plant-based protein as much

as possible. It includes legumes such as lentils, beans and peas, nuts and

seeds, and whole grains. Animal-based protein is just as important. Poultry,

seafood, and eggs are good sources of protein. But the consumption of red

meat —such as unprocessed beef, pork, lamb, veal, mutton, and goat

meat—should be more limited. Also, processed meats, including bacon, hot

dogs, sausages, and cold cuts, should be avoided where possible.

One of the reasons I love Herbalife so much is because they provide

protein shakes that are easy to prepare, delicious, and they keep you full

and satiated for a long time. You can add fruit and vegetables such as

blueberries or spinach to give yourself a healthy, high-nutrition snack. Their

shakes are one of the key components of the Healthy Living diet. Are you

interested to know more? Please reach out directly using the contact form

on my website and I look forward to chatting with you!