The secret to lasting weight loss is that weight loss begins … before you eat anything. “The idea that you just have to eat less or exercise more to lose weight is not helpful,” he says Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, NYC-based nutrition and health expert and co-author of Sugar shock. “Healthy weight loss involves developing a set of skills to help you decide which foods to eat and your lifestyle habits.”
There are so many factors that come into play, she says, “such as which foods are most filling and promote better appetite control, how well you sleep and how much stress you are under. Losing weight is challenging, but it can happen! However, it may be about redefining your idea of weight loss. “With this in mind, we reached out to three top registered dietitians to ask them about their secrets to lasting weight loss, and here are the 15 they share with you – read on.
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“Focusing on the scale can actually slow down the weight loss,” he says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RDN. “The number on the scale is usually not what a person wants to see, which can lead to either eating more (of the wrong food), or limiting even more or just giving up all the behavioral changes that have already been determined. Check how your clothes fit or take measurements to measure weight loss instead. “
Many people think they need to eat less often. But eating every three to five hours – usually three meals and one to two snacks – can help you not get so far that you go crazy and end up completely overboard. I recommend that you bring sources of protein, healthy fats and fiber with every meal – and at least one or two of them with a snack. An example of this would be to pair whole barley cakes with berries for a snack, says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, a plant-based registered dietitian and owner of Herbal eats in Stamford, CT.
“If you’re used to having a bowl of cereal or oatmeal or another high-carb breakfast (say a muffin, bagel or toast), you may want to think about this meal,” says Cassetty. For healthy weight loss, it is more useful to eat a balanced breakfast rich in protein. A high-protein breakfast can help reduce cravings, and it can help you avoid accidental snacks that can add hundreds of calories to your diet. As part of your body’s routine maintenance, you break down muscle tissue at night. “
“You can really lose weight and eat anything,” Krieger says. “Usually when a person eliminates a favorite food in an attempt to lose weight (chocolate is common) it is temporary. Of course, a person will be pampered at some point. It is better to bring a small portion of a favorite high-sugar food with a meal (not on an empty stomach, which may lead to overconsumption) at least every other day. “
Eat this, not that! Tip: “Getting enough protein in the morning is crucial to repairing that tissue and preventing muscle loss over time,” says Cassetty. “This means that consuming protein in the morning helps keep your metabolism at its highest, which helps you lose weight and keep it off. Most adults would benefit from about 20 to 25 grams of protein in the morning, which is the amount in a cup of Greek yogurt. “
“Breakfast jumping is a common habit and it is widespread among those who train intermittently fasting,” says Cassetty. “But this may not help your weight loss journey. We know it among people who have kept theirs weight loss for at least one year78% reported that they had eaten breakfast. Research also suggests that your body is more efficient at burning calories in the morning. Researchers showed this by comparing calorie burn after eating a large dinner or a large breakfast with equal calories, with the same number of calories consumed during the day. After breakfast, study the participants burned 2.5 times the calories as when they had eaten a larger dinner. They also reported fewer sweet cravings. ”
“Staying hydrated can be so good both for weight loss and for weight loss! In a study in Obesity, obese people who drank about two cups of water before eating each of their daily meals lost more than 9 pounds in about a three month period! Says Gorin.
“Studies showing that eating at night can make it more challenging to lose weight, and this habit can make it more likely that you will gain weight, so it’s good to reduce unnecessary eating at night, says Cassetty. “Often, snacks between nights are a habit rather than a necessity to reduce hunger. Plus eating too close to bed or being overcrowded at night can disrupt sleep and in turn ruin your appetite-regulating hormones. The result is that you feel hungrier and that your feelings of fullness are delayed. Therefore, I recommend social distance from your kitchen at night. “
Eat this, not that! Tip: “Our environment can affect our eating habits, so if you spend time in your kitchen or just walking back and forth, it can encourage overpainting at night, even if you’re not hungry,” says Cassetty. “When you have had enough to eat and feel satisfied, clean the kitchen and turn off the lights to signal that it is closed. Then find a replacement for this habit, such as creating or working on a puzzle.”
“Yes, you can still eat dessert and lose weight!” says Gorin. “I recommend desserts that are based on whole foods and that contain little or no added sugar. So for example a fine chocolate cream made with bananas and unsweetened cocoa powder – or a chocolate pudding made with bananas, powdered peanut butter and coconut. “
“We all learned to eat as children, of course, but we may also have picked up some bad habits as children (drinking soda, cleaning the plate, food as a reward, etc.),” says Krieger. “If you work with a psychiatric counselor or psychologist to deal with old habits (why we eat the way we do), you would be amazed at how quickly you begin to lose weight when old habits are understood in a therapy session!”
“If you do not sleep seven to nine hours every night, it becomes difficult to control your appetite and cravings and feel satisfied after eating,” says Cassetty. “That means it will be difficult to manage your weight.”
Eat this, not that! Tip: “There are many things you can do to support better sleep. For example, eat a balanced breakfast,” says Cassetty. “Studies set to skip breakfast is linked to poor sleep quality, but eating breakfast can help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality. After noon, limit coffee and tea and stay within appropriate alcohol guidelines, which include no more than one drink a day for women and two a day for men. Although alcohol can help you fall asleep faster, it can cause sleep disorders, such as less restorative sleep and more disturbances. Eating healthy – getting enough fiber from whole, plant-based foods and reducing the amount of added sugar and refined grains you eat – can help you sleep better. “
“Eat protein, low-fat vegetables first as part of a meal. When we eat sugar or carbohydrates first, it can be harder to limit the portion,” Krieger says.
“Studies show that eating staples regularly in a plant-based diet, such as chickpeas, white beans and black beans, can help with weight loss. In fact, study found that eating these foods daily can lead to a weight loss of close to a pound in about a six week period. This can increase significantly over time! Says Gorin.
“About half of adults drink soda every day, and cutting this thing off your diet will help you lose weight,” the diet will help you lose weight, Cassetty says.. “Lots of research links soda drinks to weight gain, and there is also evidence that exercise does not counteract this effect. This is because the calories in soft drinks do not contribute to fullness, so we drink them on top of the food we eat to replenish and they promote a excess calories. “
Drink this, not that! Tip: “If you drink soda, it’s the best thing you can do cut down on it, says Cassetty. A sugar-free seltzer or tea would be best. Or: “If you like a sweeter drink, try a glass of 100% orange juice instead of your soda. You may be surprised to know that it has no added sugar, and that it is included in your fruit needs. Plus one study found that 100% OJ does not interfere with weight loss when part of a calorie-controlled diet, but instead contributes to other health benefits. In the study, participants who drank OJ as part of their low-calorie diet experienced improvements in insulin and cholesterol levels and a marker for inflammation compared to dieters who skipped it. “
“Hypnosis is a wonderful tool for losing weight. It can help deal with habits, obstacles that a person may have (eating at night when watching a movie, for example), body image and helping with portion control. “, says Krieger, who is a hypnotist. .
“I see people jumping on board with things like juice cleansing,” says Gorin. “These types of diets are not sustainable and they do not give you a healthy, balanced diet. Eat balanced meals, exercise conscious eating – so limit background noise and distractions while eating – and eat every three to five hours, and you are on way to get healthier and lose weight. “
“Instead of striving for thinness or an arbitrary ideal weight or BMI number,” says Cassetty, “try to find a healthy and sustainable weight where you can enjoy all the things in life you want to enjoy – like having a glass of wine or a piece of pizza sometimes, while for example you can climb up the stairs comfortably. “She continues:” Instead of focusing on a target weight or size, focus on the things you can control, such as developing sustainable health behaviors. Start slowly by “Deciding on a change that you can reasonably make. Once you have successfully made that change, take it upon yourself. Ultimately, these behavioral changes are the key to lasting weight loss and better health.” When it comes to exactly what to eat now that you have these great tips, do not miss these 19 weight loss foods that really work, experts say.
