Most American adults are either overweight or obese, both of which increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. While demographic trends vary, 42.4% of the U.S. adult population is obese. That is a 26% increase in the national adult obesity rate since 2008. In order to solve the obesity epidemic, the country has to address conditions that contribute to weight gain.
Some people simply face obstacles in life that make it harder for them to lose weight. Others are content with their weight and adopt the body positivity mindset, There’s nothing wrong with being confident in your own skin, but being overweight puts you at risk for numerous health problems. In fact, obesity increases the risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes. While losing weight is a sound idea in theory, putting it into action and seeing results is a completely different animal. There are many challenges people face when trying to lose weight, but they don’t often follow the right rules.
There’s a wealth of information in the world about weight loss programs, diets, hacks, and tips. The problem is that not all of that information is backed by research or science. Weight loss can be a process of trial and error, primarily because each person is different, but there are science-backed tips that truly work. Weight loss is hard enough and you don’t need any more challenges that prevent the pounds from falling off. Let’s get you on the right track with the following tips to help you lose weight this year.
5 Evidence-Based Weight Loss Tips
Make Lunch Your Main Meal
The common model is that dinner is the largest or most substantial meal of the day. Let’s scrap this way of thinking because eating a large portion of food at the end of the day can cause people to lose weight at a slower rate. Additionally, eating a smaller lunch causes you to have a ravenous hunger when dinner rolls around. This causes you to eat more than you should at dinnertime. You want to give the body sufficient time to digest food, which is why lunch should be your biggest meal of the day. One 12-week study found that women who made lunch their primary meal lost 12 pounds, while women who made dinner their primary meal only lost 9 pounds.
There’s No Magical Combination Of Foods
There are so many fad diets that promote specific food combinations that promote the most weight loss. Ultimately, it’s more about your portions and the types of food you eat. Additionally, you have to understand your own metabolism, adding exercise when necessary to boost the weight loss process. Remember that once the body gets used to something, you have to change up the routine to continue the weight loss process.
Drink Water Before Your Meals
Some people love taking part in water fasts because it helps to flush out waste and contributes to weight loss. Drinking water is a great way to boost your metabolism. In fact, one study found that regularly drinking water boosts metabolism by 24-30% over a 1-1.5-hour period. Drinking water before a meal is one of the oldest weight loss tricks in the book. No matter what diet you try, drinking about 17 ounces of water 30 minutes before your meal can help you reduce your caloric intake and lose 44% more weight than people who don’t drink water before meals.
Intermittent Fasting
This is a popular eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. The most common form of intermittent fasting involves fasting for 16 hours a day and eating during the other eight-hour period. That doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want during that eight-hour eating period, though. According to short-term studies, intermittent fasting is more effective for weight loss than reducing your caloric intake. Plus, studies show that you don’t lose as much muscle mass during this approach to weight loss, which is common during caloric restriction.
Avoid Added Sugars
Sugar and weight loss do not go hand in hand. Most people consume way too much sugar, which increases the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Added sugars are occasionally hidden in various food products, and consuming them in excess can lead to fat storage around the midsection. Nutritionists claim that sugar has at least 30 different names on ingredient labels, including corn syrup, dextrose, molasses, honey, agave, fruit juice concentrate, sucrose, fructose, and high fructose corn syrup. Most added sugars are common in candies, sodas, baked goods, and processed foods like sugary breakfast cereals, cookies, and chips.
Implement these tips and you’ll be able to lose weight more efficiently. Don’t forget that incorporating exercise is always beneficial!
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
