Did you know that almost a half of us have wanted or attempted to lose weight? Many of us are doing it to improve health, gain some self-confidence or a myriad of other reasons. But with so many people advertising juice cleanses, fasting, keto or other extreme diets, you might wonder – how can I achieve safe weight loss? And better yet, how can I maintain the weight I’ve shed?
If you’ve ever wondered how to lose weight safely and consistently, we’re outlining the key things to keep in mind in our post.
Rules for safe weight loss
Before diving deep into ways that you can lose weight safely, we’ll outline the key rules for losing weight safely. Here are the 10 things to keep in mind for safe and effective weight loss:
- Get plenty of zz’s and maintain a routine
- Choose to drink more water
- Tweak your eating habits – increase your protein and lower your calories
- Pick carbs that are better for you and your goals
- Check in with your doctor
- Plan and prep your meals
- Choose what you drink wisely
- Ensure you’re getting plenty of micronutrients
- Get moving and find something that gets you excited
- Think on the bright side and keep a flexible mindset
If you’re ready to get started on the journey to a healthier you, read on to find more about each of these 10 considerations.
Effect of sleep and regimen
Your sleep has a great role to play in your weight loss efforts.
Those that don’t have enough sleep tend to experience more hunger, because Additionally, the types of foods you start wanting change, as your brain chooses higher-calorie foods.
Sleep is not only key for getting the pesky weight off, it’s also important for your ability to keep your new body without regaining, so ensure that your sleep hygiene is high. Try getting 7-9 hours of sleep and keep your bedtimes regular.
If you’d like to learn more about the connection between sleep and weight loss, check out our blog post on sleeping for weight loss.
How to Drink Enough Water
Staying hydrated is vital for our overall health but getting enough water in can be an easy change to support losing weight safely. In fact, getting more water can:
- Lower your hunger levels
- Help you burn more energy, especially if you drink cold or room temp water
- Support fat burning
So, how much water is enough? As a daily norm, drinking 9 cups for females and 13 for males is considered sufficient. However, going over that amount can be useful for safe weight loss.
Simple Tips to Make Your Diet Healthier
Adjusting your diet to lose weight safely is relatively simple.
The first step is to lower the calories you’re intaking. Don’t go super low, but if you calculate your maintenance calories and take away around 500-700 calories from them, you should be fine. If you need to, start by gradually decreasing your portion sizes and getting used to it instead of just going directly into the biggest deficit you can.
The next step is to increase how much protein you get. This is probably the most important adjustment to make. That’s because this macronutrient helps preserve your muscles during your journey, helps keep you satiated and supports overall health. Try getting at least 20g of it with every meal. If you need help, consider adding protein to your meals through protein powders like Maxler 100% Golden Whey.
If you want to check out different types of diets and whether any of them can help you in your weight loss journey, check out our post!
Be picky about your carbohydrate choices.
Let’s talk about carbohydrates for a second. Are they the bane of everyone that’s on a weight loss journey?
Carbohydrates can be a part of your diet when you’re losing weight, however there are two main things to keep in mind. The amount you eat is important, and the type of carbohydrate you get is also key.
There’s some evidence that eating less carbs can help your body burn more energy. Try eating less carbs and instead getting in a bit more protein. As always, everything is good in moderation.
When you choose to eat carbs, the type you consume matters.
What types of carbs are there? We can use a type of scale, called the glycemic index to help us divide them into groups. The scale helps us understand how our body responds to these carbs.
This scale can be used to gage how much your sugar will be spiked by the food you eat. Foods with a low score, called low GI foods, are preferable, as they don’t affect your sugar levels as much. Eating these types of carbs can assist you on the quest for safe weight loss without you having to bother with a constricting diet like Keto.
So, which foods can be on the table? Try increasing your intake of more of the following:
- Non-starchy veg and beans
- Whole grains, like bran, steel-cut oats
- Pasta (good news for those that can’t give that up!)
Get a medical examination
Weight loss is a large change to your routine, so it’s always worth starting off with a medical examination first. Your medical professional can assist you in understanding what your optimal weight range can be, as well as how quickly you may be able to see progress. Additionally, they can help you understand your body better, and be able to advise in case your original weight gain was associated with an underlying issue or even a medication you may be taking.
Another thing they can help with monitoring your progress, which is why it might be helpful to do multiple examinations throughout your journey.
Make a Plan
Successful weight loss doesn’t often mean losing weight fast. It requires discipline, consistency, and a solid plan. One of the most beneficial things you can do to lose weight safely, is to make time for your efforts.
This means writing down times you’ll be exercising in your diary, tracking your progress regularly, and of course, planning out your meals in advance. Meal prepping is a great strategy to help you meet your nutritional requirements with healthy, home-cooked foods. Planning meals is associated with an overall healthier diet.
Plus, home-cooked meals tend to help you eat less calories and lose more weight.
Having trouble sticking to your meal plans? We’ve got some tips on helping you do just that.
Skip sugar in hot drinks
Do you like your coffee with sugar or maybe even a bit of syrup? These little treats, while seeming harmless, can amount to a lot of calories throughout your week. An easy way to manage that is to look at the nutritional information when you head to grab your caffeine fix, or simply make your coffee yourself so you can control your sugar and milk additions.
However, if you’re ready to take it one step further, try having coffee without sugars, as it’s associated with weight loss. Caffeine in coffee is actually useful for helping your body burn more calories and shedding weight.
Go easy on fruit juice
Let’s talk about what your other drinks might be doing as well. If you consume a high amount of sugary drinks, it’s likely that you’re not getting many nutrients alongside those calories. Finding alternatives to those drinks is a simple way to support your efforts in losing weight safely. You can do that by choosing to drink more water or making your own healthier alternatives with a taste, such as fruit infused waters.
A question might pop up – what about diet drinks and fruit juice?
Drinks with sweeteners tend to be sweet while being lower in calories. They can be a useful alternative to helping you get off the sugary drink habit, however, it’s best to consume them in moderation.
Fruit juices also contain sugars, often in an amount comparable to sweet drinks. However, they are also rich in vitamins and other beneficial nutrients. If you’re wanting to keep drinking juices, remember to do so in controlled amounts. For best results, pair them with your meals instead of using them instead of a snack, as drinking juice with meals can benefit your energy balance. Or better yet – just have a portion of fruit or vegetables, as these contain additional fiber to help keep you full and provide plenty of needed micronutrients.
Vitamin and mineral support
If you’re changing your eating habits, it’s important to make sure that you’re still getting every key micronutrient for your health. That’s because vitamins and minerals are necessary for the cellular functions in our body. A multivitamin like Maxler Daily Max can be used alongside your new diet to ensure you’re getting everything you need.
Physical activity, exercise
One of the first instincts you might have when you start thinking about weight loss is that you’ll need to exercise a lot. Sticking to the guidelines of around 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise can be a great way to help your weight loss journey. Exercise is an essential part of losing weight safely, however, remember that you can’t quite out-train a bad diet.
Reduce your alcohol intake
Can you drink when trying to lose weight? Should you want to, do so with moderation, as alcohol can influence you to eat more afterwards or while consuming it. Plus, on it’s own it can be pretty calorific as is. Make choices that make sense to you, and don’t be afraid to ditch it for a bit.
Control how you feel
Finally, the best thing you can do when looking for safe weight loss is how you think and feel. Embrace the change and consider it a new lifestyle, rather than a form of torture, as that can help you keep going even if lapses happen. You’re also more likely to achieve your goals if you approach your problems head on and use strategies that involve goal setting and self-monitoring.
Shedding pounds isn’t always a quick and easy process. There are multiple factors to consider and changes to make. However, it is possible to do and it is possible to do it safely. With these 10 tips on safe weight loss, you should now feel empowered to know which changes you can make to reach your goals. Keep strong and get ready to see a better version of you!
