It’s not always safe to lose weight too quickly, especially if it’s done through fasting or severely limiting calories. Severely limiting calories puts you at risk for nutritional deficiencies, heart problems and slows your metabolism.
Instead, focus on making gradual lifestyle changes that can be sustained over time. Here are some tips: 1. Reduce Sugar.
Set Realistic Goals
Losing weight is about creating an energy deficit, which happens when you burn more calories than you consume. Generally, it’s recommended that you aim for 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week through diet and exercise.
Setting realistic weight loss goals can help motivate you and keep you focused on your journey. Ensure that your goals are SMART, which means they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-Based.
It’s often challenging to create a long-term goal for weight loss because it takes time to lose the weight you want, so focus on shorter-term objectives. For example, you could try to replace sugary beverages with water or naturally flavored waters, reduce stress, track your glucose, do strength training and sleep better, HealthCentral explains.
Watch Your Drinks
Drinking too many alcoholic beverages will significantly hamper your ability to lose weight. Alcohol contains a lot of calories, with beer and wine having the most – one drink can contain anywhere from 100-170 calories.
If you really want to enjoy the occasional glass of wine or beer with friends, choose the lowest calorie options. Tequila, vodka and gin are the best choices, with only 60-70 calories in one drink.
Avoid sugary drinks as well, because they only add empty calories. They can also cause a sugar spike, leading to feelings of hunger and then a crash. If you are consuming high fat foods with your drinks, the combination will make it more difficult to lose weight. Instead, drink water infused with lemon or cucumber or a sparkling water with natural flavors.
Fasting Isn’t the Answer
Although intermittent fasting has gained popularity as a weight loss strategy, you must be cautious about going too far down this road. It’s important to talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian about this eating regimen before you try it.
During fasting, your body’s glucose levels dip, and your metabolism switches from burning carbohydrates to fat for energy. This process, known as ketosis, produces chemicals called ketones that may help with weight loss.
But long-term studies haven’t proven that it’s effective, and when you eat normally again, you’ll likely gain back any lost weight. Plus, the humbling experience of denying yourself solid foods is hard on some people, especially those with certain gastrointestinal issues. They might not be able to tolerate more than juice or water during their fast.
