Weight Loss Tips 9 best tips for faster weight loss
1. TRACK YOUR DIET
“Eating fewer calories than you burn will help you lose weight—it’s that simple,” Dr. Seltzer says. “But you need to know your patterns before you can make a plan.”
To assess how much you’re actually eating to maintain your current weight, Dr. Seltzer recommends using MyFitnessPal. Just input whatever you eat, and be honest. The app will calculate your daily calorie intake without judgement (or any math on your end). “No food is inherently good or bad,” Dr. Seltzer says.
2. MAKE SUPER SMALL FOOD SWAPS.
If you’ve been eating fast food for years, get real about your approach: You’re probably not going to stick to an organic, gluten-free, paleo overhaul for very long. “You want to change as little as possible to create calorie deficit,” says Dr. Seltzer,
who insists the best way to support sustainable weight loss is to incorporate small changes into existing habits. So instead of giving up your daily BLT bagels in favor of an egg-white wrap, try ordering your sandwich on a lighter English muffin. Or say you eat a snack bar every afternoon: Swap your 300-calorie bar for a 150-calorie alternative. “Your brain will feel the same way about it, so you won’t feel deprived,” he says.
3. GO AHEAD: EAT YOUR LARGEST MEAL AT NIGHT.
Also some research shows that the human body is primed to consume most of its calories during daylight hours. But the lifestyle is problematic for many: Because family meals and dinners with friends often are scheduled for after sunset, “people who try to stop eating after 7pm can’t do it every day for the rest of their lives,” says Dr. Seltzer, who supports an alternative strategy: Eating a hearty meal at your regular dinnertime.
After all, when you run out of calories too early to go out to dinner with friends or satisfy a bedtime craving, you’re more likely to fall victim to what Dr. Seltzer calls the “f*ck it” effect—when you break one “rule” and give up for the rest of the night
4. GET YOUR PROTEIN FROM LEAN FOOD SOURCES.
Dietary protein is one of the most important tools in your weight-loss arsenal, partly because you expend more energy digesting protein versus carbs and fat, Dr. Seltzer says. But it’s often packaged with naturally-occurring fats that amp up the calories of each serving.
It’s why leaner protein sources like chicken breast, white fish, and low-fat dairy have fewer calories than alternatives like bacon and burgers. Greek yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese also make smart choices.
5. PAIR PROTEIN WITH SWEETS.
When eaten by itself, candy and other sugary foods flood the bloodstream and clear out quickly, leaving you hungry again or tired, Dr. Seltzer explains. Protein slows this the release of sugar into the bloodstream so you can get your fix and feel satiated for longer.
6. OPT FOR CARBS WITH HIGHER FIBER CONTENT.
Like protein, fiber slows the rate at which your body plows through carb calories so you feel full for longer and maintain steadier blood sugar levels, one reason why research consistently links fiber intake to weight loss. That means fibrous whole grain bread tends to be a better choice than white bread and also explains why fruits, which contain fiber and valuable vitamins in addition to sugar, beat straight-up candy every time.