Diet and exercise can be key ingredients for effective weight loss for women, but there are many other factors that play a role as well. In fact, research shows that everything from the quality of sleep to stress levels can have a major impact on hunger, metabolism, body weight, and belly fat.
Fortunately, making a few small changes in your daily routine can go a long way in helping you lose weight.
Here are 23 of the best weight loss guidelines for women.
1. Reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates undergo extensive processing, which reduces the amount of fiber and micronutrients in the final product.
These foods raise blood sugar, increase hunger, and are associated with increased body mass and belly fat.
Therefore, it is best to limit your intake of refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, and prepackaged foods. Choose whole grain foods like oats, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, and barley.
2. Include resistance training in your daily routine
Resistance training helps build muscle and endurance.
This is especially beneficial for women over 50 as they increase the amount of calories they burn while at rest. It also helps maintain bone mineral density while protecting against osteoporosis.
Lifting weights, using machines, or doing bodyweight exercises are easy ways to get started.
3. Drink plenty of water
Drinking more water is a simple and effective way to reduce excess body weight with minimal effort.
A small study found that drinking 500ml of water temporarily increased calories burned by 30% after 30-40 minutes.
Research also shows that drinking water before meals can increase weight loss and reduce calories by about 13%.
4. Eat more protein
Protein foods like meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, and legumes are an important part of a healthy diet, especially when it comes to losing weight.
In fact, studies have shown that a diet high in protein can reduce cravings, increase satiety, and boost metabolism.
A small 12-week study also found that increasing protein intake by just 15% reduced daily calorie intake by an average of 441 calories, leading to weight loss of 5kg.
5. Set a regular sleep schedule
Research shows that getting enough sleep can be just as important to weight loss as diet and exercise.
Numerous studies have linked sleep deprivation and weight gain and increased levels of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for stimulating hunger.
Additionally, a study in women found that getting at least seven hours of sleep a night and improving overall sleep quality increased the likelihood of weight loss by 33%.
6. Get more cardio exercise
Aerobic exercise, also called cardio, increases your heart rate, helping you burn excess calories.
Research shows that adding more cardio to your daily routine can lead to significant weight loss, especially when paired with a healthy diet.
For best results, try doing at least 20 to 40 minutes of cardio per day, or about 150 to 300 minutes per week.
7. Keep a power journal
Keeping a food journal to keep track of what you eat is an easy way to take responsibility and make healthier choices.
It also makes calorie counting easier, which can be an effective weight management strategy.
Additionally, a food intake diary can help you stick to your goals and may lead to longer term weight loss.
8. Eat more fiber
Adding more fiber to your diet is a common weight loss strategy that can help slow stomach emptying and keep your stomach full for longer.
Without further changes in diet or lifestyle, an increase in fiber (dietary fiber) intake of 14 grams per day was associated with a 10% decrease in caloric intake and a decrease in1, 9 kg of body weight for 3, 8months.
Fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all great sources of fiber that can be used as part of a balanced diet.
9. Practice mindful eating
Mindful, mindful eating involves minimizing external distractions while you eat. Eat slowly, focusing on the taste, appearance, smell and taste of your food.
This practice helps instill healthier eating habits and is a powerful weight loss tool.
Research shows that eating slowly can increase feelings of fullness and lead to a significant decrease in daily calorie intake.
10. Nibble wisely
Eating healthy, low-calorie snacks is a great way to lose weight and stay on track while minimizing hunger between meals.
Choose snacks high in protein and fiber to promote fullness and reduce cravings.
Whole fruits combined with nut butter, vegetables with hummus, or Greek nut yogurt are examples of nutritious snacks that can support excessive weight loss in the long term.
11. Quitting the diet to lose weight
While fad diets often promise quick weight loss results, they can do more harm than good when it comes to your waistline and your health.
For example, a study of female college students found that eliminating certain foods from their diets increased cravings and overeating.
Fad diets can also contribute to unhealthy diets that interfere with long term weight loss.
12. Walk more
When you're pressed for time and can't include exercise in your daily routine, try walking more during the day. It's an easy way to burn extra calories and increase your weight loss.
In fact, it is believed that activities without exercise can burn 50% of calories throughout the day.
Going up stairs instead of an elevator, parking your car away from the door, or going for a walk on your lunch break are simple strategies for increasing your total step count and burning more calories.
13. Set achievable goals
Setting achievable goals can make it easier to achieve your weight loss goals and set you up for success.
Achievable goals should be specific, measurable, relevant and time-bound. They should hold you accountable and lead you to a clear plan for achieving your goals.
For example, instead of setting a goal of losing 5 pounds, set a goal of losing 5 pounds in 3 months by keeping a food journal, going to the gym 3 times a week, and addingone serving of vegetables at each meal.
14. Keep stress under control
Some research suggests that increasing stress levels over time can increase your risk for weight gain.
Stress can also change eating habits and contribute to problems such as overeating.
Working out, listening to music, doing yoga, journaling, and going out with friends and family are simple and effective ways to reduce stress.
15. Try high intensity interval training
High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, combines intense bursts of exercise with short recovery periods to keep your heart rate elevated.
Changing your cardio workout to HIIT several times a week can increase your weight loss.
HIIT can reduce belly fat, increase weight loss, and have been shown to burn more calories than other activities such as cycling, running, and resistance training.
16. Use smaller plates
Replacing your plates with smaller options can help you control portions and lose weight.
Although research remains limited and inconsistent, one study found that participants who used smaller plates ate less and felt more satisfied than those who used a full-size plate.
Using a smaller plate can also limit portion sizes, which can reduce the risk of overeating and control calorie intake.
17. Take probiotic supplements
Probiotics are a type of beneficial bacteria that can be eaten or taken as a dietary supplement to support gut health.
Research shows that probiotics can promote weight loss by increasing fat excretion and altering hormone levels to reduce appetite.
In particular,Lactobacillus gasseriis a particularly effective probiotic strain. Research shows that it can help reduce belly fat and overall body weight.
18. Practice yoga
Research shows that yoga can help prevent weight gain and increase fat burning.
Yoga can also reduce stress and anxiety levels - both can be associated with emotional eating, which can lead to obesity.
Additionally, the practice of yoga has been shown to reduce overeating and food concerns while maintaining healthy eating behaviors.
19. Chew more slowly
The conscious effort to chew food relatively slowly and completely can help you lose weight by reducing the amount of food you eat.
According to one study, chewing food 50 times per bite significantly reduced calorie intake compared to chewing 15 times per bite.
Another study found that chewing food 150 or 200% more than usual reduced food intake by 9. 5% and 14. 8%, respectively.
20. Eat a healthy breakfast
In the morning, you can enjoy a healthy breakfast to help you start your day on the right foot and keep you full until your next meal.
In fact, research shows that regular diet may be associated with a reduced risk of overeating.
A high protein breakfast lowers the levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin. It can help control appetite and hunger.
21. Experiment with intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting involves alternating between eating and fasting for a specified period of time each day. Fasting periods typically last 14 to 24 hours.
Intermittent fasting is said to be as effective as reducing calorie intake when it comes to weight loss.
It can also help improve metabolism by increasing the number of calories you burn while at rest.
22. Limit your consumption of processed foods
Processed foods are generally high in calories, sugar and sodium, but low in important nutrients such as protein, fiber and trace minerals.
Research shows that eating more processed foods is associated with being overweight, especially in women.
Hence, it is best to limit your intake of processed foods and opt for whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean protein, whole grains, and legumes.
23. Reduce your sugar intake
Added sugar is a leading cause of weight gain and serious health problems like diabetes and heart disease.
Foods high in sugar contain extra calories but do not contain enough vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein that your body needs.
For this reason, it is best to minimize the intake of sugary foods such as sodas, candies, juices, sports drinks, and sweets to promote weight loss and optimize overall health.
Summary
- There are many factors that play a role in weight loss, and some go far beyond diet and exercise.
- Making a few simple lifestyle changes can promote long-term weight loss.
- Incorporating just one or two of these strategies into your daily routine can help you achieve optimal results and promote healthy, sustainable weight loss.