Many people are unsure how to lose weight safely and naturally at home. It does not help that many websites and advertisements, particularly those belonging to companies that sell diet drugs or other weight-loss products, promote misinformation about losing weight.
Evidence shows that most people who search for tips on how to lose weight will come across false or misleading information on weight loss. “Fad” diets and exercise regimens can sometimes be dangerous as they can prevent people from meeting their nutritional needs.
The safest amount of weight to lose per week is between 1 and 2 pounds. Those who lose much more per week or try fad diets or programs are much more likely to regain weight later on.
A variety of research-backed methods exists to help a person achieve a healthy weight safely and naturally at home. See the tips below:
1. Drink Water Right Before A Meal
Drinking water on a daily level is what will keep your body hydrated, your skin clear, your blood pressure within healthy levels, and what will eliminate the body waste among many other positive effects. One great benefit from drinking at least eight glasses of water each day is weight loss. It has been suggested that drinking water will boost your metabolism rate by 24-30% in the period of around 1.5 hours (1). This means more calories being shredded than ever.
But here is a small, yet effective trick for you! Make sure that you drink water right before each meal. A study published in 2010 tested the effects of water drinking regarding the weight loss process. The study found that drinking 500 ml of water around 30 minutes before each meal has helped the individuals to reduce the number of calories that they intake plus achieve weight loss by 44% as compared with the group who did not make an effort to drink water before their meals as a weight loss technique (2).
2. Use the Help of Caffeine
Just because you are on a diet that does not mean that you are not allowed to enjoy the delicious taste of caffeine. In fact, caffeine has been proven to work just fine and even induce weight loss. Caffeine has the superpower to boost your metabolism by 3-11% and with that, increase the calorie count that is being burned by 10-29% according to numerous studies (3, 4).
If you really want to lose weight, then we would recommend taking your coffee black. That means no sugar or any other sweeteners. Milk would not help the case either. Black coffee is just as delicious once you will learn to appreciate its true taste of caffeine.
There are many people that do not like to start their day with a fresh cup of coffee, nor do they like to drink it later in the day and that is okay. We have the perfect solution for this tricky situation. If you do not like to take your caffeine from coffee, how about drinking some green tea?
Green tea is filled with caffeine and antioxidants, and it has been scientifically proven to be able to achieve weight loss (5, 6). Again, we would recommend drinking your green tea without any sweeteners. If you want to improve its taste, perhaps you can add a few drops of lemon juice to freshen it up. And for the best effects, we advise you to take your green tea before and after exercise to achieve the best effects possible, according to science (7)!
3. Include Eggs in Your Breakfast Menu
Breakfast is perhaps the most important meal of the day. Perhaps it is you’re missing out of breakfast or choosing the wrong breakfast foods that have been contributing to your weight gain process. If you are interested in losing all that extra body weight, then perhaps you would like to think about introducing more eggs in your diet, especially during breakfast.
Eggs contain high levels of clean proteins which will help you to feel full and satisfied for a long time. They will help you to stay away from any empty calories throughout the next few hours and eliminate the feeling of hunger efficiently (8). Eggs have been scientifically proven to be able to increase your metabolism rate as well (9). By doing so, they will help you to burn more calories throughout the day and lose weight fast and efficient (10).
4. Try A Low-Carb Diet
A low-carb diet limits the intake of carbohydrates on a daily level, by either eliminating them completely or reducing their levels, and replacing them with proteins, healthy fats, and fibers. During a low-carb diet you will lean on to fresh fruits and vegetables, clean proteins, healthy fats, and fibers for help to keep you satisfied and full as you are cutting back on unhealthy carbohydrates.
A low-carb diet has been scientifically proven to be able to achieve great weight loss results in multiple occasions now (11). In fact, a low-carb diet is suggested to achieve better weight loss results as compared with a low-fat diet (12). So you might want to rethink your chosen diet!
5. Eat Spicy Foods
There has been a lot of talk for a long time now that spicy food has been able to induce weight loss. So people have been trying to eat more jalapenos and chili peppers as a way to burn more calories and it worked!
Chili peppers contain capsaicin, which is a compound that has been found beneficial when it comes to boosting the metabolism rate and burning more calories on a daily level (13). That is why it is worth giving a try to introduce more chili peppers along with your meals. Just be careful though. There has been some scientific evidence that speaks of tolerance of capsaicin that people are able to develop over time, which understandably will reduce its effectiveness (14).
6. Add More Soluble Fiber to Your Diet
The way that soluble fiber works is by absorbing the water in your gut and forming a gel-like formation. This gel-like formation is bound to keep you feeling fuller so that you do not feel hungry and you are eating less at the same time. By doing so, soluble fiber promotes weight loss, which has been scientifically proven (15). In fact, soluble fiber helps you reduce your belly fat which is the dream when one is trying to lose weight and look better, especially when it comes to women (16).
Try to introduce more fiber in general to your diet by adding avocados, flaxseeds, legumes, blackberries, and Brussel sprouts which are all natural sources of fiber.
7. Eat Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
According to a study published in the Obesity Reviews, eating fruits and vegetables on a daily level will help you lose weight efficiently (17). Most fruits and vegetables contain very few calories and a ton of nutrients in them, focusing on vitamins, minerals, and fibers the most. There is a variety of fruits and vegetables that you can enjoy in each season of the year. You can use them as a snack, or you can add them to improve the taste of your daily meals. The choice is up to you!
8. Create A Good Sleep Schedule
Every aspect of our life is influenced by the amount of sleep that we are getting each night, including our weight loss journey. Poor sleep has been linked to a greater risk of weight gain among other health risks and issues (18). Sleep is one of the best ways to relieve stress which makes it a friend to the weight loss process.
We recommend creating a sleep schedule that will allow you to sleep at least 7-8 hours each night. Make sure that you go to bed early and stay away from the TV, your phone, and your computer late at night. Wake up each day, preferably, at the same time, and enjoy the new energy.
9. Eat and Chew Slowly
Are you always at a rush whenever you are eating? How about you make the time to sit down, relax, eat, and actually feel the great taste of food that you are eating at the moment? Chewing slowly and thoroughly will help you burn more calories, eat slowly, and let your brain register and notify you in the exact same moment when your stomach has been filled with food (19, 20). By eating fast, you are at an increased risk of overeating, and as you know, overeating leads to overweight and eventually obesity.
10. Use Smaller Plates
Perhaps it is your plates that are creating the illusion that you need more food. If you always serve your food in big plates, you are bound to serve more food than you actually need to satisfy your hunger at the moment. So you end up eating way too many calories that help the weight gain process.
Replace your plates with smaller ones and always tend to put less food on your plate (21). No worries, if you end up still feeling hungry at the end, you can always fill your plate a little bit more, just watch out for the extra calories.
11. Shop with A List
Before you head to the grocery store, you need to prepare a list of the things you need to buy. In doing this, you need to plan what you will eat for a week. This can help you make a wise shopping list. If you have a shopping list, you can stick with your budget and your healthy meal plan.
If you know what you will buy, you don’t need to go back and forth because your buying list is already fixed. You will not be compelled to get unhealthy foods, which is not favorable for your diet. It will not only make you gain weight, but it will also be a factor of various health diseases.
12. Skip Processed Foods
Processed foods are those which are modified from their original form. Canning, pasteurizing, heating, and drying are forms of processing. But not all processed foods are unhealthy. Some processed foods provide the same nutrients with fresh ones (22). But then, in general, we highly discourage the consumption of processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods are major causes of various health problems such as cancer and obesity. Yes, we already know how processed foods are bad for our health. That is the reason why it is advisable just to prepare and cook your foods at home because eating out can make you eat fast foods which can be detrimental for your entire well-being.
13. Cook Your Own Meals
Dining out can cost you a lot of money. But if you prepare your foods at home, you can save more, plus you will be sure of the ingredients. If you want to lose weight, and if you are following a certain diet, it is safe to prepare foods personally.
A study has shown that those who cook their foods at home choose to eat nutritious foods with fewer calories than those who eat out. To maximize your time, money, and effort, you need to determine your food for the week so that in case you get hungry, you will choose healthy low-calorie foods (23).
14. Do Aerobic Exercises
Any physical exercise is a friend to the weight loss process, but there are some workouts that are better at burning those extra calories than others. One of those workouts is aerobic exercise, or cardio without a doubt in our minds!
Aerobic exercise will strengthen your heart, lungs, and help you burn more calories than ever (24). Plus, you will get lean, strong muscles that you will be glad to show off around, especially now with the summer coming our way. And if you are struggling with belly fat, then do not even think twice about trying aerobic exercise as your weight loss method!
15. Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Despite the fact that a glass or two now and then has some health benefits, excessive alcohol intake will only do your body and mind harm. One of the aspects of your life that are easily influenced by your alcohol intake is the weight gain process. In fact, studies have shown that excessive alcohol intake has been linked to the increased risk of central obesity which is a term that refers to the presence of belly fat (25).
This does not mean that you should give up on alcohol altogether, but limiting your alcohol intake to one glass of wine in the evening would do the trick at reducing your waist size. And while we are at it, beer and cocktails might not be the best choice for an alcoholic beverage since they are known to contain quite a lot of calories.
16. Count the Calories and Keep A Food Journal
Counting calories can be an effective way to avoid overeating. By counting calories, a person will be aware of exactly how much they are consuming. This awareness can help them cut out unnecessary calories and make better dietary choices.
A food journal can help a person think about what and how much they are consuming every day. By doing this, they can also ensure that they are getting enough of each healthful food group, such as vegetables and proteins.
The Bottom Line
Now that you have discovered the simple tricks to lose weight safely and naturally at home, you can join the millions of people in their battle against overweight and obesity. As you can see, drinking a tall glass of fresh water before your meal, cardio exercises, and a long night of sleep, among other methods, can help you shed those extra pounds in a matter of days!
Focus on making permanent lifestyle changes rather than adopting temporary measures. In some cases, a person may prefer to implement changes gradually or try introducing one at a time.
If you find it challenging to lose weight, you may talk to a doctor or dietitian to find a plan that will work for you.
References
(1) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14671205
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2859815/
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7486839
(4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2912010
(5) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19597519
(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19906797
(7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4899895/
(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25889354
(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11838888
(10) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16373948
(11) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16436102
(12) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1464-5491.2007.02290.x
(13) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19345452
(14) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22038945
(15) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10721886
(16) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856431/
(17) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20633234
(18) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2398753/
(19) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18589027
(20) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29767425
(21) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24341317
(22) https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/ultra-processed-foods#2
(23) https://www.beachbodyondemand.com/blog/lose-weight-on-a-budget
(24) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17637702
(25) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17885722
