Losing weight is simple: consume fewer calories than you burn. It’s simple but not easy. You can try different ways to lose weight but what has worked for someone else, may not work for you. This is why there is no “best” way to lose weight. What you can do is compile different weight loss methods and try them in combination to see what works best for you. So, let’s look at five different ways to lose weight.
Customized Weight Loss
No matter which weight loss method you try, it should be safe for your health and it can be realistically maintained in the long run. This is why a customized weight loss program, suited to your lifestyle, is what will work best for you. Instead of focusing on breaking down your protein, fat and carbohydrates, just start replacing your regular diet with healthy food items. Start cutting back on things like sugar and alcohol, and make strong lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking. These small changes will help you lose weight steadily in the long run.
Low-Glycemic Diet
So, the customized diet plan isn’t working for you because you can’t decide what to cut back on and you end up “cheating”. Fear not, you can try a low-glycemic diet. A low-glycemic diet consists of foods that are high in protein, fiber and healthy oils and are low in starches and other sugar. This diet allows you to maintain minimal glucose levels and also helps you cope with hunger. Protein and fiber make you feel full and they digest slowly while starches and sugars increase glucose levels in your blood and cause pangs of hunger.
Small Healthy Meals
If the low-glycemic diet plan sounds like too much work, try this method. Maintain your current diet but instead of wolfing down three large meals in a day, eat small portions 4 to 5 times. This way, you are constantly feeding yourself the same number of calories, but spreading it throughout the day. It will prevent you from overeating and also from snacking on unhealthy junk foods. Once you get used to this diet, try eliminating or substituting the unhealthy items.
Balanced Diet
This diet is for people who are not particularly trying to lose weight, but just want to be healthy. It is also recommended for people who have been through a rigorous weight loss program and are just looking to maintain a healthy weight. Keeping a balanced diet will help you maintain a ‘balanced’ weight as well. Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Moderately consume dairy products and completely cut down on meat, sweetened foods, processed foods and beverages.
Intermittent Fasting
This is also an effective diet plan, but requires a lot of discipline. In this diet, you will alternate every day between your regular diet and a close to zero calorie diet. Essentially, you will fast every other day or consume low calorie foods. Most people find this easier than the traditional weight loss diets, making it one of the best ways to lose weight in 2016.
