Best Weight Loss Hacks Helps You To Reduce Your Body Fat

Losing weight doesn’t have to feel like punishment. Try these hacks which helped Rachel Hosie get leaner and healthier — and stay that way.

Losing weight is simple, but it’s not easy. Ultimately, it comes down to being in an energy deficit (taking in less energy ie. fewer calories than you expend), but this needn’t be a painful experience.

If the process of losing weight feels like punishment, chances are you’ll end up regaining any weight you lose. The secret is to make small tweaks and develop a sustainable way of living that you can effortlessly transition into maintenance.

Two years ago, I began a six-month weight loss phase in which I lost 35 pounds by working on my overeating habits and my relationship with food. Prior to that, I’d tried all sorts of different unsustainable diets, and my weight had yo-yoed massively as a result.

Since losing the bulk of my weight, I’ve continued working on my healthy habits, and as a result have stayed the same size, going from around 30% body fat in December 2017 to around 17% at my last scan in September 2020. I’m very happy gaining a little weight by enjoying, say, the holiday period or a vacation, because I know how to slim back down afterward if I want to.

When it comes to losing weight, you’re almost definitely going to experience a little hunger, at least at the start as your body adjusts. But it needn’t be horrendous.

We’re all different, and what works for me may not be what works for you. But I’ve learned that there are certain hacks that make losing weight easier, which I employ when I want to shed a few pounds while still enjoying my life.

1. Focus on high-volume foods

Greek yogurt and a bagel thin is one of my favorite weight-loss breakfasts. Photo: Rachel Hosie

If you, like me, are someone who just really likes eating, the prospect of cutting your portion sizes down probably does not appeal. A great way to combat, this, however, is to focus on high-volume foods, and by that I mean foods that take up a lot of physical space but are low in calories.

Some of my favorites are fat-free Greek yogurt, low-calorie ice creams (around 320 for a whole tub), broccoli, and strawberries. There’s no need to eat these specific foods if you don’t enjoy them — I for one don’t much care for watermelon or celery, despite them being high volume.

There are lots of other foods that take up a lot of space on your plate or in your bowl, so you get to eat a lot and feel satiated without consuming lots of calories, as registered dietitian Shena Jaramillo explained to Livestrong.

2. Don’t drink water during a meal

I drink a lot of water around my meals, but not actually during, so I chew my food properly. Photo: Rachel Hosie

Eating slowly is generally considered good weight loss advice: You tend to eat more mindfully, thus savoring your food more, and feeling more satisfied as a result. It also gives your body time to realize it’s full.

For some people, sipping water between mouthfuls may make them slow down, but for me, it did the opposite: I wasn’t chewing my food properly, and was literally washing it down with water.

I drink more water than the average person over the course of the day (often when we think we’re hungry we’re actually dehydrated), and always drink a glass both before and after a meal, but no longer during.

Make sure you drink lots of water overall though, as this has been proven to help with weight loss.

3. Eat with alternating hands

Eggs, turkey bacon and avocado toast is a go-to meal. Photo: Rachel Hosie

This is another technique that forces you to eat more slowly. As a right-hander, doing anything with my left hand is hard. So I simply switch my fork from one hand to the other between mouthfuls.

There are some foods with which this doesn’t really work, and sure, if I were in a restaurant I probably wouldn’t do this as it looks a bit odd, but at home, it’s a useful tactic to, again, encourage me to eat slowly and mindfully.

4. Make barely noticeable food swaps

Turkey sausages are lower calorie than pork, and I genuinely enjoy them. Photo: Rachel Hosie

I do not believe in cutting any food out of your diet, and if you want your diet to be sustainable, it needs to include all the foods you love in moderation.

That said, there are some calorie-saving swaps I enjoy that are barely noticeable (unlike replacing spaghetti with zoodles).

For example, some calorie-saving foods I enjoy are bagel thins, powdered peanut butter, and turkey sausages. I genuinely love eating them but I do still enjoy the more energy-dense versions from time to time too.

5. Prioritize protein

Porridge is a great breakfast, but adding some protein powder will keep you fuller. Photo: Rachel Hosie

It’s important to keep your protein levels up for a variety of reasons: Firstly, it’ll help your muscles repair after exercising and help your body hold on to muscle while burning fat in a calorie deficit.

Secondly, protein keeps you full, and this is scientific fact. On days where I feel the need to snack endlessly, it’s often because I haven’t eaten enough protein. Fitness, nutrition, and fat loss professionals typically recommend aiming for 1.6–2.2g per pound of body weight.

It’s also true that protein, compared to fats and carbs, uses up more calories to digest (known as the thermic effect of food), but the effect of this isn’t huge.

6. Incorporate grown-up alcohol alternatives

You can get non-alcoholic Aperol spritz-style cocktails these days. Photo: Rachel Hosie

The sad truth is that alcohol is not the dieter’s friend. It’s high in calories, and tends to lead to eating more while drinking as well as the next day.

Much like with food though, if you enjoy a drink, you don’t have to cut alcohol out completely.

When I really want to focus on my health and fitness, I do limit my booze intake though, and I’ve found no-alcohol alternatives really helpful. I don’t mean sodas and soft drinks, but the new breed of “grown-up” botanical drinks, the best of which really do taste a lot like their boozy counterpart.

7. Note down your daily wins, not fails

Your success will be largely down to working on your mind as much as your body. Photo: Rachel Hosie

Making lasting change requires working on your mind as much as your body.

One strategy which has really helped me is, before going to bed every night, writing down at least three health “wins” from the day.

That could be surpassing my step goal, eating five portions of vegetables, or stopping eating when I’m full and putting the rest of the pizza in the fridge. This strategy was particularly useful on days where I felt like I’d failed and gone completely off-track.

You’re not striving for perfection — aim for 80% consistency. For your mental health if nothing else (and if you want to keep your social life), you need to be able to indulge and relax from time to time without it sending you into a spiral of despair, guilt, and wanting to give up.

8. Take progress photos

Before and after my main weight loss phase two years ago. Photo: Rachel Hosie

Progress photos (as well as key measurements like your waist circumference) are the best way to see how far you’ve come — and are really satisfying.

For many people, the scales are triggering, and the number shown can vary so much depending on where a woman is in her cycle, whether you ate a big and/or salty meal recently, the time of day, and more.

If you can truly detach any emotions from the scale and see the number purely as data, you can try weighing yourself every morning then taking an average every week (bearing in mind that even then there will be ups and downs). But if not, it’s better to check in monthly, taking progress photos and perhaps weighing yourself once a month to see the general trajectory.

Remember: You’re not looking for a quick fix. Commit to the long haul. It may take time, but if it leaves you happy and healthy with a lifestyle you enjoy, it’s worth it.

For more great stories, visit Insider’s homepage.

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Keto Diet - Best Detailed Beginner's Guide to Keto

Keto Diet: What is a Ketogenic Diet?

Keto is everywhere; it's the new buzzword, the new favorite among those looking to shed pounds, and the new hate victim of the food-pyramid-spouting-eat-your-whole grains mainstream medical industry. The keto diet, while it is not the magic cure-all for every single disease on the planet, does a pretty dang good job at being the potential causer of healing many horrible conditions. So let's cut through the science, separate fact from fiction, and look at the

Keto Diet Benefits

 Recently, the keto diet has become extremely popular for its health benefits such as weight loss and preventing disease. The keto diet can be hugely beneficial, but how does it work to provide these benefits?

 What is the Keto Diet?

 You may have heard of the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet. The keto diet keeps carbohydrate levels low, but instead of ramping up the amount of protein in your diet, the keto diet increases the amount of fat. A typical keto diet aims for meals with 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. Eating a high-fat diet can still mean eating healthy. Keto diet menu items often include seafood, meat, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and nuts. With the increased popularity of the keto diet, keto recipes are widely available.

How Does the Keto Diet Work?

 It might seem counterintuitive that adding more fat to your diet can lead to weight loss. Normally, your diet is high in carbohydrates, which are broken down into glucose, or blood sugar, for use as energy. As glucose enters your bloodstream, your body releases insulin to store excess glucose as fat. The more carbohydrates, the more glucose. The more glucose, the more insulin, and the more insulin, the more fat.

The keto diet takes advantage of the fact that when your meals are high-fat and low-carbohydrate, there is no insulin spike, and you don't add to your fat reserves. Instead, fat from diet and stored fat are broken down to ketones ("keto" is short for "ketogenic" producing ketones). Like glucose, ketones can be used for energy, keeping your body running without increasing blood sugar or putting on excess fat. The benefits of the keto diet can be huge.

The Benefits of Keto Diet 

Benefit #1: Weight Loss

Okay, so this one isn't so astounding, but it is one of the most common reasons people embark on the keto diet. So why is weight loss usually so easy on the ketogenic diet instead of other regular diets? For all of the following reasons:

•   The keto diet is composed of approximately 75% fat, 20 % protein, and 5% or less carbohydrates. The high fat content and lack of sugar means diminished cravings, lack of blood sugar swings and binges, and increased satiation. Increased satiation=eating less. Many people also have food sensitivities to grains, even gluten-free ones, so eliminating them may lead to an increased ability to absorb minerals like magnesium and potassium, which in turn means your body is more nourished and you have fewer cravings

 •   Ketones. When your blood sugar is running low, your body turns to its glycogen stores for energy. Typically glycogen stores house about 2000 calories of "backup" energy for when you run out of glucose. Like the intelligent machine it is, your body depletes the glycogen stores and then turns to your own body fat for fuel.

IMPORTANT: The ketogenic diet is not a free-for-all eat however much cheese or super low-carb fat bomb treats you want diet. If you are eating way more calories than you need, you will not lose weight. So focus on keeping your diet around fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, butter, eggs, avocados, lots of green veggies and cruciferous, and be modest with the keto desserts, dairy, and sweets.

Benefit #2:Mental Performance 

The ketones produced from a low carb diet are a much more efficient source of energy than glucose. Studies have indicated that they can improve cognitive impairment and even help with diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The high-fat diet helps to support the balance of essential omega 3s and omega 6s which are vital for optimal brain function. Additionally, ketosis is able to boost mitochondria production and adenosine triphosphate within the brain's memory cells, thereby improving mental performance and clarity.  

Benefit #3:Reduced risk of Chronic Disease 

 A ketogenic diet can boost the body's defense against a variety of conditions. By reducing inflammation, and improving mitochondrial function, it can help to mitigate the risk of developing several chronic diseases. Cancer cells typically possess abnormal mitochondria, which need an increased supply of glycogen. Ketosis allows for normal cells to be fed while starving the cancer cells, as they are unable to utilize the ketones for energy because of their dysfunctional mitochondria.  

 Benefit #4:Improved Blood Pressure 

 High blood pressure significantly increases the risk of several diseases and is a leading cause of deaths worldwide. A low-carb diet has been proven to be more effective than a low-fat diet in reducing blood pressure. In fact, some claim that it is just as effective as taking pills. This combined with the weight loss derived from a ketogenic diet, is sure to vastly improve cardiovascular health and function.  

 It has been proven by numerous studies in the realm of nutrition science, that this form of dieting can have a very positive impact on your overall health and bodily function. As long as you can find a way to maintain the discipline, the rewards are abundant. For those that have not been able to gain many results from traditional methods, the keto approach is definitely something worth considering.  

Benefit #5:Reduced Blood Sugar and Insulin

 Since carbohydrate intake is limited, blood sugar and insulin levels are lowered. This is particularly important for people with type 2 diabetes, which causes a buildup of glucose in the bloodstream. The keto diet can be used to reduce or eliminate the need for diabetic insulin injections.

Benefit #6:Reduced Triglycerides

 Fat subunit molecules called triglycerides normally circulate in your bloodstream. High levels of triglycerides are a significant risk factor in the development of heart disease. In the keto diet, because fat is being burned for energy, the number of triglyceride molecules in the bloodstream decreases, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Benefit #7:Improved Cholesterol

 "Bad" (LDL) cholesterol is another risk factor for heart disease. Too much bad cholesterol in your bloodstream builds up in your arteries, narrowing them and causing atherosclerosis, a type of heart disease. The keto diet reduces bad cholesterol levels while increasing the level of "good" (HDL) cholesterol in your body.

Benefit #8:Brain Function

A poorly functioning brain, as you may have already experienced, leads to lessened work productivity, which in turn means an unhappy boss, lack of job satisfaction, sugar cravings for energy, and depression. It's a horrible domino effect. The original ketogenic diet was formulated by Dr. Russell Wilder in the early 20th century to treat epilepsy. The success rate was phenomenal and it is still used today to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders. Research also indicates that ketones are more efficient brain fuel than glucose. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102124/)

Benefit #9:Potential Cancer Benefits

One study showed implementing the ketogenic diet led to a dramatically increased survival time and slower tumor growth. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450454/)

Summary

The keto diet provides many health benefits. This diet can not only help you quickly lose weight, but can also improve your overall health and help prevent disease.

Conclusion

If you're reading this article now, chances are you are in some sort of pain, whether physical and/or mental (being overweight, struggling with autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, fatigue, brain fog) and want to change. Use this information, don't just skim through it and store it in the back of your brain and say "that's nice for some people", motivate yourself to change.

References: 

medium.com/@gschmaus/the-ketogenic-diet-and-chronic-disease-3695b2275edd 

 healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets#section7 

 drjockers.com/benefits-ketogenic-diet/medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319196.php 

 

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