#Top 10 Weight-Loss Strategies That Have Been Proven To Work..

 

10 Weight-Loss Tips That Actually Work (According to Science)

1. Lose Weight in Small Steps

You may have persuaded yourself that you can completely alter your diet and begin exercising every day, but that's akin to boarding an aircraft to Antarctica without a strategy. "You need a strategy," says John Norcross, Ph.D., a psychologist who has researched New Year's resolutions at the University of Scranton. "Can you tell me what you're going to do differently?" Experts advise making a mental list of all the changes you want to make, then starting with one small, manageable adjustment, such as bringing a nutritious lunch or walking 20 minutes a day. Put a bold checkmark on your list once that's a comfortable part of your routine, then make another minor adjustment. Yes, incremental steps are necessary.

2. Keep Your Meals Simple

The fewer complicated dietary and exercise limitations you have, the better. You must discover an eating plan or style that works for you.
When researchers compared women on two diet plans—one that gave dieters a list of foods they could eat and a few simple rules, and another that gave dieters more food options but required them to carefully track all of their eating and exercise—they discovered that those who found the latter plan difficult were the most likely to quit. "Complex diets may be taxing, so choose one that looks doable," says research coauthor Peter Todd, Ph.D., a cognitive science and psychology professor.

3. Decide on two weight-loss goals.

If you have a long-term goal of losing 20 pounds or more, it might be beneficial to take incremental steps along the road.

Let's face it: dropping 20 pounds—or more—is a difficult proposition. That's why Rachel Beller, M.S., R.D.N., author of Eat to Lose, Eat to Win, suggests focusing on a shorter-term goal weight of about half of the overall amount you want to lose. "Having a more manageable objective might help you stay motivated," she adds. "And when you reach that first milestone, you may rejoice, rethink your approach, and re-energize your passion for the following step."

4. Eat Your Vegetables First

Researchers at the University of Minnesota conducted a series of tests in which subjects were required to consume vegetables before eating any other meal, and even the researchers were startled by the results. "People eat three to five times more vegetables than normal," says research leader Traci Mann, Ph.D. Participants who ate carrots first before being given M&Ms ate one-third less candy than those who were given the candy first. What is this trick so effective? Because we tend to eat whatever is placed in front of us—and the vegetables aren't competing with other items on our plate (which we tend to go for first, if given the option). As a result, begin with an s.

5. Comfort Food Won't Actually Make You Feel Better

Traci Mann and her colleagues recently presented sad movies to study participants before allowing some of them to consume their favorite feel-good foods, such as brownies, cookies, and ice cream. A granola bar was provided to others, while a third group ate nothing at all. There was no difference between the three groups when the researchers assessed their patients' emotions thereafter. To put it another way, brownies aren't the instant energy boost we believe they are. "When you're feeling down, it's far better to contact a buddy or go for a walk-both of which have been shown to improve mood," Mann concludes. These alternatives are also calorie-free.

6. Make a Pact with the Weighing Scale

It's time to make peace with the bathroom scale if it's been torturing you. People who effectively lose weight and keep it off for a long time weigh themselves on a regular basis, according to studies. You risk mindlessly recovering if you don't. In one research, a third of women had no idea they had gained five pounds in six months, and a quarter had no idea they had gained nine. Remind yourself that the number on the scale isn't a reflection of you as a person, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, R.D.N. "Think of it as objective data, like the temperature on an outdoor thermometer, that may help you determine if you're on track."

7. Shorten Your Eating Window

According to a series of recent research, when you eat is just as important as what you eat. Participants in one research were advised to limit their meals to a 10- or 11-hour window instead of a 15-hour window, and they lost an average of seven pounds over the course of the 16-week trial, while making no other dietary changes. Satchidananda Panda, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, explains, "The time of food intake influences the body's internal clock, which in turn impacts genes that play a role in metabolism." In other words, when we consume during a shorter window of the day, our bodies may burn calories more effectively. As a result, consider eating during your break.

8. Keep an eye on the foods you put in your shopping cart.

It's possible that your purchases aren't as ethical as you believe. Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill recently examined Americans' shopping patterns and discovered that highly processed foods such as refined breads, cookies, crackers, soda, and chips account for 61% of all calories consumed. Saturated fat, sugar, and salt levels are also greater than they should be in these meals. The research authors recommend choosing primarily single-ingredient meals and shopping the perimeter of the store, where the fresher, healthier items like vegetables and seafood tend to live, to aid with weight reduction. While you're at it, chew some gum.

9. Stop the Negative Self-Talk

Stop talking to yourself in a negative way.

I'm so chubby!

That's what passes for a weight-loss motivational speech for many of us. Kristin Neff, Ph.D., assistant professor of human development at the University of Texas at Austin and author of Self-Compassion, says, "There's this prevalent idea that being harsh on yourself is the only way to achieve your objectives." According to studies, however, treating oneself with compassion is a better approach to strengthen your commitment to healthy practices. "Coach yourself through your ups and downs the same way you'd coach a buddy," Neff advises. "For example, if you overeat and gain a few pounds, remind yourself, 'Losing weight is difficult for everyone-I'm not an exception.'

10. Expect Weight Loss to Be Difficult

Successful dieters, according to James O. Hill, Ph.D., cofounder of the National Weight Control Registry, who collects statistics on thousands of people who have lost weight and kept it off, "stay quite rigorous about their food forever." Does this sound depressing? Consider it this way, says the author. Beller, author of Eat to Lose, Eat to Win: "All you have to do now is come up with a long-term dietary strategy, such as allowing yourself to indulge in dessert or a cocktail every now and again." It's like relocating to a different city. It's challenging for the first year or two, but if you get into a pattern, you'll be OK. It's possible that you'll continue to overlook some details.

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