How To Lose Weight: 18 Actionable Steps To A Thinner You!

GOSH! How to lose weight?! What is the fastest way?

How precisely do I fast track my weight loss? In response to this puzzle, many conceptions do prop up, eat less, drink that, run a bit more, and exercise every day. Do they work? Are these the answers on how to lose weight? These and many others are expressed by many people in recent times. Are you in this category? If yes, this article is for you. Be prepared to get those calories burnt off. Ultimately, weight is managed by hormones; you should instead spend time lowering the degree of your fat building hormone “insulin.” This will do the magic faster than you can imagine. So, are you prepared to burn off some calories? Here are a few tips.

1. Opt for food with less dietary carbohydrate

When it has to do with sugar and starch, look the other way.  As supported by studies in times, dietary food with little carbohydrate content has formed a more significant part of every weight reduction campaign.   However, other dietary components could still shade some calories. Reduction in food intake has often been the basic advice for all, but to what extent does this help? Some people can’t just eat less, should they stick to a schedule for a few days, sooner or later,  they return to the status quo. Eating all that comes their way. Low carb diets decrease the desire to eat more. Without keeping track of the calories by counting, most obsessed people still take in fewer calories.

Hunger may be worsened by sugar and starch, but the desire to eat food reduces when they are avoided. Needless counting calories, instead stay on a low carb diet. Evidently, a related survey performed in 2012 documented that people on low carb diet lose about 300 more calories routinely while resting. The sponsor of this project, a Harvard professor, preached that the number of calories burnt regularly on consuming low-carb diet equates approximately the calories ideally burnt during rigorous physical activity. Similarly, a later study involving larger cohort affirmed this position with various groups. It pronounced that the consumption of low carb food burns about 200 and 500 calories per day. Ultimately, low carbohydrates containing diet lowers hunger and reduces the desire to eat more thus improving the fat burning capacity.

2. Eat when hunger calls

Do not starve yourself as most people do especially while following the low carb diet schedule.  As a way out, many people tend to lower carbohydrate ingestion while they express worries fatty food. The two sources of body energy; carbohydrates and fat are quite essential; the body needs at least one. Evading fat and carbohydrate based diets will cause hunger, loss of energy and exhaustion.  Under this situation, you can only withstand momentarily. You will consume everything. Ideally, a more effective approach is to consume natural fat till you are filled up. Basically, consume the following, Full- fat cream, Olive oil, Fatty fish, Bacon, Butter, Meat, Coconut oil, Eggs etc

Eat to satisfaction especially at initial state of the weight reducing schedule. The low carb diet so eaten implies that fat consumed is used as fuel while the insulin level becomes lower. In this way, your weight is burnt without starving. Many people eat three times a day while others do this twice with snacks intermittently consumed between these meals. However, regular snacks implies the accumulation of fats in your diet to improve satisfaction. Whatever makes you feel good, just eat when you are hungry.

3. Eat real food

A gaffe often common while trying to consuming low carbohydrate diet is being lured by the smart marketers who are seemingly displaying low carb foods on their shelf.  A proper low- carbohydrate diet should be rooted in real food including fish, eggs, vegetables, butter, olive oil, meat, nuts. Intelligent marketers are up at their best to outwit you into patronizing their brands and end up ingesting foods containing high carbohydrates. What is term as low carb bread most times are bakes with grains and so are not low carb anyways. However, most brands will lure you into patronizing such products with the saying that they are low carb. Chocolate branded as low carb is often composed of sugar alcohols which are not recognized as carb by the producers.

Approximately, about half of them get absorbed to the body raising blood sugar and insulin. The remaining carbs are then forced down the colon. They are a potential source of diarrhea and gas — a few things you should avoid-  Julian Bakery’s high carbohydrate low- carbohydrate bread, Akins fairy-tale cookies, and the Dreamfields pasta fraud. As noted, the three companies aren’t ideal. They only lure you into purchasing their seemingly low carb food which in real times are junk and containing high sweeteners, sugars alcohol, additives, and wheat flour. As a rule of thumb – Avoid low carb type of high carb food such as cookies, chocolates, ice creams, pasta if you aren’t sure of the components. Do away with products inscribed net carbs”, it’s a bait to lure you. Consider consuming quality food, with minimally processed.

4. Eat only when you are truly hungry

Discipline yourself to consume food only when you are hungry. Unnecessary food consumption hinders weight loss. Restrict non-essential snacking – Irrelevant snacks are potential issues waiting to strike. A few traps typical to look out for include- Dairy commodities, nuts, and low-carb baking. Cheese and creams, salted nuts, sweeteners snacking on baked products, and cookies should be pushed aside.  Often, without being hungry, we are tempted to consume more of these products because of their taste.

You are at liberty to skip a meal – You do not need to eat if you are not hungry whether breakfast, lunch or dinner. When scheduling on a Keto diet, the desire to consume reduces particularly if you have excess weight to burn. Your system may be actively breaking down the fat store. In the event of this, be glad instead of lumping up the food you don’t require to your body,  be patient and eat when you are hungry. Eating frequently accumulates more calories and worsens the situation. Ultimately, a sustainable way to lose weight quickly will be to consume food when we are hungry. Pay attention to your body rather than focus on the clock.

5. Monitor and measure your progress

Observing your weight loss may seem a bit awkward. This is because concentrating only on weight could be misleading.  You seem fascinated jumping on the scale, and climbing the balance. The truth is, doing so increases your anxiety and questions the good intent. More so, the scale or the balance could be reading some other thing entirely. It may be your bones, muscles or other internal organs. The Body Mass Index (BMI) approach to weight monitoring isn’t an ideal approach to monitoring your progress. You rather shade off fats and build muscles, but how would you verify this, if your only concern with assessing your weight?  So the way to go is the waist circumference measurement which evaluates the loss of belly fat. To do this, note the schedule below

• Hung the measuring tape half way a bit over your belly
• Breath out and relax
• Let the tape sit appropriately without being too tight
• Then measure, and observe the reading

The info below shows ideally what is expected:

Women

Excellent: Less than 31.5 inches
Decent: 31.5 to 35 inches
Too high: Over 35 inches

Men

Excellent: Less than 37 inches
Decent: 37 –to40 inches
Too high:  Over 40 inches

A reading in the excellent range is optimal, but mostly, they are not achieved. To the younger individuals, it is, but it takes a great deal to have the middle-aged and elderly groups in the descent class. However, before you commence this process of weight loss, measure your waist circumference, and weight then repeat it on a weekly basis. This is for effective progress monitoring. You can measure your chest, buttocks, legs, and arms if you wish. You are most likely to have an alternating reading daily. Fluid balance and digestive contents are responsible for this. So no worries, focus on the long-term goal rather than now.

6. Be Unrelenting

Wanting to burn all fats you accumulated over the years, most times a decade, in few days merely is being unreasonable.  To make things worst, you add starvation to it, thus endangering your health as well. It does not work that way. This is a long-term campaign, and if you must succeed, it needs patience. This is how it works. On a stringent low carb diet, it is typical to lose about 2 – 4 pounds (1 – 3 kg) within the first week; This implies a pound (0.5kg) on the average per week. This means 50 pounds a year.

Males of younger age rapidly lose weight than this schedule, two times quicker than postmenopausal females who do that at a sluggish pace. Individuals on a low diet and those on a routine exercise programme rapidly loss weight. Anticipate a weight loss peak — a period where measurements seem to remain constant. It does happen for everyone. So, during this moment, keep calm and remain focus. Things will eventually fall into place.  In the long run, stay away from habits which would cause a gain of weight the second time. Losing weight and returning to an initial habit which caused the weight at first, will restore you to your former place and this time, it may be worst. It may be difficult at first, develop new habits and be resolute, and you will eventually surmount.

7. Stay away from fruit

I know this seems contentious, especially with the unique health-related benefits of fruits in contemporary dietary space. As ranted by many people, fruits are highly health-giving. The truth is that fruits contain sugar about 10% in weight composition. Five portions of fruits daily equates about the quantity of sugar present in 16 ounces of soda approximately 500ml.  In contrast to popular opinion, that sugar component in fruit is more or about 50% fructose and 50% glucose. Sugar in fruits can stop the fat burning. It simply increases your hunger and delays your weight loss. For optimum results, do away with fruits or better yet, delight in it seldom

8. Ditch beer

Commonly termed as liquid bread, beer contains a high speed digested carbohydrates that can halt fat searing.  As an alternative, you can ingest wine – red or dry white), strong liquor such as whiskey, vodka, soda water, lime or dry champagne.  These drinks are considered best options because they contain neither sugar nor carbohydrates. However, alcohol, when consumed in large quantity, reduces the pace of weight loss. So be modest.

9. Evade artificial sweeteners

In recent times, there is a growing consensus that sweeteners reduce calorie and consequently, weight loss. Many people, therefore, substitute sugar with artificial sweeteners. As tenable has it seems, studies have failed to show a relationship between artificial sweeteners consumption and weight loss. Instead, evidence of increased appetite and the desire for sugary food is documented. Sweeteners sustain addiction to sweets and causes to want you to snacks. There is no consensus as regards the long-term effects of ingesting artificial sweeteners. If you intend to lose weight, then evade  artificial sweeteners. In no time, your desire for natural sweeteners will improve once you quit artificial sweeteners from junks.

10. Asses any medications

Most prescribed drugs influences weights. Insulin injectable– When administered at higher doses hinders weight loss. To tackle your desire for insulin, adopt any of this approach. Whichever works for you is ideal including- First, consuming fewer carbs since it directly reduces insulin. Second, explore with metformin tablets about 2 – 3 grams per day, and third, try out tablets like Victoza or Byetta.  

• Diabetes tablets: Insulin tablets such as sulfonylureas also cause weight gain. Minodiab, Euglucon, Daonil, and Glibenclamide are in this class as well.  Weight pain also could be caused by diabetes tablets like Avandia, Actos, Starlix, and NovoNorm Victoza and Byetta results to weight loss, but long-term side effects is yet to be recorded.
• The oral tablet cortisone such as Prednisolone is also a typical culprit. In the long term, cortisone also leads to weight gain when consumed at a great extent of about 5mg prednisolone/day
• Other medications which are weight culprits include: Neuroleptics/antipsychotic drugs such as Zyprexa (Olanzapine), antidepressant like older tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) including Tryptizol, Saroten, and Clomipramine; as well as recent drugs including Remeron (Mirtazapine).

• Contraceptives also add to weight gain, particularly progesterone and no estrogen, for instance the mini-pill, injectable contraceptives, or implant. 
• Blood pressure can cause weight gain including seloken, metoprolol, and Atenolol
• Some allergy and antibiotics medicines. So, report noticeable variations on treatment programmes to your doctor.

11. Stress less and sleep more

Weight reduction programs will demand that you have more hours of rest and less time in strenuous activities. Doing contrary could adversely impact weight. Persistent stress swells up hormone levels including cortisol in the body. Hunger and weight gain is a direct effect. So have a review of your activities and undertake which gives you less stress. In addition, try as much as possible to have more rest. An approach to this will be sleeping early and so you can independently wake in the morning. Moreover, a good night rest balances body hormones

12. Less intake of nuts and dairy products

If reducing weight is back-breaking, even on a low carbohydrate diet, then be meticulous about nuts and dairy products like cheese, yogurts, and cream. The different quantity of lactose which is responsible for retarding weight loss is a chief component of dairy product.   Some protein components in milk also produce insulin response with similar impact. Therefore, reducing the consumption of dairy products quickens weight loss. Nuts contain a fair amount of carbs.  Cashew nuts invariably have the highest quantity of carb-with about 20% carbohydrate content by weight if you are on a strict keto diet programme, with about  20 grams of carbohydrate ration/day. Peanuts also contain 10-15% carbs. So if you are looking to reduce some weight, then off the nut game.

13. Approach to supplement minerals and vitamins

A certain level of vital minerals and vitamins are required for the effective functioning of the body. Inadequacies or deficiency of minerals and vitamins makes us grow hungry regularly. By implication, vitamins intake, reduces our desire to eat, thus encouraging weight loss. Evidence by way of scholarly studies attests to this fact. See the following. Three recent studies indicate that, when compared to a placebo, a vitamin D supplement can decrease your fat weight or waist measurement (1 2 3)

In another related study in 2010, involving about a hundred women with weight-related issues were broken into cohorts. The first cohort received multivitamins, the second calcium supplement and the last, a placebo for about six months. The result showed no changes in weight of the women except the cohort who received the multivitamin supplement. This cohort lost about 3kg more with their health indices improved. Nutrient-rich food is a basic foundation of weight loss.  The sufficient quantity of vitamin D cant is derived from food alone. The advise has always been to supplement from other sources. Seemingly, you can supplement your nutrients and mineral content by consuming the multivitamin pill.

14. Use intermittent fasting

This is one efficient technique in weight reduction. It plays an essential role, especially at the weight loss peak. This superb combo is termed the intermittent fasting, just like the name, it implies no food at specific intervals.  More typical of the option is the 16 – 8. Consequently, this means 16 hours of fasting with sleep inclusive. In this technique, a cup of coffee or other noncaloric liquid is often substituted for breakfast with lunch regarded as the first meal of the day. 8 pm to noon of fasting equates 16 hours of fast. As often as you desire, you can arrange the 16-8 fast. For instance; maybe  twice a week or a particular day of the week say every Thursday or any day of the week. The frequency of the fast also gives the better result. Other kinds intermittent fasting types abounds. Longer duration seems daunting but gives more effective outcome.

1. The 24 hours fast with dinner being the only food to be consumed once or two times per seven days.
2. The 5:2 routine – Consume as much as you desire for five days of the week, then consume food with inadequate calorie for two days usually, (for the women, 500 calories/ day, and 600 calories/ day for the men). During the fast, eating is prohibited while drinking is allowed. The choice of liquid here is water. Coffee and tea are alternatives. For fast requiring longer duration, a bit of salt could be added. Any drink taken must contain no calories. Ideally, intermittent fasting is a beautiful idea but not to be engaged by everyone. The schedule includes;

• Those addicted to food or sugar- The desire for food will increases with tendency to degenerates
• Stress stricken or people without adequate sleep – Handle your sleep or stress related issues first. Fasting may worsen the situation.
• Others include those on medication, growing children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers

15. Exercise intelligently

You may have expected exercise to be top on the list. Just like every other person, exercise among all weight loss techniques is often given the uppermost pride of place. The picture is as said. Imagine the participants take work leave for weeks or months; decide to go with a little proportion of food with intensive exercise sessions sometimes about 40 hours as though it’s a full-time task. This is definitely not helpful at all in the long-term. Ideally, the consequence of exercise on weight has mostly been overestimated. Evidently, before exercising, there are other things which must be handled of which case, exercise itself cannot do. If you have dealt with technique 1 to 12, then increased activity will fast track your weight loss campaign and serve as an ideal bonus. For instance, you may engage in long-distance work, play a sport of your choice, dance, cycle or any other activity you enjoy. Exercise blows off glycogen reserves known as carbohydrates. For this reason, after every work out session, it is advisable to consume a bit of carb without fear of insulin level. More so,  exercise possesses impressive benefits on hormones, and the non-weight related benefits of exercise are numerous.

16. Reach the optimal ketosis

Have you engaged in tip 1 through 15 and you seem not to lose weight, then it’s better you try a more weighty option, “optimal ketosis.” Ketosis has been known to produce incredibly result especially for people who have attained the weight loss plateau or peak even while on a low carbohydrate diet. So what is the role of ketosis? Recall in previous techniques. First, you need to eat low carbs diet. Low carbs diet decreases the volume of insulin thus causing the fat reserve to release deposited energy. The implication of this is that; you desire to consume fewer calories than you dissipate without feeling hungry. Consequently, your weight drops. However, to know if you have derived the most favorable amount of hormonal effect from your low carb diet, you need to achieve the optimal ketosis.

What is Ketosis?

Ketosis is a situation where the body has immensely high fat burning momentum. Body system including the brain functions on fat through the ketone anatomy.  Ketones are energy particles components in the blood which operates as fuel to the brain after being converted to fat by the liver. For an optimal functioning and production of the ketone, insulin amount must be low. Lower insulin implies a high output of ketone. A well controlled and adequate ketone amount in your blood is evidence of low insulin; a direct consequence of low carb diet termed as “Optimal ketosis.”

The Ketosis Pointer

How do you attain optimal ketosis?

Many people share their concern of not having to hit the range they would like to even though the follow strict low carbohydrate schedule. As you avoid carbohydrate-containing food, be meticulous about your protein consumption as well. Protein consumption in large amount, the surplus protein becomes glucose in the body. With the larger quantity of protein, your insulin level also rises and so compromises the role of optimal ketosis.  A way out of this is to consume more fat to satisfaction. A common way of ingesting fat by many is “fat coffee” which entails the addition of a tablespoon of butter to a tablespoon of coconut oil to the morning coffee. More fat makes you satisfy ensuring that you ingest less of protein and carbohydrates. Insulin reduces while you consequently attain the optimal ketosis. At this point, the weight loss plateau is bridled. If ketosis is not useful after one month, then you have to understand that excessive carbohydrate is not a component of your weight-related challenges and does not hinder your weight reduction campaign.  

To monitor your ketone level, acquire the gadget for measuring ketone level effectively and at comfort. The reading is best done during a period of fast, say morning before your breakfast. You can get the Ketone meter from online and commence the measurement. A typical type is the Precision Xtraketone meter. However, It is not recommended  for type 1 diabetic patient

17. Examine your hormones

If after observing earlier mentioned tips and there seems to be no improvement in your weight loss, then consider assessing your hormonal balances. Three commonly known hormones to look out for include the thyroid hormone, sex hormones, and stress hormones.

1. Thyroid hormone: Diminished metabolism in most people, especially women termed hypothyroidism.  Typically, symptoms include cold intolerance, constipation, weight gain, fatigue, and dry skin. Weight accumulated from thyroid deficiency does not go more than 15 pounds. Your physician will examine your blood to determine the level of the stimulating thyroid hormone (TSH). A favorable result means all is well. For a more precise examination, call for the measurement of exact thyroid hormone level in the blood (T3 and T4)
2. Sex hormones: Sex hormone is also known to affect your weight. Women with endocrine disorder PCOS polycystic ovarian syndrome. It increases testosterone and insulin levels by implication, weight addition. The ideal treatment is the option of a low carb diet. Middle-aged men gain weight mainly around the gut and reducing muscular mass when faced with the challenge of a reducing quantity of the male sex hormone testosterone. On the other hand, women gain weight typically around the gut during menopause when the level of the female sex hormone (estrogen) declines.

What is the way out for testosterone deficiency?

It could be partly treated and by natural means including engaging in exercise, intake of supplements such as vitamin D and conscious body language. Your Physician can also recommend some tablets for you; testosterone influencing tablet or supplement. For the women, an estrogen supplement is an excellent option for menopause challenges. However, note that long-term use of testosterone and estrogen supplement in larger quantity increase the chances of prostate cancer in males and breast cancer in women.

1. Stress hormone: Weight loss challenges are also traceable to the stress hormones, cortisol. Increase hunger is a direct effect of high cortisol which results to weight accumulation. When cortisol is in high quantity, then the chances that you suffer from a persistent lack of sleep or stress.  It is vital that you take the necessary steps to come out of this challenge.

18. Use weight-loss pills, if you feel despair

Sound so easy? Yes, it does. With ease, you lose weight, and for this reason, the weight loss pill is quite cherished. But it is less efficient. Let’s go through each of them.

1. The Older appetite suppressants: Amphetamine- including appetite suppressants often recommended in the short term and cannot be put into long-term weight control. However, they are not licensed in the EU, and possess side effect including heart palpitations, insomnia, and high blood pressure. Most time, you may be addicted to it and so need other prescription to manage and control. These specialized control drugs include, Adipex-P or Suprenza (Phentermine), Bontril (Phendimetrazine) and Didrex (Benzphetamine. Their impacts are moderate and within a relatively  short duration. It is not often recommended to be used.
2. The oily discharge pill: An example is the Xenical. It is believed that the Xenical prevents the body from assimilation fat, so the fat passes through the body and is ultimately emptied in the toilet. The side effect of this drug includes stomach cramp — oily stool and uncontrolled bowel movement. It does not match well with a low carb diet. As most doctors will say, do away with this drug.
3. The Stupid pill: Under the stupid pill is an option worse than the Xenical termed Qsymia. Accepted in the US and disallowed in Europe, owing to the side effect. The Qsymia consolidates small quantity of old Phentermine with portions of Topiramate; a drug that prevents seizure. Drowsiness, tiredness, anxiety, balance issue, sedation, gait malfunctioning are some side effects. It causes brain retardation. You wouldn’t attempt this drug because you desire to burn off some calories. It is not worth it.
4. The “meh” pills: The pills (Belviq and Contrave) targets the brain receptor to manage appetite. Its output is moderate, about 6 to 8 pounds decrease annually with some regain later. Safety issues and health-related issues including constipation, nausea, headache, risk of suicidal thoughts and seizures are some side effects.  The side effect is enormous, and so I wouldn’t try this pill.
5. The campaign champion: The drug under this class is promising, and hastens weight loss campaigns tremendously. It is an  injected version of a satiety hormone termed GLP-1. It reduces the rate of excretion and communicates the brain a non appetite sensory. It is an ideal way of losing weight.

The drug is highly efficient if you are under the keto diet program and perform even better when taken at the period of fast. With an initial history in controlling blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, Victoza possess a remarkable weight loss effect.  Test on obsessed individuals reveals a high effectiveness of the drug with patient losing about 12.3 pounds (5.6kilos) more than placebo cohort annually. Generally, pills do not easily burn fat. They are dangerous and not effective.