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29 Science-Backed Tips for Natural Weight Loss

Eating fewer processed foods, drinking more green tea, and taking probiotics are just a few of the natural methods that can promote weight loss. Establishing an exercise or a sleep routine can also help. There’s a lot of bad weight loss information on the internet. Much of what’s recommended is questionable at best, and not based on any actual science. However, there are several natural methods that have actually been proven to work. Here’s how to get started.

By william jane Published about a month ago 7 min read

Here are 29 natural ways to lose weight and the science behind them.

Incorporate More Protein into Your Diet

Protein is essential for weight loss, often considered the king of nutrients. Your body expends energy digesting and metabolizing protein, which can boost your metabolism by 80–100 calories per day (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source). Additionally, a high-protein diet helps you feel fuller and reduces your appetite. Studies indicate that people on a high-protein diet consume over 400 fewer calories per day (3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source). Even something as simple as having a high-protein breakfast, such as eggs, can significantly impact your appetite and calorie intake (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

2. Prioritize Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods

Focusing your diet on whole, single-ingredient foods is one of the best steps you can take to improve your health. This approach eliminates most added sugars, fats, and processed foods from your diet. Whole foods are naturally filling, making it easier to stay within typical calorie limits (7Trusted Source). Moreover, they provide essential nutrients your body needs to function properly. As a result, weight loss often becomes a natural side effect of eating whole foods.

3. Limit Processed Foods

Processed foods tend to be high in added sugars, fats, and calories. They are often engineered to encourage overeating and can be more likely to cause addictive-like eating behaviors compared to unprocessed foods (8Trusted Source).

4. Stock Up on Nutritious Foods and Snacks

Research indicates that the food you keep at home significantly influences your weight and eating habits (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source). By keeping nutrient-dense foods readily available, you reduce the likelihood of choosing less nutritious options. There are also many healthy snacks that are easy to prepare and take on the go, such as yogurt, whole fruit, nuts, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs.

5. Limit Your Intake of Added Sugar

High consumption of added sugar is linked to several major diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source). On average, Americans consume about 15 teaspoons of added sugar daily, often hidden in processed foods, making it easy to consume sugar unknowingly (15Trusted Source). Identifying added sugar can be challenging since it appears under many different names on ingredient lists. Reducing your intake of added sugar is an excellent step toward improving your diet.

6. Drink Water

Drinking water can indeed aid in weight loss. Consuming 0.5 liters (17 oz) of water may boost calorie burning by 24–30% for about an hour afterward (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source, 18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source). Drinking water before meals can also reduce calorie intake, especially in middle-aged and older individuals (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source). Water is particularly beneficial for weight loss when it replaces high-calorie, sugary beverages (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

7.Drink Unsweetened Coffee

Coffee is rich in antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. Drinking coffee can support weight loss by increasing energy levels and the number of calories you burn (24Trusted Source, 25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source). Caffeinated coffee may boost metabolism by 3–11% and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 23–50% (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source). Additionally, black coffee is very weight loss-friendly as it can increase feelings of fullness with almost no calories.

8. Supplement with Glucomannan

Glucomannan, a natural dietary fiber from the konjac plant, is a proven weight loss supplement. This water-soluble fiber is low in calories, takes up space in the stomach, delays stomach emptying, reduces protein and fat absorption, and feeds beneficial gut bacteria (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source). Its remarkable water-absorbing capacity helps in weight loss, with one capsule turning a whole glass of water into gel

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9. Limit Liquid Calories

Liquid calories come from beverages like sugary soft drinks, fruit juices, chocolate milk, and energy drinks. These drinks can negatively impact your health, increasing the risk of obesity. For each daily serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage, there's a 60% increased risk of obesity in children (33Trusted Source). Liquid calories don't satisfy hunger as solid calories do, leading to additional calorie consumption (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

10. Limit Refined Carbs

Refined carbs, which have most beneficial nutrients and fiber removed, can lead to overeating and disease. Common sources include white flour, white bread, white rice, sodas, pastries, snacks, sweets, pasta, breakfast cereals, and added sugar (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).

11. Fast Intermittently

Intermittent fasting cycles between periods of eating and fasting, with methods like the 5:2 diet, 16:8 method, and eat-stop-eat method. These approaches help reduce overall calorie intake, leading to weight loss and various health benefits without the need for conscious calorie restriction (38Trusted Source).

12. Drink Unsweetened Green Tea

Green tea is rich in antioxidants and offers numerous benefits, including increased fat burning and weight loss (39Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source). It may boost energy expenditure by 4% and enhance fat burning by up to 17%, especially targeting harmful belly fat (41Trusted Source, 42Trusted Source, 43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source). Matcha tea, a powdered variety, may provide even greater benefits.

13. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are nutrient-dense and weight-loss-friendly, high in water, nutrients, and fiber but low in calories. This allows for large servings without excessive calorie intake. Studies show that people who consume more fruits and vegetables tend to weigh less (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source).

14. Count Calories Occasionally

Being mindful of your food intake is crucial for weight loss. Effective methods include counting calories, keeping a food diary, or photographing meals (47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source, 49Trusted Source). Using apps or electronic tools can be even more beneficial (50Trusted Source, 51Trusted Source).

15. Use Smaller Plates

Using smaller plates can help reduce food intake by altering your perception of portion sizes (52Trusted Source, 53Trusted Source). People tend to fill their plates regardless of size, so smaller plates can lead to eating less while feeling satisfied (54Trusted Source, 55Trusted Source).

16. Try a Low-Carb Diet

Low-carb diets have been shown to be effective for weight loss. Reducing carbs and increasing protein and fat intake can decrease appetite and overall calorie consumption, potentially leading to three times more weight loss than low-fat diets (56Trusted Source, 57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source). These diets can also improve many disease risk factors.

17. Eat More Slowly

Eating quickly can lead to consuming more calories before your body signals fullness (59Trusted Source, 60Trusted Source). Fast eaters are more likely to develop obesity compared to those who eat slowly (61Trusted Source). Chewing slowly can help reduce calorie intake and increase the production of weight-loss hormones (62Trusted Source, 63Trusted Source).

18 . Add Eggs to Your Diet

Eggs are a top weight loss food, low in calories, high in protein, and packed with nutrients. High-protein foods reduce appetite and increase fullness compared to lower-protein foods (64Trusted Source, 65Trusted Source, 66Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source). Eating eggs for breakfast can lead to greater weight loss and reduced calorie intake throughout the day (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 67Trusted Source).

19. Spice Up Your Meals

Chili peppers and jalapeños contain capsaicin, which can boost metabolism and fat burning (68Trusted Source, 69Trusted Source, 70Trusted Source, 71Trusted Source). Capsaicin may also reduce appetite and calorie intake (68Trusted Source, 72Trusted Source).

20. Take Probiotics

Probiotics, beneficial bacteria, can improve digestive and heart health and aid in weight loss (73Trusted Source, 74Trusted Source). Studies show that gut bacteria differ between overweight and average-weight individuals, affecting weight (75Trusted Source, 76Trusted Source, 77Trusted Source). Probiotics help regulate gut bacteria, block fat absorption, and reduce appetite and inflammation (78Trusted Source, 79Trusted Source, 80Trusted Source). Lactobacillus gasseri is particularly effective for weight loss (81Trusted Source, 82Trusted Source, 83Trusted Source).

21.Get Enough Sleep

Adequate sleep is crucial for weight loss and preventing weight gain. Sleep-deprived individuals are up to 55% more likely to develop obesity, with an even higher risk for children (84Trusted Source). Sleep deprivation disrupts appetite hormones, leading to poor appetite regulation (85Trusted Source, 86Trusted Source).

22. Eat More Fiber

Fiber-rich foods, especially those with water-soluble fiber, can help with weight loss by increasing fullness. Fiber delays stomach emptying, expands the stomach, and promotes satiety hormone release (87Trusted Source, 88Trusted Source, 89Trusted Source). Gradually increase fiber intake to avoid discomfort like bloating and cramps.

23. Brush Your Teeth After Meals

Brushing or flossing after meals can help reduce the desire to snack. Dental hygiene products temporarily affect the taste of food and beverages, helping to limit between-meal eating (93Trusted Source).

24. Overcome Food Addiction

Food addiction involves strong cravings and brain chemistry changes, making it hard to resist certain foods. This major cause of overeating affects a significant portion of the population. Highly processed junk foods high in sugar and fat are more likely to cause addiction. Consulting a healthcare professional can be helpful (94Trusted Source).

25. Do Cardio

Cardio exercises, such as jogging, running, cycling, power walking, or hiking, burn calories and improve mental and physical health. Cardio is effective in reducing visceral fat and improving heart disease risk factors (95Trusted Source, 96Trusted Source, 97Trusted Source, 98Trusted Source).

26. Add Resistance Exercises

Dieting can lead to muscle loss, reducing calorie burning. Resistance exercises, like weight lifting, help preserve muscle mass and maintain a higher metabolic rate (99Trusted Source, 100Trusted Source, 101Trusted Source, 102Trusted Source).

27 .Use Whey Protein

If you don't get enough protein from your diet, whey protein supplements can help. Replacing some calories with whey protein can lead to significant weight loss and increased lean muscle mass (103Trusted Source, 104Trusted Source). Choose products without added sugars and additives.

28. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating increases awareness of food choices and hunger and satiety cues. This approach can positively impact weight, eating behavior, and stress, especially in those with obesity, binge eating, or emotional eating (105Trusted Source, 106Trusted Source, 107Trusted Source, 108Trusted Source).

29. Focus on Lifestyle Changes

Dieting often fails long-term, with dieters frequently gaining more weight over time (109Trusted Source). Instead, focus on nourishing your body with nutritious foods and incorporating daily physical activity. This holistic approach supports sustainable weight loss and overall well-being.

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About the Creator

william jane

EXPERT FOR HEALTH & FITNESS

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    william jane Written by william jane

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