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The 6 Best Weight Loss Tips

Published July 06, 2015

There are many benefits to having a healthy body weight, but the path getting there can be a real struggle. Many people are puzzled as to why they gain weight, and many are even more puzzled as to how to keep off the weight they’ve recently burned off. Often, reaching that target weight is a lot easier said than done. Evidence shows it’s hard to get started and even harder to maintain that success. A study suggests that there are so many different factors involved that what works for one person might not work for another. ^[1] But, with the right strategy, healthy weight loss can be successfully accomplished. But what is the right strategy?

6 Weight Loss Tips You Need

Many weight loss products and procedures on the market are not healthy whatsoever, and are generally a quick fix that don’t address the root cause. Here are some natural approaches to weight loss you should implement if you’re wanting sustaining results.

1. Get Motivated

A recent study looked at how motivation could be one of the biggest things when sticking with weight loss programs. Somewhere between the start of a program and the four-week mark, most people see a spike in motivation, and those feelings can continue for up to 16 weeks if there is at least a 5% weight loss. ^[2] So, whatever it takes, get motivated and stay that way!

2. Keep a Food Diary

One way to keep that motivation going is to keep a food diary; one study even suggests that it can double your weight loss results. ^[3] Make sure that you are recording food daily because, as the study's lead doctor comments, "it seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories.” And, for that matter…

3. Follow a Vegan Diet

Research suggests it's possible to lose more weight when eating an entirely plant-based diet. ^[4] Not just that, a vegan diet can also lower levels of body fat and improve levels of macronutrient intake as compared to a meat and dairy diet.

4. Drink More Water

For many of us, as we get older, weight loss seems to become more and more difficult. Sometimes we look for anything that helps. Well, staying well hydrated with water might even go a long way in helping control appetite. Scientists suggest, "that just two 8-ounce glasses of the stuff, taken before meals, enables people to shed pounds." ^[6] How easy is that?

5. Exercise

Make sure that along with those changes in diet, you're getting exercise—and the best exercise is definitely aerobic activity. One report suggests that diet and exercise together can even lead to an 11% weight loss. ^[7] Exercising without dietary modifications was actually the least successful, according to the study.

6. Get Enough Sleep

But sleep can also play a pretty big role in losing weight in addition to diet and exercise. One recent study suggests poor sleep habits increases our need to eat more and also increases hunger hormones. ^[8]

Weight Loss is a Natural Process

You need to be sure you avoid fads and gimmicks, because a lot of them exist nowadays. Most of those commercial weight loss programs don't work anyway. ^[9] One thing that might be helpful, though? Get a partner. There's a recent suggestion that losing weight within a team can lead to positive peer pressure and increased motivation. ^[10] So, whether you do lose that weight slowly or at lightning-quick speeds…just do it!

What do you do for weight loss? Tell us in the comments.

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM