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Fast and Effective Diet Tips for Weight Loss

You might be looking to really make an effort to lose a few pounds, and the good news is that you can achieve it without going on a fad diet. By making permanent lifestyle changes, you can lose weight and keep it off – forever!

While food is the main focus of this article, there are other things you can do to make sure your weight loss plan is going to work…

Physical activity and movement is an important component of any weight loss program. Strength training as well as cardiovascular activity not only help with weight management but also with muscle tone and overall health – including emotional health. Mix up strength training and cardio and you will be lubricating your joints, toning your muscles, and oxygenating your blood.

Sleep is another component vital to the success of a weight loss plan. Your body needs to rest and repair. This happens when you are sleeping. There is simply no way around it! Try not to put too much stress on your digestive system by eating a giant meal right before bed time. And, try your best to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night.

Outside of food and exercise, here are 6 diet strategies that are all proven to help you lose weight and keep it off. These are strategies that really work, but you have to actually do the work. No, it isn’t always easy, but the results are so worth it. The beginning is always the hardest part, but as soon as you step on the scale and see that you’ve lost a pound or two, the feeling will be amazing and will motivate you to continue. It gets easier and easier as you go.

Here are 6 Diet Strategies To Get That Weight Off Quickly and For Good

Tips for Quick and Lasting Weight Loss*

1. Eliminate Inflammatory Foods

Chronic inflammation in the body is a precursor to autoimmune disease, heart disease, and cancer; but did you know it is also involved in weight gain and retention? It is very important to calm down inflammation not only for our organs and immune system to function optimally but also for optimal weight. One way to do this is to eliminate pro-inflammatory foods from you diet.

See the book: The Virgin Diet: Drop 7 Foods, Lose 7 Pounds, Just 7 Days

Lactose is the sugar found in most dairy. Many people cannot digest this. Consuming lactose can result in bloating, diarrhea, and acne–all inflammatory responses.
Dairy in general is also inflammatory to most people. The casein, a protein in dairy, causes leaky gut and a host of other problems in many people.
Simple sugars found in processed foods, sodas, and sweeteners, are linked to diabetes, inflammation, insulin spikes, and obesity when consumed regularly.
Grains, including Gluten are such a staple in the standard diet. Prior to our advanced agricultural industry, our ancestors didn’t eat grains. They lived well on want they could hunt for and gather. Our bodies still haven’t evolved to be able to digest processed grains and the glutens in many of them. Gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley, is one of the most common inflammatory foods.
Soy products may also cause inflammation. While, soy is commonly eaten throughout much of the world, it is often an overly processed food when used to make tofu and soy milk. Soybeans, while not processed, are often grown with pesticides or are genetically modified. These toxins can trigger an inflammatory response. You can try eating soy to see if it agrees with you.
Corn is another one of those foods that may, or may not, be inflammatory. Many people react poorly to corn because it is high in sugar and is often grown using large quantities of pesticides. Corn is not easy to digest for most people.

2. Eliminate all Sugars

We talked about sugar as being inflammatory. It is also one of the worst foods for weight loss. Sugar is not just found in those white crystals in the bowl next to your coffee maker. Sugar is found in almost all processed foods: sodas, cookies, breads, cereals, ice cream, catsup, and the list goes on.

Many of the common foods we eat convert to sugar in our digestive tracts. These include: white flour, white rice, pasta, and starchy vegetables. For weight loss, it is best to stop eating these foods and all simple sugars.

You can substitute stevia as a sweetener in baked goods and your morning coffee. Eat fresh fruit to satisfy your sweet cravings. Use raw honey and pure maple syrup sparingly.

3. Eat Healthy Fats

Trans fats, found in hydrogenated oils, vegetable shortenings, and fried foods are killers. These increase your risk for heart disease and cancer. They can also contribute to obesity. Eliminate deep fried foods if you don’t know what oil is used. Read labels carefully.

Fat is necessary for the health of our joints. Better options, while trying to lose weight, are olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, cold water fish, nuts, and even a little butter that is organic and cultured from grass-fed animals.

4. Try Intermittent Fasting

As challenging as it might seem, fasting can be really great for your body in addition to helping you lose unwanted pounds. Intermittent fasting helps your organs and digestive tract to rest and to promote healing.

A simple way to fast is to set aside an 8 hour period, during which you will eat 3 standard meals. After 8 hours, do not eat again for 16 hours. You can, however, drink water, coffee, and tea outside the 8 hour period. Try doing this 2 times per week to help your body regulate itself. This strategy has been show to help with weight management.

See: What Is Intermittent Fasting and Why You Should Try It

5. Eliminate Processed Foods

We have addressed some of the detrimental aspects of processed foods. It can’t be stressed enough how hard it is for your body to digest these foods. Most processed foods are completely lacking in nutrition, so why eat them at all? Additionally, these types of foods are more likely to contain sugar and trans fats that lead to weight gain.

Your best opportunity for successful weight loss is to eat a clean diet that only includes nutrient-dense foods. A perfect day would include:

Plenty of water
Fresh vegetables
Fresh low-sugar fruits, such as berries
Pastured protein
Healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil) and nuts and seeds
Limited legumes

6. Don’t Restrict Calories, Just Eat the Right Calories

Do not – repeat – do not! count calories. That is old school thinking and doesn’t work for long-term weight management. This is best explained by investigative science and health journalist Gary Taubes in his books that expose the truth about the fallacy behind calorie restriction:

The “calories in / calories out” model is outdated and untrue. Rather than restricting calories, you need to eat the right calories. This includes plenty of protein, fat, and fresh vegetables throughout the day. You can eat these 3 foods without restriction and find yourself shedding pounds fast!

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