How To Lose Weight Fast: Safe Tips & Tricks To Drop Fat 2023

Conventional Hypocaloric Diets (Calorie-Deficit Food Plans)

Diets that are extremely low in calories (a third of normal caloric intake) are referred to as hypocaloric diets. This may mean as little as 800 calories. Their main purpose is to induce fast weight loss, though not always sustainable weight loss, and these diets are usually prescribed therapeutically for individuals whose health depends on weight loss (such as type 2 diabetes). Hypocaloric diets should be overseen by a medical professional.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is the practice of restricting eating to specific feeding times and alternating them with periods of fasting. Rather than restricting food itself, it restricts the time you can eat. There are many versions of intermittent fasting, such as 16:8, which dictates fasting for 16 hours and eating within an eight-hour window of time. Other versions include eating normally six days a week and fasting on the seventh day.

Restricting eating to specific windows of time alone will decrease the amount of calories you take in. Additionally, IF may increase norepinephrine. which can speed up metabolism, while decreasing insulin levels, both of which can help sustainable weight loss efforts.

Plant-Based Diets

Any diet that is heavily plant-based can assist with losing weight quickly. This is because vegetables have very few calories per ounce compared to other foods. For example, one cup of broccoli has roughly 30 calories, while a candy bar has 150-200 calories. This means a person can eat a ton of vegetables and still stay within a reduced-calorie diet. In the meantime, whole fruits and vegetables provide numerous nutrients that help the body function optimally, having a cascading effect on weight loss.

Low-Carbohydrate Diets

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrate intake in its many forms – grains, starches, sugars (including those found in dairy, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, and especially refined flour), and instead, focuses on healthy fat and lean protein. When carbs are ingested, insulin is released which transports the glucose from the carbs into our cells for energy. However, eating excess carbs can cause excess glucose to end up in our fat cells. By eating a low-carb diet, the body is able to burn fat, instead of sugar, for energy, and in the process, weight loss can occur.

Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet (short for Paleolithic diet) mimics how our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate thousands of years ago. It is similar to a low-carb diet in that it restricts grains, dairy, beans, and sugar. Paleo diets include protein from plants and animals, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, and healthy fats.

Low-Fat Diets

Decreasing the amount of fat in your diet can decrease calories, however, it’s only part of the equation. The body stores excess calories as fat, so it’s important to consider how many calories you’re taking in from all sources. Losing weight happens when you burn off more calories than you consume. 

Another thing to note is that not all fat is created equal – healthy omega-3 fats from fish, avocado, nuts, seeds, and olives can assist in weight loss, whereas trans fats (found in many processed foods) can hinder weight loss efforts. How you prepare food also makes a difference. Try steaming, boiling, or baking instead of frying.

Chew Slowly and Thoroughly

Digestion begins in the mouth! From there, food goes down the esophagus, into the stomach, and the intestines, and continues on for up to 72 hours where a series of chemical reactions helps extract nutrients and remove toxins from your food.

Chewing food is a crucial first step of the digestive process, and it’s one of the few parts of the process that is mechanical (our teeth grind up the food and make it possible for everything to digest easily from there). Chewing slowly helps release enzymes in the mouth, particularly amylase in our saliva, which starts to break down carbohydrates.

When we chew our food properly (it should be the consistency of baby food before we swallow), the nutrients can be broken down correctly, allowing the body to absorb more efficiently. This can reduce the number of calorie intake we ingest, as well as keep us fuller longer, which can prevent overeating. Finally, slow chewing activates our parasympathetic nervous system (our “rest and digest” mode), which puts our body in the calm state it needs to be in to process food. High levels of stress interfere with digestion, making it more difficult to lose weight gradually.

Use Smaller Plates

Similar to intermittent fasting which restricts food intake to a “window of time,” limiting the size of plates will reduce calories by default. Sometimes we eat more than we should simply because we’re used to finishing whatever is on our plate, even if our plate is massive. This is a common conditioning instilled in us by our caretakers (“You can’t leave the table until you’ve finished your plate!”) By switching to smaller plates, you may find that it’s all you need to feel satiated. You can always grab another helping if you’re still hungry (listen to your hunger cues).

Increase Protein Intake

Protein is an essential macronutrient that should be a part of every meal and snack. Of the three macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs), it is the least likely to be problematic for weight. We need protein for muscle mass, injury recovery, and hormone production. Many weight-loss diets suggest reducing carbs, fats, sugar, and/or processed foods, but protein should always be a part of your meals and snacks.

Drink More Water

Adequate hydration is essential for weight loss. This is especially true if you’re exercising as part of your weight loss plan. Water also fills up the stomach and can suppress appetite,^[1] which decreases the chances of overeating, and also serves as a replacement for weight-inducing sugary drinks. Water flushes out toxins which can inhibit weight loss and help keep the bowels regular (another essential of weight loss). Finally, water enhances our ability to burn calories and belly fat.

Sleep Well

If you find yourself craving sweets and carbs after a poor night’s sleep, you’re not imagining it. When our bodies are low on energy, due to lack of sleep, we try to find quick bursts of energy in the form of unhealthy snacks. Poor sleep also leads to poor decision-making, in general, leading us to choose foods that we’d otherwise avoid. Additionally, studies have linked limited sleep^[2] to metabolic disorders and weight gain. 

Getting deep, quality sleep on a consistent basis is foundational to any process in the body, including weight loss. Sleep is when the body assimilates and detoxifies everything we do and take in. Furthermore, if sleep is disturbed, cortisol (our stress hormone) rises significantly, which can make the body hold onto weight, particularly around the middle section.