How To Lose Weight Quickly & Safely: The Scientifically Proven Way
So you want to lose weight - and fast. It may be that you are one of the 8,100 people who Google this exact query every month.
But the question is, where on earth to start when 569 million results appear in front of you, all with different approaches to achieving quick fat-loss results?
Thankfully, we have science to navigate fact from fiction. Here are ten of the top clinically proven strategies to drop the pounds - safely, and quickly.
1. Eat A Protein Packed Breakfast
It seems fitting to discuss the first meal of the day at the top of our list. Science has confirmed that including protein in your breakfast helps regulate appetite hormones and increase satiety.
The hormone balancing effects of protein have been shown to last several hours in young adults. So including protein at every meal is, in fact, also a great idea.
Some struggle to pack in protein at breakfast time. Our BodyFuel is your perfect high-protein brekkie solution - containing 27g of lean protein and 30 essential nutrients in the exact levels your body requires. Talk about starting your day the right way!
2. Eat Mindfully
Many of us are leading hectic lives, so we often have ‘grab and go’ lunches squeezed in. This hurried state does not allow our minds and bodies to slow down enough to recognise the food we’re eating - and, importantly, how much of it.
Research says that it takes about 20 minutes for leptin, the body's satiety hormone, to kick in and let you know you've eaten enough. As tough as it may sometimes be, aim to eat more slowly, chew your food properly and switch off multitasking mode for a while by putting away other distractions. Your digestion will also thank you!
3. Pack in the Fibre
Fibre is a very important nutrient that can easily get looked over. Fibre helps keep your gut bacteria healthy and promotes overall fat loss by reducing your appetite.
A study (4) of 1,114 adults found that those who increased their soluble fibre intake by 10 grams per day lost 2kg over a 4 month period.
Fill up on these high-fibre foods at each meal:
- Fruit
- Veggies
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
4. More Zzz's, less lbs
Science shows that poor sleep slows down the rate at which the body converts calories to energy (aka, metabolism). When metabolism is tuned down, the body may store unused energy as fat.
Too little sleep can also increase the production of insulin and cortisol, which can halt any weight-loss efforts (3). Similarly, it may also increase hunger hormones and lead to an increased appetite the next day and a serious case of hanger-induced snack-attacks and fridge raids.
Struggle getting the recommended 7 or 8 hours per night? Increasing magnesium may help your quality and quantity of sleep. Your personalised BodyFuel blend contains an optimal level of magnesium to help you maximise your shut-eye.
5. Drink H2O Before Meals
Drinking water can help boost your metabolism, cleanse your body from waste products and act as an appetite suppressant.
According to research, drinking two glasses of water (500ml) before a meal can result in losing 44% more weight. Participants lost an additional 2kg over 12 weeks compared to the non-water-drinking group. It's more likely to be body fat, too, as when you're hydrated, your body burns more fat and less muscle.
6. Make Your Carbs Complex
Refined carbs are found in lots of delicious foods. Because of their high glycemic index, they often wreck havoc on your blood sugar levels - leaving you all sorts of hangry.
Finding out your carb sensitivity via a DNA nutrition test can help you pinpoint exactly how your body uses carbohydrates as a source of fuel and your insulin response. From this, you can adapt the quantity of carbs you consume to help stabilise blood sugar levels and support weight-loss.
7. Good vs Bad Fats
In the world of nutrition, not all fats are created equal. Research shows that unsaturated fats can help curb your appetite, signalling to your brain that you are full.
Because fat takes its sweet time to work its way through the digestive tract, it keeps you fuller for longer - just like protein. Try including more healthy, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in your diet such as avocado, flax seeds, olive oil and nuts or seeds.
8. Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has caused quite the stir in the wellness industry over the last few years. And for good reason too! Research has shown that those who ate between 10am and 6pm window consumed 350 fewer calories and lost about 3% of their body weight over 12-weeks.
This is known as the 16:8 method, and is one of the many variations of intermittent fasting. Not only does this result in fewer calories consumed, but intermittent fasting is also said to increase your resting metabolic rate - leading to greater weight-loss.
9. But First.. Coffee!
Some welcome news for the caffeine lovers out there - coffee can aid weight loss!
Caffeinated drinks such as coffee can help stimulate the body’s nervous system, ramp up metabolism and break down fat. This study found that higher caffeine consumption was linked with greater weight loss results in 2,623 adults.
Did you know that individual response to caffeine depends on our genetics? Those who have a low sensitivity to caffeine, may benefit more from its endurance-enhancing effects more than those who are highly sensitive. A DNA nutrition test is the only way to reveal this very unique information.
10. Pile on the greens
Green veg such as kale, broccoli and spinach contain a powerful plant compound called chlorophyll. Research shows chlorophyll suppresses your appetite for palatable foods (pastries and crisps - we're looking at you!) and boosts fat loss.
This is because chlorophyll inhibits the uptake of fat in the gut and releases an appetite-suppressing hormone. Never liked green veg? Get it from spirulina, wheat grass or chlorella instead.
Now you've got the skinny on the fastest and safety way to lose body fat, you may feel ready and rearing to get started. Sometimes, we still need a helping hand in our weight-loss journey.
Here at NGX, we realise that losing weight - and keeping the weight off - can be a challenge. That's why we've created BodyFuel, the personalised solution to ensuring you've got the tools needed to finally smash your weight-loss goals, for good.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4263815/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5393445/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5401766/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3856431/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26554757/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21167
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14681716/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24993695/