Three Weight Loss Strategies For 2023
With the start of 2023, nearly everyone is aiming to get healthier and fitter. No matter who you are, you probably have some sort of goal when it comes to your weight. But the question is: how can you do that in a healthy and sustainable way? There are many different weight loss strategies out there, and while they all have their own merits, not all of them are created equal. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at three of the best strategies for achieving successful and lasting weight loss in 2023. Read on to find out which weight loss strategy can help you reach your goals!
Cut down on your calorie intake
A calorie deficit is when you burn more calories than you consume. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories and/or burning more calories through physical activity.
There are many ways to cut down on your calorie intake. You can eat smaller portions, choose lower-calorie foods, and eat more frequently throughout the day. You can also drink water instead of sugary beverages, and avoid snacking on high-calorie foods. Being guided by trackers like Noom can help you stay aware and accountable on your journey.
Cutting down on your calorie intake can be difficult, but it’s worth it if you’re trying to lose weight. Creating a calorie deficit is the key to successful weight loss, so find a method that works for you and stick with it!
Steps on Cutting Down Calorie Intake (by 500 calories!):
Do A Snack Swap. Snacking can be part of a healthy lifestyle as long as you opt for lower calorie alternatives. Have some smart snacks available when hunger strikes to avoid overindulging. Rather than 3 oz (85g) of flavored tortilla chips (425 calories), chose a cup (250mg) of air-popped popcorn (31 calories), one cup (250 mg) of grapes and a low-fat cheese stick or an apple and 12 almonds (160 calories). The wise choices will simply save you 500 calories every day!
Skip Those Seconds. Taking a second helping can add up to unwanted calories. It is easy to keep filling your plate when you serve food family style on the table. Try filling your plate once and keeping extras in the kitchen, or add a second serving of vegetables, fruit, or salad if you still don't feel satisfied.
Make Low-Cal Substitutions. Substitutions are everything when it comes to cutting down calorie intake. If a recipe calls for a cup (250 mL) of sour cream (444 calories), replace it with plain low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt (154 calories).
Use a Plate. All food, including snacks, should be eaten from a plate or bowl. If you snack from a bag or box, you may eat more than you intend. This is especially true if you are watching television. A large bag of chips can contain more than 1000 calories, so place one portion in a bowl and put the rest away.
Maximize Weight Loss With Exercise
If you want to lose weight, you need to exercise. This is one of the most important weight loss strategies you can adopt.
Exercise burns calories and helps you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. That means that even when you’re not working out, you’re still burning more calories than someone with less muscle.
Muscle also weighs more than fat, so as you build muscle and lose fat, you may not see a change on the scale right away. But don’t worry, the changes will come.
There are endless benefits to exercising beyond weight loss. Exercise has been shown to improve mental health, increase lifespan and protect against chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke and cancer.
So if your goal is to lose weight, make exercise a part of your daily routine. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. And remember, consistency is key. So even if you can’t commit to 30 minutes every day, try for three 10-minute workouts
each day or five 20-minute workouts each week.
How To Maximize Your Workout Routine:
Lift Weights. In fact, resistance training builds muscle, increasing your metabolic rate, making weight loss more difficult. According to a Harvard School of Public Health study of 10,500 adults, those who spent 20 minutes a day weight training gained less abdominal fat over a 12-year period (compared to those who did cardio for the same amount of time).
Eat Carbs Before Your Workout. Research published in Sports Medicine in 2013 shows that eating carbohydrates before your workout can also help you during those intervals. When your body is fueled, it is going to put forth a better effort and obtain a better value, both in terms of caloric expenditure and muscle growth, than if you were fasted.
Do Intervals. High-intensity intervals, with their alternating periods of intense effort and brief rest periods, offer more cardiovascular and fat-loss benefits than any other workout option, according to Wall. For example, a research conducted at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse's Human Performance Laboratory on a 20-minute interval regimen of pushups, burpees, squats and lunges showed an average calorie burn rate of 15/minute - almost twice as much as what is experienced from long runs.
Use Free Weights. It's good to learn proper form on weight machines, but once you've got it down, you'll want to use free weights. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that exercises performed with free weights, such as dumbbells, kettlebells and barbells, result in greater hormonal responses than exercises performed on exercise machines.
Manage stress
There are countless weight loss strategies out there, but not all of them are effective. In this blog article, we'll focus on three stress-management strategies that can help you lose weight and keep it off.
First, it's important to understand what stress is and how it can impact your weight. Stress is a physical and mental response to a perceived threat. When you're stressed, your body releases hormones like cortisol, which can lead to increased appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods.
There are many different ways to manage stress, but some of the most effective include exercise, yoga, and meditation. Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting and stress-reducing effects. Yoga helps to center your mind and body, while meditation can promote relaxation and reduce stress levels.
These stress-management strategies can not only help you lose weight, but also improve your overall health. If you're looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle, consider incorporating these into your daily routine.
How To De-Stress Effectively:
Identify Your Triggers. Identify the things that trigger stress in you and move away from them. If social media is a source of significant stress, try to stay away from it for at least an hour until you feel ready to go back.
Breathe. Don’t Forget to Breathe. Leah Lagos, PsyD., a clinical and sports psychologist, recommends to Rodale's Organic Life that you take a few minutes during lunch to participate in some powerful breathing exercises.
The Power 10 breathing exercise involves inhaling and exhaling deeply for six seconds while focusing on feelings of anxiety and stress.
Alternatively, the Heart boost requires focusing on positive emotions with each inhalation, helping to shift your heart rhythm.
For Heart shifting, Lagos suggests three sets of five breaths, with a four-second inhalation and six-second exhalation; the first set paying attention to negative emotions then letting them go with each exhale, the second being clearing your mind of any other thoughts and just concentrating on the breath, and finally embracing "the love in your heart" during the third set's inhalations. Taking time out for such exercises will help reduce tension significantly.
Conclusion
Weight loss is never easy but these three strategies should help you reach your goals this 2023. The combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise and proper hydration can aid in achieving the physique you've always desired. With consistency and dedication, there's no doubt that you'll be able to reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle by end this year. Make sure to consult with your doctor before making any changes to your existing routine so that you get all the necessary advice for achieving success!
If you're looking for a healthy and safe way to lose weight this 2023, look no further than a weight loss specialist and a registered nutritionist dietitian who can help employ healthy lifestyle and weight loss strategies that can help you obtain lasting results. Schedule a consultation right now.