Physical activity
The best way to implement physical activity in your daily routine is by choosing a sport that you like. That’s because consistency is most important, and participating in an enjoyable sport will ensure you train as regularly as possible.
Resistance training can be a good start if you can't pick one. It involves training with weights, bands, or body weight.
Resistance training is considered a better option than aerobic training and cardio because of the higher intensity of physical activity.
Lifting weights also helps induce more favorable changes in body composition, such as increased muscle mass and reduced fat mass.
In turn, higher muscle mass can help your body burn more calories in the long term and allow you to eat more while maintaining a healthy weight.
Physical activity also leads to an increase in your daily calorie expenditure. Still, this short-term effect is less reliable for weight loss since eating more food can easily compensate the extra calories burned.
Sleep
Most people underestimate insufficient sleep as a factor contributing to weight gain and obesity.
Yet, scientists have analyzed data from more than 600 000 men and women, and the studies consistently show an increased risk of obesity amongst short-sleepers in both children and adults (10).
One of the studies that included over 1000 participants found that sleep deprivation negatively affects appetite and the hormones that regulate hunger, such as leptin and ghrelin (11).
Lack of sleep can also raise stress hormones such as cortisol which contributes to elevated blood sugar and inflammation (12).
Diet
Since the changes in your body weight depend on your calorie balance, one of the simplest and most effective interventions is to reduce your daily calorie intake.
Calculating your calorie intake accurately and ensuring that you are eating fewer calories than you burn will guarantee that you will lose weight.
Yet, the approach has one major flaw - sustainability. Eating less can increase hunger and cravings, making your diet a struggle. Thus, most people quit and regain any weight they may have lost.
To achieve a more sustainable weight loss, you should focus on foods low on calories but satiating simultaneously.
These include low-calorie foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, legumes, low-fat dairy, etc. Whole-grain foods (as well as raw fruits and vegetables) are also fiber-rich, which can help increase hunger and diet sustainability (13).
Protein is another factor that contributes to satiety. Your body will significantly suppress the hunger signals in your body once you have consumed enough protein with your meals (14).
The right amount for you will depend on your body weight and physical activity, but generally, it should be about 0.8 - 1.6 grams per kg of body weight (15).
Remember that fad diets may promise rapid weight loss but cause rebound weight gain. Healthy weight loss takes time and commitment. Healthy eating has numerous benefits to overall health and lowers your risk of many diseases.
And last but not least - stay hydrated! More often than not, you can subdue a craving by drinking a glass of water. Remember to drink at least 2l of water per day for optimal health.
Dietary supplements
Dietary supplements can help you stick to your healthy diet by aiding hunger control, reducing the number of calories you absorb from food, and boosting your metabolism.
Most people who try to lose weight look for supplements that can boost their metabolism and help them burn more calories, but the reality is that these are not the most effective weight loss products. One of the reasons is that as your metabolism increases, so does your hunger.
Instead, it is much better to take supplements that help reduce your calorie intake, such as products that can aid your hunger control.
Great examples of dietary supplements which can help you control your cravings and appetite include apple cider vinegar (ACV) and Garcinia Cambogia.
For example, one of the active ingredients in ACV is acetic acid, which is a potent appetite suppressant. Research has shown that taking ACV right before a meal greatly improves satiety for the next 2 hours in a study with 12 healthy volunteers (16).
Garcinia Cambogia is an extract from the rind of the tropical fruit Garcinia gummi-gutta. The rind contains an active ingredient called hydroxycitric acid (HCA), which is shown to raise levels of a chemical in your brain called serotonin (17).
Serotonin is a brain chemical involved in feelings of happiness, relaxation, and reward. Increasing it can support your mood and help suppress your cravings for junk foods.
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