A 2023 study links the consumption of more refined grains with weight gain. A 2021 review suggests that whole grains are more likely to reduce hunger and increase fullness, which could lead to lower calorie intake. People may benefit from working with a registered dietitian, nutritionist, or other healthcare professional to help https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet them increase their protein intake while ensuring an adequate, balanced diet. “It’s also key to rebalancing your hormones and kickstarting your metabolism,” she writes. For most people, eating lots of fruits and vegetables is a good thing — these foods provide your body with important nutrients and fiber.
Hormonal fluctuations—especially in cortisol, insulin, thyroid hormones, and leptin—can significantly affect weight loss outcomes. Chronic stress, for example, elevates cortisol, which may increase fat storage around the abdomen and make it more difficult to lose weight, even with calorie restriction. Women in perimenopause or menopause often experience shifts in estrogen that slow metabolism, requiring more strategic lifestyle changes. ” it’s important unimeal reviews consumer reports to consider testing for hormonal imbalances if weight loss stalls without a clear cause. Addressing these imbalances through medical guidance and lifestyle adjustments can help reestablish metabolic flexibility and accelerate progress safely. In addition, emerging research suggests that gut bacteria may play a role in how efficiently the body extracts calories from food.
Consume Healthy Fats
If you are not a fan of the treadmill, you can do yoga, dance, swim, ride a bike, etc. Do a little HIITi A training protocol alternating between short periods of intense anaerobic exercises and rest, which helps burn excess fat. Working out may help mobilize the fat, improve your metabolic rate, and help you maintain the lost weight and sleep better at night (20), (21), (22). A variety of professionals can help individuals achieve their weight loss goals and design sustainable and safe weight loss programs. “Tip number one to drop weight quickly is to count your calories,” says Jenn. You can then subtract 500-1,000 from your total to determine how many calories you need to eat each day to create a calorie deficit and lose weight.
Body Network’s Expert Weighs In
That said, a cup of black coffee after breakfast helps to slow down glucose production which may mean you produce fewer fat cells. We talked with registered dietitian, exercise physiologist and psychologist David Creel, PhD, about how to lose weight the right way. Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker or app can help monitor your calorie intake. Research suggests this strategy may be beneficial for weight loss. One 2014 study involving teenagers with overweight showed that a combination of strength training and aerobic exercise led to the greatest decrease in visceral fat. An older observational study involving over 1,100 adults found that for every 10-gram (g) increase in soluble fiber intake, belly fat gain decreased by 3.7% over 5 years.
Eat slowly and mindfully
In this guide, I’ll break down the most effective steps to help you lose 20 pounds in a healthy and sustainable way. These are the same methods I’ve used to help clients reach their goals and keep the weight off. So whether you’re just starting out or need a refresher, these tips will provide the roadmap you need to succeed. With intermittent fasting, your body will start burning your fat stores for fuel since you won’t have any calories coming in. Once you start running low, your body will be forced to switch over to burning your body fat as an energy source.
Health Conditions
As you progress, don’t be afraid to increase the intensity of your workouts by incorporating interval training or adding more challenging exercises to your routine. If you’re not getting enough sleep, your metabolism will slow down.20 Your body will also release hormones such as cortisol that tempt you to binge eat junk food. Maybe it’s a wedding, birthday party, vacation, or some other big event in your life that you need to look your best. Short-term goals might include drinking water instead of sugary beverages, taking a 15-minute evening walk, or having a vegetable with supper.
How Does the Low-Appetite Diet Compare to Other Diets for Weight Loss?
This means if you need 2,000 calories a day, you should aim for for 900 to 1,300 calories from carbs, which equates to about 225 to 325 grams per day. All you need to do is ensure that most of these calories come from high-quality whole foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes, beans, and dairy. Losing 20 pounds in two months is an ambitious goal that can be realistic for some people.
She Lost 30 Pounds While Eating These Popular Foods
- Whether it’s joining a fitness class, connecting with a diet accountability partner, or participating in online communities, social engagement reinforces motivation and consistency.
- Additionally, incorporate active recovery days into your workout plan, such as light stretching, yoga, or walking, to keep your body moving without overloading it.
- The goal is to make simple, pleasurable changes that will result in a healthy weight that you can maintain for the rest of your life.
- The Mayo Clinic Diet is a lifestyle approach to weight loss that can help you maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime.
- Factors, such as medicines, medical conditions, stress, genes, hormones, environment, and age can also affect weight management.
- Maybe it’s a wedding, birthday party, vacation, or some other big event in your life that you need to look your best.
As one pound of body weight is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, you need to create a total calorie deficit of 7,000 calories to lose 2 pounds over two months. Spread over 60 days, this would mean reducing your daily calorie intake by approximately 117 calories. While you can lose 20 pounds (lbs) in a month, this is neither safe nor sustainable. Losing weight more steadily with the right diet and exercise can help you stay healthy and maintain your weight loss. When it comes to weight loss, a 2021 study noted that resistance training helps to prevent the loss of lean muscle mass as you lose weight.
How to Lose 20 Pounds Safely and Effectively
Consuming fewer calories creates a negative energy balance in the body, which helps you lose weight. For quick transformation, you can cut at least 500 to 600 calories from the total number of calories you consume now (5), (6). Although this is one of the fastest ways to lose 20 pounds, it is not entirely safe or recommended. Following these guidelines, an individual would need to weigh at least 500 pounds for a weight loss goal of 20 pounds, or 4% of total body weight, in one month to potentially be considered safe. A health care provider can help determine how much weight is safe for one to lose based on their unique health history and goals. In addition to diet and exercise, other factors such as sleep and stress can influence weight loss.
Risks of Rapid Weight Loss
Setting smaller goals may help you achieve your long-term goal of losing 20 or more pounds. In a 2022 trial, researchers looked at sleep’s effect on energy levels and weight loss. They concluded that improving sleep hygiene has a positive effect on preventing obesity and supporting weight loss.
The quickest way to lose 20 pounds, then, is not found in gimmicks or unsustainable regimens but in evidence-based practices that respect the complexity of the human body. By adopting expert-recommended strategies that emphasize metabolic health, mental clarity, and long-term well-being, anyone can reach their goals with confidence. And importantly, they can maintain them, which is the true hallmark of success in any weight loss journey. Moreover, adequate water intake supports kidney function, aids digestion, and facilitates the transport of nutrients necessary for fat metabolism. Drinking water before meals has even been shown to promote satiety, which can support a caloric deficit without conscious restriction. Aiming for at least half of your body weight in ounces per day is a practical target, with increases necessary for those who are active or live in hot climates.
The low-appetite diet isn’t a household name like many others, such as keto, paleo, or Mediterranean. Yet it’s something more and more people are considering as the number of individuals taking GLP-1 medications rises and they’re finding themselves less hungry than they were before. Smoothies may seem like the healthy choice as they’re packed full of fruit, but while they’re promoted as being high in vitamins, many of them are essentially pure sugar. Try one of our high-fibre recipes to increase your daily intake.
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While the purpose of mindful eating is not to lose weight, this practice may result in weight loss. A 2021 study found that combining a diet containing lower glycemic index foods with a high protein intake diet may be an effective way to lose weight. Eating slowly and practicing mindfulness can help increase weight loss and decrease excess food intake while allowing you to savor your food. A more recent study from 2021 noted that combining a diet containing lower glycemic index foods with a high protein intake diet may be an effective way to lose weight. While cutting calories alone is generally not considered a sustainable way to lose weight, counting calories can be an effective weight-loss tool when paired with other diet and lifestyle modifications. It also helps reduce fat around the abdomen, which can improve heart health and metabolic health.
Prioritize Rest and Mindful Habits
Much of the weight you lose initially will be water weight, but you’ll still be able to burn a good amount of excess fat off your body. Since this diet plan is designed to lose 20 pounds in just two weeks, you could also lose muscle mass, especially if you’re not weight training. Losing weight steadily rather than rapidly may help you maintain weight loss. Changes to your eating plan, exercise routine, and eating habits can help you lose weight safely. Mahtab Ekay is a fat loss coach and social media influencer who lost over 20 pounds and helps other people do the same.