4 Surprising Weight Loss Tricks Nutritionists Recommend

Now that obesity is one of the biggest health issues we face, weight loss becomes a massive industry. Your neighbor, friend or cousin all seem to know a diet or exercise that worked wonders for them or someone they know.

But will it do the same to you?

You can’t try every weight loss plan out there, but you do need a starting point. Today, I reveal 4 golden rules that are almost universally valid for everyone – and they come straight from registered nutritionists.

And the most important one is…

 

Stop dieting right now

Adopting a strict diet, even one that seems designed especially for you, may not be a good idea. Forcing yourself to eat meals you don’t like can have a negative impact on your mood and might make you give in to unhealthy habits on the long run.

NYC-based registered dietitian Amy Gorin advises you to focus on creating healthy behaviors instead. ‘This is typically easiest to put into place by initiating many small changes, such as adding exercise to your day, even in small doses, swapping high-calorie desserts for fruit, and being more mindful while you eat,’ she explains.

Check out 9 efficient ways to lose weight without dieting!

 

Cutting out one food won’t work

Tara Collingwood, registered dietitian and nutritionist, often encounters people obsessed with cutting out a single thing from their diet, like sugar or carbs. However, ‘staying away from certain food groups or one specific thing won’t help you with weight loss.’

‘Instead,’ she explains, ‘look at your overall diet and caloric balance. Increase your burn a little bit each day with more movement and exercise and skip extra calories you won’t miss, like that bite of your husband’s meal when you dine out or that handful of candy from the jar at work.’

 

Put yourself first

A review of 25 dieting studies published in Frontiers in Psychology found that dieting can be a predictor of weight gain. Yes, you read that right.

For most people, dieting restricts too many food groups or nutrients while also increasing the risk of depression and anxiety. Registered dietitian Kara Lydon advises to ‘place less focus on the number on the scale and you can spend more time and energy on health-promoting behaviors like engaging in joyful movement and eating foods that are satisfying. Focusing on self-care can help boost self-esteem, which in turn helps people take better care of themselves and sustain improvements in healthy behaviors.’

 

Eat protein for breakfast

Eating fruit or other light alternatives can leave you feeling very hungry by lunch, which increases chances of overeating and snacking unnecessarily. Tara Collingwood encourages eating plenty of healthy protein for breakfast as it regulates the appetite even in the afternoon!

‘I eat 20 to 30 grams of protein as part of my breakfast,” Collingwood says. “It keeps me satisfied for several hours and helps keep my appetite in check as the day goes on, especially in the evening.’

  Captain’s Tip: A very quick protein-packed breakfast is an oatmeal bowl. Ingredients: ¾ cup of oats (7 gr. Protein), ¾ cup milk (6 gr. Protein) with 3 tbsp of hemp protein powder (15 gr. Protein). It’s that easy!