A Guide to Natural Weight Loss

Losing weight does not have to be as difficult and complicated a task as it has come to be considered by many. Weight loss works on a simple principle of calorie surplus and calorie deficit. Whatever amount of calories one takes in beyond their calorie consumption in a day will be stored as fat and will add to the weight gain. On the other hand, if they are consuming less than what their body burns in a day, this calorie deficit will then contribute towards weight loss. Given the principle, there are only two logical ways to lose weight naturally; either you burn more calories through exercise, or you consume fewer calories through diet control. To help yourself along with this two-way struggle, there are a number of things that you can do.
 

Have a Routine

It all starts with forming a routine and sticking to it religiously. This forms the basis of this whole weight loss effort. Everything else will only work if you’re disciplined and actually regularly doing all the things you’re going to read about instead of just reading about them on the internet. Once your routine becomes second nature and is hardwired into your brain, it will all seem easier from that point onwards.
 

Weight Training

This is one of the most effective and healthy ways to shed those extra pounds. Weight training can be doubly effective at supporting your weight loss efforts as it burns calories and allows you to pack on muscle mass. Muscle mass requires calories to grow or even sustain itself, which means fewer calories left to be stored as fat. Furthermore, weight training allows you to look and feel a lot better, which significantly goes on to motivate you and reinforce the positive and healthy habits that you are trying to build into your routine. 
 

Supplement with Whey Protein

Protein is a high-quality nutrient and one of the essential nutrients our body requires. The best thing about protein is that it does not easily get stored as fat if consumed in moderation. This means that if you follow a proper regimen for protein intake, it will help your weight loss goals instead of harming them. Besides, your body needs protein for muscle repair and muscle building. Protein that is found in meat, dairy, and other sources may come with some fats or carbohydrates that you want to avoid during your weight loss regime. Whey protein is one of the purest forms of proteins out there and can be easily consumed without needing to be cooked or prepared.

Studies indicate that replacing parts of your meals can significantly aid you in the weight loss effort.
 

Get Enough Sleep

The human body is a complex interconnected system working in a perfect balance. Everything must work harmoniously as a cohesive unit for healthy functioning and the maintenance of a healthy weight. Even a little bit of sleep deprivation disturbs that harmony and the natural balance of the body.  It slows down the metabolism (the body’s natural ability to burn calories) while the sensitivity of the fat cells to insulin levels can drop by as much as 30%. If you get proper sleep every night, you’re ensuring that your body’s systems are working at their full capacity and you get the maximum out of your weight loss efforts.
 

Hydrate More

This one is often ignored by many on a natural weight loss regime. Some fear that water may add more weight as their body will retain water while others feel it will make them bloated. Water is one of the seven essential nutrients that are required by our body. Since an adult body is made up of 60% water, most our bodily functions, including fat burning, use up water and we need to stay hydrated to keep them running smoothly. Furthermore, it helps to flush out the toxins from your system.  Therefore, it is recommended that people have at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day.
 

Green Tea

Adding green tea to your diet can provide you with a whole host of benefits. Studies have pointed out that green tea carries three components that can aid in your weight loss efforts, namely, catechins, caffeine, and theanine. Caffeine provides an overall boost to the body’s system and fires up your metabolism while catechins enhance lipid (fat) metabolism. Furthermore, adding green tea to your diet saves you from sipping on those sweetened versions of tea or other beverages.
 

Chew Gum

Chewing gum can be another easy and natural way to help you along in your weight loss efforts. Chewing gum tricks your brain into thinking that you’re eating something. Because gum has flavour, and you’re engaged in the act of chewing, your brain interprets this as you eating a meal – even though you’re getting minimal calories at the most. Also, if you’re chewing gum, its flavour eases your appetite and can stop you from wanting to chow down on something that could potentially ruin your weight loss efforts. Furthermore, chewing gum also activates the flow of saliva, the enzymes in which go on to break down fats and starches. Therefore keep a pack of sugar-free chewing gum handy and pop one in whenever you feel like munching at odd times. 
 

Eat More Smaller Meals

Now, this one may seem counter-intuitive at first, but it’s not really. Eating smaller meals works in more than one way to benefit your weight loss plans. Understand that deprivation will not work in the long term and is bound to lead to failure. Firstly, it makes you lethargic and unable to continue with the rest of your weight loss regime - of which exercise is a primary component. Secondly, it thrusts the body into an energy conserving mode and starts to store more calories as fat for later use.

Therefore, instead of not eating at all and depriving your body of the essential nutrients it requires for functioning, try breaking down your three main meals a day into five or six smaller ones. This will reduce your snacking in between meals while also keep your body from going into that fat storage mode it shifts into during starvation. Moreover, it will ensure that you’re sufficiently charged throughout the day to concentrate on the rest of your weight loss routine, such as cardio and weight training.
 

Replace Your Oil with Coconut Oil

Saturated fats have gotten a bad rap these past few decades, but not all of them are as bad as they’re made out to be. In fact, Coconut oil is quite the opposite. Coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT) that aid in more efficient energy consumption. Although they are saturated fat, MCTs are unlike other saturated fats that we hear are to be avoided like the plague. Those are long chain triglycerides (LCT). The difference is in their chemical make-up which determines how our body will break it down. Since LCTs are broken down in the intestines, they are quick to be stored away as fat.

On the other hand, the MCTs are absorbed intact and go directly to the liver where they can be used for energy. Therefore using coconut oil instead of the trans-fat that we use regularly can be a vital boost to your natural weight loss efforts. Moreover, it also serves as an amazing appetite suppressant and helps boost the energy levels as well.  
 

Cut out the Sugary Beverages

The calories that you consume in the form of liquids may not seem like a lot, but they can add substantial amounts of bad calories and totally foil your weight loss efforts. All those chocolate milk drinks, energy drinks, colas, and fruit juices are laden with sugars that you must avoid. These sugary drinks harm not only the weight loss efforts but your overall health as well.

A study showed a 60% increase in the obesity rate among children consuming daily servings of these sugary beverages. Furthermore, it can be an elusive source of calories which needs to be consciously avoided. Our brain doesn’t register these liquid calories in the same way it does the solid ones, and we end up consuming too much of them. 
 

Cut Out the Carbohydrates

Some of the common sources of carbohydrates to be avoided are white bread, pasta, white rice, and most sugary and processed foods. Load up your plate instead with a larger portion of lean meats and have some fruits and vegetables on the side to ensure a complete meal minus the bad carbs.
 

Don’t Eat Before Bed

Anything that is put through your stomach closer to bedtime is most likely going to be stored as fat. The metabolism slows down by that time of the day, and eating at this point will deal a blow to your weight loss efforts.
 

Final Thoughts

In the end, natural weight loss may seem like a long journey, but it shouldn’t be seen as one. In fact, it should not be seen as a journey to a certain end at all. The goal should always be maintaining health and inculcating a healthy lifestyle that promotes weight loss as well. What is the point of losing weight anyway? So you can feel good about yourself, be more functional and productive, and be happier. 

There are no super foods out there that will magically reduce weight for you overnight. It will always take time, discipline, and dedication on your part, but those are the qualities that you should embrace anyway. However, if you’re looking for food and lifestyle products that will aid you in your efforts to inculcate that healthy and fulfilling lifestyle, at Healthy Being we have a diverse range of natural weight loss products to assist you on your way.