Lose Weight Naturally with These 12 Essential Tips

Do you want to know how to lose weight? 

Are you willing to change your habits? 

To lose weight, you need to manage your diet, break away from a sedentary lifestyle, and replace some habits with healthier ones in your daily life—perhaps even start with a walk for weight loss.

Excess weight should not be viewed solely as an aesthetic issue but as a health concern.

Beyond the harm caused by excess body fat itself, people with excess weight are frequently exposed to other health problems. This is because overweight and obesity are often linked to an unhealthy diet and a sedentary lifestyle.

So, what should you do to lose weight? Follow these tips. They're not miraculous solutions, but they do require willpower!

How to Lose Weight

The purpose of this article is to show that there are no miracle formulas for losing weight, nor are there any secret solutions for quick weight loss. Such shortcuts simply don’t exist.

Some people, influenced by unrealistic beauty standards, end up looking for shortcuts to lose weight, resorting to diets without professional guidance or using chemicals that are often harmful to their health.

So, why not implement small changes in your eating habits and lifestyle? These can have a significant impact on achieving your ideal weight over the medium to long term.

1. Avoid Processed Foods That Are Digested Quickly

Opt for foods with a low glycemic index, such as:

• Milk, yogurt, and cheese
• Whole grains like whole-wheat flour, oats, and oat bran
• Legumes: beans, soy, peas, and chickpeas
• Whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, and corn
• Fruits and vegetables

2. Drink Plenty of Fluids Throughout the Day

Drink lots of fluids between meals, as this helps reduce hunger and fluid retention.

The more water you drink, the better your intestines and kidneys will function.

• What to drink: water, coconut water, natural juices without sugar, and unsweetened teas.
• What to avoid: soft drinks, boxed juices, chocolate drinks, and alcoholic beverages.

It’s recommended to drink liquids at least half an hour before or after meals. The suggested daily amount of water varies between 1.5 and 2 liters.

3. Exercise Regularly

Losing weight isn’t feasible if you’re unwilling to walk even to the corner store.

The type of exercise isn’t as crucial as finding every opportunity to move your body and burn calories whenever possible.

To lose weight, aim to exercise at least three times a week. Find an activity you enjoy. Additionally, some daily activities and choices can make a significant difference. Try these exercises to lose weight:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Get off one stop early on your way to work or school and walk the rest of the way.
• Take a 10-minute walk after lunch.
• Walk your dog at night.
• Stand up, walk, and move every hour if you work seated.

To increase energy expenditure, try some resistance exercises like weightlifting or aerobics to complement your workout.

There are various activities that can help you lose weight—you're bound to find one you enjoy!

4. Eat in Moderation

Portion sizes are as important as food quality. Even with exercise, overeating can make weight loss impractical.

Consult a nutritionist to determine the ideal quantity of food based on your height and body type.

Even in small amounts, fruits and vegetables provide plenty of fiber and vitamins, making them a healthy source that aids in weight loss. Stick to a healthy shopping list when grocery shopping.

5. Vary Your Diet

Try foods that aren’t just your favorites. You might even enjoy foods you once thought you didn’t like—our tastes change over time!

6. Season with Herbs

Herbs add flavor to food! Use herbs freely and reduce salt and oil in general.

7. Avoid Fried Foods

Instead of opting for fried foods, choose baked or boiled options.

8. Avoid Large Meals

Especially at night, as excess nutrients tend to be stored as body fat.

9. Remove from Your Diet

Avoid processed meats, mayonnaise, heavy cream, processed foods, white sugar, and alcoholic beverages—especially at night. Sweets? Once a week. Opt for lean meats and skinless chicken.

10. Choose the Light Option

Go for thin-crust pizzas without stuffed edges, and choose lighter toppings (zucchini, tuna, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.).

11. Eat Legumes

Beans, chickpeas, and peas—include them in your diet four times a week.

12. Add Nuts to Your Diet

Have one serving of nuts daily: one Brazil nut or walnut, or two cashews or hazelnuts, or three almonds, macadamias, or pistachios.

How to Lose Weight Healthily

If losing weight is challenging, consider consulting an endocrinologist to check if your thyroid is functioning as it should.

Additionally, consulting a nutritionist or dietitian may help establish personalized weight loss guidelines, making them easier to follow.

For those with health conditions like gastritis, asthma, osteoporosis, or even limited mobility, always follow medical advice.

To Speed Up Weight Loss

If you’re willing to do everything mentioned above and still want to know how to lose weight quickly, you might consider exercises that boost your metabolism.

• HIIT, Cross Swim, Squash: These high-intensity interval exercises create an oxygen deficit during workouts. After exercise, your metabolism remains elevated to compensate, resulting in higher fat burning after the workout.
• Aerobic Classes: Step, Fit Dance, ShBam, Water Aerobics: During aerobic activities, the body uses oxygen to generate energy, which allows the exercise to continue for longer and mobilizes fat during activity.
• Running: Running is one of the most effective exercises to boost metabolism and burn calories. It’s simple to do on a treadmill or outdoors, and anyone can do it as long as there are no contraindications.
• Dancing: Dance is an enjoyable activity that also accelerates metabolism. Depending on the style, it can help burn a lot of calories. Anyone without any medical contraindications can easily dance to boost metabolism, with more energetic styles offering higher calorie burn.
• Indoor and Outdoor Cycling: Biking can be done on stationary bikes or outdoors. Outdoor biking, especially on uneven or sandy terrain, requires more physical effort, increasing metabolism.
• Swimming: Swimming helps burn calories effectively. You can increase this by using equipment like fins.
• Martial Arts: Various martial arts are effective for boosting metabolism. They work all muscle groups, making them great for increasing energy expenditure.

Every physical activity should be supervised by a physical educator or personal trainer. Only these professionals can recommend the best weight loss workout for you. Never do physical activity on your own, regardless of the type, as it should be tailored to your individual needs.