How To Stay Healthy While You Lose Body Fat

The new “miracle diet” to help you lose weight quickly has no doubt dropped into your social media feed in the past few days. But don’t worry if you missed it—there’ll be another rapid weight loss plan next week. 

Everyone is looking for a quick-fix diet to lose weight fast that will have you dropping two sizes within a week, with little or no effort on your part. They may or may not work, but one thing's for certain: They're likely to have a negative effect on your health.

There are plenty of fad diets available, but these tend to disappear as quickly as they come, proving that there is no shortcut to losing weight in a healthy way.

Losing excess weight is a positive change. But your body needs to adapt to the change, and anything you throw at it that might have adverse effects will seriously derail efforts. 

Losing weight is something you must do in a sensible, healthy way. Not only for the good of your health but also so you have more control over your weight management.

Ditch the quick fix

Prescription drugs such as Ozempic can help those who are struggling with their weight loss efforts, through issues such as diabete, and they have been shown to work, but not in a rapid way.

Research shows that Ozempic may help you to lose around one pound per week, which is the same as you would expect to lose on a calorie-controlled diet backed up with regular exercise. 

The downside is that prescription drugs come with a whole host of side effects and potential health risks, so if you decide to go this route, you must weigh up the pros and cons carefully.

Fasting is another way some people choose to lose weight, but the danger is that your body can react in an adverse way when it isn’t getting the nutrients it needs to perform daily tasks. 

The reality of the situation is that the tried-and-tested methods work the best, and most importantly they are the healthiest methods and the ones less likely to cause any side effects. 

The science is simple. Calories in must be less than calories out. When you hear the word “diet” it can sometimes send chills down your spine as you picture yourself hungry for days on end while dreading the thought of stepping onto the scales for another weight check. 

It doesn’t have to be this way! Making small changes to your eating and exercise habits can make a huge difference.

One of the biggest myths in dieting is that you need to operate each day in a massive calorie deficit. 

This isn’t the case, and those who try to adopt this method are likely to fail at an early stage due to hunger or health issues. 

The trick is to make changes to your lifestyle that are so small, that your body and mind hardly notice them. This will not only help you to drop the pounds, it will also help to keep them off too.

If you want to lose weight safely, you need to be committed, otherwise you'll struggle with your weight loss plan and may experience weight gain soon after it ends.

A healthy weight loss plan is a sustainable weight loss plan and one that will allow you to lose weight naturally. Your weight loss goals should be backed up with a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet.

Let’s explore.

The problem with diets

Dieting the wrong way can cause more issues than it solves. For example, if you are fasting your body can react by lowering its metabolic rate, making it more difficult for you to lose weight. This is likely to cause sudden weight gain and potentially some adverse health issues.

Your body needs a certain amount of nutrients to function properly and perform your general day-to-day tasks. So if you want to drop the pounds and keep the weight off, it's essential to get the balance right.

How to lose weight the healthy way: 21 top tips

It's surprising how quickly weight loss will occur, even when you're taking it one small step at a time. 

A healthy weight loss is much easier when you're looking after yourself as you'll find that as time progresses, both your mind and body feel more energised. 

Here are some of the best ways to achieve weight loss the healthy way.

1. Consume nutritious food

This doesn't mean throwing your old eating habits out of the window and adopting new ones right away. 

Your body might not adapt to a sudden change in your diet, so it’s a good idea to introduce new food gradually, to ease yourself into it. This will also make it easier for you to adapt to the new eating habits.

The trick is to replace high-calorie foods with healthier low-calorie options. For example, replacing ultra processed foods with whole food, and high-sugar options with nutrient-dense foods such as fruit and vegetables. 

This will help you to stay on track and pack in the necessary vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy. 

It’s a good idea to make a list of the healthy options you like and keep them on your shopping list permanently as a reminder. 

2. Eat mindfully

There’s a lot to be said for not rushing your meals, and eating mindfully can play a huge part in your weight loss success. 

Healthy eating patterns are essential if you want to promote weight loss. Removing distractions, and slowing down the pace of your eating to savour and chew your food thoroughly will not only make weight loss easier, but it will give you a feeling of having more control over it. 

Engaging your senses and enjoying your food will also help eliminate any bad relationship you might have with your nutrition and help you see food as a positive, rather than a negative.  Chewing slowly will also allow you to gauge when your stomach is full to prevent overeating. 

3. Eat more fiber

One of the most important health considerations when you’re on a weight loss journey is your gut health. 

Making changes in your diet means your digestive system needs to adapt to the changes. Weaving fiber into your diet will help the digestive process and help the journey to run more smoothly.

4. Drink plenty of water

Hydration is an essential part of a healthy diet, but it’s a little-known fact that water can act as an appetite suppressant as it can make your stomach feel fuller. 

Drinking a glass or two of water before a meal is a great way to avoid overeating and to keep your hydration levels up.

5. Get eight hours of quality sleep each night

If your sleep is disrupted or you’re not getting the amount of sleep your body needs, it can have several negative effects on your health. 

One of these is your ability to exercise properly. If you are feeling tired while exercising, it means you’re either going to perform for less time during physical activity, or you might decide not to exercise at all. And less exercise means fewer calories burned. Make sure you prioritise your sleep.

Read: The Pros And Cons Of Nighttime Fat Burners Uncovered

6. Reduce processed foods

The higher the quality of your diet, the better your chances of weight loss success. Whole foods and those packed with essential nutrients will fire you on your journey, whereas those containing a high percentage of additives, such as added sugar, will hold you back. 

Not just because of the added calories, but also because they are likely to cause you to crave more unhealthy foods. Staying healthy while you’re on a healthy weight loss journey means keeping your diet as nutritional as possible.

7. Try to avoid weight loss drugs

Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic (semaglutide) are used to treat type 2 diabetes, caused by obesity. 

There has been some evidence to suggest that it can help with weight loss, but it doesn’t come without its potential side effects.

Issues such as nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, abdominal pains, swelling, headaches, and dizziness are just some of the reported reactions to the drug.

Even when you take a weight loss drug you still need to eat a healthy diet and exercise, and any physical activity will be hindered if you experience any adverse reactions. If you want to lose weight the healthy way, it’s probably best to avoid going the drug route.

8. Portion control

Controlling the amount of food you add to your plate is a great habit to get into, and will enable you to control your caloric intake, and to keep the nutritional quality of your meal at the forefront of your mind. Once you start to get into healthy habits, you’ll find it much easier to continue with them.

Read: Psychological Hacks To Trick Your Brain To Lose More Weight

9. Don't skip breakfast

Don’t make the mistake of skipping breakfast as a means to skip calories. Breakfast is a highly important meal and it should be nutrient-high and low in calories. Kick off the day with a breakfast that is high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats. 

This low-calorie start to the day will help to keep your hunger down and reduce the need for unhealthy snacks. 

Choosing nutrient-dense foods for breakfast will give you energy and prevent blood sugar spikes which can lead to overeating.

10. Enjoy your exercise

If you see physical activity as a chore, you’ll find it harder to get motivated, so finding an exercise you enjoy will help you stay on track. 

A sport which you can take part in such as running, swimming, or cycling will help you to enjoy burning calories, and you’ll be more likely to stay the course. Move more and you’ll feel good!

Read: Why Exercise Is Essential For Your Mental Health

11. Watch the hidden calories

Staying healthy while you lose body fat isn’t just about ticking the boxes. Sometimes you have to read the small print too. 

For example, food that contains added sugars such as sauces and sugary drinks. Make yourself aware of these potential pitfalls by reading the calories on food labels thoroughly before consuming them.

12. Shop smart

Don’t underestimate the power of shopping as it can make or break your weight loss journey. One of the big mistakes you can make is to go shopping when you’re hungry. 

This tends to lead to a lot of additional high-calorie food purchases which will not only add to your bill, it will add to your weight too. 

Make a list of your priority items before you shop including any low-calorie, high-nutrient snacks you wish to buy, and stick to the plan!

13. Avoid fad diets

Sticking to whole foods, plenty of fruit and vegetables and nutrient-dense snacks is a much better idea than throwing caution to the wind with the latest “trendy” diet.  

Staying healthy and giving your body the essential nutrients it needs to stay strong throughout your weight loss journey is very important. 

14. Get support

You don’t have to do this alone. In fact, it’s a great idea to find someone who is on a similar weight loss journey so you can support each other when times get tough. 

You’ll be able to keep each other on the healthy path, especially when a high-calorie temptation gets too much. Getting support from friends and family will help you to stay healthy and on track.

15. Make clever snack choices

Putting time and effort into your meal choices, only to pile on the calories in between meals will seriously hurt your plans. 

This is another reason why it’s important to plan ahead. Low-calorie, high-nutrient snacks such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains seeds, and cottage cheese are great choices to satisfy your hunger cravings, without disrupting your journey.

16. Keep it interesting

To keep a healthy body and mind while you lose body fat, it’s important to keep your weight loss journey interesting. 

Exercise outdoors if possible and enjoy the fresh air and scenery. Vary your diet so you don’t get bored of eating the same thing every day—it’s one of the reasons so many weight loss plans come to a grinding halt. 

Plan ahead with your diet and try to make it nutritious and full of variety. Keeping your journey interesting is one of the best ways to lose weight healthily.

17. Don't burn yourself out

With all this talk of dieting, planning, and exercise will come a certain amount of anxiety. What if you don’t do everything correctly? What if you’re not exercising enough? What happens if you don’t have enough time to plan things? 

These are perfectly understandable questions, but don’t panic. You don’t have to do everything to the letter. 

So as long as you’re adopting changes in your lifestyle to promote healthy eating and regular exercise—you’ll be on the right track.

18. Manage your stress levels

Stress can be one of the biggest disrupters when it comes to maintaining weight loss. There will be times when life gets in the way of your dietary plans—and managing your stress levels is an essential part of getting to a healthy weight. 

Concentrating on your weight loss regimen is important, but don’t forget to take time for yourself to enjoy life.  

Don’t ditch your hobbies, and don't avoid going out for a meal. Just make good choices and check how many calories you're consuming.

19. Make small changes

Making too big a change too quickly might have an impact on your health. So to lose weight in a healthy way it's essential that you make slight changes, gradually to move you in the right direction to get you to your healthy weight target. 

One of the big mistakes people make is to try to lose weight fast by making drastic changes too quickly. 

A healthy eating plan can be incorporated into your regular diet gradually as can small increases in regular physical activity.

Taking small steps towards a healthy weight is one of the best ways to lose weight the healthy way.

20. Keep a diary

Keeping a food and exercise diary is a great way of tracking your progress towards a healthy weight. 

It's a great way to see what works for you when it comes to losing weight. You can log your physical activity as well as your eating habits to help you to maintain weight loss and keep you on track. 

It will also help you to recognise any bad habits that affect your body weight.

21. Ditch the usual habits

Some habits are bad for your health and others can be tweaked to help you lose weight. If you want to get to your desired body weight, a few changes to your daily eating and exercise habits can work wonders for your optimal health. 

Here are some examples…

• If you feel like snacking, go for a walk instead
• Switch to a standing desk instead of a seated one
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator
• If you eat more than you intended to, try to balance it out with increased physical activity
• Cut down on alcoholic drinks and switch to low or zero-alcohol alternatives
• Try to stick to a regular eating pattern
• Find alternative ways to deal with stress. Instead of comfort eating, go for a walk or run
• If you can find a way to incorporate physical activity rather than use transport, do so.

Read: 10 Common Weight Loss Myths Busted

The benefits of staying healthy through weight loss 

Changing your eating pattern can be a shock to your system, so small, gradual changes are best to keep you healthy. 

Weight loss itself will bring about many healthy improvements. But keeping your weight loss plan healthy will bring about plenty more benefits.

The best way to stay healthy through weight loss

Staying healthy through a weight loss journey means looking after your body through healthy nutrition, and physical activity. Adopt new and better habits to help you lose weight and feel good long-term. PhenQ is a great way to support your weight loss through natural means. It’s an all-in-one pill containing only natural ingredients that will help accelerate weight loss by burning fat, suppressing your appetite, blocking fat production, and improving your mood. It’s the perfect addition to a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.