You should ignore most weight loss advice. Whether the information comes from well-meaning friends, magazines or the Internet, most advice comes from sources that either know very little on the subject or from those trying to sell you something--neither of which will help you. You can take a number of simple steps to lose weight both healthily and quickly.
Lift Weights
Training with weights, which includes using your bodyweight as resistance, is the most effective way to increase the metabolic rate of the body and make improvements in body composition, as shown by Smith and McNaughton's 1993 article in the "European Journal of Applied Occupational Physiology." Done correctly, weight training can increase the metabolic rate for up to 72 hours. This effect is key, as raising the metabolic rate increases the amount of fat that is burned each minute of the day. On top of the short-term benefits, adding five pounds of muscle tissue can increase your resting metabolic rate by 120 calories each day before you even get out of bed.
In comparison, aerobic training, such as running, only increases the metabolic rate for around six hours following a training session and can be very inefficient for fat loss; depending on intensity, less than 20 percent of the energy used comes from fat.
Drop the Bread
Humans evolved on a diet rich in meat, eggs, fish, nuts, seeds, pulses and vegetables. Seasonally, this would have been supplemented with fruit. By any modern definition, this is a significantly lower intake of carbohydrates than what we have become used to. Our primal ancestors did not suffer from obesity, diabetes or any other of the chronic health concerns so common today.
A reduced carbohydrate intake lowers the release of insulin, a pancreatic hormone required to process carbohydrates, which allows the body to turn to it's alternative fuel source: fats. For most people, this need not mean a radical elimination of all carbohydrates, as this nutrient is essential for good health. However, the removal of bread, together with other starchy foods like rice, pasta and potatoes, can go a long way to balancing your blood sugar levels and reducing your waistline. Including low-fat meat with plenty of green vegetables is a wise move.
As well as nourishing your body with a healthy array of minerals and phytochemicals, these steps have been shown by Layman et al in a 2003 article published in the "Journal of Nutrition," to be the quickest way to reduce weight over a defined period of time.
Don't Get Stressed
Humans have evolved to store fat during times of stress. In fact, researcher Robert Kapolsky found that human fat storage enzymes actually have receptors for the body's main stress hormone, cortisol, as stated in his book, "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers." Studies show that most obese individuals have significantly higher serum counts of cortisol than their normal-weight equivalents.
Reducing stress doesn't just mean controlling your temper. Going more than four hours without eating results in low blood sugar levels, a major stressor on the body; eating little but often and cutting out sugary foods avoids this problem. Equally, missing out on sleep is a guaranteed way to spike cortisol levels the following day. Giving yourself both decent quantity and quality of sleep is essential in this regard.
References
- "European Journal of Applied Occupational Physiology"; The effects of intensity of exercise on EPOC and energy expenditure in moderately trained men and women; J. Smith & L. McNaughton; 1993.
- "Journal of Nutrition"; A reduced ratio of dietary carbohydrate to protein improves body composition and blood lipid profiles during weight loss in adult women; D.K. Layman et al; February 2003
- "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers"; Robert Kapolsky; 1998
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