All diet plans take some amount of effort, but some require more than others. There are low-stress ways to lose weight and keep the pounds off in the long term, but it's important to realize that even they call for time and work. If you're ready to commit to a plan, though, you can still find success without disrupting your normal life routine.
Cutting Calories
According to the National Institutes of Health, a safe, reliable and healthy method for long-term weight loss is burning more calories than you consume through a combination of low-calorie eating and regular exercise. Although counting the calories you eat every day does take some extra time, it's a proven way to lose weight. Cutting 500 calories from your daily total will result in about a pound of weight loss per week; upping that amount to 1,000 calories daily will help you drop two pounds per week. If necessary, use an online calorie counter to help track and reduce your calorie totals.
Whole Foods
The whole foods diet is simple to follow because it doesn't have complicated rules and it's naturally balanced to provide your body with optimal nutrition. According to the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, a whole foods diet is also an effective treatment for obesity and high blood pressure. The diet plan simply involves eating only whole, natural and unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Frozen pizzas, packaged meals and snack packs are out, but fresh vegetables, fruits, home-cooked whole grains, milk, yogurt, lean meats and other nutritious items can make up all of your daily meals and snacks. Because they tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals and lower in sodium, cholesterol, sugar and calories than processed foods, whole foods can help you gradually and consistently lose weight.
Meal Replacements
Meal replacements often take the form of diet shakes, protein bars or other nutritional supplements. Maintaining a constant supply of them can cost more than using other weight loss methods, but they have convenience in their favor and are often effective. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center reports on a 2003 Columbia University study finding that people who used meal replacements lost more weight than people who followed a low-calorie diet in six separate studies. The replacements work because they contain fewer calories than a normal meal might, which controls your daily caloric intake.
Considerations
Consistency is an important factor in starting any new diet plan. If you don't stick to the plan, you are less likely to see results, so make sure you choose a method that is sustainable and fits with your lifestyle and schedule; if you do, it's likely to be easier to follow. Finally, speak with your doctor before beginning any new weight loss plan to make sure that it will meet your health and nutritional needs and that it is safe.
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