Healthy Living

What Are The Best Ways To Lose Weight (Backed By Science)?

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When you want to lose weight, the internet is often the first place to go. After all, this is where you learn about so many things, so why not use it to increase your knowledge of weight loss, diets, supplements, and all the rest. 

The problem is, the amount of information – often saying different things too, which makes it even more confusing – is overwhelming. Plus, most fads and ideas and suggestions made online have no scientific basis whatsoever, so although the before and after pictures might look good, whether the options work or not is still up for debate. 

If you want to lose weight, the internet can still be an ideal place to start, but it’s best to look for techniques backed by science. That way, you can understand more about why they not, and that’s important because different weight loss techniques will work better for some people than for others. Read on to discover just some of the scientifically studied weight loss methods you might be interested in pursuing. 

Surgery

Surgery might seem like a radical idea for weight loss, but for those who have tried many other methods and are still finding it difficult to get down to a healthy weight, it can be the best option out there. 

Surgery won’t be carried out just because you want it, though. First, you have to show you can cut down on your calorie intake and lose some weight by yourself. Then you’ll need to have a thorough consultation and even speak to a therapist to ensure you are emotionally able to deal with the impact of weight loss surgery. Many people have found that it gave them a new lease on life, and they were able to change their bad eating habits because of it, whether it was bypass surgery or a gastric band. Remember, if you have a gastric band, you may need to have a successful weight loss revision after a while to ensure it is still doing its job.

Intermittent Fasting 

Research has shown that intermittent fasting can aid weight loss, and it is something that can be easily done at home and work around your schedule, so it’s a popular choice. Intermittent fasting means including regular fasts within your diet and ensuring you only eat during a short period during the day. 

These special diets are not recommended for long-term use, and it is best to consult with a doctor as to how long you should personally take on intermittent fasting. Twenty-four weeks is the recommended longest time, but this may not suit everyone. 

There are many ways intermittent fasting can be done, including alternate day fasting, the 5:2 diet (fasting on two days (eating between 500 and 600 calories) and eating normally on five every week), and the 16/8 method (fast for 16 hours a day and eat in the remaining 8 hours, perhaps from 12pm until 8pm, for example). 

Mindful Eating 

Mindfulness is the practice of being in the moment and not worrying about the past or the future. It lowers stress, increases happiness, and even boost productivity. Mindful eating is an extension of this idea. If we pay more attention to what we’re eating and take our time over our meals, it will be less easy to overeat. Because we’re paying attention to our bodies – and everything else around us – we’ll know when we’re full and will be able to stop eating. 

This is in contrast to the way that most people eat. They will eat while watching TV or having a conversation, or they might even eat while working at their desk. Because they are distracted and not being mindful, they can easily overeat without even knowing it. 

Karla Urwitz
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