Do you find yourself starting new diets with resolve and enthusiasm, achieving results for a bit but eventually sliding back into old habits? This is a pattern that many people experience and it can take its toll on your self-esteem.

I chatted to Dr Aileen Alexander, a women's health and weight-loss expert, medical doctor and TEDx speaker about why traditional weight-loss diets can seem doomed to fail, and what we can do differently if we want to lose weight and keep it off.

"The traditional approach to weight loss is dieting and dieting is synonymous with restriction," says Alexander. "Diets usually focus solely on food, types of food or calorific content, but not enough on why people eat. When people come to me, they can usually tell me five or 10 things they should be doing differently, and then they feel really guilty because they're not doing those things. My job is to help them understand why they aren't. I’m talking about busy lifestyles, stress, boundaries in the workplace, work-life balance, relationships, lack of sleep, maybe there are hormonal imbalances related to perimenopause or menopause—all these things can drive us towards certain foods."

Traditional diets usually involve a lot of rules and breaking rules comes with guilt. "Take fasting for example, that's eating within certain times, or keto is cutting out carbs, and macro counting means weighing everything we eat," says Alexander. " I think these approaches are simplistic, idealistic and restrictive. There are all these rules, instead of people learning how to intuitively live life on their own terms."

"Diets don't teach people how to listen to their body's hunger signals or respond to what their body needs. In fact, they teach us to ignore these signals. Diets like this are really difficult to stick to. When [people] can't stick to the diet, they blame themselves and it erodes their self-esteem. And that process often harms our relationship with food."

How do you lose weight sustainably?

"The first thing is we need to have a whole-person approach," says Alexander. "We need to look at the whole person and not just the food they eat, but try to understand why they eat. We need to understand what's driving the behaviors." Think about the areas in your life causing stress and how you can address them.

"The approach needs to be simple and stepwise, where we're doing one thing at a time instead of all of the things," says Alexander. If you try to make too many changes at once, for example, deciding to prep all your meals, exercise every day, reduce your intake of processed foods and so on, it's too much and it becomes unsustainable.

"It also needs to be enjoyable. It needs to be an approach that adds value to somebody's life rather than restricting them," says Alexander. Aiming to eat more varied, healthy meals for example, rather than cutting out foods, can make life feel more enjoyable as well as help you lose weight.

Sleep also plays a big part in weight loss. "When we've slept well, we produce more of a hormone called leptin, which makes us feel full and we produce less ghrelin—the hormone that makes us hungry—so we're less likely to overeat," says Alexander. Lack of sleep affects us in all sorts of ways. "If you've not had a full night's sleep, you're less likely to exercise, and are more likely to make poorer food choices.

"We need to make sure that we're also not demonizing certain foods. We're still able to eat out, we still get to have ice cream, we still get to have chocolate in our diet if we want it because we enjoy it rather than turning to it in times of stress.”

"Ultimately, I think we need to support individuals in feeling empowered to make healthy choices and also help them understand why they're not making the best choices without making them feel bad about it," says Alexander.

Many of us are caught in a cycle of dieting and lapsing into bad eating habits, associating food with feelings of guilt and shame. So how can we break out of this cycle and change the way we think about—and eat—food?

I talked to women’s health and weight loss expert, TEDx speaker and medical doctor Dr Aileen Alexander, to get her take on the best way to change our relationship with food.

Here's the idea in five simple words.

There are no bad foods

Alexander's top tip is not to put an outright ban on any foods the way we often do when following a traditional diet. "We need to make sure that we're not demonizing certain foods—this is good, that's bad," says Alexander. "We still get to have ice cream, we still get to have chocolate in our diet if we want it." The rationale is that cutting foods out or labeling them as bad is a sure way to keep on craving them, and eventually we will give in.

"Not everyone would agree with this," says Alexander. "There's a lot of stuff in the media and books about ultra-processed foods and how they’re bad for your microbiome. Ultimately they're not healthy foods. It would be negligent of me to sit here as a medical doctor and say chocolate is a healthy food. It's not, but what I find is when people go cold turkey and cut these things out completely, it's really, really difficult for them to stick to it."

Instead, you could begin to decrease the amount of those foods you eat, and eat them in combination with other, healthier foods. Rather than grabbing a chocolate bar as a snack, have some fruit or nuts with a small amount of dark chocolate, for example.

Not banning certain foods is an important part of Alexander’s holistic approach to eating, which is all about treating yourself with more compassion, rather than judging yourself for eating "unhealthy" foods. "You need empathy, compassion and lots of curiosity," says Alexander.

It can be helpful to reframe how we think about certain less-healthy foods. "I ask people to re-label it as non-optimal food," says Alexander. "It's not a bad food. It's not a sin. It's not a treat food. It's a non-optimal food, in that it's not nutritionally optimal."

"A healthy relationship with food involves all kinds of foods to help feed and nourish our bodies while enjoying what we eat," says Alexander. "If we said there were bad foods, we wouldn't be having all different kinds of foods."

Social and mental wellbeing is also an important aspect of a healthy relationship with food. "We have to remember that food isn't just fuel. There's a nourishment part. And I think the nourishment part also encompasses social wellbeing. So sometimes when we eat at restaurants and things, some of the food is processed, and that’s ok.

"Then there's the enjoyment factor. Mental and social wellbeing are so important and often completely overlooked. So I think having a little bit of these foods in the diet so we don't then crave them is fine, as long as we're having them in moderation, not for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

You might think losing weight means obsessively counting calories and exercising non-stop but for long-lasting change that’s not the case. 

To lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit (burning more energy than you use), but there are several things you can do to maintain a healthy relationship with food and exercise that don’t involve counting a single calorie or spending all morning on the treadmill. 

Good nutrition and exercise are the best places to start, in particular prioritizing foods that are nutrient-dense and filling. Doing full-body strength workouts also burns more calories than splitting your exercise into upper- and lower-body sessions.

We spoke to personal trainer and sports scientist Sergii Putsov and NASM-qualified nutritionist Daniel Herman for their weight loss tips. 

1. Prioritize protein

Protein is an essential macronutrient the body needs to function properly. It fuels the body with energy, repairs and builds tissue and muscle, and as it takes longer to break down and digest in the body, it keeps you fuller for longer. 

Herman says: "Protein-rich foods, such as lean meats, beans and legumes, make you fuller for longer, helping to regulate your appetite. Including protein in each meal can also support muscle maintenance, especially during weight loss, when there's a risk of losing muscle mass."

2. Combine cardio exercise with strength training

Yes, cardio workouts can help you burn more calories in a short space of time, but strength training will help you build muscle, which is a metabolically active tissue. This means that muscle burns calories without you even noticing—so having a higher muscle mass will help you maintain a healthy weight.

Pustov recommends trying mountain climbers, burpees or jumping exercises, if you want to combine cardio with strength training. 

Mountain climbers

Time: 30-45 seconds Sets: 3

Start in a plank position, with your hands on the ground, underneath your shoulders, and your body forming a straight line. Quickly alternate bringing each knee towards your chest, as if you're climbing a mountain. 

Jump squats

Reps: 15-20 Sets: 3 

Start by doing a regular squat, then as you return to standing, jump up explosively. Upon landing, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep.

Beginners can start with lower reps or regular squats and build up to a jump. 

Burpees

Reps: 10 Sets: 3

Begin in a standing position, drop into a squat with your hands on the ground, then kick your feet back into a plank position. If you can, try and do a push-up, before returning your feet into the squat position and explosively jumping up. 

3. Practice mindful eating

Paying attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues can prevent overeating and aid weight loss, says Herman.

"Eat slowly, savor each bite, and avoid distractions like watching TV or using electronic devices during meals. This can help you recognize when you're truly satisfied, preventing unnecessary calorie consumption," he says. 

4. Drink enough water

There's some evidence to suggest that increasing your water consumption can help with weight loss, as it helps you feel more satiated. 

"Sometimes, our bodies can confuse thirst with hunger," says Herman. "Staying hydrated can help control appetite and prevent mindless snacking, supporting your weight loss efforts."

He suggests drinking water before a meal, but it's also a good idea to make sure your water bottle is on-hand throughout the day. 

5. Watch your portion size

Being mindful of portion sizes can help you lose weight without needing to count calories, says Herman, and there’s a simple way of doing this. 

"Use smaller plates, bowls and utensils to help control the amount of food you eat. This strategy can create a visual cue of a satisfying meal, even with reduced calories, and promote better portion control over time." 

Managing your hunger is a challenge when you’re trying to lose weight, but there are easy ways to bulk out your meals and keep yourself feeling fuller for longer. 

Volume eating is one method that some dietitians recommend, which involves adding low-calorie ingredients to your meal. While it may seem counterintuitive to add foods when trying to achieve a calorie deficit, it can help you lose weight in the long run.

These top tips from dietitian and weight loss coach Taylor Russell can help you beat your cravings, fend off a binge, and generally make your plate look more interesting.

How to make your meals more filling

1. Add cauliflower rice to regular rice or mashed potatoes

Bulk out your mashed potato or rice with low-calorie cauliflower to increase the volume of your food. This won’t add many calories to your plate, but it will help you feel fuller for longer. 

2. Add frozen veggies for an easy side dish

Frozen vegetables are convenient and usually just as nutritionally rich as fresh ones. They’re low in calories, high in fiber and easy to cook. 

3. Switch to spaghetti squash or low calorie noodles

Spaghetti squash is much lower in calories than traditional wheat-based noodles, so you can eat more of it and feel fuller without spending too much of your “calorie allowance”. 

4. Use raw veggies or a simple salad as an easy side dish

Raw vegetables are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and add a bit of color and interest to your plate without adding many calories. They’re also packed with flavor so can spruce up a boring meal.

The role of fiber in weight loss

One of the reasons Tayla's tips could help with weight loss is because they add fiber to your meal.

Marine Melamed, a registered dietician for Lumen, explains that fiber can help you feel fuller for longer. 

“Fiber fills up space in the stomach and intestines, increasing satiety. When mixed with water, soluble fiber also creates a gel substance in the colon, which increases digestion and absorption times. This reduces appetite and cravings and leads to a prolonged feeling of fullness,” she says. 

So, instead of worrying about what you're taking away from your meals when trying to lose weight, think about what fiber-rich foods you can add instead.

Protein is important for muscle growth and repair, but it can also be useful when you’re dieting. The macronutrient helps promote feelings of satiety, which makes it easier to maintain the all-important calorie deficit needed for weight loss, plus it can positively affect your metabolic rate. 

But how much should you be eating? And how exactly does it impact your metabolism? We asked nutrition experts to break it down for us. 

How does protein affect weight loss?

If you’re trying to lose weight, then you’ll need to achieve a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than you expend. Protein can make you feel fuller for longer (it actually boosts the production of certain satiety hormones) so it can help you avoid hunger pangs when you’re dieting.

According to Emily Servante, a certified personal trainer at Ultimate Performance, it can also help with body composition. Eating an adequate amount of protein, while maintaining a calorie deficit, will encourage your body to tap into your fat stores for energy, rather than attacking muscle tissue. She recommends combining high-protein foods with resistance training, if you’re trying to retain muscle and shift fat. 

She also explains that protein requires more energy to digest than other foods. “When you consume protein, your metabolism will actually speed up because of the energy necessary to digest, process, and absorb it,” she explains. 

This is known as the 'thermic effect' of food. Protein has a much more pronounced thermic effect than carbs and fats, which means that digesting it will burn more calories. 

There are other reasons you should make sure you're eating plenty of protein when you're dieting, too. Clare Bailey, a UK-based doctor and representative for The Fast 800, explains that we need to constantly top up our protein supply as we can’t store it within our bodies. 

“Unless you get an adequate amount on a daily basis then your body will tell you to go on looking for it. You will eat and eat and still stay hungry until you have topped up your protein supply. And if you still don’t get enough then your body will scavenge protein from your muscles," she explains. 

“On the other hand if you eat far more protein than you need, your body breaks it down and converts it to sugar, leading to weight gain.”

How much protein should I eat to lose weight?

Marine Melamed, a registered dietitian at Lumen, says: “The FDA recommends a minimum of 0.8g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. On a high-protein diet, we usually consume between 1.6 to 2.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.”

Dr Bailey gives us a more general figure as a daily intake requirement: “The minimum amount of protein needed is around 50 to 60g, but as you get older you need more protein, closer to 100-120g, with men needing the higher amount,” she says. 

“Most weight loss diets, especially vegetarian and vegan, contain inadequate amounts of protein making it hard for people to stick to them.”

While in a calorie deficit, fighting hunger pangs can be a real worry, but a review in the British Journal of Nutrition indicates that eating protein can cause feelings of satiety even when in a negative energy balance.

Can you lose weight with protein powder?

Servante tells us that protein powder can be great for boosting your protein intake, particularly after training. 

“Protein powder is a very quick and convenient way of consuming moderate amounts of protein in one easy hit. Rather than having to rustle up a fillet mignon or a grilled chicken salad in your lunch hour—which may be impossible if you work in office or you’re constantly on the go without access to a kitchen—a scoop or two of protein powder mixed with either water or milk means you can give yourself an easy to digest and rapid hit of protein,” she says.

Want some recommendations? Have a look through our guide to the best protein powders for weight loss, which outlines exactly what you should be looking for when you pick a product. 

Eating excess protein powder could make you gain weight though, so check your calorie intake before adding it to your diet. 

We all know that we should eat more fiber in order to be healthy and regular, but is fiber good for weight loss? In brief, yes: evidence indicates that those who eat the right amount of fiber have a better chance of losing weight than those who don’t eat the recommended daily amount. 

But dietary fiber actually plays a role in the prevention of many diseases and chronic conditions, so it's important for all kinds of reasons. 

We asked sports dietitians and doctors for their guidance on how to make sure you’re eating enough of the stuff—and to explain exactly how it can influence weight loss and contribute to a calorie deficit. 

Is fiber good for weight loss?

Fiber can actively help with weight loss, as it slows down your digestion and helps you feel fuller for longer. 

Karine Patel, a sports dietitian, explains: “There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. The insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool, whereas the soluble fiber, particularly the viscous fiber, can contribute to weight loss.” 

This is because, when mixed with water, soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance, filling up space in your intestine and slowing down the emptying of your stomach. According to Patel:  "This results in you feeling full, having less appetite and therefore helps you lose weight by eating less.”  

Registered dietitian Marine Melamed explains that fiber also isn’t digested like normal carbohydrates. As the body doesn't absorb it, fiber doesn’t raise glucose levels as swiftly as other carbs, so fiber-rich foods don’t lead to those dreaded sugar spikes. This is important, as the downturn from a sugar spike can cause feelings of fatigue and hunger—so avoiding sugary foods and focusing on a fiber-rich diet is a good strategy if you’re watching your weight.  

Soluble fiber has also been shown to lower cholesterol levels, as it combines with the substance in the small intestine and therefore reduces the amount that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. 

In Melamed's own words: “Fiber grabs onto fats, including cholesterol, in the small intestines so that it’s excreted instead of absorbed into the bloodstream, which means that over time, fiber can help lower cholesterol levels.” 

Clare Bailey, a medical doctor and representative for The Fast 800, says that there are further benefits too: “Fiber, which mostly comes from foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils in your diet is now increasingly recognised to be essential to our health.

“In addition to helping prevent constipation, fiber also feeds those all-important bacteria and other microbes in the gut microbiome. These microbes process the fiber to produce a range of health promoting substances, including those that support our immunity, produce important vitamins and even boost your mood.”

How much fiber should you eat everyday

The USDA recommends consuming 25g of fiber per day for women and 38g for men. However, an article in the Journal of Nutrition states that many American adults and children do not eat enough fiber, with >90% falling short of meeting their daily fiber recommendations.

If you want more fiber in your diet, you should focus on increasing the number of fruit and veg you're eating. 

Patel also recommends trying her top high-fiber foods:  “Wholemeal bread, oatmeal, bran cereals, quinoa, sweet potatoes, most fruits and vegetables – broccoli, berries, asparagus, apples, avocado, and artichoke – beans and pulses – lentils, black beans, red kidney, beans – and nuts and seeds.” 

The Internet can be a great source of nutrition knowledge, but it is also littered with various weight loss myths and misconceptions. If you’ve ever tried to find answers to seemingly simple questions about diet and exercise, you know it’s not always easy. 

More often than not, it’s because nutrition science is not black and white, and research is still emerging in a whole load of areas. So to help cut through the confusion, we’ve spoken to Jenna Hope, registered nutritionist at Bertinet Bakery, about some of the most common weight loss myths and whether or not they’re actually true. 

At the same time, we need to point out that weight loss is a complex process and it may heavily depend on circumstances like your genetic makeup and state of your health. While some people will get great results with intermittent fasting or HIIT training, others will turn to plant-based diets and the best exercise machines to lose weight. Taking individual differences into account will greatly help you shed unwanted pounds.    

1. It doesn’t matter what you eat as long as you count calories

There is no way about it — maintaining a consistent calorie deficit, meaning eating fewer calories than you burn, is the basic principle of weight loss. Calorie counting is a great tool to track your diet, but it does come with certain shortcomings. The belief that it does not matter what you eat as long as you monitor your energy intake is one of the biggest weight loss myths. What you eat does matter. One gram of protein may have the same amount of calories as one gram of carbohydrates, but it will have a vastly different effect on your metabolism.

“Food is far more than just looking at calories,” agrees Jenna Hope. “For example, take 100 calories from almonds compared with 100 calories from chocolate cake. The almonds will be rich in protein, healthy fats and key nutrients such as magnesium and zinc. However, the chocolate cake will be high in sugar and saturated fats. Whilst the cake may have a small amount of nutrients, they won’t be as prevalent as they are in the almonds.”

In addition, counting calories may encourage you to obsess about quantity over quality. For some, this may be a gateway to developing an unhealthy relationship with food. 

2. You can choose where you lose fat

Human bodies are not the same when it comes to gaining or losing weight. While some people tend to accumulate fat around their hips and legs, others will struggle more with their waistlines. 

It is understandable that we would want to focus on losing fat from specific areas, such as the thighs or abdomen. However, the idea that you can target body parts is a weight loss myth. 

“Unfortunately, it’s not possible to spot-reduce fat,” says Hope. “Utilising more energy than you’re consuming at the very basic level will help with total body fat loss but the location of the fat loss will depend on a variety of factors such as genetics, gender, muscle mass and exercise.”

Nevertheless, if you focus on toning up particular areas, you can create a leaner physique and give the impression of more region-specific weight loss. Try this nine moves and no weight workout to build muscle strength in your glutes and legs.

3. Cutting fat from your diet helps you lose weight

It’s true that one gram of fat has more than twice the amount of calories than a gram of protein or carbohydrates. In theory, cutting down on this nutrient makes it easier to maintain a calorie deficit. However, avoiding dietary fats will not necessarily help you shed unwanted pounds. In fact, it may actually predispose you to weight gain. 

“Fats have a higher satiety value than carbohydrates which means that they can keep you fuller for longer and therefore they may lead to a lower overall energy intake,” explains Hope.

People who cut fats from their diet also tend to replace them with added sugar, refined grains, and other unhealthy foods. Also, certain types of fats can be highly beneficial to our metabolism, promoting a healthy body weight. “Good fats play a vital role in supporting hormone production, energy function, brain and joint health too,” says Hope.  

4. Losing weight is a linear process

It may feel disheartening if in spite of all your legitimate attempts to lose weight, you’re not seeing any great results. However, experiencing weight loss plateaus and weight fluctuations is an integral part of every weight loss journey, and it merely reflects how complex our bodies are. 

“Weight loss is often not linear as the amount of energy you intake and expend can vary on a day by day basis,” says Hope. “Additionally, particularly for females, the time of the month can impact appetite and basal metabolic rate which both play a role in weight management. Factors such as stress, non-exercise activity thermogenesis (e.g. day to day tasks), sleep and exercise can impact weight management too.”

5. Carbohydrates make you gain weight

Should you cut carbs if you’re trying to lose weight? Not at all. In fact, it may be one of the most common weight loss myths, but in truth, there is not much evidence to back it up. Indeed, low carb diets can help you shed unwanted pounds, and they may even come with additional health benefits. Not to mention that minimising your intake of added sugars is a must in the fight against obesity. At the same time, avoiding the ‘good carbs’ may actually prove counterproductive. 

“They are essential for the production of energy, supporting brain function and hormone function too,” says Hope. “Try opting for fiber rich, complex carbohydrates to help with satiety and to support a healthy gut.” Complex carbohydrates also keep your blood sugar levels and appetite in check. 

It also needs to be stressed that carbohydrate weight gain may not be worth stressing over. “Carbohydrates can require extra water for storage which is why they’re often associated with weight gain. However, there is no evidence to suggest that consuming carbohydrates can lead to fat gain,” explains Hope.  

6. Eating healthy is expensive

You do not need to buy organic fresh produce, fancy diet food items or pricey dietary supplements to lose weight. With the right approach, it is fairly easy to eat healthily on a budget. 

“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive, cooking in bulk and opting for frozen fruits, vegetables, meat and fish can be a great way to reduce the cost of healthy foods,” says Hope. “Additionally, grains, beans and pulses are relatively inexpensive and can be really versatile too. Where possible, opt for canned beans and pulses and dried grains for the most cost efficient ways of purchasing wholefoods.”

You can also save money by investing in the best protein powders for weight loss, or making some clever healthy food swaps. 

There are a number of reasons you might want to lose weight — maybe you’ve been advised to by a doctor or you’re trying to improve your overall health. The most common weight loss method involves eating in a calorie deficit, which means you're burning more calories than you’re eating. But this can be time-consuming and mentally exhausting, so you might be wondering how to lose weight without counting calories.

“Counting calories can be really appealing because in a world of unknowns, it gives people a sense of control,” explains registered dietitian Laura Clark. But despite this, counting calories might not necessarily be the best way to improve your overall health and for a lot of people, it’s not a sustainable way to maintain weight loss. 

“On paper, we can put someone into a calorie deficit to help them lose weight, but the human system is complex and it’s sitting in a complex environment,” Clark continues. “The reality is, our drive to eat is out of our conscious control.”  Limiting your calorie intake might go against your natural appetite, which can be pretty difficult to control. 

Weight loss comes down to a whole range of factors, and while nutrition is a big one, exercise is also very important. The best exercise machines to lose weight can also help you to tailor your exercise routine.  

So why has counting calories become such a big focus? We asked Clark to share some alternatives to counting calories that will still help you lose weight and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Do you need to count calories to lose weight?

Eating in a calorie deficit, on a biological level, causes most people to lose weight, but counting calories can be mentally and physically challenging. Plus, counting calories isn’t particularly sustainable to maintaining good health in the long-term. Not only is it time-consuming to count calories every day, but it could lead to developing negative associations with food, which could put you at risk of an eating disorder. Plus, sometimes it’s just not feasible to ignore your body’s natural appetite. 

“Even if you are digging deep into that willpower muscle, it's very difficult to maintain significant deficits over very long periods of time because it goes against the body's instinct for fuel and survival,” Clark explains.

On top of that, just because you’re eating in a calorie deficit, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re eating healthy foods that nourish your body. In fact, the diet that made the calorie deficit so popular was known as the Twinkies Diet, in which a professor lost weight by surviving on nothing but junk food by eating in a calorie deficit. However, not only could this cause long term health problems like heart disease, it’s probably only going to be effective for a short period of time. A 2017 paper published in Perspectives on Psychological Science found that calorie counting is not an effective approach to long-term weight loss and good health, with researchers saying that it is, “overly optimistic to expect a simple solution to such a complex and multifaceted problem”.

Plus, our bodies are so individual that prescriptive numbers assigned to us based on our age, weight and general health might not be specific enough to help us lose weight. Rather, it’s better to take a look at your overall health, according to Clark, thinking about the macro and micro nutrients you’re eating, including fiber and protein, as well as considering your gut health and the amount of exercise you do. 

4 ways to lose weight without counting calories

You might be looking for an overnight fix when it comes to losing weight but ultimately, research has found that people who lose weight quickly in a short amount of time are likely to put weight back on in the future, usually because they have practiced a method of weight loss that isn’t sustainable in the long term. 

Clark therefore recommends avoiding following a diet that goes against your body’s natural wants and needs. Instead, think about making smaller changes that are likely to make you eat healthier and naturally lower your calorie intake, without you having to count calories or follow a meticulous diet.

Consider how much energy you’re getting from your food

“All calories are not created equally,” Clark explains. This is because some foods are not only more nutritionally dense than others, but they’re also better at satiating us for longer periods of time, making it easier to manage your appetite. For example, a 2014 study found that high protein diets are more satiating than diets that are high in carbs and fat, which can lead to weight loss.

Think about your gut health

More research is continuously being released on the crucial role our gut plays for our overall health and there are various studies to suggest it might be linked to weight loss. For a start, our gut microbiome might influence how easy or difficult it is for us to lose weight, according to a 2021 study. 

Clark therefore recommends eating a gut-healthy diet to help you lose weight, which involves eating lots of fruit and vegetables and probiotic and prebiotic rich foods too.

Avoid liquid calories

There are some simple ways to cut your calorie intake without actually counting calories — one is to think about the liquid calories you’re consuming on a regular basis. Whether it’s alcohol, sugary drinks or coffee with milk, sugar and sweeteners, you might not realize how much the drinks you consume contribute to your daily calorie intake. 

“The brain doesn’t register liquid calories in the same way it does with the calories that come from food,” Clark says, explaining that they won’t make you feel full in the same way solid food does and so you’re likely to consume more calories overall if you’re drinking high-calorie drinks.

Eat more fiber

Fiber not only improves digestion but it can make you feel fuller for longer, which means you’ll probably end up eating less overall. This is because soluble fiber in particular attracts water and forms a gel-like substance with food as it's digested, which slows down digestion and improves satiety. 

“Eating healthy foods that are high in fiber will automatically mean you’re eating less foods that aren’t good for you,” Clark says, explaining that it’s a simple process of replacing fatty and processed foods for healthy alternatives, rather than cutting out food with no alternatives. 

Try our high fiber diet plan to support digestion.

For more ways to eat well, check out these 11 healthy food swaps or our round-up of the best protein powder for weight loss.

Changing your lifestyle and diet in order to lose weight can be difficult, and putting new habits into place often feels like a long, laborious process. But how long does it take to lose weight, really? The answer is different for everyone, as our bodies vary significantly. From your metabolic rate to your gut health, your current weight and your genetics, there are so many factors that impact your capacity to lose weight.

Nutrition and exercise are the two most important changes you can make when it comes to weight loss and implementing healthy routines around both of these areas is important. Maybe you’re eating in a calorie deficit, using the best exercise machines to lose weight, or increasing your step count. Whatever your methods, it can be frustrating when you’re making changes to the way you live your life but you’re not seeing any results.

It’s not always beneficial to lose weight, particularly if you already lead a healthy lifestyle. But Lola Biggs, dietitian at Together Health, explains that there are some circumstances when it can be helpful. 

“Carrying excess body fat can affect our health,” she says. “It is associated with greater risk of developing conditions that can shorten our life and reduce the quality of our day to day. Keeping a healthy body composition of fat and lean muscle has been shown to correlate with better all-around health.”

What factors affect weight loss?

Exercise and nutrition are the main factors that affect weight loss because they impact the body’s energy stores, which materialize as fat. On a basic level, the more exercise you do and the less calories you take in, the more energy you will burn and the more weight you will lose.

But factors including our individual metabolism, hormone balance, level of inflammation and stress, alongside pre-existing comorbidities can impact how much and where we store the fuel we get from our food. This means the rate and level at which someone gains and loses weight will vary from person to person.

How does weight loss occur?

We generally lose weight when we’re burning more energy than we’re taking in (eating) and the same is true with putting on weight: “Eating more than what our body needs can lead to the need to store this excess energy,” says Biggs. “This is collected in adipose tissue (body fat) which can increase over time.” 

We also burn energy when we exercise, which is why going to the gym or moving more can help with weight loss. “Over time if we expel more energy than we consume through diet, this will result in a reduction of our [fat] stores,” adds Biggs. ”This can result in an overall lower body fat percentage and an increase in lean muscle tissue.” 

What is a healthy amount of weight to lose?

The amount of weight you’re able to lose within a specific time period will be very much specific to you, your body and your lifestyle. Biggs suggests that losing around 0.5-1kg a week is a good ballpark but don’t worry if you're losing less than this ⁠— it’s more important that you’re leading a healthy lifestyle, both mentally and physically.

If you’re losing more weight than 0.5-1kg a week (or 2-4kg a month), you might not be eating enough or over-exercising. “If you lose too much too soon you can disrupt your metabolism and reduce your 'set point', which can lead to weight piling back on faster at any increase in food or reduction in activity, so it is better to go slow and steady and let your body make long term changes,” Biggs recommends.

If you feel very low in energy or unwell due to the amount of calories you’re eating or the diet you’re following, you probably need to increase your calorie intake. Developing unhealthy habits can lead to extreme weight loss, which can put you at risk of various health conditions, as well eating disorders. Speak to a doctor or a registered nutrition professional if you’re not sure about what and how much you should be eating in order to lose weight healthily.

Are there ways to speed up weight loss?

It can be frustrating when you feel like you’re doing all the right things but still not losing weight. Firstly, remember it’s not something that happens overnight and losing weight in a sustainable way that you can maintain over time requires patience. “The main foundation of healthy weight loss and continued weight management relies on long-term lifestyle changes and short-term increased energy expenditure,” Biggs says.

However, your body’s metabolic rate (the rate at which the body burns calories and carries out other processes) is what will determine how quickly you lose weight and there are certain foods that can assist our bodies' metabolic speed, according to Biggs.

“Boosters include green tea, spices like cayenne, chili, ginger and coffee, however a lot of foods have been shown to help maintain a healthy metabolism. This includes those that contain essential minerals like selenium and iron, and foods with good levels of fiber and essential amino acids,” she says.

As well as nutrition and exercise, there are some other lifestyle factors that have been linked to improved weight loss, including getting enough good quality sleep, reducing stress, and keeping hydrated.

But remember, research has continuously shown that those hoping for quick weight loss are initially motivated, resulting in big cut back of food groups, overdoing it at the gym and deciding to restrict their intakes of favorite foods. 

“This can be too much too quickly and is not sustainable,” Biggs stresses. “It results in falling off the wagon and splurging or binging after a short period.” So slow and steady really does win the race.

Want to learn more? Find out whether you can build muscle in a calorie deficit.

If your health and fitness goals include a slimmer waist it’s important to know there is no secret exercise or fitness trick that can help you narrow your mid-body—the only way to get a smaller waist is via weight loss. 

Even if you do that, you can’t choose where you lose weight, and everyone has a different body type meaning some people are naturally disposed to a slimmer midsection than others.

Rather than spending hours on targeted ab or core exercises which won’t snatch your waist, focus on boosting your metabolism, reducing overall body fat and building strength to support healthy weight loss and improve overall health and fitness.

1. Try high-intensity workouts

If you're feeling uninspired by your current exercise regime, why not try high-intensity interval training (HIIT)? This form of interval training consists of short alternating periods of maximal-effort exercise with less intense recovery periods. 

According to a study published in the Sports Medicine journal, this time-efficient training style can help significantly reduce your total, abdominal, and visceral fat mass—the 'hidden' and stubborn-to-target fat that wraps around your organs, like the liver and intestines.

Meanwhile, a Journal of Exercise and Fitness study, which tasked 60 women to complete HIIT workouts three times a week for two months, resulted in an average waist circumference decrease of up to 0.6 inches/1.53 cm. 

A research paper in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal found that moderate to high-intensity exercise can increase energy expenditure for at least 22 hours following training. So try this HIIT workout for fat loss to help boost your metabolism, develop strength, and get a sweat on.  

2. Enjoy a well-balanced diet

Along with exercise, good nutrition is also a huge part of losing weight, so it could help you get a slimmer waist. Sticking to a sustainable diet can help you keep the weight off for good. 

Signe Svanfeldt, a lead nutritionist from health eating app Lifesum, says, "when wanting to lose weight, it's important to fill your diet with nutrient-dense foods in order to get all nutrients required while still being within your energy requirement."

Nutrient-dense foods include the likes of:

• Vegetables and fruits
• Wholegrains
• Legumes (beans and lentils)
• Protein (egg, fish, beans, lentils, poultry)
• Unsaturated fats (nuts, fatty fish, and seeds) which provide essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6. 

Svanfeldt adds: "If you want to lose weight, you should try to eat less ultra-processed foods, such as baked goods, sweets, ice cream and fast foods, as they contain high amounts of energy and are low in nutrients. It can then be challenging to stay within your energy requirements while still getting all the nutrients required."

3. Limit your alcohol intake

The relationship between abdominal obesity and alcohol has long been discussed. In one Epidemiology and Health study, researchers found that a high alcohol intake had a link to high waist circumference. While a second study, published in the Public Health Nutrition journal, came to the same conclusion. 

Researchers stated: "Our study showed that the amount of alcohol drinking per occasion influenced abdominal obesity in normal-weight, middle-aged individuals that may have impacted obesity-related health risks."

This is why fitness professional and nutrition expert Penny Weston says: "Too much alcohol can make you gain belly fat. Cutting back on it may reduce your waist size. I wouldn't say you need to give it up altogether, but limiting the amount you drink can definitely make a difference."

4. Stay hydrated

Does drinking water help you lose weight? While H2O itself is not the calorie-free solution to getting a slimmer waist—as highlighted in the journal Obesity — increasing your pre-meal water intake can help you feel fuller. 

"It's so easy to mistake dehydration for hunger and to consume calories your body doesn't need, when a glass of water might have done the trick," Weston explains. 

So how much water should you be drinking? "Aim for six to eight glasses a day—this has the added advantage of keeping all your bodily systems functioning well as well as keeping your skin looking great," Weston adds. 

5. Do some strength training

Strength training can help with weight loss as it builds muscle, which will in turn help your body burn more calories. 

"Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue," says Amanda Place, a personal trainer and nutrition coach. "By increasing your muscle mass through strength training, you can boost your basal metabolic rate which means you burn more calories even when you're not actively exercising."

On top of this, strength training creates an afterburn effect, pushing your body to use more calories when you’ve finished working out. It can also help you preserve your muscle mass, meaning you're more likely to lose fat rather than muscle during the weight loss process. 

Not sure where to get started? Try this beginner bodyweight workout, or read our round-up of the best strength training exercises for weight loss.

6. Get enough sleep

As the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends, adults should sleep seven or more hours per night regularly to promote optimal health. But what happens if you sleep for less than this?

One study published in the journal Nutrients found that disturbed sleeping patterns can lead to excessive snacking, mainly on foods high in fat and carbohydrates. 

The same study also highlighted that sleep plays a role in weight loss, specifically fat loss, during calorie restriction. The participants were tasked with 14 days of calorie restriction, and they lost less fat when they spent 5.5 hours a day in bed compared to 8.5 hours a day.

7. Eat enough protein

As one of the most essential nutrients for your body, the benefits of protein range through everything from muscles to skin and hair. But this hero nutrient can also help you lose weight, which might help slim down your waist circumference. 

Eleanor Thrupp, Resident Nutritionist at Innermost, explains: "Consuming a source of protein (meat, fish, eggs, legumes, tofu) with every meal can increase feelings of fullness, decrease hunger and reduce calorie intake — these are all factors that support weight loss."

Of course, it's always possible to swing too far in the other direction. If you're worried you are eating too much protein, this could cause some weight gain, alongside low mood and bad breath. 

With so many supposed weight loss hacks on the internet, television and social media, it can be hard to have a healthy relationship with our weight. Some will say that fat or carbs are the energy, while others will push fad diets or ‘weight loss foods’. Let’s be clear; you can’t actually ‘hack’ your way to weight loss in these ways, at least not healthily.

In order to achieve healthy and sustainable weight loss, small changes to our lifestyles are key, like incorporating the best protein powders for weight loss into your diet. From the way that we treat our relationship with sleep, down to ensuring we're not removing entire food groups from our diet.

Healthy, dietician-approved tips are the way forward. To unpack what really works, we spoke with Reema Patel, registered dietitian and nutritionist for Dietitian Fit & Co, for the best ways to help you on your healthy and sustainable journey to weight loss. 

1. Look at increasing your fiber intake

“A diet high in fiber can help to keep you fuller for longer and increase overall satiety levels,” says Patel. This is because fiber takes time to move through our digestive system, slowing down the absorption of nutrients and helping with fullness. It will also therefore help with controlling blood sugar levels and preventing spikes and crashes. 

Patel further explains how fiber also feeds the healthy bacteria in our gut, which can have an impact on weight and blood sugar control.

Ideally, we want to be consuming around 30g of fiber a day. But for those who don’t already have this level of fiber intake, be sure to introduce more fiber gradually. Great sources of fiber include plenty of fruits and vegetables, grains and pulses, as well as nuts and seeds.

2. Be sure to plan your meals, and prep ahead

“If you take the time to plan your meals ahead of the working week, writing a shopping list and prepping some elements to meals, this will help you not only with maintaining healthy habits in the long term, but also saving money,” says Patel. This way, you can ensure that you always have the food you need to be eating in the house, and feel more prepared about cooking.

Patel suggests boiling a batch of eggs to have as a quick breakfast or snack, cutting up your vegetables so that they can be easily roasted in the week, or marinating some meat and fish to speed up time in the kitchen when preparing dinner.

3. Get in the habit of practicing mindful eating

The idea of mindful eating allows us to be fully present and aware of our food and eating and explore how it makes our body feel when we eat. Patel recommends that before even eating, you should take a moment to notice the food – how does it smell, what are the sensations you are getting? Then, take your time to enjoy the experience of eating, slowly with no distractions, to fully appreciate the food. 

This way, you’ll notice your body and emotions change and feel different whilst eating. “This can make enjoying foods that you crave more manageable, with slightly smaller portions but feeling fully satisfied after having them mindfully,” adds Patel.

4. Prioritize a good sleeping routine

Sleep has so much to do with our overall health ⁠— from our skin down to our weight. If you find that you have short night sleeps or struggle with energy in the day, it could be worth trying to improve your sleep hygiene.

Patel recommends trying to reduce screen times an hour before sleep, instead doing other things that relax you such as reading or another hobby like scrapbooking or knitting. “Try to go to sleep and wake up at regular times each day, even on weekends, to get into a routine,” she says.

Studies show that if you do not get enough sleep, you may be more likely to snack the next day or reach for higher energy dense foods to provide you with a boost to get you through the day. You may also be less inclined to cook healthy meals or exercise, which all impacts on your health overall.

5. Try to manage your comfort eating

Relationships with comfort eating can be difficult. But if we find that after a long or stressful day, we reach for food as a comfort, this can have a negative impact overtime on health and weight.

“It’s not that comfort eating is bad,” explains Patel, “but, it’s important to find other ways to really help us to feel better. When we think about it, eating for comfort can help in the moment, but often it is very short lasting and we are left wanting more.”

Food can be a temporary fix but looking deeper into what other ways you may find helpful to manage stress or help with your mood will be more important for your wellbeing in the long term.

6. Focus on eating quality carbohydrates, not removing them

Instead of cutting carbs from the diet, focus on the quality and type of carbohydrates consumed. 

“Carbohydrates are important to help provide us with our main source of energy, in the form of glucose. However, there is a difference in the types of carbohydrates, and how they can influence weight,” explains Patel.

Try to opt for unprocessed whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and pulses, and reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates, such as white bread or pastas, and pastries. Unprocessed carbohydrates are often higher in fiber, with a lower glycaemic index. This can help with improving blood sugar control and helping regulate appetite levels, which can play a role in reducing risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 

Read more about good carbs vs bad carbs at Fit&Well.

7. Be sure to consume good quality protein sources

There are some many benefits of protein. “When we consume protein, this requires more energy by the body to digest and absorb, which is beneficial for helping with weight loss,” says Patel. So, it’s important to get a good level of protein in each meal — this could be animal protein, including chicken, red meat, fish, eggs or dairy, but can also include vegetarian protein such as beans, lentils and soy products like tofu. 

This is especially helpful if you are exercising regularly, as a diet higher in protein will help to facilitate muscle maintenance and muscle growth.

Weight loss vs fat loss: what’s the difference? While people about to go on a diet often say they want to ‘lose weight’, they instead need to lose fat to get lean.

Put simply, weight loss refers to the total reduction of a person’s kilo weight from fat, muscle, and water. But you can’t distinguish between what you lose, so you could lose muscle tone as well. 

Fat loss on the other hand is weight loss as a result of shedding body fat - this is better for your health because the metabolic decline that occurs when you lose body mass can cause unfavorable changes in body composition. 

In this article, we’ll take a deeper dive into everything you need to know about weight and fat loss, and if you’re interested, check out our guide to the best protein powder for weight loss, too.

“If you are trying to lose weight, it’s likely you are trying to lose body fat and not muscle. So sustainably losing fat while maintaining lean body mass is more important than overall weight loss,” says registered dietitian Nigel Denby from Harley Street At Home. 

We need body fat to function - it acts as an energy store, protects our organs, cushions joints, and helps regulate body temperature. “But excess body fat is not good for your health - it increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.” 

In the US, 36.5% of adults are obese and 32.5% are overweight, while obesity affects 1 in 6 children, according to the CDC.

You can lose weight and body fat by dropping the number of calories you consume to create what's known as a calorie deficit - and upping your exercise.

As well as the quantity of food consumed, when you eat healthily it’s important to pay attention to the nutritional value, particularly micronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates), as well as portion size.

For fat loss, a good resistance program is also essential. Studies have shown that lifting weights helps maintain and grow muscle (known as hypertrophy). And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn. 

Weight loss vs fat loss: what’s the difference?

“Your body mass (your total body weight) is made up of body fat and lean body mass. Lean body mass is quite a general term and includes water and other body fluid, bones and muscle mass,” Denby told Fit&Well.

“Muscle mass and fat mass are really the two types of body mass most relevant when we think about weight loss and weight gain. If your body weight changes, it’s useful to know whether the change is in your body fat or muscle, as each can have very different implications for overall health.

“There are significant benefits to having higher muscle mass and less body fat: you’ll have a faster metabolic rate, which means you’ll burn more calories carrying out normal daily activities than someone with a slower metabolic rate. You’ll also be likely to live longer and have better health than someone with lower levels of muscle mass. 

It’s important to note that perimenopause and menopause play a role in body fat, too, says Denby.

“During perimenopause, as estrogen levels reduce, women begin to change the way they lay down fat. Fat accumulates around the waist and mid-section of the body. Fat also becomes more visceral, it wraps around the body’s internal organs rather than laying under the skin (subcutaneous fat). 

“The rate at which women lose muscle mass through the normal aging process accelerates at menopause, too. This slows the metabolism a little. Perimenopause and menopause can be described as a ‘perfect storm’ for weight gain for women. 75% of women gain up to 10kg during perimenopause.”

Does muscle weigh more than fat?

There’s long been debate over whether muscle weighs more than fat. “The truth is, 1kg of muscle weighs the same as 1kg of fat, but the fat will have a greater volume and the muscle fibers will have a greater density. In other words, 1kg of muscle will take up less space and look smaller than 1kg of fat,” says Denby.

“People can be the same weight yet have very different percentages of body fat. A body builder with a very low percentage of body fat and high percentage of muscle mass can weigh exactly the same as a sumo wrestler with a high percentage of body fat and much lower percentage of muscle mass.”

“To reduce your body fat you need to achieve a calorie deficit by changing the quantity and/or nutritional quality of the food you eat. You also need to increase the number of calories you use by being active and exercising.

“Of course, it’s possible to lose body weight by just following a very low-calorie diet (less than 800 calories per day), but this often means you lose muscle mass and body fat.”

While most people would prefer to lose body fat without losing their hard-earned muscles, how do you measure this? 

“In medical and research laboratories the most accurate forms of measuring body composition are Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) and Air Displacement Plethysmography (ADP), but neither of these options is realistic at home,” says Denby.

How to measure fat loss at home

Most scales don’t differentiate between fat loss and muscle loss, but there are several ways you can measure body fat percentage at home. None are perfect and each has its drawbacks and considerations, says Denby.

Skinfold caliper

“These handheld tools come in manual or digital versions and can range in price. They are relatively easy to use and they pinch and measure the thickness of subcutaneous (under the skin) fat in several areas of the body, including the abdomen, triceps, and thighs. Studies show that skinfold calipers can be an accurate way to measure body fat but they require some skill and knowledge of anatomy.”

Body circumference measurements

“Circumference measurement (CM) is another way to measure body fat at home, and it’s used by the US Department of Defense. This method uses a tape measure to take measurements of specific sites on the body. These measurements are then entered into an equation to determine body fat percentage.”

Body fat scales

“Unlike traditional scales that only measure body weight, body fat scales (smart scales) combine weight scales with something called a foot-to-foot impedance meter (FFI). The FFI estimates body fat and muscle mass by sending electrical currents to the body and measuring the response. Muscle and fat respond differently to electrical currents, and the scale uses these differences to determine body fat. But accuracy can vary widely between brands.”

Waist circumference

“Knowing your waist circumference can help you determine if you have too much fat stored around your midsection. All you need to do is to place a tape measure around your midsection above your hip bones, making sure the tape measure is horizontal around your waist. Keep the tape measure snug, but make sure to avoid compressing the skin. Breathe out, and then measure the circumference of your waist. The larger your waist circumference, the more belly fat you’re likely to have. In order to reduce the risk of many health conditions, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that waist circumference be kept below a certain measurement: 40.2” for men and 31.5” for women. Keep in mind that even though measuring your waist circumference can be a good indicator of whether or not you carry excess body fat in your midsection, it can’t tell your overall body fat percentage.”

Why is it important to know which type of weight you’re losing?

Losing weight in the form of muscle can reduce the number of calories you burn at rest – known as your Basal Metabolic Rate – meaning you are more likely to regain any weight you lost in the form of fat.

“Many people lose weight, then regain,” confirms Denby. “The yo-yo cycle from one ‘fad diet’ to another often results with the dieter being heavier and having a higher body fat percentage after several rounds of the cycle than when they started dieting.”

Plus, we want to avoid losing muscle with the weight, as it’s detrimental to overall health – we need a healthy percentage of muscle to help regulate blood sugar levels, maintain healthy fat levels (like triglycerides and cholesterol) in the blood, and to control inflammation in the body.

Building and maintaining muscle is also important for reducing the risk of age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia.

Cowboy Caviar has taken the internet by storm after a TikTok-er shared herself putting together a colorful bowl of vegetables and beans and serving it with tortilla chips. While it looks like it's packed with nutritious goodness, we heard from a nutritionist to find out if it looks more nutritious than it is and if it's good to eat when trying to lose weight.

More often than not, people's diets lack certain nutrients and they'll find themselves searching for ways to combat this. Some people will resort to taking tablets to fill any gaps in their diet by taking something like one of the best vitamin D supplements. Meanwhile, others might use one of the best protein powders for weight loss to increase their intake of this hunger-reducing ingredient.

But if you can pack as many key nutrients into your meals then you're onto a winner and Cowboy Caviar is a helpful dish to start with. It's worthwhile pointing out now that it isn't actually caviar, in fact, it couldn't be more different. The recipe is 100% vegetarian and vegan and it's also a super cost-friendly dish to make at home.

"This dish is fairly low in calories overall, so it can certainly help as part of a weight-loss plan, depending on what else is in the diet," explained Suzie Sawyer, Clinical Nutritionist from the evidence-backed Alive! supplement range. "Consuming less calories than basal metabolic rate (normally around 1250 calories per day), can lead to reduced metabolism and fat storage."

But she noted, "With any calorie-restricted diet, over time wider nutrient deficiencies can occur and a diet needs to be varied in order to provide the wide range of nutrients required on a daily basis."

Watch how to make the viral TikTok Cowboy Caviar recipe

Not only is the dish low in calories but it is also rich in important vitamins and nutrients.

According to Sawyer any form of dietary beans are an excellent source of protein, especially for vegans. Referring to the recipe Sawyer said, "A half can of black-eyed beans provides 8 grams of protein with some additional provided by the avocado (around 3 grams protein per avocado) and some good fats (not forgetting heart-loving olive oil.)"

"Fat is needed especially for the body to absorb our fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K.  Plus, the antioxidant, lycopene, in tomatoes, becomes much more bio-available when eaten with some fat, so it’s a win-win. There is also good fiber provided by the onions, scallions, peppers, and tomatoes. The herb cilantro is great for detoxification."

She also mentioned that the garlic in the recipe can provide many benefits but it’s especially good for feeding the good gut bacteria, which is so important for overall health. Here's what happened when we only ate gut-healthy foods for two weeks.

The list of health benefits is pretty extensive. This became even more clear when Sawyer touched on the micronutrient value of the dish. The tomatoes, peppers, lime, and onions provide some immune-boosting vitamin C, while vitamin E can be found in the avocado which is kind to the skin. Plus, black-eyed beans have good mineral profiles that contain calcium and magnesium which is essential for building strong bones, and the iron content is helpful for reducing fatigue.

However, she did point out that the recipe lacks B12, which is generally found in animal products and is needed for energy production and the functioning of the nervous system. You can always get this by taking one of the best B12 supplements daily.

If you've been looking to drop pounds, this flat tummy diet plan will help reduce your calorie intake, boost your metabolism, and improve your health. Coupled with regular exercise, this food plan can help you sustainably reach your fitness goals.

You might already be training with the best exercise machines to lose weight and sipping on post-workout shakes made with the best protein powders for weight loss, but you can give this a helping hand by eating around this flat stomach diet.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in how our bodies feel, and one of the most common ways to hit your weight loss targets is to create a calorie deficit and burn more energy than you consume. But this flat tummy diet plan won't leave you with pangs of hunger.

Instead, you can choose a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack with six options for each to keep things varied. We recommend starting the day with a green tea, as a meta-analysis published in the journal Nature showed that it helps boost the weight loss effects of exercise.  

Flat tummy diet plan: breakfasts

• A wholewheat bagel: spread with low-fat cream cheese and a little smoked salmon. 
• 2 wheat biscuits: topped with 1 chopped pear and 1tbsp flaked almonds, served with 5.3fl oz/150ml skimmed milk.
• A slice of granary toast: with 2 scrambled eggs and 1⁄2 a grilled tomato. One orange.
• 1.41oz/40g jumbo oats: soaked in 3.4fl oz/100ml pure apple juice overnight. In the morning, mix with 3 chopped Brazil nuts, 1⁄2 a grated apple and 2 tbsp fat-free greek yogurt. 
• Open sandwich: a slice of granary bread, thinly layered with low-fat olive spread and topped with 1 sliced tomato, a few sprigs of watercress and 1 sliced hard-boiled egg. 
• Smoothie bowl: made with 5.3fl oz/150ml skimmed milk, 1 small banana, 1tbsp sesame seeds, 1⁄2tsp ground cinnamon and 1tsp honey (optional). Whizz it all together in one of the best blenders.

Flat tummy diet plan: lunches

• A small spicy-marinated chicken breast: shredded, served with salad leaves, and dressed with 1 tbsp reduced-fat salad cream, in a wholemeal pitta bread. One piece of fruit.
• A small tin of tuna in brine: tossed with a salad of cherry tomatoes, celery, cucumber and baby leaf, with 2 oatcakes. One orange or pear.
• A prawn and salad sandwich: dressed in reduced-fat salad cream, in wholemeal bread with 3 cherry tomatoes. One satsuma.
• A 10cm piece of French bread with 1oz/25g Brie: 12 grapes and one pear. One small slice of malt loaf. 
• A spicy mixed bean salad: with low-fat dressing, served on a bed of baby gem lettuce. One slice of melon or watermelon.
• Rice salad: made with 1.4oz/40g brown rice (uncooked weight),  3.5oz/100g torn chicken or turkey, one diced pepper, one sliced spring onion, one diced and de-seeded cucumber, 5 halved grapes and fat-free vinaigrette. 

Flat tummy diet plan: dinners

• 5.3oz/150g tuna steak: grilled, with 4 tbsp mixed vegetable couscous, green beans and a large mixed salad.

• Frittata: made with 2 eggs, 1tsp dried mixed herbs, ground black pepper and a pinch of salt, and 3 sliced cooked baby new potatoes. Serve with mixed steamed veg or salad. 
• 3.5oz/100g chicken breast: dusted with cajun spices, bake at 392 degress Fahrenheit/200°c for about 20 minutes with mushrooms, tomatoes, onion wedges, chunks of red pepper and courgette. Serve with 3 baby new boiled potatoes, broccoli and carrots. 
• 3.5oz/100g lean steak: grilled and served with 5.3oz/150g baked potato wedges, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes, and a large mixed salad with fat-free dressing. 
• Quorn or vegetarian cottage pie under 450 calories: plus plenty of steamed carrots and broccoli. 
• Two grilled 95% fat-free or vegetarian sausages: served with 3.5oz/100g potatoes, mashed with 1tbsp fat-free greek yogurt, and ground black pepper, 2tbsp fat-free gravy, carrots and cabbage. 

For a healthier way to prepare the meats in this list, consider using one of the best grills, which help excess fat drain away - making it a better option than traditional grilling, roasting or pan-frying.

Flat tummy diet plan: snacks

Enjoy a green tea plus one the following daily:

• A cereal bar under 110kcals 
• A bowl of veggie sticks with 2tbsp low-fat humous for dipping 
• 4 dried apricots 
• 2 Brazil nuts
• 2 crispbreads sandwiched together with 2tbsp low-fat cream cheese
• 1 apple cut into wedges with 1tbsp peanut butter for dipping 
• 3.5oz/150g pot fat-free yogurt 

To help you stay on track with the flat tummy diet plan, we've created this handy visual guide to all the meal and snack options. Save it to your device for quick reference when out shopping or in the kitchen!

Following a Nordic diet plan can help you stay on track when it comes to sustainable weight loss, plus there are plenty of benefits to following this way of eating. 

The Nordic diet features large quantities of fish, poultry, and root vegetables but knowing where to start with it can be difficult. With that in mind, we’ve asked a nutritionist to break down all the important information, and we’ve included a five-day meal plan to help you get started.

While supplements such as the best protein powders for weight loss are great for helping you to stay full in between meals, a Nordic diet plan allows you to enjoy fresh ingredients and studies have shown that this diet plan can also reduce the risk of heart attacks in adults. What’s more, research at Lund University concluded that following a Nordic diet plan can help to lower your cholesterol.

Here, nutritionist Angela Dowden explains how the Nordic diet works and how to get started with it. 

Why the Nordic diet works

Key foods include seasonal berries, root veg, and oily fish - a great omega-3 food - plus high-fiber, slower-releasing carbs, such as whole grains, pulses, sweet and skin-on potatoes, oats, rye, and barley. This combo is filling and satisfying, helping you to stay fuller longer and avoid food cravings.

Fermented dairy products like Skyr (similar to 0% fat Greek yogurt) and kefir are an essential part of the diet too, providing waistline-whittling calcium and friendly bacteria for healthy digestion. 

Nordic diet plan guidelines

Dowden provided five days' worth of tasty Nordic diet meal ideas further down this page, but when preparing your meals make sure you follow these simple principles. 

• Fill half your plate with veg, such as carrots, onions, cabbage, garlic, tomatoes, peas, spinach, and broccoli. The rest should be slow-release, high-fiber carbs, eg, rye bread, wholewheat pasta, oats, and barley, plus some good-quality protein like fish, eggs, or lean meat. 
• Fish should feature in 2-3 meals a week, including 1-2 portions of an oily variety like salmon or mackerel (canned is just as good). 
• Use rapeseed cooking oil – it’s heart-healthy like olive oil. 
• Eat as many berries as you like (they make a great low-kcal dessert). Choose fresh when in season or frozen year-round. 
• Help yourself to a portion or two of low-fat dairy – or a small matchbox-sized piece of cheese a day is fine. 

Nordic diet 5-day meal planner

Take a look at our handy 5-day Nordic diet meal plan below for reference when you're out shopping or cooking in the kitchen, and keep scrolling for more details of what to eat as part of each meal.

DAY 1

• Breakfast: A bowl of strawberries, blueberries, and redcurrants with 1 cup/150g of Skyr or 0% Greek yogurt and 1/2 a cup/ 1tbsp of oats. 
• Lunch: 1 can of mackerel on a small slice of wholemeal toast, with cherry tomatoes and spinach leaves. 
• Dinner: A handful each of shredded cabbage, onion, broccoli, and edamame beans, stir-fried in 2tsp rapeseed oil with 3.5oz/ 100g chicken, and a shake of soy sauce. Serve with 1.5 cups/ 3tbsp cooked brown rice.

DAY 2

• Breakfast: 2 poached eggs with steamed spinach on a small slice wholemeal toast. 
• Lunch: 10.6oz (300g) of carrot and coriander soup with a slice of rye bread and 1.1oz (30g) reduced-fat soft cheese.
• Dinner: A 4.6oz (130g) baked salmon fillet with 3.5oz (100g) each peas, leeks, onion, courgettes, red peppers roasted in 1tbsp rapeseed oil, and a small baked sweet potato. Bowl of frozen mixed berries for dessert.

DAY 3

• Breakfast: Oatmeal made with 1.4oz / 40g oats and 240ml reduced fat (semi-skimmed) milk, served with a handful of raspberries and a small drizzle of honey. 
• Lunch: 2 small slices of wholemeal bread filled with 2 sliced boiled eggs, spinach leaves and 1tbsp reduced-fat mayo. Follow with a bowl of blackberries. 
• Dinner: 5.3oz (150g) white fish oven-baked with 2tbsp of Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top. Serve with 4.2oz (120g) of skin-on new potatoes and 1⁄2 a can of ratatouille.

DAY 4

• Breakfast: 5.3oz (150g) of 0% Greek yogurt or Skyr and raspberries, plus a small slice of wholemeal toast with 1tbsp peanut butter. 
• Lunch: 2.1oz (60g) roasted onion humous on a slice of rye bread, cherry tomatoes and 1 apple. 
• Dinner: Grilled lamb leg steak (4.2oz / 120g cooked weight) served with homemade roasted sweet potato wedges (7.10z / 200g parboiled wedges in 1tbsp oil), peas and 1 large flat mushroom, grilled.

DAY 5

• Breakfast: A large boiled egg, small slice of wholemeal toast with a scrape of butter, plus a handful of blueberries. 
• Lunch: Salad made from chopped kale leaves, 1tbsp each of toasted flaked almonds and golden raisins, topped with roasted chopped chicken breast and drizzled with 1tbsp of vinaigrette dressing. 
• Dinner: 2.6oz / 75g (dry weight) of wholewheat pasta with tomato pasta sauce, chilli flakes and a can of sardines, with broccoli and peas. 

SNACKS

You can have 1-2 of these a day:

• 4.4oz (125g) 0% Greek yogurt with berries
• One banana
• A small handful of unsalted nuts
• Red pepper sticks and 1.1oz (30g) reduced-fat soft cheese on an oatcake 
• 2 large Medjool dates 

Alternatively, you can have a small (5fl oz / 150ml) glass of red wine three times a week in lieu of a snack.

The coffee and lemon weight loss technique started life as a popular TikTok trend, but it's hard to tell how effective and safe these social media challenges really are. To help you out, we'll look at the science behind coffee and lemon weight loss to see if it really does burn fat.

There's plenty of evidence to show the benefits of coffee and lemon separately, but the combination hasn't traditionally been known for its weight loss potential. If you want to drop pounds, the more common advice is to create a calorie deficit to burn more energy than you consume.

Alongside these nutritional changes, it's a good idea to take regular sessions on the best exercise machines to lose weight. But if you want to help things along, we asked a nutritionist whether the coffee and weight loss technique is worth adding to your daily routine.

Coffee and lemon weight loss: what it’s all about

The social media advocates of the coffee and lemon weight loss trend say the premise is simple: squeeze some lemon into your coffee to help burn fat and kickstart your weight loss journey. Plenty of TikTok users have been posting videos of themselves trying the trend. However, there’s no evidence to support the claim that drinking coffee with lemon causes fat to melt away.

Fans of the coffee and lemon weight loss challenge suggest drinking instant coffee with a squeeze of lemon every morning for 28-30 days will help you lose weight. But what do experts think? Nutritionist Aimee Brady says, “Both lemon and coffee have proven health benefits but mixing them together does not translate into even stronger effects. And there’s no evidence to suggest that a drink containing lemon and coffee will do anything other than leave a bad taste in your mouth.”

Registered dietician Helen Shannon says, “Both coffee and lemons have many proven health benefits, predominantly due to their high antioxidant content. Caffeine gives an energy-boosting effect and may have a positive influence on exercise performance, but it’s not a magical weight loss drink. The only way to get rid of unwanted fat is either by consuming fewer calories or burning more of them.”

Many people claim that coffee can suppress appetite, helping you lose weight, but most studies suggest that drinking coffee has little to no effect on participants' appetite. Other studies' findings are ambiguous and uncertain. This is probably because many variables can affect results. For example, when and how much coffee was consumed can affect results. More research needs to be done in this area.

And while people who have lemon water every morning rave about the benefits, including increased hydration, boosting metabolism, and feeling fuller for longer, these benefits all come from its main ingredient — water. Lemon water does contain some nutrients from lemon juice, such as vitamin C and antioxidants, but these are unlikely to have any effect on your weight.

Is it safe to use coffee and lemon for weight loss?

Shannon can’t see any benefit to adding lemon to your coffee. “I don’t think the practice itself is unsafe, but it won’t taste very good. Lemon juice is highly acidic and can cause erosion in tooth enamel over time. It may be helpful to rinse your mouth with water after drinking it.”

Brady adds that these kinds of social media challenges can trigger those with disordered eating. "These viral diet videos are created by people without qualifications and while the drink itself won’t hurt you, the practice may lead to calorie restriction or cutting food groups. Because if you drink this concoction every day and experience no weight loss, you might start limiting other foods to see results.”

What’s the safest way to lose weight?

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s understandable if you want to try and lose it quickly. But the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that people who lose weight gradually and steadily (about one to two pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Healthy, sustainable weight loss is about adopting an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits.

Many experts recommend creating a calorie deficit to lose weight. If you consume fewer calories than your body needs to perform all its necessary functions, this creates a calorie deficit. For instance, if you use 2,000 calories today but only take in 1,800, you have a deficit of 200 calories. Research suggests that for most people, a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is sufficient for weight loss and unlikely to affect your hunger or energy levels significantly.

Brady recommends the following when it comes to eating for weight loss, “Find out which foods are likely to fill you up, provide essential nutrition, and keep you satisfied during your weight loss journey. I recommend a diet with lean protein, fiber-rich foods, and fruits and vegetables to my clients who are looking to lose weight.”

“Set some short and long-term goals and reward your efforts along the way. For example, maybe your long-term goal is to lose 30 pounds and control high blood pressure. Your short-term plan may be to eat breakfast every day, take a 15-minute walk every lunchtime, or fill half your plate with vegetables at dinner.

“Diet and movement are two critical components of weight loss. Adding exercise into your weight loss routine can help to accelerate your progress. If you’re new to exercise, follow a beginner's workout guide or start by walking for 20 minutes a day and build your time and distance up.”

Shannon suggests starting a journal to track progress, “Whether it's a paper method or a smartphone app, a journal helps you log your food intake, exercise, sleep, and progress throughout your journey. You can note your progress, as well as your emotional and mental health, to see how you're working toward your goal.”

Many people will have grown up hearing and believing various nutrition myths. From old wives tales to fad diets, it’s difficult to know what to believe when it comes to health and nutrition. This is particularly true when new research is often being undertaken and it’s not unusual for experts to change their mind about the best foods to eat for good health.

But there are some long standing myths about nutrition that simply aren’t true, even though lots of people might have believed them for a long time (and adjusted their diets accordingly as a result). One of the reasons is that a lot of people are looking for quick fixes when it comes to losing weight, gaining muscle or improving their overall health. But doing any one of these things is rarely simple and it often requires making a number of different changes to your diet, such as using the best protein protein powders for weight loss or supplementing where there are shortfalls in particular nutrients.

So what are some common beliefs we have about nutrition that are actually completely unfounded? We asked Sophie Medlin, a dietician at CityDieticians, to debunk seven nutrition myths that you might have otherwise believed.

1. “Gluten-free foods are healthier”

You’ll often find gluten-free products in the health section of a supermarket, which might make you think they’re healthier alternatives to food items with gluten in, like pasta and bread. But actually, there’s nothing wrong with eating gluten for most people. 

“Gluten causes no harm unless you have coeliac disease or an intolerance,” Medlin says.

If you think you have a gluten intolerance, it’s best to speak to your doctor so you can take the relevant tests and opt for a gluten-free diet. However, for most of the population, gluten-free pastas and breads actually aren’t the best choice. 

“The vast majority of gluten free foods contain extra, fat, sugar, salt and other additives to make them taste better, meaning they’re worse for your health,” Medlin explains. 

2. “Low-fat foods are better for you”

Fat is one of three macronutrients, alongside carbohydrate and protein, meaning it’s an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, fat has been villainised over the years and many people consider all fatty foods unhealthy. 

Yet there are actually a lot of healthy fats that you can find in foods like avocados, peanut butter and oily fish. Omega-3 foods are also part of a healthy diet.

According to Medlin, there are some cases when low-fat foods could be beneficial, like if you have high cholesterol. Often, whether or not a low-fat product is better for you will also vary on a case by case basis. “For example, semi-skimmed milk is generally better than full cream,” Medlin says. “In general though, when the fat is taken out of a product, it is usually replaced by sugar or artificial ingredients, meaning you are less likely to benefit from the lower fat content.”

3. “Snacking is bad for you”

Ever followed a diet that told you to cut out snacking completely? This could have inadvertently been working against you. “Snacking can be a really useful way to regulate your appetite throughout the day and prevent overeating,” Medlin says. 

A 2014 study found that whether or not snacking is beneficial for your health will depend on a number of things including your age and your attitude towards snacking, suggesting: “developing recommendations regarding snacking and meal frequency is extremely problematic for numerous reasons.”

It’s never healthy to feel hungry and low in energy and often snacking is the best solution for this, particularly if you have an active lifestyle. “I have to add planned snacks to most of my patients' diets to ensure they don’t graze all afternoon or eat too much in the evening,” Medlin adds.

Try these high protein snacks to help keep you fuller for longer.

4. “You shouldn’t skip breakfast”

We’ve all heard the phrase that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But is this really true?

“We used to think that skipping breakfast was a bad idea but now we know that eating to your appetite is better,” Medlin says. “If you don’t feel hungry first thing, wait until you are hungry but make sure this doesn’t mean that you’re so hungry at lunch time that you eat three times as much as you would if you had breakfast.”

A 2014 study carried out over four months actually found that eating breakfast didn’t have any significant impact on weight loss compared to not eating breakfast. So it’s a good idea to listen to your body when it comes to food; this might mean having five small meals in the day, rather than three big ones, or it might involve skipping certain meals, like breakfast, if you have no appetite. It’s all about figuring out what works for you. 

5. “Eating a low-carb diet is healthier for you”

As well as fats, many people believe carbohydrates are inherently unhealthy and that we should minimise the amount of carbs we include in our diet. But actually, carbohydrates are in almost every food we eat and focussing solely on this one macronutrient might mean you neglect other areas of your diet.

Medlin explains that for most people, eating a low carb diet will induce weight loss. “But this doesn’t mean it is right for everyone because any calorie controlled diet will induce weight loss even if it’s 90% carbohydrate,” she says.

There have been various studies undertaken on the effectiveness of low-carb diets, with a recent study finding that low-carb diets can be effective in the short term for weight loss but are not necessarily healthy in the long term.

Medlin stresses that it’s important to also think about how following a low-carb diet could affect your attitude towards nutrition: “For some people, restricting carbs can mean that all they think about is carbs and then they end up bingeing on them so it really doesn’t work for everyone.” 

6. “Juice cleanses can ‘detox’ your body”

Most people would struggle to find anything enjoyable about a juice cleanse (i.e. fasting other than drinking a set number of juices for a certain time period). But many people try them in an attempt to lose weight or ‘detox’ their body. 

However, Medlin says that these types of cleanses are generally fruitless. “Nothing can ‘detox’ your body apart from your liver and your kidneys,” she says. “Juice diets actually put your kidneys under a lot of pressure with a number of people being hospitalised as a result.

“Your liver and your kidneys need normal food to work optimally and juice diets restrict their ability to do their job properly and put them under additional pressure creating more ‘toxins’ in the body rather than less.”

And while juice cleanses might make you lose weight right away, a 2017 review found that they can actually lead to weight gain when you return to your regular diet.

7. “Everyone should be taking supplements”

Nutritional supplements have become increasingly popular in recent years, with 2021 data suggesting that 20 million people in the UK are taking supplements every day. Many people believe that taking daily vitamin and mineral supplements are an essential part of being healthy but this isn’t necessarily true.

According to the NHS in the UK, most people do not need to take vitamin supplements and can get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a healthy, balanced diet. Plus, taking some supplements unnecessarily could be potentially dangerous, according to Medlin.

“There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to supplements and it’s really important to remember that supplements are not benign,” she says. “Vitamin and mineral supplements in particular can cause physical harm and potentially permanent health harm for people who have particular conditions or genetic traits.”

This isn’t to say that supplements are redundant – they can be a really useful tool if you’re lacking in specific vitamins or nutrients, especially if your doctor has recommended taking them to improve your health. But they are not an essential part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone.

Changing the way your body looks and feels is rarely an easy process. It usually requires changes to your diet and overall lifestyle, and even when you’ve made drastic changes in these areas, sometimes you still just can’t lose weight. It’s frustrating when you’re putting effort into a change like losing weight that feels healthy for you and your body won’t cooperate.

It’s important to remember, however, that losing weight isn’t something that happens overnight and the rate at which you lose weight will also vary depending on your gender and your age. Plus, losing weight is not always a good indication that you’re leading a healthy lifestyle, particularly if you’re following a diet that restricts the amount of nutrients your body is obtaining or if you aren’t eating enough to maintain your daily energy levels.

But if you've been making an effort to follow a healthy diet and you haven’t noticed any changes, there might be a few other parts of your lifestyle or routine that are preventing you from losing weight. We asked Dr Richard Allison, a registered dietician at Herbalife Nutrition, to share eight reasons you might not be losing weight.

1. You're not eating in a calorie deficit

“A calorie deficit is key to losing weight,” Dr Allison says. Eating in a calorie deficit means you burn off more calories than you consume each day. If you’re eating more calories than you’re burning, it will make it very difficult for you to lose weight.

“When eating in a calorie deficit, you still need to make sure that you’re getting all the key nutrients and hitting all the key food groups,” adds Dr Allison.

Our guide on how to create a calorie deficit can help you if you’re struggling. Or you might prefer to learn how to calculate macros for weight loss.

2. You have underlying thyroid issues

Thyroid issues are very common, as estimates have found that 1 in 20 people have a thyroid problem in the UK alone. This could be one of the reasons you can’t lose weight. 

“If you have an underactive thyroid gland, your metabolism will slow down,” explains Dr Allison. “A slow metabolism will often result in putting on weight more easily and make it more challenging to lose weight at the same time.”

People with thyroid issues have many different symptoms, including tiredness, constipation and depression, so it can be difficult to figure out if this is something you’re suffering from. But if you suspect you have thyroid problems that might be stopping you from losing weight, you should speak to your doctor. 

3. You’re taking certain types of medication

Many types of medication can cause weight gain, so it’s worth checking with your doctor whether any medication you’re taking could be preventing you from losing weight. 

“Certain medications often have different effects on people but antipsychotic medications for schizophrenia, including chlorpromazine (such as Thorazine), have been known to make it harder to shift excess weight for some people,” Dr Allison says.

This is not to say you can’t lose weight on these types of medication, it just might take a little bit longer. Do not stop taking or change your medication without speaking to your doctor.

4. You're gaining muscle

If you’ve started working out more regularly than normal, your muscle mass might have increased, particularly if you’re eating a diet that is high in protein. If this is the case, your weight on the scales might have actually increased or at least stayed the same.

“If you’re getting rid of body fat and gaining muscle, then you won’t notice a significant difference in overall body weight,” Dr Allison says. Gaining muscle can improve your overall health as it speeds up your metabolism, which can help you lose weight quicker in the future. 

Instead of weighing yourself to track your weight loss, Dr Allison recommends measuring your waist circumference. “If your weight is going up or is stable but your waist circumference is decreasing, this is a good indication that you’re losing fat mass,” he explains.

5. Your balance of macronutrients is off

“Energy balance is key to weight gain or loss,” Dr Allison says. This is particularly true when it comes to carbohydrates, protein and fat. “You should have a balanced diet that includes all macronutrients,” Dr Allison stresses.

The amount of macronutrients you need or want to consume will depend on your goals. For example, if you want to increase your muscle mass, you might want to eat more protein. Read our guide on how to track macros for more.

6. Your sleep quality or quantity is off

There is a lot of research that links poor sleep to weight gain and the inability to lose weight, from it negatively impacting your metabolism to a 2015 study that found that insufficient sleep can slow weight loss.

“Sleep is one of the most important aspects of both cognitive and physical recovery,” Dr Allison says, explaining that as well as impacting your body’s ability to function, a lack of sleep can also affect your appetite, which might be making it more difficult for you to follow a diet or stick to your calorie deficit.

7. You’re not drinking enough water

“Dehydration is one of the main causes of overeating,” Dr Allison says. “Many people often confuse the cues of thirst and hunger, which result in unnecessary overeating.”

Staying hydrated is important for every aspect of our health so it’s no wonder that this can affect weight loss too. “Stay hydrated and let thirst be your guide.  Whenever possible, have the best water bottle or a glass of water to hand and aim for two litres a day overall – more if you exercise or the weather is hot,” Dr Allison advises.

8. You're drinking too much alcohol

It’s easy to disregard the amount of alcohol you’re drinking when you’re trying to lose weight, especially if you’re out at the weekend and having a good time. There’s no need to stop doing the things you enjoy when you’re trying to lose weight, but it’s important to take your alcohol intake into account.

“Alcohol provides a significant number of calories at seven calories per gram,” Dr Allison says. “Alcohol is easy to consume and rarely promotes feelings of satiety, so it’s easy to over consume the calories from alcohol. You should also consider the calories in mixers and anything that alcohol is paired with.”

According to Dr Allison, drinking alcohol can also affect the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates and fat, as they’re put on hold while the body focuses on metabolising the alcohol. These changes in the way your body stores energy can make it much harder to lose weight too.

Whether you want to drop a few pounds to feel healthier or shed a more significant amount for a medical reason, it's not always easy to lose excess weight. If you find yourself in a weight loss rut, then you may be making some of the most common weight loss mistakes.

In creating a healthy diet and exercise routine for weight loss, you may find yourself becoming overwhelmed by different pieces of advice online. Perhaps you've heard that intermittent fasting is a good tactic. Or maybe you've read that cutting out fruit can help reduce your sugar intake. Unfortunately, many of these common techniques don't always work in the long run.

To find out more, we chatted with a few nutrition experts to get some tips on avoiding these weight loss mistakes. Along with trying the best protein powder for weight loss, you could try implementing these tips to quickly see results.

1. You're not eating enough during the day – and overeating in the evening

A common mistake people make when trying to lose weight is to limit their food intake during the day. As Noom coach Ashley Bannister, MS RD LD, explains: "Not eating enough throughout the day often leads to overeating later or at night."

"Eating more of your calories later in the day rather than earlier in the day may make weight loss more difficult and challenging," adds Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, FAND, nutrition professor at Boston University.

"The old adage, ‘eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper’ may be the new mantra, as emerging research confirms the benefits of this eating pattern."

In one study by The Obesity Society, women who ate a high calorie breakfast rather than a high calorie dinner lost 19 pounds and twice as many inches from their waists. 

"By skipping meals to lose weight, you will likely eat bigger portions later in the day and opt for quick convenient foods because your body will be signaling hunger," explains registered dietician Patricia Kolesa. "Eating consistently can lead to less hunger and longer term weight loss." 

2. You're drinking too many calories

If you've created a healthy meal plan for yourself and you still can't seem to lose weight, you may be increasing your calorie intake by drinking. Many popular drinks, such as soda and wine, contain a surprising number of calories and can make weight loss harder to achieve. Even some takeaway coffees can contain over 500 calories with added syrups and sweeteners.

"To avoid this mistake, opt for low or no calorie beverages like water, seltzer water and non-fat milk in coffee," says Bannister. Our four iced coffee protein shake recipes can also give you a protein fix to stop you snacking between meals.

3. You're filling your plate with the wrong foods

A common weight loss error is to simply reduce how much you eat, without changing what you eat. According to the experts, reconfiguring how you build your plate of food is a better approach.

"An important waist trimming factor is to change the look of your plate," says Bannister. "For all of your meals, make half of your plate vegetables. Vegetables are full of fiber and water, so they are going to fill you up before they fill you out. Bulk up your plate with lower calorie, satisfying foods."

4. You're not chewing properly

Did you know that chewing can actually make a big difference to how you digest your food? After all, digestion doesn't begin in the stomach, it begins in the mouth. 

As it turns out, many of us aren't actually chewing properly before swallowing. "Chewing your food longer breaks it down more, which helps your stomach digest it," explains Edibel Quintero, a registered dietitian. "Conversely, if the food is not chewed well enough, you not only eat more because the brain does not signal that you are full, but you also swallow much air, leading to bloating and pain."

5. You're not drinking enough water

Another common mistake is focusing too much on food and not enough on hydration. 

"Because people often confuse a feeling of hunger with thirst, they eat when they don’t want to," says Quintero. "Drinking water will not only prevent this but will also suppress the appetite."

Why not arm yourself with the best water bottle to help you stay hydrated?

6. You're becoming fixated on fad diets

While fad diets may sound like the quick fix you've been looking for, they rarely give the results you hope they will because they often involve being overly restrictive. You may lose some weight at first, but it can be hard to maintain your weight loss when the diet ends.

"These plans may lead to weight loss in the short term, but often end up backfiring when you’re unable to sustain the changes you made, which can lead to weight regain," says Bannister. "Instead, focus on fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins for a well balanced diet, and don’t be afraid to enjoy a treat."

It's also helpful to work with a dietician to create a customized plan tailored to you, says Vandana Sheth, registered dietitian nutritionist and author of My Indian Table: Quick & Tasty Vegetarian Recipes.

7. You're filling your fridge the wrong way

Many people take the step to buy more healthy foods, but find that they don’t end up eating them. Often, this can be related to how they physically store their groceries.

"If your fridge is full of tasty but not very healthy food, and the vegetables are hidden deep in it, it can be difficult for you to change your eating habits," says Quintero. 

"Instead, put vegetables and other healthy products in an obvious place in the kitchen, as to some extent, we eat with our eyes, so when we see food, we crave it. In the same way, hiding less healthy products reduces our need for them."

8. You're checking the scale

If you're actively trying to lose weight, chances are you're keeping track of your progress pretty closely. But this habit isn't always as helpful as you may think.

"Checking the scale leads to increased stress," says Kolesa. "Plus, weight fluctuates on a daily basis based on fluid and sodium intake, stress levels and menstrual cycles."

9. You're cutting out certain food groups

It's natural to assume that cutting out certain foods will help you to lose weight. But the opposite approach is sometimes better.

"Weight loss is typically about adding food groups, not restricting, because this can lead to overeating different food groups," says Kolesa. 

"You want to aim to balance out the meal and manage portions of foods so you're getting as consistent of intake of each food group as often as possible, while still enjoying your favorite foods in moderation."

10. You're not moving around

In today's busy world, it can be hard to find time to get active – especially if you work at a desk all day. While you may be exercising to lose weight, it can be even more helpful to stay active every day.

"Even if we’re exercising during the day, if you’re sitting throughout the rest of your day you may overestimate your caloric needs," says Bannister. "Instead, try to get up once an hour, or walk or ride a bike instead of using other modes of transportation when you can, park further away in parking lots and take the stairs. Just get moving!"

You may have seen social media posts touting the benefits of ginger oil for weight loss and wondered, does it really work? We spoke to an aromatherapist and a nutritionist to find out the science behind ginger, whether it can help you lose weight and if there are any risks of using ginger oil. 

Adding ginger to your diet may positively impact your health and wellbeing but sustainable weight loss comes from making changes to your diet and lifestyle. Check out our round-up of the best exercise machines to lose weight to help you on your journey. 

Does ginger oil make you lose weight?

No scientific research suggests that ginger oil can aid weight loss. Some of the potential benefits of ginger essential oil are anecdotal, meaning they're based on personal reports or testimony as opposed to scientific studies. However, aromatherapist Jules Kelly says, "It is undeniable that ginger is beneficial to the body. Pure ginger essential oil is made up of a chemical group called sesquiterpenes which are important contributors to the functionality of essential oils."

"The main health effects of sesquiterpenes are that they are cleansing, aid digestive health and healthy circulation, improve the appearance of the skin, and promote emotional grounding. As part of a healthy lifestyle, incorporating ginger into your routine will assist in supporting the body but are by no means a quick fix. If you think you can cancel out a bad diet with ginger tea, you are mistaken! Adding essential oils to your routine will help your body however you need to look at your lifestyle holistically."

Nutritionist Hannah Hope says ginger alone cannot make you lose weight. Still, there are many other benefits, "Ginger has been studied many times in the scientific community for its health benefits as it's been used in herbal medicine for centuries. Along with its use for pain reduction, nausea, and anti-inflammatory benefits, it's also been used in cancer therapies for vomiting. However, it does also have a role in weight loss. A 2019 review of randomized control trials (RTCs) demonstrated that in 14 RCT's supplementing with ginger significantly decreased body weight, waist to hip ratio, and insulin resistance index whilst also increasing the 'good' HDL cholesterol. Still, it had no effect on BMI or total cholesterol reduction."

"The action of weight loss with ginger is discussed in a 2018 study for its thermogenic (the production of energy to digest and absorb food) effect and increasing the breakdown of fat (lipolysis), suppressing lipogenesis (creation of fat), and by controlling the appetite. The anti-inflammatory effects of ginger can also mitigate some of the side effects of obesity."

How to use ginger oil for weight loss

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ginger oil is "generally recognized as safe," and few adverse effects have been reported. However, as with any essential oil, ginger oil is highly concentrated and shouldn't be applied to the skin undiluted. If you're concerned about a potential skin reaction, you should perform a patch test using a small amount of diluted ginger oil on your skin.

Jules Kelly says, "Ginger oil can be used aromatically, topically, and internally. You should only use ginger oil internally if you are fully satisfied your oil is pure and not adulterated or contaminated in any way."

Hannah Hope says if you wish to add ginger to your diet, "You can take it as a tea to increase liquid intake, keeping you feeling fuller or double the effects of thermogenesis by taking it with green tea, which is also thermogenic. In a 2017 study of 50 overweight women, half were given supplements of 125mg green tea, 25mg capsaicin, and 50mg ginger extract with lunch and dinner for eight weeks, and one group was given a placebo. The group taking the supplements had a significant decrease in weight and BMI compared to the placebo group.

"You can also have ginger as a juice or a powder. The powder has a higher number of anti-inflammatory compounds, and you can also add this to food or a liquid. A small study in 2012 gave 10 men 2g of ginger powder in hot water after breakfast and this resulted in enhanced thermogenesis and reduced hunger, suggesting a potential role of ginger in weight management. There have been little to no scientific studies on ginger oil and weight loss so it would be hard to comment on its effectiveness in this form”, Hope said.

Are there any risks to taking ginger oil for weight loss?

Kelly says, "It is everyone's own responsibility to ensure that they use essential oils appropriately. They are powerful plant medicines. Check on the dilution ratios for whatever you are using it for. Aromatically there should be no counter-indications, however, it is always best to check. "

Hope says that if you are adding ginger to your diet, "You may experience some gastric side effects using ginger, such as indigestion, gas, or constipation. There are also indications of ginger increasing bile flow so be careful if you have gallbladder disease. High amounts can cause mild heartburn or irritation, but this can be mitigated by taking it with food."

Looking for other ways to change up your diet? We’ve found all the best protein powders for weight loss. 

You may have heard caffeine speeds up your metabolism, but does coffee help you lose weight? Caffeine is often added to supplements that claim they can help you drop pounds but is there any evidence to back these claims up? 

When it comes to the connection between caffeine and weight loss, there are three common claims. These are that caffeine will help you burn fat by speeding up your metabolism, secondly, that it boosts your energy for exercise, and finally, that it suppresses your appetite. We talked to a nutritionist and looked at the research to discover if coffee does help you lose weight, how it really affects your metabolism, and the long-term effects of drinking coffee.

Before you chug a cup of strong coffee and jump on one of the best exercise machines to lose weight, we’ve got the bottom of whether coffee really does help you lose weight or not. 

Can coffee help you lose weight? Nutritionists weigh in

Nutritionist Hannah Hope says it’s not as simple as a clear yes or no answer on whether coffee helps weight loss. There have been studies supporting the idea that drinking coffee stimulates weight loss, but not enough of them for a consensus in the scientific community. 

A 2019 meta-analysis reviewed over 13 randomized controlled trials on the effects of caffeine and weight loss and concluded that caffeine intake might promote weight, BMI, and body fat reduction.

On the other hand, a 2017 study published in the Journal of Food Science showed that drinking a cup of caffeinated coffee interfered with participant's taste buds, particularly their interpretation of sweetness, which means that people may end up consuming sweeter and sweeter foods or drinks (and in turn more calories) because of this.

How does coffee affect your metabolism?

Research conducted in 2020 showed that people who drank four cups of caffeinated coffee per day saw a 4% decrease in body fat, according to a 24-week randomized placebo-controlled trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study’s authors suspect this is because drinking coffee raises a person’s metabolic rate, which means more calories burned.

Hope explains some of the science behind coffee's effect on metabolism “Coffee contains many biologically active substances that can affect metabolism, not just caffeine.  For example, there is a small amount of theobromine which is also found in cocoa. Theobromine stimulates thermogenesis in the body, where the body produces heat and increases the number of calories that you burn.”

“Coffee also contains chlorogenic acid, a polyphenol found in coffee. This exerts a pivotal role on glucose and lipid metabolism regulation, and there’s mounting evidence that this can be beneficial in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. It can also be seen as having anti-obesity effects. Its acts as a lipase inhibitor, meaning it stops the absorption of fats. It also stimulates intestinal mobility aiding bowel movements.”

Hope points to a 2021 study expounding the benefits of coffee for its prevention and treatment of type diabetes 2 and obesity through its reduction of fat storage by suppressing fat cell functions and supporting the gut microbiota.

Hope continues, “Caffeine works in weight loss by also stimulating the nervous system. Coffee can increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR), the rate you burn calories at rest, a small study demonstrated a 4% increase in RMR, but much of the research around this is pretty old.” 

What are the long-term effects of drinking coffee?

While caffeine can be part of a healthy lifestyle, too much of it is not good for you. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the symptoms of overconsumption as insomnia, jitters, anxiousness, fast heart rate, upset stomach, nausea, and headaches. In addition, the FDA estimates toxic effects, like seizures, can be observed with rapid consumption of around 1,200 milligrams of caffeine.

Coffee may also be a bad idea for migraine sufferers. A 2019 study published in the American Journal of Medicine showed that consuming three or more caffeinated drinks daily could trigger migraines. The study looked at 98 adults who suffer from episodic migraines and found that the higher risk was eliminated when caffeine consumption was limited to only one or two drinks a day.

Caffeine has some other side effects that may escalate over time with excessive long-term caffeine use. First of all, caffeine is a diuretic (which can lead to increased urination) that could lead to chronic dehydration if you don't consume enough fluids in addition to coffee.

Caffeine may interfere with calcium absorption, which can be bad for your bone if you aren't eating enough calcium in your usual diet. Also, consuming caffeine too close to bedtime can disturb your sleep, making you even more tired (and caffeine-dependent) the next day.

Is it safe to use coffee for weight loss?

The National Institutes of Health state that it is not harmful to most people to consume up to 400mg of caffeine a day. If you do eat or drink too much caffeine, it can cause health problems, such as:

• Restlessness and shakiness
• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fast heart rate
• Dehydration
• Anxiety
• Dependency, so you need to take more of it to get the same results

It’s also worth noting that some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others.

Hope says, “The studies show that drinking two to four cups of coffee a day can have some health benefits, but over this, it starts to be detrimental to your health. So, from a nutrition point of view, I wouldn’t recommend more than two a day and it’s better to have these before midday. From a weight loss point of view, include coffee if you desire but keep it in moderation and perhaps consider green tea!”

For more, find out what the coffee and lemon weight loss trend is all about, and whether there are any benefits. 

When it comes to nutrition and dropping pounds, learning how to calculate macros for weight loss is a great place to start. 

Although we’ll delve a little deeper below, macros are essentially the building blocks of everything we eat. Getting the balance right between the three macros (carbohydrates, fats and protein) is important when it comes to body composition; from weight loss through to muscle gain.

After all, diet and nutrition are pivotal for weight loss, with how much we eat playing a role in losing weight. Protein, an essential macro for satiety, is a key player in the weight loss equation; we’ve even rounded up some of the best protein powders for weight loss here at Fit&Well.

But how do you actually calculate macros for weight loss? Plus, how would someone go about tracking these macros in their day to day life? We asked Meghan Foulsham, nutritionist at Fresh Fitness Food, how to navigate the world of macros.

What are macros?

First up, the big question: what are macros? 

“Macronutrients, or ‘macros’ are components in our diet required in relatively large quantities, hence the name macro,” says Meghan. They include protein, carbohydrates and fat, which all have different responsibilities within the body.

In terms of calories, protein and carbohydrates contain four calories per gram, whereas fat contains nine calories per gram. Fat is the more calorie dense of the three macros. 

In short, Meghan says that protein is needed for growth and repair, as well as the maintenance of optimal health. “Protein is also important for hormone and enzyme production and skin, hair, and bone health,” she says.

Lean sources of protein include chicken, turkey, eggs, salmon, beans and lentils. As for carbohydrates, the body’s main source of energy, these are needed for brain and organ function, as well as physical activity. 

“Without carbohydrates, your body struggles to function properly and you often end up feeling run-down and fatigued.”

Simple carbohydrates include processed and refined sugars such as table sugar and syrups. Complex carbs however provide a slower release of energy. These include quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato and whole-grain bread.

Finally, fat, which is needed as an energy source, to provide the body with essential fatty acids helping with nerve and brain health, assisting in the production of hormones and also absorbing vitamins A, D, E and K. ‘Healthy’ fats can be found in foods such as nuts, seeds, salmon and avocado.

How do you calculate macros for weight loss?

If you’re hoping to shed some pounds and drop body fat, then working out a correct macro split can be useful. 

“People often go for one of two methods; a balanced approach or ‘low-carb’, which often means removing or decreasing your starchy carbohydrates such as rice and potatoes, and focussing on veggies instead,” says Foulsham. “To calculate your macros, you first need to calculate an appropriate calorie requirement for you and whatever goals you’re trying to achieve.”

Check out our guide on how to track macros for the full formula of how to work out your calorie needs.

The number you end up with will be your ‘maintenance’ calories. You'll need to adjust this based on your weight-loss goal.

“If you’re looking for fat loss, we recommend a 20% deficit (multiply the calories by 0.8)," says Foulsham. "Or if a more gradual rate of fat loss is what you’re after, and aiming to maintain muscle mass, a 10% deficit may be more appropriate (multiply by 0.9).”

Naturally, you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight. Once you’ve worked out your calorie requirement, you can calculate your appropriate macro breakdown.

Calculating your macros

To work out the split of carbs, protein and fats, Meghan says that calculating protein first is the best idea. 

“The amount of protein you need is based on your body weight, and how much exercise you do, as well the type of exercise.”

A rough guide for protein is 1.2 -2kg of protein per bodyweight however, if you’re someone who is lifting weights several times a week or taking part in more intense exercise, then you will want to be at the upper end of this protein intake.

To work out your protein intake, Meghan uses the example of a CrossFit athlete who trains five times a week and weighs 75 kg. In this scenario, you’d multiply 75 x 2 which comes to 150, or basically 150g of protein per day. 

“To get this in terms of calories, multiply the amount in grams by four (as there are four calories per gram of protein) to get 600 calories.”

Then, if your total calorie requirement for the day is 1800 calories, you’ll need to split the other 1200 calories between carbs and fat. 

Keep in mind that fat contains nine calories per gram whilst carbs contain four calories per gram. So if you split this 1200 calories 50/50, it would equate to 150g carbs (600 divided by four), and 67g fat (600 divided by nine). Or you can split it differently.

“Someone that does a lot of endurance training will likely need a higher proportion of carbs,” adds Foulsham, so the split should be adapted to suit.

How to hit your macro goals

If you really want to hit your macros, then you’re likely going to need to track everything you eat and drink. This can be frustrating, but luckily, apps such as MyFitnessPal are super useful as they allow you to input a range of different food and drinks. The app then tallies up your macros and the amount of calories you’re consuming. You may need to become pretty handy with a set of scales so you can weigh out your foods; you’ll be surprised at the difference just 1 tbsp of oil can make to your macros!

To make hitting and tracking your macros a little easier, Foulsham says that meal prepping in bulk on the weekends can help – if you have a lot of tupperware!

“Cook everything in large portions, and weigh out the set quantities of each component into individual tupperware.”

There are also several different meal prep companies that can tailor meals and macros to suit you, so the stress of tracking is no longer on your shoulders. 

The key thing with macros is consistency. You won’t see results after just one day of hitting your macros, but keep at it, and you will lose weight. Not seeing results? It might be time to tweak your macros and calories; sometimes it can be a little bit of a case of trial and error.

If you're on a weight loss journey and have done some research around the topic then you've probably seen the mention of protein come up a lot. This is because this ingredient plays a key role in reducing your level of the hunger hormone ghrelin.

Maintaining a high protein diet can help boost your metabolism, reduce your appetite and alter various weight-regulating hormones, and is why people benefit from using one of the best protein powders for weight loss. 

Many powders, protein-rich bars, and shakes are designed to keep your calorie intake low while keeping you full and satisfied in between meal times. We've created a roundup on some of the top protein snacks out there, ones that we think are up there with this year's Prime Day supplement deals.

If you're tied to a busy schedule or try to avoid spending too much time in the kitchen, then stocking up on protein snacks and supplements is a good way to save yourself some time. While you should never use these products as a complete substitute for food they can make a great alternative to unhealthier and less fulfilling snacks that can get in the way of your weight loss targets, due to high fat or sugar content.

And what's better? These snacks are now on sale. We've tried our fair share of protein powders, bars, and snacks and have picked out some deals we think are worth your money below.

• Check out all the US Amazon Prime Day savings
• Find the biggest savings on Amazon UK

Amazon Prime Day protein snack and supplement deals

Research has shown that a high protein intake can boost metabolism and increase how many calories you burn daily. Protein-rich snacks and supplements like the ones listed in our roundup provide a great way to make a protein-rich diet more feasible, without spending a fortune on food.

Losing weight can be expensive when you factor in the cost of things that can aid this such as a gym membership, or your own home gym equipment. Plus, healthier and more nutrient-rich foods can be pricier than sugary snacks. So the Prime Day discounts across various protein snacks and supplements are a nice way to complement your weight loss journey for less.

If you're looking to find more weight loss-enhancing products for less don't miss out on Fit&Well's Prime Day weights deals, or our guide to the best protein powders for women.

Interested in finding out what are the best fruits for weight loss? Fruits are an excellent source of dietary fiber and are packed full of vitamins and minerals; you may have even heard of some of them, like goji berries or avocados, referred to as ‘superfoods.’ They also tend to have a high water content, which can help keep you hydrated throughout the day. But is there any scientific evidence that eating fruit can aid with weight loss efforts, and if so what are the best fruits for weight loss? 

Weight loss can be challenging, so we will look at some of the ways you can incorporate more fruit into your diet to help you feel full and satisfied throughout the day.  While you may be hot on it with a top-class fitness regime, using some of the best exercise machines to lose weight, it's important you also look after your nutrition. 

Adding fresh fruit like berries or lemon to your drink of water can infuse it with a subtle flavor, which might encourage you to drink more water, or make a transition from sugary drinks to water easier.  Ideal if you're heading out with the best water bottles for gym.

What are the best fruits for weight loss?

Fit&Well spoke to Reema Patel, registered dietitian, and nutritionist for Dietitian Fit & Co who explained that all fruits can fit into a healthy diet.  “There are no specific fruits that are best, as all fruits that you enjoy can be included as part of an overall balanced diet,” she explains. 

“Some fruits contain additional properties that can benefit when aiming for weight loss, such as berries. These are high in fiber and lower in sugar than other fruits, so can help keep you fuller and satisfied for longer," Patel adds, "Some fruits with higher water content can be beneficial to help keep you better hydrated throughout the day, whilst being very low in overall calories – such as watermelon and apples.”

Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist for British Apples and Pears, explains how swapping out your low-fiber snack for some fruit may help with weight loss, using apples as an example. 

“Apples contain 0.04oz (1.2g) dietary fiber per 3.5oz (100g), keeping us feeling full and satisfied when hunger strikes, particularly when consumed before meals. Research has shown that apples are three times more filling than a chocolate bar due to their high fiber content. Pectin, the fiber found in apples, also helps to regulate bacteria in the gut which in turn may help to suppress weight gain and fat accumulation in the body.”

On that note, learning how to improve gut health could play a key role in weight loss efforts for some, as research has shown those with fewer types of bacteria in their gut might find it more challenging to lose weight. 

How does eating fruit aid weight loss?

Satiety is an important factor in weight loss, as we are less likely to snack or overeat if we feel satisfied. Satisfaction also makes it easier to maintain a calorie deficit (where you are using more calories than you are consuming), which the Journal of Obesity and Metabolic syndrome indicates is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. 

Patel explains that fruit is nutritionally dense while being low in calories. “Fruit can help with weight loss as it not only is very low in calories, it also provides a source of fiber, which has been shown to help keep us satisfied and fuller for longer,” she says. “Going one step further and combining fruit with a source of protein such as Greek yogurt or nuts can further satisfy us due to the additional protein, so this can be a great snack idea if you get peckish in between meals.”

Another study in the Journal of Nutrition suggested that those who ate sufficient fiber were more likely to adhere to their macronutrient goals, making their weight loss more successful than those who did not consume as much fiber. 

Hobson tells us more about the role that the fiber and water content of fruit plays in satiety. “Firstly, fruit offers a lower-calorie snack option. Secondly, fruit is high in water and a source of fiber which can help to bulk out the diet and keep us feeling full between meals. What’s more, numerous studies have demonstrated that high water density foods are effective in helping weight loss. Apples are also rich in polyphenol compounds that act as antioxidants, helping to protect the body from damage caused by excess free radicals and reducing inflammation in the body.”

The water content in fruits is particularly useful when trying to lose weight, as a study in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism indicated that proper hydration can help keep your energy levels consistent throughout the day and may even help stabilize your mood. 

Are there any fruits to avoid when trying to lose weight?

Patel tells us that all fruits can fit into your diet in moderation, like all foods. 

“There are no fruits to avoid completely when aiming to lose weight. However, fruit should be enjoyed in moderation as part of an overall balanced diet,” she says, “Generally aiming for around two portions of fruit a day is great for most people, focusing more on vegetables with meals. It’s not just what you eat but also how much, so try to also listen to your hunger cues and minimize snacking mindlessly even if it is on fruit!”

We encourage all weight loss attempts to be undertaken gently, with space for all of your favorite foods in moderation, as you are more likely to stay motivated and be successful if you are not completely restricting yourself. As such, all fruits can fit into your diet, even if your goal is to lose weight. We would simply encourage you to be aware of the calorie content of these fruits to ensure you are remaining in an overall calorie deficit. There are plenty of helpful tools online to help you work out how to create a calorie deficit to lose weight, but it’s a good idea to consult your doctor first before making any significant changes to your diet. 

How to increase your fruit intake

A report in Scientific Reports journal indicates that food texture plays a role in satiety, so consuming your fruit in a variety of ways may keep you satisfied and help you to stick to your calorie goals.  

Here are some of Patel’s top tips on increasing fruit intake:

• Add in a portion of fruit on top of your cereal or oatmeal in the morning to add some natural sweetness and a bit of color  
• Make a smoothie with a portion of fruit, a handful of spinach, some milk/plant-based alternative, and some peanut butter or protein powder. Delicious and satisfying! 
• If you get hungry between meals, opt for a snack containing fruit – how about apple slices with a spoon of peanut butter, or watermelon chunks and Greek yogurt?  
• You can also add fruit to salads. Mangos, apples, grapes, or berries work well to complement typical salad flavors – don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! 

Discover more articles unraveling popular diet questions such as does protein build muscle or the benefits of B12 and what to do if you're not getting enough.

Want to know what to eat to lose belly fat? Belly fat is something that a lot of us have and although it is perfectly natural and human, many people want to do what they can to reduce the amount of fat around their middles. We will look at why the body stores fat around the belly and what to eat to lose belly fat, as well as diving into the different types of dietary fat.

We gain fat around our middle for different reasons, some related to the stage of life, hormonal changes, and general lack of activity or caloric overconsumption. While losing this extra fat may seem impossible, with steady, concerted effort it is possible and may even be an enjoyable process if you choose a way to increase your movement that you find fun. Even better, some of the best exercises for weight loss can be completed at home for free. 

How do we gain belly fat?

Dr. Nathalie Geary, body sculpting specialist and founder of the Light Touch Clinic, tells us that stress has a part to play in the accumulation of belly fat. “Fat storage is a survival response to perceived environmental stress,” she says, “When our bodies sense we are in danger, our nervous system acts to mitigate this by accumulating and storing energy as fat. Belly fat in particular surrounds most of our vital organs and was once beneficial in overcoming the stress of periodic famine that humans have endured for most of history. Stress in the modern environment can be any situation that triggers a fight or flight response from the nervous system. 

"Though we no longer experience the physical stress of famine, psychological stress instigates the same biological response in our bodies. Fat storage is a hormonal response to stress and is influenced by the hormones Cortisol, Leptin, and Insulin. When these are out of balance in our bodies, they can cause unmitigated weight gain,” notes Geary.

Rob Hobson, a registered nutritionist for British Apples and Pears, tells us why fat accumulates on the belly, often more than in other areas, "The reason fat accumulates in the belly is that it is close to the liver where it can be converted back to energy if needed. Menopause also causes weight to carry around the middle as waistlines thicken.” 

Menopause can lead to weight gain due to the rapid change in hormonal makeup and the effect this has on a woman’s body and mind, according to a review in Climacteric journal. Taking one of the best menopause supplements can help to balance out your hormones while going through this change.

While it may feel like doing lots of crunches is going to melt away the fat around your middle, Kim Bowman, a sports nutritionist from F45 Training, explains that overall fat loss is the only way to see a reduction in belly fat, and spot-training doesn’t work. 

“While core exercises can help to develop abdominal muscular strength and support the lower back, spot training the abdominal region will not make a six-pack appear,” she notes, “For this reason, it’s imperative to focus on full-body fat loss through functional training that combines a variety of bodyweight and plyometric exercises along with HIIT intervals.”

It is important to note that you should enjoy the exercise you are doing, or you are less likely to stick to it. We recommend you look at local groups and fitness classes, as well as focus on increasing your overall movement to help you to lose weight and promote a calorie deficit.

What foods can help reduce belly fat?

Foods that suppress your hunger and give you a sense of satiety are important when it comes to weight loss, and dietary fiber is one of these foods. A study in the Journal of Nutrition indicated that participants who consumed enough fiber found it easier to adhere to their other macronutrient goals over the six-month study. Fiber is another food that can help us feel satisfied, as it has a bulking effect and lingers in the digestive system where it is broken down by our gut bacteria, as our bodies can’t digest it themselves. This means we feel fuller for longer.

Hobson reiterates that targeted fat loss doesn’t work, so you need to work on overall fat loss to see results. “You can’t target fat loss by body area so the same rule applies to anyone else trying to lose weight,” he says. “A diet rich in plant foods that are high in fiber, including fruits such as apples and pears, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, helps to fill you up and bulk out meals.  Protein is also important for satiety so stick to lean proteins such as poultry, tofu or fish. Healthy fats are important to help reduce inflammation in the body as well as keep you feeling full between meals. These fats include avocado, olive oil, oily fish nuts, and seeds.”

Protein is a great way to support healthy weight loss, as it is filling and can help you stay in a calorie deficit, according to a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. As well as being filling, it helps with growth and repair, meaning that you will recover from a tough workout quicker if you are consuming adequate protein than if you don’t consume enough. A high-protein diet has been shown to aid weight loss efforts, so take a look at our guide to the best protein powders for weight loss. 

Bowman agrees with the role fats play in healthy weight loss. “Aside from incorporating full-body functional training, quality eating habits can make or break belly-fat loss,” she says. “Lean protein sources and healthy fats such as those from fatty fish like salmon or halibut are quality calories that will optimize our health.” 

Do you have to cut out your favorite foods to lose belly fat?

At Fit&Well, we are all about sustainable weight loss. We believe that a gradual approach is more effective and that cutting out all your favorite foods is likely to leave you feeling miserable and unmotivated. As such, we recommend you keep eating your favorite foods, just mindfully and in moderation. All foods can fit within a calorie deficit, and going over your calorie allowance every so often will not undo your progress.

Ruth Stone, a personal trainer for Sweatband explains further: “Studies have found that people that completely remove all indulgence from their diet are actually less likely to lose weight, as this often leads to relapses and binge eating. It is also not psychologically healthy to start viewing food through a prism of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. 

“There is no intrinsically bad food, there's simply food that has less nutritional and higher calorific value. Eating a balanced diet, and simply being more aware of what you are eating will enable you to craft a perfect eating plan that will not only help you lose weight but will mean you don’t have to skip on the occasional office cupcake.”

Geary agrees, explaining that extreme calorie-cutting can lead to a yo-yo dieting effect and poor health. “Lowering body fat permanently is a gradual process that is enhanced by proper intake of essential nutrients and metabolizing energy efficiently through exercise,” she says. “Drastic measures to reduce calories without supporting the body with adequate nutrition will likely have long-term negative consequences both physically and mentally."

Instead, she recommends, "Finding healthier alternatives to your favorite foods - not giving them up entirely- seems like a sensible, sustainable approach. Think of a handful of toasted seeds and nuts, lightly seasoned, instead of the usual bag of crisps. Swapping your afternoon biscuit for a small serving of fruit with nut butter can still offer you sweet satisfaction.”

Bowman encourages us to be mindful of our refined sugar intake, as this is likely to topple us over our calorie goals for the day. “Refined sugar often found in store-bought sweets, disrupts blood sugar balance, and can lead to cravings for more of these foods, which provide no nutritional gain (essentially ‘empty calories’),” she says. “By incorporating nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods into our diet on a regular basis instead, we can stay consistent with a healthy eating routine.”

What is the difference between good fats and bad fats?

Fat is one of three macronutrients and is essential for the proper functioning of our bodies. However, according to a study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, overconsumption of saturated fats is one of the leading causes of obesity and related conditions in adults.

Bowman tells us more: “Fat is essential for hormone balance, heart health, and brain function as well as vitamin and mineral function,” she says. “Fat plays a key role in our overall long-term health, however understanding the difference between healthy fats versus those that should be avoided is necessary for full-body weight loss."

"The key to quality fat consumption is to avoid processed fats known as trans fats as much as possible. These fats are found in processed foods such as chips, pre-packaged dinners, and store-bought salad dressings, and have undergone significant processing. 

"The problem is that these trans fats don’t provide nutritional benefits while at the same time contributing to inflammation within the body. Instead, the majority of fat intake should come from minimally processed, plant-based (unsaturated fat) sources while also incorporating fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and halibut.”

While we should ensure that trans and saturated fats are consumed at a minimum, polyunsaturates, such as omega 3 (which can be sourced via one of the best fish oil supplements) and omega 6 are very important for our health. A study in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy indicates that we need to consume these polyunsaturated fatty acids together in balance, as high levels of Omega-6 can contribute to the development or worsening of inflammatory diseases, cardiovascular problems, and cancer.  

Discover more articles on looking after your insides better such as finding out what is the most common vitamin deficiency and the answer to does drinking water help you lose weight?

The Mediterranean diet for weight loss has long been praised as the epitome of good health, but what exactly is it? Well, the diet focuses on eating fresh, unprocessed foods that are high in fiber and protein, which makes the diet filling and lower in overall calories than the average American diet. 

Combined with an active lifestyle, you can use the Mediterranean diet to support your weight loss goals and you may even find that you experience other benefits of eating this way. The Mediterranean diet is low in saturated fat, refined sugars, and salt and high in cardioprotective foods such as fruit, vegetables, and oily fish. By adopting some of the principles of the Mediterranean diet into your daily eating, you may be able to reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease and obesity. 

If you want a roundup of our favorite exercise machines to support your journey on the Mediterranean diet for weight loss, have a look at our buying guide to the best exercise machines to lose weight.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is popular with doctors and dieticians alike as it is low in saturated fat, sugar, and heavily processed foods, which adheres closely to the healthy living guidelines laid out by the USDA. 

Paola Langella, Italian nutritionist and founder of Shapes Studio, tells us more about the ins and outs of the diet. “The Mediterranean diet has already been proven to be one of the healthiest diets in the world as it includes vegetables and fruit at the center of every meal, plus fresh fish rich in Omega 3, and extra virgin olive oil,” she says.  “If you go to any restaurant in Southern Italy, you can enjoy a delicious fresh pasta or risotto with fish and vegetables and you will be sure that the only dressing on the plate is extra virgin olive oil and salt.”

A 2020 study in Nutrients journal also indicates that the Mediterranean diet can contribute to effective weight loss. Diets high in lean protein and high fiber foods are filling, which can help maintain a healthy weight as we can enjoy a sense of satiety.

Sophie Medlin, a Doctify-reviewed consultant dietitian, and director of CityDietitians said; “Generally, the Mediterranean diet is based on foods which are popular in Mediterranean countries,” she says. “This includes things like vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, grains, and oils. It also encompasses a lower intake of red meat, processed food, and refined sugar. The Mediterranean diet encourages the use of olive oil and also allows for small amounts of red wine. As a lifestyle, the Mediterranean diet also encourages community and connection with other people and plenty of physical activity.”

Can you use the Mediterranean diet for weight loss?

Although the Mediterranean diet discourages eating many foods that can cause weight gain and health conditions such as obesity, if you are consuming more calories than your body is using, you will not see a drop in the number on the scale.  Medlin tells us: “Whilst the Mediterranean diet is known for its health benefits, there's no way to guarantee that it will aid in weight loss. The positive is that it's a very balanced way of eating and unrestrictive, meaning it's likely to be easier to maintain over time.” 

It is also worth noting that the Mediterranean diet is filling and satisfying, which can make it easier for you to adhere to a calorie deficit. A study in the Annual Review of Nutrition journal indicated that in adults aged 55-75, the diet was particularly effective in reducing abdominal fat, particularly in younger participants with high BMIs. 

Langella tells us that the Mediterranean diet is a mindset as much as a pattern of eating. “When you follow a Mediterranean diet, you satisfy your appetite not only because of the rich content of minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats, but also on a deeper level: in your heart,” she says. “When you see your plate is full of beautiful colorful vegetables and tasty fish, rice, or pasta, your attitude towards eating and enjoying your meal changes completely and it stops you reaching for something sweet. If you do have a sweet tooth, dessert is homemade without processed sugar or additives.”

What are the benefits of the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is lower in saturated fat than the average American diet, and a review in the American Journal of Medicine suggests that it can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, a 2015 study in the Annual Review of Nutrition indicated that high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes can positively impact cardiometabolic risk.

“Following a Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol,” says Medlin. “It also may play a role in lifespan; people who closely follow a Mediterranean diet are likely to live longer. There is also an indication that the diet may prevent cognitive decline, though more research is needed to confirm this.”

Another study in Nutrients journal indicated that the Mediterranean diet can help to decrease the risk of developing some cancers, due to the amount of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (carotenoids and lycopene) rich foods eaten as part of the diet.

What foods can’t you eat on the Mediterranean diet?

Langella explains that processed foods are off the table when following the Mediterranean diet for weight loss. “This includes processed meats, frozen meals that contain a lot of sodium, refined grains, alcohol (other than good quality wine), butter and processed or hydrogenated oils,” she says. 

If you decide to follow the Mediterranean diet strictly, you will probably want to cut out the majority of processed foods and red meats. Replacing your steak with a fish dish or legume-based protein source can help you to cut out unnecessary saturated fat, and swapping your processed grains for wholewheat alternatives is a great way to boost your fiber intake. 

“The diet is generally low in red meat, added sugars, refined grains, and highly processed foods,” Medlin adds. 

Does drinking water help you lose weight? While you’re probably tired of seeing ‘just drink water’ as a solution to everything, from dry skin to constipation, science suggests that the wet stuff may indeed help you to curb your appetite, boost your metabolism and achieve a downward trend on the scales.

This shouldn’t come as any surprise. After all, we’ve long known that drinking water plays a key role in keeping our bodies healthy and assisting in a range of bodily functions, from eliminating toxins to regulating body temperature. But as well as ensuring we stay alive, one of the biggest perks to drinking water is the discovery in recent decades that it may help us with both weight loss and maintenance. 

In this article, we look at the link between hydration and weight loss, how much water you should be drinking if you want to lose weight, and how hydration levels might help us to achieve our fat loss goals. We also consider how hydration can help with overall health. 

And if, like so many of us, you struggle to drink enough throughout the day, our guide to the best water bottles for gym will ensure you stay hydrated while you’re on the go.  

What's the link between hydration and weight loss?

Replaces high calorie sugary beverages 

One of the useful ways that drinking water can help you lose weight is by replacing high-calorie beverages. Water contains no calories, and if you swap out just one standard can of coca cola for a glass of water each day, you will be saving yourself around 140kcal, or around 7% of your daily intake on a standard 2000 kcal per day diet. 

This may not seem like much, but a report in the Journal of Obesity and Metabolic syndrome indicates that a calorie deficit (where you are using more calories than you are consuming) is one of the most effective ways to lose weight. This formula of more calories out than calories in is used by medical professionals and trainers across the world to aid in weight loss, and 140kcal a day may help you on your way to a decent calorie deficit. If you drink multiple sugary drinks in a day, these calories add up, and by replacing them with water you can maintain a calorie deficit potentially without sacrificing too much on food.

Ruth Stone, personal trainer & fitness expert for Sweat Band, tells us that exchanging high calorie drinks for water can aid in weight loss. 

“Water intake is one of the most controllable, impactful facets of potential weight loss you can take advantage of,” she says. “Drinking more water will result in a lower consumption rate of other, more calorific liquids – increasing your body’s ability to remain in a deficit whilst losing weight. On a functionality-level, water is vital to the body's metabolic rate, without it both fat and carbohydrate stores cannot be metabolised.”

May help to control appetite

A trial in the National Library of Medicine found that drinking 500 ml of water before a meal helped to reduce caloric intake and improved participants' overall weight loss progress compared to those who just ate less calories. 

Dr. Deborah Lee, of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, explains that sometimes our brains get confused between hunger and thirst, so it makes sense to drink water before eating to ensure we aren’t getting our signals crossed. “Some groups, particularly small children and the elderly, confuse the natural sensation of thirst with being hungry,” she says. “You feel fuller and this helps reduce your calorie intake. Chronic dehydration is believed to cause metabolic dysfunction.”

When coupled with a session on one of the best exercise machines to lose weight, drinking water is one of the easiest things you can do to help you maintain your weight or shed some extra pounds. 

May improve metabolic function

Another National Library of Medicine trial found that over the course of a year, increasing the amount of water consumed by perimenopausal overweight women lead to a significant loss of body weight and fat over time, independent of exercise and diet. The cause of this weight loss may be due to a decrease in overall calories consumed or a potential increase in metabolism.

Stone also mentioned that water can help you burn calories while at rest. “A major way water impacts any potential weight loss is through substantially raising your resting energy expenditure,” she says. “In simple terms, these are the calories your body burns when completely resting. Drinking between 1-3 litres a day can aid rested energy expenditure in adults by between 24-30% for up to 30 minutes after drinking water.”

Reduces tiredness

Dehydration can leave you feeling tired and groggy, making you feel less motivated to exercise and more likely to snack on high-calorie foods to try and perk yourself up. Keeping yourself properly hydrated can help keep your energy levels consistent and your mood stable, according to a study in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, which may indirectly help you lose weight.

Health and weight loss coach Clair MacKenzie tells Fit&Well that dehydration can make us tired and grumpy. “When we’re feeling dehydrated, we usually don’t feel great,” she says. “Dehydration can cause headaches and tiredness and often, especially if we have a habit of turning to food to feel better, we may find ourselves eating to comfort or distract ourselves. Dehydration also inhibits weight loss by contributing to constipation, hunger, lethargy and reduced break down of fat cells"

Lots of us are dehydrated without realising it. Check out these five signs you need to drink more water.

How much water should you drink to lose weight?

A study by the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research found that drinking 500ml of water three times a day before meals decreased body weight, BMI and body composition scores of overweight subjects. This was on top of the subject's usual water consumption. 

MacKenzie recommends checking your urine to ensure that you are properly hydrated. “You should drink enough water that your body is adequately hydrated whether you are wanting to lose weight or not,” she says. “The amount will vary depending on your size, activity level, the weather, and the foods that you eat. The best way to ensure you’re getting the right amount is to check that your urine is clear or a very, very pale-yellow colour. Use that as your guide to check and ensure you’re getting enough water.”

However, Dr Lee also warns of the dangers of overhydration. “It’s dangerous to drink too much water. This can lead to water intoxication, low sodium levels, fits and death. 2L per day is a safe amount. Don’t drink more than 3 L of water in a day unless you are participating in extreme sports and have had specific advice.”

After I graduated from college, I decided I would lose some weight. I felt that the late nights, endless caffeinated drinks, and lack of structure in my diet were starting to take their toll. Before entering the adult world, it seemed like the right time to start exercising.

Over the past few years, the way we talk about weight has shifted so that it's more about the positive effects of exercise and less about restrictive diets. Back then, although I was learning how to lift with the best adjustable dumbbells, my main focus was on the food I ate.

I began to see the world through numbers—the calories in my diet, the calories burned on the treadmill, and my weight on the scales. At the time, I had a 'the ends justify the means' attitude and didn't take a healthy, sustainable approach to weight loss, like going for a walk every morning. 

After a few months, I arrived somewhere close to my ever-changing weight goal, but I couldn't shake the fixation on the scales. Each morning, I'd dutifully step on the scales and feel a little happy if I lost weight, frustrated if I gained it.

Over time, my exercise goals changed, so I read up on cardio vs weights for weight loss and focused on building muscle. My complex relationship with the scales remained, which meant I was stuck in an internal battle, gaining weight from my workouts but secretly feeling guilty about it.

Then I found the Maintenance Phase podcast, which debunks common weight loss myths. As I binged the back catalog, I had to confront the complex feelings I had about my weight. After listening to the show, I was convinced that the time was right to stop weighing myself each day. Here's what happened.

1. I stopped worrying about what I eat

Many smartphone apps help you monitor what you eat. I used an app to scan every food and drink packet, set a low-calorie goal, and rigidly stuck to it. Depending on your goals, you may find this helpful, but it's a thin line between habit and obsession.

Unlike a traditional weight loss diet, I wasn't given a list of food I could or couldn't eat, so I had to make each decision myself. It was mentally taxing but also meant that I wasn't really enjoying food; it was a functional relationship at best.

I picked up habits that I now think would be called disordered eating, behaviors that are often associated with diagnosed eating disorders. The app made it easier to do this, but I got daily reinforcement from the scales.

I could track what I ate, then see the results the following morning. Lost weight? Continue yesterday's pattern. Gained weight? Take the calories down to compensate. I disrupted that feedback loop by not weighing myself each day and now enjoy what I eat.

2. I'm happier with my body

While finishing college is what kickstarted my weight loss, I'd had a complicated relationship with my body for most of my life. When I was 10 years old, a teacher called me fat. At school, I was given the moniker Fatboy Fat (a play on the name of the popular British DJ Fatboy Slim).

Sometimes, though, you have a moment where everything changes. Listening to Maintenance Phase was what did it for me. The duo's episode on whether being fat is bad for you made me question what I thought I knew about weight, which weakened my critical inner voice.

I tried to rationalize why I weighed myself every day. Ultimately, it was about control—I wanted my weight to be my choice rather than someone else's. As my thoughts about my body shifted, it became easier to turn my back on the scales as a form of validation. 

I've been meditating every day for a while now. The combination of a more relaxed internal monologue, lack of scale data to validate my negative beliefs, and a more mindful approach to critical thoughts mean that I can accept and be grateful for the body I have. 

3. It's been easier to hit my fitness goals

Your body needs energy to function—this is a fundamental part of being human. Calories are a measure of energy, so by limiting them, you have less energy. This is why I felt lethargic and over-tired during the early days of my weight loss journey.

Over the years, I began to eat more again, though different foods this time around, as I invested in some of the best vegan cookbooks and prepared meals from scratch. But by worrying about the number of calories in the food, I was still restricting what I ate and limiting my energy.

Although you can build muscle in a calorie deficit, it needs professional oversight if you want to do it safely. I could break that mental fixation on calories and just eat what I need when I want by stepping off the scales.

This had the unexpected side effect of actually helping me build muscle. You need the energy to work your muscles during a workout, but you also need to refuel them afterward to promote recovery. By letting go of the scales, I gave my body what it needed; food.

If you need support, you can contact the National Eating Disorders Association or The Eating Disorder Foundation. Both services offer individual support and resources about body image and our relationship to food. In the UK, you can contact Beat, an eating disorder charity with helplines and resources. 

It’s certainly popular, but does fasting work? From vegan and paleo to keto and pegan, diet trends are never in short supply and, with the herald of the 5:2 diet in 2012, fasting has become a hot topic in the world of health and wellbeing. The deliberate, periodic restriction of food, drink or both, fasting is usually done for the purpose of weight loss or improving one's health. 

One thing that science has shown us is that when it comes to optimal health and wellbeing, a balanced approach that incorporates both exercise and diet is favorable compared to extreme measures of either. Dietary changes coupled with the best exercise machines to lose weight and the best exercises for weight loss will set you well on your way to a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

However, if you’re on the fence about fasting, or are wondering how exactly does fasting work, our experts share their opposing opinions on this hot topic.

Does fasting work? The case for

When new diets first gain popularity, there is often insufficient evidence to determine if they are effective. Fortunately, as the public’s fascination with fasting piqued, so did the scientific interest. Over the years, research has looked into the various fasting methods, in particular intermittent fasting. This fasting method involves cycling between periods of non-eating and eating and can vary from 16-hour fasting to complete avoidance of food for one day each week, usually as a means to lose weight.

Preliminary studies show fasting could be a promising way to help people with weight loss and health, and nutritionist and author Rob Hobson agrees that there are many positives from fasting.

‘Although the research is lacking a little in terms of the health benefits of fasting, many people have found it useful as a way of dieting that doesn’t involve rules or foods that you have to omit,’ Hobson says. ‘The research we do have highlights benefits that occur in the body when it’s deprived of food. These include low levels of blood insulin (which promotes fat burning), increase in human growth hormone (which boosts fat burning and muscle gain) and the promotion of cellular repair.’

A 2021 review study led by researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago, analysed over 25 intermittent fasting research studies and found it to be a safe diet therapy, capable of improving several markers of metabolic health and producing clinically significant weight loss. Other health benefits, such as improved appetite regulation and positive changes in the gut microbiome, were also demonstrated.

There’s also good news when it comes to diabetes. ‘Some of the strongest research for fasting is around the potential to reduce insulin resistance and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes,’ says Hobson. ‘Other potential benefits include reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the body (both of which increase ageing), lowering heart disease risk factors and protecting brain health.’

One study in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience suggests that intermittent fasting could keep your brain sharp, with researchers concluding that lifestyles that incorporate metabolic challenge, such as intermittent fasting, are likely to improve brain health. Another study, involving 29 healthy fasted individuals also found that intermittent fasting increased levels of the feel good and motivating hormones serotonin and dopamine.

But whilst fasting for health and weight loss does appear to show some potential, Hobson adds a word of warning: ‘It is important to still eat nourishing calories – eating anything you want on non-fasting days won’t get you anywhere if you are doing it for weight loss.’ 

Does fasting work? The case against…

Whilst current scientific studies on fasting look encouraging, we’re still really just starting to uncover the answers to the question of does fasting work to support overall health and weight management.

Despite the fact that people have practiced fasting for centuries, usually for religious or ritualistic reasons, there are still a limited number of human research studies, which makes application of data difficult. Plus, research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggests that whilst many diet and exercise trends have legitimate scientific claims, there can be a tendency for facts to get distorted when these trends achieve mainstream acceptance. According to the research, benefits can become blown out of proportion and risks downplayed as science takes a back seat to marketing.

Nutritionist Alix Woods warns against intermittent fasting, suggesting that it has the potential to interfere with our bodily functions. ‘I don’t believe in fasting,’ says Woods. ‘Without food and/or water, the body lacks all the vital micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), antioxidants and hydration for cell survival and energy.’

Alix also raises concern about potential negative side effects of fasting. ‘Symptoms of fatigue, dizziness and dehydration can occur when you fast and, for some, it may exacerbate feelings of stress and disrupt sleep,’ she says. ‘Fasting may also lead to inflammation, causing flare-ups like gout and gallstones. It is also best avoided by hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) sufferers as the dips in blood sugar could be severe and lead to loss of consciousness.’

According to research from the journal Nutrients, depending on the length of the fasting period, people may initially experience side effects such as headaches, crankiness or constipation as their body adjusts to the altered eating pattern. Another study also found that a consistently low-calorie intake can have a negative effect on women’s menstrual cycle.

Yet many studies, including a systematic review of 40 studies published in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, have found intermittent fasting to be effective for weight loss. However, Alix is skeptical about this idea. ‘Yes, there are studies to say that it’s an effective way to lose weight,’ she says. ‘However, there are studies that reveal fasting results in quick fluid loss, and once you start eating normally again the weight returns rapidly.’

Alix also draws attention to the potential effects on metabolism. ‘Fasting for quick weight loss isn’t an effective or healthy way to lose weight as metabolism slows down and essential water and nutrients are lost,’ she says. ‘A slow metabolic rate hampers healthy weight loss in the future.’  

Whilst some studies do suggest that long periods of fasting can cause a drop in metabolism, research from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics indicates that shorter periods of fasting may have beneficial effects on metabolism, making it a healthier way to lose weight than standard calorie restriction. One study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which looked at 11 healthy men found that a three day fast boosted metabolism by a sizable 14%.

However, Alix explains that fasting can also have implications on mental wellbeing. ‘Fasting has been found to worsen emotional and psychological issues for people with eating disorders and it may even be a trigger for binge eating and/or anorexia,’ she says.

Whilst more moderate proponents of fasting advise eating sensibly during your non-fasting days, the Canadian Medical Association Journal study raises the concern that some advocates of intermittent fasting may unintentionally encourage excessive behaviors like binge eating, particularly with fasting methods like the 5:2 diet. The implication being that if you fast two days a week, you can eat as much junk as your stomach can handle for the other five days.

This notion of intermittent fasting affecting mental wellbeing is also supported by research from the Department of Psychology at Beihang University, which concluded that fasting could lead to negative emotional states such as irritability. However, the study does note that positive psychological experiences such as a sense of reward, accomplishment, pride, and control could also be encountered.

How long should you fast for?

When it comes to fasting, there are a variety of methods to choose from. Some involve eating and fasting periods that span the course of a day, whilst others split the fasted and fed state over a week or longer.

We are all unique beings whose bodies respond differently to various external or internal changes – fasting included. Overall, you should consider why you want to practice fasting and what you hope to gain.

There is no single plan that will work for everyone and if you choose to adopt fasting, it is best to ease into it, trying out the different methods to see which one suits your lifestyle and preferences. You may also wish to consult a nutritionist or health professional, particularly if you have any medical conditions that could affect a fast.

Our guide on how to lose weight by fasting explores some of the most popular fasting methods with top tips for success.

Fasting is an effective way to change your eating habits, often without the pressure of calorie counting, but is it helpful for everyone, and can you lose weight by fasting? 

You might already be using the best exercise machines to lose weight if you're trying to drop some pounds, but common wisdom says that we also need to be in a calorie deficit to see results. 

But sustainable weight loss can often seem impossible to achieve, particularly when you've got a packed schedule leaving little time for home cooking. And when you're tired, it's easy to grab a high-calorie snack. 

One idea put forward is that fasting — intentionally not eating for short periods — can help without the need to track calories constantly. But can you lose weight by fasting, and is it safe? We asked Roxana Ehsani to help us find the answer.

Before we get into the details, though: you don't have to lose weight. There's a lot of pressure in this world to look a certain way or lead a specific lifestyle, but it's more important to use self care ideas and exercise for happiness than drop pounds, unless it's what you want to do. 

But if you do want to lose weight sustainably for your health or other personal reasons, let's look at whether fasting can help you lose weight or if it's another diet that's not worth your time. 

Can fasting lead to weight loss?

According to Roxana Ehsani, fasting could lead to weight loss or weight gain, depending on the amount of food you consume in your eating window.

"Fasting may lead to weight loss, as you are restricting the window in which you are eating foods. It may help people who tend to graze on food all day long. Or people who enjoy eating late at night and tend to eat many snacks after dinner, for example," she said.

"It could also lead to weight gain, as people may overeat at meal times because they are restricted when they can eat. Some people may end up eating less meals per day, but then overeat at these two meals to not feel hungry when they are in their fasting window."

According to a 2015 report in Nutrition Reviews, intermittent fasting can effectively reduce body weight in people of every size. However, a 2021 clinical trial in Science Translational Medicine reported that fasting without calorie restriction was not effective for fat loss or body weight reduction in lean adults.

Most studies into fasting focus on alternate-day fasting or whole-day fasting trials, but there is also evidence to support the success of time-restricted eating. Intermittent fasting has been shown to have benefits for those with obesity, as found in another review in the 2021 Annual Review of Nutrition.

Is fasting good for you?

While fasting can be helpful for some people, it can also be risky, particularly if you have an underlying health condition or eating disorder. "It can be dangerous, especially if going days without eating or severely restricting severely," said Ehsani. 

"Like any other fad diet, it can be difficult to stick to, but may help people who don't want to have to follow a diet, for example, or want to track calories." Instead, the tried and tested methods are often best. 

One of the most effective ways to lose weight is by staying in a calorie deficit, where you consume less energy than your body uses, according to a report in the Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome.

Intermittent fasting may seem a good way to maintain a calorie deficit, but if you're not tracking your calories during your eating window, it's easy to overeat and end up in an energy surplus. 

Different types of fasting might also be counterproductive for women, as an Obesity Society study found alternate-day fasting can cause an impaired glucose response in women with a healthy body weight.

Is fasting safe?

While there are some reported benefits to fasting, like any intervention, there can be some downsides. The first, of course, is that you're likely to feel quite hungry, especially at the start as your body gets used to less food. 

That's why it's vital to eat healthily on a budget outside of your fasting hours to ensure your body gets all the nutrients it needs. Plus, cooking a meal from scratch can be a great way to be mindful of what you eat and have fun in the process. 

But, according to registered dietitian Kimberly Gomer, fasting responses also differ from person to person, so it's important to do what's right for your body. “We all have individual responses, so [fasting] affects us differently," she says.

And because there's such a variety of fasting techniques, the information can be quite overwhelming, with plans ranging from brief fasts up to 23-hour breaks from eating. And this is where it can get tricky to fast safely. 

Restricting your food suddenly or severely with a 23-hour fast can be a challenge for anyone already struggling to find a healthy relationship with eating. "If someone has a diagnosed eating disorder such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating, it is a terrible thing for them to do intermittent fasting," explains Gomer. 

"I feel like anybody who has ever been on a diet can have some disordered eating because that's what restriction is. There's always the possibility that when somebody starts fasting, it could potentially lead to a disordered relationship with food," she adds. 

This is backed up by a study published in the journal Appetite, which found that people who had fasted in the past were more likely to show disordered eating behaviors like bingeing. 

Of course, these conditions may not have a single cause or trigger, but it's something to keep in mind, especially if you're primarily fasting to lose weight. 

Can other types of fasting help you lose weight?

Although intermittent fasting is one of the best-known techniques, it's not the only type of fasting. But how to the other methods stack up, and can they help you lose weight?

Time-restricted eating

Time-restricted fasting is the most realistic style with typical 9-5 work days, as we spend a large percentage of the fasting time asleep. Usually structured in 16/8 or 14/10 windows, you would fast for 16 or 14 hours and eat during the smaller window. 

"It might not be feasible for some people to do this diet; let's say you can't even eat often or much during your job, then it greatly restricts you from even eating."

"It may help people who tend to be night-time eaters to stop eating after 8 pm or 6 pm, which could help over time with achieving weight loss," said Ehsani. 

5:2 fasting

The 5:2 method of intermittent fasting allows for five days of regular eating, with two days of fasting each week. Fasting days may allow for small 200-300 calorie meals or snacks, but some people completely cut out food over the 24-hour fasting periods. 

"Some people may find this approach works for them, as they don't need to restrict all days of the week to just two days, but it also may lead to overeating on days you are allowing yourself to eat," Ehsani said. 

"It might be really difficult still to just eat 500 calories over the course of one day, which really means just one meal on those days."

Alternate-day fasting

Alternate-day fasting is one of the most intense styles where you fast every second day. You can eat normally when not fasting, then cut out food or reduce your intake down to 25 percent. 

"It may work well for some people but also may be too restrictive to do for others. It may cause weight loss, but could also be dangerous to people with certain health conditions," said Ehsani. 

Tips for losing weight by fasting

Fasting can be a helpful method for weight loss, particularly for people who need structure to adhere to an eating plan. However, there are some considerations you should make before you dive in headfirst.

Ehsani recommends consulting with a dietician when fasting to avoid getting it wrong. "Every person is unique, has different needs, different health conditions, medical history, family health history, so it's important for an expert first to conduct a comprehensive assessment."

"This can provide personalized recommendations that fit your health needs, preferences, and budget. Just because your favorite celebrity is on a special diet or fast doesn't mean it's the right choice or healthy choice for you, too," she said. 

It's also best to gradually accustom yourself to this way of eating. "Work on one goal per week, such as instead of deciding on a fasting window, work on eating at least two fruits and two veggies per day," she suggests. 

Although often thought of as a weight loss tool, some studies suggest that fasting could boost your health, too. But does fasting really work? The answer isn't quite clear, so it may be best to learn how to eat healthily instead. 

But if you are struggling to lose weight, there might be a simple workaround you can try, like adjusting your sleep schedule, changing what you eat, and reassessing how you work out. 

"When I entered a toxic relationship, I would always be eating my feelings. But I realized no matter what my circumstances were on the outside, I had to deal with what was going on inside."

Pureness Taylor’s weight loss journey was as much about a mental transformation as physical. From Toronto, Canada, the celebrity hair and makeup stylist used food to cope with stress and anxiety following toxic relationships. Although careful diet plans, adjustable dumbbells and the best exercise machines to lose weight played a role in her transformation, it was more about learning to love herself. 

Speaking to our sibling YouTube channel Truly, Taylor said: “My weight definitely crept up in my early 20s. The doctors would dismiss me as 'oh, you're just heavy'.

"Mentally I was destroyed, but I was smiling through it." 

Weighing almost 400lbs, Taylor knew that something needed to change. She started the ketogenic diet, which is very low-carbohydrate, high-fat, and high-protein. By cutting carbohydrates, it's designed to induce a state of "ketosis", in which your body runs out of its stock of carbs and begins harvesting body fat for fuel. 

It can be extremely effective when it comes to weight loss and it's become very popular online, although diets that demonize large food groups can lead to a harmful yo-yo effect in some people, according to research. Make sure you're making healthy, sustainable choices you can stick with over the long term, even if that's one simple food swap every meal. For example, switching fries with a salad;  a processed, greasy burger in a bun with a naked chicken breast; or a chocolate bar for a piece of fruit.

Watch Taylor's inspiring transformation here:

After trying keto, Taylor also took up intermittent fasting, specifically the OMAD (one meal a day) diet, packing in her calorie intake into a small window during the day to encourage long-term weight loss. 

The science behind intermittent fasting is strong when it comes to weight loss: a compilation of 27 different scientific studies found "all 27 [intermittent fasting] trials found weight loss of 0.8% to 13.0% of baseline weight, with no serious adverse events".

Intermittent fasting doesn't always have to be extreme as only eating one meal a day: Hugh Jackman was a big proponent of fasting for 16 hours and eating for eight. IF isn't for everyone, but if you feel as though it's something you'd like to explore, our guide to lose weight by fasting can tell you more.

Taylor has lost an incredible 240lbs over the last two years, as the lost weight gave her added energy to work out. With CrossFit-style resistance training exercises such as tyre flips, sled pushes and more conventional dumbbell exercises, she's now focused on building lean muscle as well as maintaining her weight loss. If that sounds like you, our best protein powder for women list can help you get started. 

Her personal trainer Brent said "I knew you'd come in and do well, but you have exceeded my expectations. Well done!" 

Hitting a weight loss plateau can be disappointing, especially when you’ve got a weight loss goal and you’re following the same diet and exercise routine which helped you lose weight previously. 

If you’re unfamiliar with a weight loss plateau - it’s named this as your weight tends to plateau, or stay the same, despite dieting and exercising. It leaves most people frustrated, especially if they have weight loss goals and have been losing weight at a steady rate.

However, a weight loss plateau is normal, while there are ways to overcome it and get your diet back on track, without losing motivation, including using the best exercise machines to lose weight. We talked to the experts about how you can change up your diet and exercise routines to get past your weight loss plateau and start burning calories again. 

What is a weight loss plateau?

When you’ve been dieting or exercising to lose weight, many of us reach a weight loss plateau - the moment when our bodies become accustomed to our new calorie intake or exercise routine, and we stop losing weight.

A weight loss plateau is incredibly normal, however frustrating it may be - in fact, if you’re following a low calorie diet, studies show that you’ll probably reach this point after six months. 

Experts believe this is because your metabolism adapts to your new calorie intake, while some of us become bored with diets and lose the motivation after six months.

How can you get past a weight loss plateau?

If you are already following a well-balanced diet, you’ll know how important it is to eat a mixture of protein, whole foods, and fruit and vegetables. Fad diets should be avoided when trying to lose weight, as they very rarely give you sustainable weight loss.

However, cutting down your portion sizes for some food groups could help keep hunger hormones at bay and speed up your metabolism. One study, in Brazil, found that a low carb diet was more effective than a low-fat diet - and helped with fat loss, along with hunger pains. 

However, Nutritional health coach and founder of The Health Zoc Holly Zoccolan warns: “Lower carb diets may work for some but is very individual. It all depends on your body composition, energy expenditure and lifestyle.” 

If a low carb diet isn’t for you Nigel Mitchell, resident nutritionist at MunchFit suggests a high protein diet, which includes foods such as chicken, tofu, or eggs, as it helps to ‘satiate your appetite and reduce hunger pangs.’

Studies show that protein is important for controlling your hunger hormones, while adding more protein to your diet also helps to build muscle, which in turn speeds up your metabolism - helping you to burn more calories. 

If you’ve got this far without tracking your food, Zoccolan believes calorie tracking can be a good way for you to identify any triggers.

“Food tracking helps you to see what you are eating through the day and can help you identify when you have been emotional eating or snacking and what the triggers may have been.”

Studies also show that when we’re not tracking our food, we tend to forget about certain snacks or addition to our diet - so it can be a great way of looking at the bigger picture.

If you’ve never tracked your food, you can download apps that help you record your calories for the day. It’s also worth investing in some food scales, which give you an idea of portion sizes - so you’re not overeating at each meal.

How to stay motivated with weight loss

When you reach a weight loss plateau it’s hard to stay motivated, but if you’re struggling and want to carry on with your weight loss journey it could be time to set new goals and change up your routine.

However, Mitchell says there’s no rush: “Set realistic and timely targets, don’t just focus on weight but on health and functional outcomes as well”.

If you’ve been losing a pound a week, aim to lose half a pound a week, to take the pressure off. And instead of focussing on the scales start thinking about what other health goals you want to achieve - sleeping for eight hours every night will not just feel more focussed but will also keep your hunger hormones at bay - meaning less snacking.

While getting out into nature will not just help you burn calories, it’s also said to improve your mood, lower blood pressure and help with stress levels. Stress can also have a big impact on weight loss, so if you’re worried about not losing the pounds, this could be adding to your stress levels.

Whether you are tracking your food or trying a new diet, a weight loss plateau could be a good time to change up your exercise routine too. Cardio, such as spinning or running can be great for weight loss, but resistance training, even though isn’t as fast-paced, can help to build up muscle and speed up your metabolism - helping you burn calories faster.

Studies show that even though cardio exercise burns more calories while performing it, resistance training can help you burn more calories throughout the day. Aim to add two to three resistance training sessions into your workout routine every week - whether you are doing a session with weights, resistance bands or using your body weight. 

Many people who take on a new diet often struggle to fight the urge to snack. There can be many reasons behind this, such as a binge addiction or dependence on sugary foods. But for some, it might be that they aren't eating meals that increase their satiety. One way around this can be done by leaving the skin on your vegetables.

While protein is the most filling macronutrient we can consume (and why people like to top up with some of the best protein powders for weight loss) you can also increase satiety and reduce snacking by consuming more foods that are rich in fiber.

One easy way to up your intake of fiber is to avoid peeling the skin off vegetables. Next time you go to prep veggies like sweet potatoes, raw beetroots or carrots, leave your peeler out of it. Not only will this save time and prevent food waste but it can help you feel more full after meals, filling you up on healthy nutrients such as fiber. 

Leading nutritionist Fiona Hunter told Fit&Well that vegetable skins are an excellent source of fiber. She also revealed that the levels of vitamins and minerals inside veggies are more concentrated just under the skin – "So if you don’t eat the skin you are missing out," added Hunter. 

Her claims about vegetable peel and their health benefits are backed up by scientific research. According to a study published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, exact volumes of fiber will vary, fresh fruit and vegetables can contain up to one-third more fiber before removing the peel.

Hunter, who has partnered up with healthy food company Good4U to encourage people to eat more seasonally, said, "Eating more fiber will help you feel fuller for longer because the body has to work harder to digest the fiber, so food stays in the digestive tract longer which increases satiety (fullness)."

Filling yourself up on vegetables and their skins can curb snacking habits and assist you in managing your appetite and weight loss goals. Hunter also shared with Fit&Well that fiber helps boost the numbers of probiotic ‘friendly’ bacteria living in the gut, which can help strengthen your immune system, and may also help reduce hunger.

As well as prep, the way you cook your vegetables can also affect their nutritional benefits. Other research has discovered cooked and pureed is the best way to cook carrots if you want to boost your immune system.

One thing to note when eating vegetables with the skin on is that you should always wash them first. You are still saving time by not peeling the skin off but do ensure you run them under the tap to remove any residues. If don't particularly enjoy vegetables, you can get similar benefits from certain fruits with skin, such as apples and pears. 

Alternatively, you might not be in the know of how many yummy vegetable dishes there are out there to try. You can branch out your knowledge by checking out recipes from some of the best vegan cookbooks in our guide.

Got a weight loss goal you're struggling with? It’s already widely known if we want to lose weight we need to be in a calorie deficit, which means you're burning more calories than you're taking in. However, you don't have to completely overhaul your diet overnight: one study says that cutting even a small amount of calories is enough to lose weight and help you live longer.

Cutting calories daily can be done by eating smaller portion sizes for every meal, keeping the same portion sizes but changing up your food choices to less calorific options, and also by increasing how much you move. Whether that's by lacing up your running shoes or using the best exercise machines to lose weight, you only have to move a little bit more and eat slightly fewer calories to begin making progress with your weight loss goals. And starting small, a little at a time, is the way to lifelong sustainable choices. 

This new study has shown that reducing our calorie intake even slightly could have a positive effect on our lifespan. The study, by Yale University, also found that reducing how much you eat, on a daily basis, helps you live longer.

The research, which studied the calorie intake of 200 participants over a two-year period, also analyzed other long-term health effects from cutting down on their calorie intake. 

To begin the study, the researchers established how many daily calories their 200 participants were eating, and then asked a selection of them to reduce their calories by 14%. The other participants kept eating the same amount of calories they previously were.

The study's findings were measured over two years, with an MRI to detect if there were any changes in the participants' "thymus glands". The thymus gland is a gland that is an essential part of the immune system and generally ages quicker than other parts of the body. 

The researcher found that the participants who were actively cutting their calories by 14% not only had less body fat, but their thymus gland were also younger than the other group. The glands were found to have aged slower, and be performing better, in participants who had cut their calories, which is a great indicator that the body is generally aging slower. 

One author of the study, Vishwa Deep Dixit, said: "The fact that this organ can be rejuvenated is, in my view, stunning because there is very little evidence of that happening in humans. That this is even possible is very exciting."

Of course, if you want to increase the rate at which you burn calories consuming more protein, including the best protein powder for weight loss and resistance work, will help to build muscles, therefore increasing your metabolism. Other ways to lose weight include eating a well-balanced diet with fruit, vegetables and whole grains, where you avoid sugary foods and empty calories, meaning you will regulate your satiety levels, feel fuller and snack less. Our gut health guide can tell you more.

Embarking on a new routine to lose weight is hard, because sticking to big goals is extremely difficult. The average person would have given up on their new year's resolutions a month ago today, at time of writing. You may have thrown in the towel already. 

Fortunately, you don't have to live a Spartan existence, or make sweeping "all or nothing" lifestyle changes, to see weight loss success. In fact, smaller changes are often much, much easier to stick to, whether that's a 10-minute walk each day, one session using your favorite exercise machines to lose weight each week, or simple healthy food swaps using our portion size guide. 

These small changes should be thought of as new habits rather than temporary changes, but it's tough to create a habit when it requires conscious thought every time. If you're already in the habit of picking up a donut to eat with your sandwich for lunch, to pick up an apple instead forces you to make a decision, rather than just heading for the fruit on autopilot. 

Researchers writing in the British Journal of General Practice set out to discover how they could get overweight patients to make successful heart-healthy decisions. Using psychological theories on habit formation, they quickly found sweeping goals like "eat less sugar and fat" were difficult to adhere to. Instead, they found one of the best ways is to start small and use "context-dependent repetition", helping to associate a behavior, such as eating a piece of fruit, with an external stimulus, such as arriving home after work. 

The example the researchers used is the mantra "when I get home, I will eat a piece of fruit". They suggested participants use a calendar or notepad and tick each day they accomplish this task. After 10 weeks, the behavior should become a new habit.

You can now see how this is going to work; you begin to develop small new habits one after the other, gradually creating a bigger lifestyle change. After having coffee with no sugar in it for 10 weeks, it will become a habit and you'll be consuming far less added sugar on a daily basis. If you go for a run every Friday, by week 10 you will be charging your running watch on Thursday night on autopilot.

"Habit stacking" is one way to create lasting, long-term change. Another is to ensure your goals are SMART – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Want to get fit? That's far too large a goal. Want to run your first 5K race this year? That's a measurable, achievable one. 

In order to do so, you can start small using the walk-run technique to ease yourself into running for a full five kilometers. Alternatively, you can try our Couch to 5K plan, which takes eight to 10 weeks to get you race-ready. 

A healthy diet is one of the two essential components for weight loss, the other being plenty of exercise. Eating healthily means exercising good portion control and shying away from 'empty calorie' foods like chips and donuts, stuff which gives you a quick hit of sugar or salt with no real nutritional value. 

However, eating healthily isn't just about complementing your sessions on the best exercise machines to lose weight. It's also about staying well in both mind and body, reducing your risk of getting lots of different health problems in later life. That doesn't have to mean going vegetarian or vegan, but reducing your processed and red meat consumption has been associated with longer life. 

Researchers from the University of Bergen, Norway, looked at existing data from the Global Burden of Diseases to analyze what dietary changes affected people's longevity. 

They found that if someone aged 20 changed their "typical Western diet" (some healthy stuff, but lots of processed foods and added sugar) to the "optimized diet" (less red and processed meat like burgers, more whole grains like oats, and more legumes like beans and peas), they were likely to live a decade longer than someone on the Western diet. 

That's a pretty damning conclusion. The Western diet is well known for its over-reliance on processed meat products and lots of sugar in comparison to something like the Mediterranean diet, which is higher in oily fish, nuts, salad, vegetables and olive oil. The Med diet is famously good for our cardiovascular health and the omega-3 and omega-6 found in fish and nuts carry a ton of benefits, combating chronic inflammation in the body. Don't like either? You can also grab it in the best fish oil supplements.

Don't worry: you don't have to completely give up your favorite burger, but simple food swaps will go a long way to improving your health, extending your life and redressing the balance of a lifelong unhealthy diet. Start with simple food swaps: instead of a sugary breakfast cereal, donut or pastry, get oatmeal instead.

The whole grains in oatmeal will give you more energy throughout the day than a quick sugar spike, it's better for your heart and waistline, and buying a big bag of oats is cheaper than pre-made pastries, so it'll save you money too.

Meat is expensive, so skipping out on processed foods and red meat can save you money as well as add years to your life. Add an extra can of beans, or diced mushrooms, to your chilli instead of ground beef. Make some extra and store it in the fridge so you have a healthy meal for the next day.

If you need more inspo, our best vegan cookbooks list is chock-full of great healthy meals, so you can further reduce your meat consumption. That way, if you do want to treat yourself to a burger, it's just that – a treat, not a regular occurrence.

What foods make you lose weight? If you are dieting or re-examining what you eat, you may have read that to drop pounds safely, and for permanent weight loss, you shouldn’t be drastically cutting out any food groups. However, certain foods can help you lose weight when incorporated into a balanced diet.

The best way to lose weight is to look at your calorie expenditure, whether that's just walking around with a fitness tracker or doing a hard session on one of the best exercise machines to lose weight, and compare it with what you’re eating. If you’re eating too many high-sugar or calorific foods and not moving enough, or the foods aren’t satisfying your appetite, it could be time to redesign your diet. If you’re hoping to shed a few pounds you’ll need to make sure you’re in a calorific deficit every day, and that you’re eating foods which can help you achieve that goal. 

There are no ‘magic’ foods which will make you lose weight instantly, but some foods can help speed up your metabolism over time or help keep your hunger hormones at bay. We look at the studies and talk to the experts on how to lose weight by following a well-balanced meal plan, how to get to a calorie deficit, and what foods really make you lose weight.

 How does food affect weight loss? 

If you’re looking to lose weight, one of the most important factors to shedding the pounds, and keeping them off, is your calorie intake. The FDA recommend the average woman consumers 2,000 calories per day. If you’re looking to lose weight, dependent on how active you are, this should be cut down to ensure you’re burning more calories than you’re consuming. 

It also helps to eat a balanced diet – full of whole grains, fruit and vegetables and lean meat, which is a rich protein source. Protein can help to boost your metabolism, balance your hunger hormones and reduce cravings for snacks later on in the day. According to Seattle researchers, eating protein suppresses hormones which control your appetite. More on that later – but in the meantime, you can browse our best protein powder for weight loss guide.  

Some studies, including this 2018 Stanford study, indicate that the amount of calories we consume don’t impact our weight loss goals, and it’s instead nutritional quality rather than quantity that matters. However, we’ll usually end up eating less calories if we stil to sensible, long term portion control and healthy eating advice, We’ll naturally eat less, and burn more calories, when we’re eating a healthy balanced diet as our hunger hormones are stabilised and our metabolisms boosted.

Fad diets, such as a low-carb, low-fat, supplement-only, or protein-heavy restrictive diets can work for some people for a short period of time, but cutting out entire food groups can be tough on the body as it denies you of certain nutrients or vitamins. They normally result in quick weight loss, but not sustained weight loss – which is what most of us are aiming for.

 Are there particular foods that make you lose weight?

We’ve already established that to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit, but some foods such as whole grains and protein-rich meats can affect the way you burn calories.

The journal Nutrition Research shows that whole grains and high-fibre foods, including beans, brown rice, oats and avocados can reduce obesity and help to reduce inflammation in the body.

Nigel Mitchell, resident nutritionist at meal-planning service MunchFit, explains: “High fibre foods help you to feel fuller which can reduce the overall energy consumption. It also helps to feed the gut microbiome, which supports general health.”

Nutritional health coach and founder of online wellness hub The Health Zoc, Holly Zoccolan, agrees. “High-fibre foods help your body reduce inflammation, which is associated with weight loss. The high-fibre foods that are best for you include flaxseeds, chia seeds, sweet potato and blueberries.” All these examples are foods that contribute to weight loss. 

Protein rich items, including chicken, salmon or tofu, can also be foods that make you lose weight. Studies show that protein is important for controlling your hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin. These hunger hormones also work best when you’re eating a balanced diet and have slept well.

But, Mitchell warns, there are no ‘magic’ diet foods. “For example, ​​salmon is great for you, but it’s not a ‘magic’ fat burning food – but because it is high in protein [and rich in healthy fats] it can help to satiate appetite and reduce hunger pangs.”

Does your diet affect your metabolism?

Your metabolism is the process via which your body converts what you eat into an energy source – this, in turn, helps your body to perform tasks such as walking, talking, and even thinking. 

Mitchell explains: “It is referred to as the thermic effect of food, which is one argument for regular snacking when trying to lose weight.”

Some foods, such as sugars, can stall your metabolism and increase weight and fat gain, according to this 2016 study published by the University of California. “If you’re eating highly-processed and high-sugar foods, this can cause your metabolism to become sluggish and slow meaning it doesn’t activate as well,” explains Zoccolan.

Choosing a more balanced diet, can help to switch up how your metabolism works, says Zoccolan: “Fresh, whole foods help to improve your metabolism and your overall health as well as reducing food cravings.”

A high-protein diet, filled with foods such as fish, eggs, and lentils, is also said to increase your metabolism, and help you burn between 80-100 calories more per day, according to research. 

However, if you crave some sweet foods, it’s not all bad news, as Mitchells tells us: “Foods such dark chocolate and coffee can help the body mobilise fat stores, which can be used as energy in moderate exercise.”

Mitchell also explains that another thing that effects your metabolism is exercise - in particular resistance work: “The main thing that affects the body's metabolic rate is muscle mass, so increasing muscle mass increases the metabolic rate.”

Aim to move every day, even if it’s just a small walk. If you really want to fire up your metabolism, add two to three resistance training sessions to your diary every week.

In a world full of convenience foods and more sedentary lifestyles lots of people are looking for simple ways to lose weight. Weight loss isn't down to how you look but more importantly about protecting your health.

It may seem hard to embark on your weight loss journey, but GP doctor Dr. Sarah Brewer reveals her top tips. Once things are simplified, a lot of it comes down to learning how to eat healthily and making sure to regularly engage in some of the best exercises for weight loss.

Dr. Sarah Brewer is a Cambridge University graduate with degrees in medicine, natural sciences, and surgery behind her and is also a registered nutritionist, helping people improve their lives through dietary changes. Dr. Brewer, who works with the supplement brand CuraLin, has shared her expert advice on staying healthier this year.

Her advice includes key ways keep to your blood sugar down and to lower visceral fat—both of which are tied to obesity or being overweight. Hypertension, heart disease, and, as new research reveals, female reproductive complications can arise from being overweight.

Your first port of call should be to look at your current diet to identify where you might be going off track. 

Dr. Brewer highlighted that you can put your health at risk if you eat too many refined carbohydrates. This type of carb is typically found in sugary foods like cakes and donuts, and in white processed foods such as white bread, white pasta, or white rice. 

She added that overweight individuals should cut down on rapidly digested carbohydrates that can cause glucose levels to rise. Instead, Dr. Brewer recommended people "select whole grain foods rather than white or beige foods so that, overall, you are following a low glycaemic index diet."

Another top diet tip from Dr. Brewer is to move away from low-fat diets and instead look towards consuming sensible amounts of healthy fats, i.e. nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil. These types of foods are common in the Med diet, which if you didn't know, switching to the Mediterranean diet could help you live longer. 

She recommends eating a minimum of two portions of fish a week, ensuring one is an oily fish like herring, salmon, or tuna. But if fish isn't your cup of tea, you can still eat lean meats that have other nutritional benefits.

Chicken is a healthy source of protein that doesn't need to be coated in unhealthy butter or oils but can be prepped in one of the best air fryers from our guide. Alternatively, if you're vegan take a look at our best vegan cookbook roundup to find more healthy plant-based fats.

Let's not forget the many benefits of exercise on weight loss. Dr. Brewer stated, "Exercise is key as it stimulates your metabolism, burns more glucose as fuel, and improves insulin resistance as well as helping you lose excess fat. Regular exercise helps to lower total cholesterol by burning it as fuel and has beneficial effects on the liver that stimulate the production of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol."

So, grab yourself a pair of best shoes for walking and aim to fit in a minimum of 150 minutes of physical activity a week. You can divvy this up however you please. And as you get fitter, strive to increase your exercise amounts.

There's no doubt about it—when those mid-afternoon cravings hit, the temptation to grab a snack is almost irresistible, which is why it's always useful to have healthy options close at hand.

While some fruits are obvious choices—it's hard to go wrong with an apple–others are less obvious. Are cereal bars good for us, or are they too full of sugar? Some fitness enthusiasts dedicated to gaining muscle might grab a shake comprised of the best protein powder for weight loss, while others might make granola or browse the best vegan cookbooks for inspiration. Others might opt for store-bought processed snacks, but these can be full of e-numbers and harmful chemicals. 

Doctor Michelle Braude, author of the Food Effect Diet, The Food Effect Diet Vegan and founder of nutrition advice service The Food Effect, took to our Instagram account for a talk on all things nutrition. She shared some key advice about people looking for healthy alternatives to snack on when the cravings hit.  

"People struggle with snacking. For a good healthy snack, you want to stick to something that has a combination of protein, fibre and healthy fats. Something like an apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter, a handful of nuts, wholegrain crackers or carrot sticks paired with hummus." 

A nutritionally complete snack needs to fill you up and provide lots of benefits to your body. High-sugar options like chocolate bars will lead to a sugar crash, which will only make you hungry again.

Braude recommends adding protein and healthy fats like omega-3 and omega-6 to your snacks due to published in the Nutrition Journal showing an increase in protein intake will leave you fuller for longer. An apple is good for you; it's low in overall calories, high in fiber, and contains plenty of antioxidants. Adding a spoonful of peanut butter into the mix will help you stay full until dinner time.

What about pre-packaged snacks with 'healthy' labels such as cereal or granola bars? Braude says, “there are bars available, but you should check the ingredients to make sure the ingredients are few and natural, such as nuts and dates or cocoa powder” rather than e-numbers, sugar and chemicals.

Many so-called 'energy bars' contain lots of processed sugar as they're designed for athletes to refuel on the go, not to be eaten sitting at your desk. Always read the label and opt for snacks with fewer, more natural ingredients. 

When in doubt, opt for hummus, avocado, peanut butter, nuts or similar natural sources of healthy fats and protein. Pair them with whole grains, fruit or vegetables. If you need more healthy fats in your diet, check out our list of the best fish oil supplements. 

If you are trying to lose some weight but find yourself wanting to snack on sugary foods between meals, chances are you aren't eating enough satiating foods at mealtimes. Eating nutritiously rich foods can make it easier for you to control your energy intake without feeling hungry all the time.

Learning how to eat healthily doesn't happen overnight, and different diets suit different people. If you are devoting more time to your kitchen and cooking healthier this year, perhaps using one of the best air fryers included in our guide, then you might want to refine your egg prepping skills as well.

A study published in the Nutrition Research journal discovered that egg-based breakfasts are effective at reducing hunger and promoting feelings of satiety for longer. 

The research was conducted as a crossover design and required 21 men aged between 20 to 70 years old to consume two isoenergetic (equal in energy value) test breakfasts in a randomized and balanced order, with one week in between. 

The first breakfast was egg-based and included three scrambled eggs with one and a half slices of white toast. The other breakfast was bagel-based and consisted of one white bagel, 1/2 tablespoon of low-fat cream cheese, and 6oz of low-fat yogurt. Both breakfasts had similar caloric values and provided an estimated 1657 KJ of energy.

Afterward, the scientists monitored the participants' food intake and revealed that the egg breakfast significantly suppressed insulin, glucose, and ghrelin levels compared to the bagel breakfast.

In addition to these hormone reactions, the participants experienced reduced hunger and increased satisfaction after eating eggs for breakfast. This was highlighted when the egg breakfast eaters ate less than the bagel eaters at a lunch buffet provided to the participants.

The study authors concluded, "These results suggest that foods with high-protein and high-fat content and low in simple carbohydrates may be incorporated into the diet to decrease energy intake by reducing hunger. The egg was able to increase satiety, possibly by more effectively sustaining insulin concentration." 

As long as you can eat them, eggs are a pretty time-efficient and versatile breakfast to make in the morning. Whether you prefer them scrambled, boiled, or poached you should try out having two or three in the morning with a slice of seeded bread for extra energy.

If you choose not to eat eggs or follow a plant-based diet then scrambled tofu is a good alternative and will also provide you with a good source of protein.

Joanna Dase, fitness expert at Curves.eu also recommends eating eggs if you are trying to stick to any fitness goals this year. She told Fit&Well you should aim to eat foods that are high in protein and calcium such as eggs with oats and yogurt with fruit. 

"Don’t skip breakfast and eat regular meals to create a routine. The best thing for your body is to eat a small meal about two hours before working out," she added.

You can always top up your protein intake with a best protein powder for weight loss from our roundup, this way you are ensuring your body receives this important macronutrient.

The Mediterranean diet is often cited as one of the healthiest ways to eat. A diet rich in vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and whole grains, this principle of eating eschews processed red meats, added sugar, and "white" carbohydrates. 

It's thought to be way better for your heart and general health, as you might expect when swapping fatty burgers for lean cuts of meat and fish cooked on the best health grills. Olive oil, fish, nuts, and seeds are all high in healthy omega-3 and omega-6 (which can also be found in our list of the best fish oil supplements), but you also get an unexpected benefit when you add green tea to the mix. 

Research from Israeli institute Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has found that a green Mediterranean diet or "green-med", high in polyphenols and low in red and processed meat, seems to slow age-related brain atrophy. This neurodegenerative process means the brain, like other muscles in your body, begins to shrink as you age, getting more severe once you reach retirement age.  

284 men and women, aged 31-82, were studied over 18 months. They were split into three groups; a healthy dietary guidelines group, which followed more general healthy eating principles, a Mediterranean diet group and a "green Mediterranean diet" group. The green-med group matched the regular Med dieters, but consumed 3-4 cups of green tea and a shake in addition to the other diet changes.

The research found "a significant attenuation in brain atrophy over the 18 months in those who adhered to both Mediterranean diets; with greater magnitude in the green-med group, specifically among participants over age 50". In addition, green-med dieters saw an increase in insulin sensitivity, which can prevent weight gain and hunger pangs, and makes it much less likely you'll develop metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

Dr. Alon Kaplan, one of the study's authors, writes; "Our findings might suggest a simple, safe, and promising avenue to slow age-related neurodegeneration by adhering to a green-Mediterranean diet." 

Want to give it a go? Start with simple food swaps, switching a processed meat meal like a burger to a serving of oily fish like salmon. You don't have to cut out meat entirely, but the best vegan cookbooks can offer an extra helping of information.

To lose weight, you need to exercise, build muscle, and change your diet. Often this involves cutting back on more indulgent foods like chocolate. But according to new research, eating some dark chocolate each day might actually improve your weight loss.

The best exercise machines to lose weight are a great way to stay active and add some fat-blasting workouts into your day. This is a vital part of any weight loss program, but what you eat is just as important.

Sweet foods like chocolate are thought of as unhealthy snacks, especially as many of them come with plenty of added sugar which would set back your weight loss goals. But researchers have found not all chocolates have the same results.

The study, published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, explored the effect of regular dark chocolate consumption on a group of previously active women. Before starting the trial, the team calculated each woman's resting energy expenditure (REE).

This is a measure of how much energy your body needs to power you through the day without physical activity. They also analyzed the participants' exercise energy expenditure (EEE) or how many calories they burned during exercise.

The cohort was split into two groups, one taking dark chocolate and the other eating white chocolate. The dark chocolate group was asked to eat 20g each day for 30 days. The others ingested the same amount of calories from white chocolate for the duration.

At the end of the study period, the researchers once again measured each woman's REE and EEE. Surprisingly, they found that the dark chocolate group had increased their resting energy expenditure, so they were burning more calories while resting.

This could have a significant impact on how people approach weight loss. Over recent years, there's been a shift away from restrictive diets, where you strip out particular types of foods or dramatically reduce calorie intake.

Instead, it's becoming clear that learning how to eat healthily is more nuanced. For example, all carb-heavy foods used to have a bad reputation for causing weight gain, but recent studies showed that specific high-carb diets actually improve your workout.

When it comes to dark chocolate, the reasons behind its calorie-burning effect aren't entirely clear. The authors note a separate study that also found that a daily 20g dose of dark chocolate increased the amount of oxygen you can take in when training intensively.

They suggest that the chocolate's chemicals improve the efficiency of your body's cells. The effects seem so great that they believe dark chocolate can influence the way your body processes energy "similar to, or possibly even greater than... physical conditioning."

We've mentioned the exact quantity of the chocolate a few times because it seems to play a role in facilitating these benefits. While consulting previous studies, the author's found that "a larger dose... may actually exhibit a negative effect on physiological function."

So, a tiny bit of dark chocolate each day can help you reach your goals, but exercise is still vital if you want to lose weight sustainably. Building the best exercises for weight loss is a great way to get started.

You won't need to invest loads on equipment either, as you just need one of the best kettlebells handy. These weights are perfect for full-body, muscle-building workouts that'll burn fat and make you stronger.

Are you a slow or a fast chewer? You might think that weight loss is all about what you put in your mouth, but new research has provided a link between the time you spend chewing it and the amount of weight you lose. 

As well as exercising portion control, performing the best exercises for weight loss like burpees and kettlebell swings, and trying our best protein powder for weight loss, researchers from Waseda University have found a link between chewing and weight loss. 

The researchers, published in the journal Scientific Reports, found the chewing process "reportedly enhances the energy expenditure associated with the metabolism of food and increases intestinal motility". The end result is diet-induced thermogenesis, an increase in heat generation in the body which boosts fat-burning due to the oral stimuli in the mouth. how exactly this happens, however, is unclear. 

Professor Naoyuki Hayashi said: "While the difference in energy expenditure per meal is small, the cumulative effect gathered during multiple meals, taken over every day and 365 days a year, is substantial.

"We found diet-induced thermogenesis or energy production increased after consuming a meal, and it increased with the duration of each taste stimulation and the duration of chewing. This means irrespective of the influence of the food bolus, oral stimuli, corresponding to the duration of tasting food in the mouth and the duration of chewing, increased DIT."

Mindful eating, the process of really paying attention to your food while you eat it, has also found to be associated with weight loss, according to one other study. Chewing slowly, savouring your food, and thinking about it (that means turning the TV off while you eat, so you don't mindlessly snack while you watch your favourite streaming service) means you're less likely to keep eating after you're full, making it an exercise in portion control.

Portion control is key if you're trying to change your relationship with food. Check out our portion size guide for more resources on how to eat healthily and manage what's on your plate. Cooking healthier is obviously a bit part of food management too: if you can't shake your fried foods just yet, using one of the best air fryers can help you keep your favorites on the menu and use a fraction of the saturated fats. 

It's hard to get into the swing of eating healthily when it's January, you're hungry for something to eat, and the supermarkets are throwing very confusing labels at you. If the packaged products don't have a list of incomprehensible ingredients, they have pastel-green labels claiming to be healthy, when the list of ingredients suggest they're anything but. How do people eat healthy in these difficult times? 

There are a few ways to make sure you're eating right amongst this chaos. For starters, you can check out our portion size guide for advice on limiting your junk food intake, and supplements such as the best protein powders for weight loss. 

Medical doctor, author, and nutrition expert Dr Michelle Braude, known as The Food Effect Doctor online, did a revealing takeover on our Instagram account on how to beat the January lows and forge healthy eating habits in 2022. Check out the talk below, and read on for her top tips for a healthy January and beyond. 

Watch Michelle's exclusive Instagram Live talk here

"Don't view healthy eating and weight loss as a diet, something you go on or go off," said Michelle. "Reframe it as a new way of life, so if you have a few days of over-indulging, you'll be less likely to give up and get despondent. One or two days of imperfect eating won't undo your commitment to a healthy lifestyle."

Michelle recommends checking the ingredients list for packaged products for two key pieces of information: lack of overall ingredients, and lack of chemicals. 

"I always tell my clients the shorter the ingredient list on the packaging, the better it is. So if you're eating a bar, for example, look for something that has a few minimal natural ingredients, such as nuts, grains and cocoa powder. Don't buy products with a list of ingredients that you can't pronounce, and have never even heard of.

"[Instead] eat whole, natural foods. Avoiding highly processed, packaged junk foods as much as possible. Try and stick to eating whole natural foods that are as close to, if not the same as, as possible to their natural state, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs, dairy, fish or plant-based proteins."

Michelle also recommends going into the store with a plan in mind, buying fruit, nuts, seeds and protein based snacks to replace anything overly processed or with one too many ingredients on the packets. "Prepare! This is the golden rule of healthy eating habits. If you find yourself absent-mindedly eating during the day, replace unhealthy snacks in your cupboard with carrot sticks, pumpkin seeds... even popcorn is a great choice.

"You crave what you eat, so change what you're eating to the right foods to reduce your cravings for the bad stuff. Junk food does nothing to improve your overall health, energy levels or mood. You're better off opting for healthy, slow-release protein-based snacks."

She tells us serotonin is produced and derived from an amino acid known as tryptophan, which is found in oats, bananas, fish, dairy products, whole-grain bread, chicken, turkey and peanuts. Eating more protein will increase your serotonin production, which in turn stabilises your mood and increases feelings of well-being. If you're using animal products, try cooking them in a slightly healthier way using the best grill and best air fryer. 

When someone mentions weight loss, you probably think about exercise and low-calorie foods like salad. Training is essential, but new research suggests that eating blood oranges could unlock sustainable weight loss.

If your goal is to drop pounds, you'll want to train with the best exercise machines to lose weight for a mix of cardio and resistance-based workouts. Traditionally, the advice was also to eat less, especially naturally sugary foods like fruit.

Interestingly, new research suggests that fruit isn't so bad for us after all. For the study, participants were placed in a supplement or placebo group for six months. The supplement takers were asked to take a blood orange extract each day.

Both groups were given the same general advice about staying active to tease out the effects. Likewise, the team requested all participants walk for 30 minutes three times per week. They were also given an energy-controlled diet.

At the end of six months, the blood orange group had lost an average of 4.2% of their starting body weight, while the placebo cohort had a less sizeable 2.2% reduction. Similarly, more people in the blood orange group lost over 5% of their starting body weight.

Importantly, these changes came predominately from reductions in body fat, including abdominal fat. If you coupled this with the best workouts for abs, you'd be on your way to six-pack muscle and a stronger core in no time.

For this trial, the researchers used an extract from the Moro blood orange, which has vivid red flesh. So, it's not clear whether you'd see the same effect from the Tarocco and Sanguinello varieties.

Still, there are other reasons you might want to add blood oranges to your diet, as the fruit is high in Vitamin C and fiber. Like with most things, the key is to eat it in moderation.

It's also worth noting that the study coupled blood oranges with weight loss staples like an energy-restricted diet and regular exercise. You don't necessarily have to follow a low-calorie diet, though, as you can get sustainable results by learning how to eat healthily.

One of the core aspects of a healthier diet is cooking meals from scratch where possible. You can take things a step further by using one of the best air fryers or best grills to cook food and reduce the fat content of your meals.

There's no denying beef is absolutely delicious, or the healthy protein and iron content of a good cut of steak. However, due to the land required to raise cattle, and the impact of industrial farming on the planet, new research says swapping beef products for other alternatives could drastically reduce your carbon footprint.

It doesn't necessarily mean you have to go vegan – however, our best vegan cookbooks list can give you plenty of plant-based options if you're considering a flexitarian life. You could replace beef with poultry or other meats, and achieve a similar planet-protecting effect. 

The new Tulane University study found Americans who eat beef could reduce their diet's carbon footprint, or the environmental affect caused by our food, as much as 48 percent by swapping just one serving per day for a "more planet-friendly alternative". Plant-based foods are definitely on the menu, but poultry such as chicken or turkey have a significantly lower carbon footprint than cattle.

Lead author Diego Rose said: "Many individuals feel strongly about [the climate crisis] and wish to change our climate problem through direct actions that they can control. This, in turn, can change social norms about both the seriousness of the problem and the potential solutions that can address it. Our study provides evidence that even simple steps can assist in these efforts."

Beef, especially lean cuts like sirloin, fillet and rump, has lots of health benefits such as protein, iron and omega-3 fatty acids. However, beef is often highly processed, and processed red meats have been linked to heart disease and cancer by several studies, including this report from Oxford University. 

By cutting out a serving of beef, you may be skipping a processed fast-food beef burger in favor of a heart-healthier option. If you're choosing not to be vegetarian or vegan, it's fine from a health perspective to have a nice steak or lean bit of ground chuck every once in a while. But swapping regular beef consumption is likely to lead to you being healthier as well as greener. 

You can get those missing nutritional benefits, the protein and omega-3, from the best protein powder for weight loss and best fish oil supplements instead. 

You’ve probably heard that you need to create a calorie deficit to lose weight. But what does this involve, and why is a calorie deficit necessary for weight loss?

A calorie deficit occurs when the number of calories a person consumes in a day is smaller than the number of calories they burn. The body needs to burn a certain number of calories to perform its daily functions, including exercising with the best exercise machines to lose weight. How many calories you need each day varies depending on age, sex, physical activity levels, height, weight, and body composition.

We’ve spoken to experts in nutrition to give you the low down on what you need to know about a calorie deficit, including what it is, and what happens when your calories plateau. 

Calorie deficit to lose weight: what it means

If you consume fewer calories than your body needs to perform all its necessary functions, you create a calorie deficit. Nutritionist David Starr explains what happens when you create a calorie deficit. “To make up the difference, your body burns energy from your fat stores, and so you lose weight. Governments in the U.S. and the UK recommend an initial, gradual weight loss strategy of one to two pounds a week through a small energy deficit each day. Gradual weight loss allows more time for people to form the habit of eating fewer calories.”

To create a calorie deficit, you need to know your maintenance calories. Maintenance calories are precisely the number of calories your body needs to support energy expenditure. You can use calorie calculators like the Body Weight Planner from the National Institute of Health to guide you. Such calculators estimate your maintenance calories based on your weight, sex, age, height, and physical activity level.

However, it should be noted that not all nutrition experts or researchers agree that shedding excess weight is as simplistic as cutting a certain number of calories per day. Not all calories are created equal. For example, a breakfast consisting of a 500-calorie muffin made with refined sugar and white flour will have a very different effect on your body than a 500-calorie bowl of cooked porridge topped with blueberries and nuts. That's not to say that calories don't matter, but they're not the sole factor of weight management.

How do you create a calorie deficit?

Once you know your maintenance calories, you can calculate your calorie deficit. For example, if you use 2,000 calories today but only take in 1,800, you have a deficit of 200 calories. Research suggests that a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is sufficient for weight loss and is unlikely to significantly affect your hunger or energy levels. However, be careful not to cut your calories by too much. Diets with a very low daily energy intake can sometimes lead to nutritional deficiencies and should not be followed unless under medical supervision.

You can create a calorie deficit by reducing calories eaten, increasing activity levels, or both. Some people find it easier to create a calorie deficit through diet alone rather than exercise, as they may not have the time, energy, or motivation to exercise every day.

David Starr says, “It is easiest to create a calorie deficit by slightly reducing portion sizes, increasing the time between meals, or exchanging some higher calorie ingredients for lower-calorie alternatives. It has been shown that most successful common weight loss plans work because they create a calorie deficit through one of these methods.”

Health strategist Hayley Field recommends that rather than fad diets or intense exercise, the safest way to achieve a calorie deficit would be:

• Reduce calories but increase food volume: Concentrate on getting enough protein and filling up on nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods such as vegetables, fruits, salads, and high fiber foods like whole grains. 
• Increase activity slowly: Walking is a fantastic place to start. It’s accessible, free, and if you do it consistently, you can see results! 
• Weightlifting: This is great for building muscle which burns more calories and ensures that you maintain your lean muscle mass while still losing fat. 
• Getting better quality sleep: Lack of sleep can affect the hormones responsible for appetite regulation, making you hungrier, more irritable, and more likely to make poor decisions around food.  
• Don’t set daily targets: Flexibility is key to a sustainable deficit. So rather than stressing whether they've hit a daily calorie target, I get my clients to look at their deficit over the week or even the month.  

What happens when you’re no longer in a calorie deficit?

Bear in mind that the closer you are to your weight goal, the smaller the deficit between the calories needed to maintain your weight and the number required to support your ideal weight. That means slower results.

Field explains that your weight loss will slow over time, even with a calorie deficit, and you may reach a plateau or start to gain weight. “As you lose weight, your calorie needs will be less, so a 500-calorie deficit when you’re 80kg suddenly becomes a much smaller deficit when you reach 70kg. And the longer you stay in a deficit; the more your body adapts to being efficient with the fuel you’re giving it. Imperceptible things such as fidgeting less, walking a bit slower, slouching in your chair - these are all your body’s way of conserving energy.”

Field advises that instead of rushing to cut calories further to make the deficit more significant, you can monitor your fat loss and increase calories to the maintenance level when you’ve lost around 10% of their total body weight. “This encourages the body to stop being so efficient with the fuel you are giving it and gives the metabolism a chance to return to normal. You also get a psychological ‘break’ from dieting. We do this for 1-2 weeks, return to the deficit and repeat the cycle until they reach the fat loss they were hoping for.”

Curious to learn more? Find out; can you build muscle in a calorie deficit?

You may be looking for weight loss tips for health reasons. Or you might have bought one of the best exercise machines to lose weight and wonder what else you can do to feel your best this year. Know that there are multiple factors that can affect your weight loss efforts. These include making changes to your diet, exercise, and lifestyle. Even small changes can make a big difference to your health.

We spoke to experts to share their knowledge and weight loss tips to keep you educated, informed, and on track. These are not quick-fix weight loss tips, but lifestyle adaptations to help make sustainable changes.

Talk to your doctor if you are taking any medication, have an injury, or have a condition that may be affected by starting on a new nutrition or exercise plan. They can help you customize a program and safely monitor your progress.

Weight loss tips: how it really works

Weight loss is different for everyone. Your genetic makeup, hormones, diet, sleep, physical activity, and stress all play a part.

In very basic terms, if you want to lose weight, you need to introduce a negative energy balance, meaning that you should burn more calories than you consume. This is also known as a calorie deficit. There are three different ways to achieve a calorie deficit - either by consuming fewer calories, expending more calories by increasing your physical activity, or a mixture of both.

These changes do not happen overnight and there is no quick fix when it comes to losing weight. For healthy and sustainable weight loss, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people lose weight gradually and steadily (about one to two pounds per week) through a combination of a balanced diet and physical activity.

Healthy weight loss is about adopting an ongoing lifestyle not about exercising to “earn” your food or punishing yourself to the point of injury to lose weight. We spoke to experts in the fitness field to offer their weight loss tips. 

11 weight loss tips

1. Get plenty of sleep

Wellness coach Geraldine Joaquim says, “If you’re not getting enough good quality sleep, you’re more likely to reach for sugary, fatty foods to replenish flagging energy levels. With lack of sleep, your ability to make good decisions is impaired and hormones that control your hunger and feelings of fullness are off balance and you’re much more likely to overindulge.”

2. Find your “why”

Personal trainer Eliza Flynn says, “It's all too easy to start exercising with all guns blazing, only to find motivation tails off after a few weeks or months. Find a 'why' that speaks to you. It might be exercising with friends because you enjoy the company, or because it clears your head. Or you might have a goal to work towards like improving your time covering 5km. It doesn't matter what your ‘why’ is as long as it resonates with you.”

3. Burn calories without even trying

Flynn continues, “By incorporating a few NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) activities into your daily routine you'll gradually see results. NEAT refers to calories that you burn during everyday activities. Examples include standing up while working, sitting on the floor, and changing position regularly while watching TV, even something as small as standing on one leg while brushing your teeth! There are other benefits that can come with this too, including improved posture and balance.”

4. Anchor your habit to an existing one

Flynn concludes, “It's easier to attach a new habit to an existing one than start an entirely new one. For example, if you start your day with a morning meeting, turn that into a walking meeting. Or before you treat yourself to an hour of TV in the evening, tick off a 15-minute workout first. You could even work out while you watch TV!”

5. Drink more water

Fitness coach and personal trainer Kirsten Whitehouse says “Your body needs around two liters of water a day to function properly. It helps flush waste out and will make you feel better and more alert, meaning any exercise will be more effective. We often mistake thirst for hunger, so staying hydrated will make it easier not to reach for unplanned snacks.” 

6. Eat a rainbow

Whitehouse continues, “Adding colorful fresh veg to every meal (yes, even breakfast!) will help fill you up for fewer calories. More importantly, you’ll get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, which will keep you healthy and feeling great.”

7. Eat slowly and stop before you are full

Nutritional therapist Nishtha Patel says, “Chew slowly. The longer you take to chew your food the fuller you will feel. And only eat till you are 80% full. We are so conditioned to eat until we finish our food. This way we often overeat. Use smaller plates and ensure you fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables.”

8. Embrace little and often is OK

Personal trainer Mandy Wong Oultram says “Don’t dismiss small windows of opportunity to exercise because you think it’s not enough. You don't need an hour a day to train. 20 mins of exercise three or four days a week is still significant and worthwhile!”

9. Make time for you

Kirsten Whitehouse says, “Just 10 minutes of mindfulness a day - even if just sitting in the sun, reading a book, or going for a walk, will make you feel so much better mentally and physically. It will also help keep you motivated on your journey. Remember you can’t pour from an empty cup.” 

10. Don’t ban foods

Personal trainer Chris Summers says, “Do not ban foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. If I told you to stop eating chocolate, chances are that would just make you crave it even more. There's no reason you can’t enjoy the occasional treat.” 

11. Don’t be so hard on yourself

Summers says, “If you’re being overly restrictive or pushing yourself too hard to lose weight, it will negatively impact your mental health. It’s natural to compare your weight loss journey to others, especially at the gym but everybody is different, and you can’t compare your progress with anyone else, even if you are following the same program.” 

For more ideas, take a look at our feature covering fat loss workouts: what to eat to stay fuller for longer. 

It was easy to fall into unhealthy habits last year when we were still working from home and finding it more tempting to put off exercise and eat more comfort foods. But the New Year is a clean slate for building a healthier lifestyle and sometimes the smallest changes can have the biggest results.

The home can be a great place to start. If you're spending most of your days at home for whatever reason then why not make things like exercise and diet more convenient. You can always create your own workout space by adding one of the best exercise bikes to your garage or office space, as exercise machines like this are great for burning fat fast.

Despite what people say eating for weight loss doesn't necessarily mean you must make drastic changes to your diet. Restricting yourself can do more damage than good, reating a "yo-yo diet" effect. You can try adding more nutrient-rich foods to your favorite meals, rather than going completely without.

Love pairing your protein of choice with a generous dollop of mashed potato? You can still enjoy a smooth and creamy mash with dinner but just swap out the potato for some more colorful vegetables.

It sounds simple but mashing up nutrient-rich root vegetables like carrot or swede is probably overlooked by many people who swear by mash as a side dish. Nutritional Therapist at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, Kate Delmar-Morgan, said that potatoes when mashed might be responsible for causing a post-meal slump, stalling our productivity as a result.

Potatoes have a high glycaemic index (GI), especially when prepared and served as mash. What this means is they release sugar fast and this can lead to a rapid rise in blood sugars, which often ends in a subsequent 'crash'. When this happens you can find yourself feeling drowsy, lethargic, and unproductive – all things we don't need getting in the way of our 2022 goals.

However, Delmar-Morgan suggests choosing a root vegetable with a lower GI volume. Celeriac, sweet potato, carrot, or swede can all offer a richer source of nutrition as well as help stabilize your blood sugar levels. 

Nutritionists and dieticians frequently encourage people to 'eat the rainbow' and this is because eating a wide variety of vegetables will provide you with a large number of nutrients and increase your energy.

Delmar-Morgan explained that sweet potatoes and carrots are also a great source of beta-carotene, this is an antioxidant that the body converts into vitamin A to promote a healthier immune system, improve skin and vision. These are all wins for our overall health.

So if you do tend to fall into a bit of a slump after you eat and put off plans like going to a gym class or getting outside for a walk it might be to do with the meals you are cooking. 

Another way you can increase the nutritious value of the foods you eat is by cooking with one of our best air fryer entries. This avoids frying or baking your favorite foods such as bacon, chicken, or fries in unhealthy fats and oils.

The pegan diet is the latest diet buzzword to catch the attention of fitness fans and those hoping for a real lifestyle change in 2022. A combination of paleo, which is popularly known as "the caveman diet" and veganism, it seems counter-intuitive to be a vegan and eat like a caveman at the same time. 

However, it seems the pegan diet is going to be the keto of 2022 – so what is the diet, and should you try it if you're looking to lose weight? While you're at it, peruse our list of the best vegan cookbooks for recipe ideas, and if it's weight loss you're after, our guide to the best exercise machines to lose weight. 

What is the pegan diet?

The phrase 'pegan diet' was originally coined by doctor and author, Dr Mark Hyman on his blog in 2014. A combination of paleo and vegan diet principles, his aim was to create a practical approach to a mostly plant-based diet full of fresh veggies and fruits along with some grains, high-quality meat, and fish. 

Paleo, or the "caveman diet" advises ditching processed food, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates, which no one can argue against from a health perspective. But it also advocates removing grains and legumes, which are permitted on a vegan diet. Likewise, the vegan diet allows for grains and legumes while removing unprocessed cuts of meat and fish, eggs, and other unprocessed animal products. The pegan diet is a combination of these philosophies: it's a fruit-and-veg focused vegan diet with non-processed meat, fish and eggs back on the table. 

Unfortunately, dairy – which is excluded from both vegan and paleo diets – is still out on the pegan diet, and it's advised to reduce your gluten consumption as much as possible. Beans are advised to be eaten sparingly, as they're often full of starch, while meat or animal products become a condiment, not a main course. For example, rather than a big steak being the central meal, opt for a platter of veggies or a salad with some sliced steak mixed in as part of the meal, rather than the main event. 

Is the pegan diet really good for weight loss? 

Probably, but there's caveats. Common sense dictates if you cut out processed food and starchy carbohydrates in favour of fresh veggies and lean meats, you're extremely likely to lose weight, as one diet is obviously healthier than the other. Not limiting your choices in the way a vegan or paleo diet alone might also provides a degree of flexibility neither diet can give you alone, ensuring you don't get bored. 

However, the pegan diet encourages its followers to remove dairy and gluten from their diets, which is fine if your main motivation is animal welfare or ethics, but there's not much evidence that dairy causes digestion issues or weight gain in people that aren't lactose-intolerant. A meta-analysis of 22 studies found no evidence or correlation between dairy and weight gain. In fact, a separate analysis found dairy, as part of a calorie-restricted diet, actually assisted in a reduction in fat mass. 

Likewise with gluten: it's likely the sugary, starchy carbohydrates, rather than a gluten intolerance, is what causes weight gain. The main issue people have with restrictive diets is that they tend to be too hard to follow, and so you bounce back into old habits. 

If pegan works for you, great – it's unlikely to be dangerous in and of itself. However, the key to weight loss is sustaining it over the long term, so whether you go full pegan or part-time, allowing yourself some occasional treats, use it in a way to benefit yourself. Try simple food swaps: for example, instead of a burger with a side salad, opt for a larger salad and that steak cooked on one of our best health grills.