It is almost known to everyone that working out hard and consuming less fat help in losing weight. However, there are few little known secret answers available to the billion dollar question, "How to lose weight?" Then, what are those secrets? In this article, we will discuss about two such little-known weight loss tips.
Secret No. 1 -Consume More Protein
Protein is considered to be one of the building blocks for the human body. In fact, it makes up around 16% of a person’s total body weight. Hair, muscle, connective tissue and skin are primarily made up of protein. It is worth mentioning that protein also plays a major role in other cells and most fluids in the human body.
In addition to this, most of the body’s important chemicals, like hormones, neurotransmitters, enzymes and even DNA are partially made up of protein. Like every other component of your diet, there is also a recommended daily intake for protein.
While trying to lose weight fast, most fitness experts and nutritionists recommend eating a lot of protein rich foods and vegetables. Protein will keep a check on your hunger. In addition to this, vegetables will keep you full for extended periods. It is also better to eat 2-3 meals in orthodox, big style. This way, you would not experience any problems while trying to lose weight fast.
Combining incomplete proteins like brown rice and beans or whole wheat bread and peanut butter can be a good way to make up for lack of amino acids, and pinch hit for complete proteins. You can also choose from some complete proteins like hemp seed, tofu, quinoa and buckwheat. The best part about a protein rich weight loss diet is that with so many options, you can easily choose something delicious to stay on the right track.
How Much Protein Do You need Every Day?
It is important to understand that the amount of protein you need can easily change with your age. Due to this, protein requirements can seem very complicated. Here is an overview of how much protein you need to eat every day :
Infant requirements - 10 grams per day
Teenage boys - 52 grams per day
Teenage girls - 46 grams per day
Adult men - 56 grams per day
Adult women - 46 grams per day
Supplements / Pills
Proteins supplements are available in a lot of different forms, including bars, powder, pills and shakes. In recent years, these supplements have been extremely popular in the market. However, it is important to understand that they do not magically make you lose weight or build muscle. In fact, they do not give any more benefits than high quality natural protein-rich foods. But they offer one major advantage. Protein supplements are easier, more convenient and quicker.
When you drink an average protein shake with just 1 scoop of protein supplement, it can give you around 15-30 grams of protein. The amount of protein you receive will depend on the brand. You do not need to cook or prepare anything. You just have to take a scoop, add some liquid (water or milk) and drink. It will not take you more than a minute. Most protein bars also contain around 15-30 grams protein per serving. They are very easy to carry with you.
Secret No.2 -Go for Whole Grains
Whole grains need to be a part of your weight loss diet plan. They are not limited to just filling you up and suppressing your appetite. People who eat whole grains always have a low percentage of visceral body fat. One major benefit of eating whole grains is that they feed your gut with probiotic compounds to help you lose weight and strengthen your immune system.
Whole grains can be a very good source of fiber. According to many studies and researches, they have been proven to help you lose weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recently, a study was conducted on a group of obese women and men. These women and men were randomly assigned to two different groups.
One group was asked to consume all the grain servings from whole grains, while the other was asked to avoid whole grain foods. The group consuming whole grains was able to lose more body fat around the belly than the other group.
Get Started Now
According to the Whole Grains Council, women should get a minimum of around 3-7 servings of whole grains per day. For men, the number of recommended servings is 4-8. In case you do not have a food scale available, here are some examples of whole grain servings which can easily satisfy your basic requirements.
5 whole wheat crackers
3 cups of popped popcorn
1 packet of instant oatmeal
1/2 cup of whole grain rice
1/2 cup of whole grain pasta
These days, you can even choose from a wide range of exotic whole grains. Instead of usual white rice, you can try quinoa. You can even add wheat berries to your salad.
The Basic Difference between Whole and Refined Grains
Grain products can be assigned to two different categories - Refined grains and Whole grains. Whole grains, like oatmeal and brown rice, contain the entire grain kernel. On the other hand, white refined grains, like white bread and white rice, have been processed. This removes the germ and bran.
Although the refinement process is able to give these foods a finer texture and prolong their shelf life, it can also remove some important nutrients like fiber, iron and Vitamin B. Since whole grains have their nutritional properties intact, they not only help you lose weight, but also offer other health benefits.
Grains and Nutritional Value
As mentioned above, whole grains are way more wholesome and nutritious than refined grains. They are able to supply more Vitamin B, Vitamin E and Folic acid than refined grains. They are also rich in essential minerals like zinc, iron and magnesium. In addition to this, whole grains are also fiber rich. This can make you feel fuller for extended periods and curb your appetite. It prevents overeating, and thereby, helps you lose more weight.
Since most refined grains are enriched, some nutrients originally found in them may be returned during the processing. For instance, Iron and Vitamin B may be added back to refined grains like white bread products after processing. However, their nutritional value is still much lower than whole grains.
The Fiber Factor
It is worth mentioning that fiber is not added back to enriched refined grains. Therefore, if you are unable to increase your fiber intake from other food sources, this may be another good reason to prefer whole grains over refined grains. According to the USDA, consumers should always check the ingredient list of refined grain products for the term 'enriched’.
Refined grain products which have not been enriched contain the least nutritional value of any grains. In addition to this, they are also highest in calories and sugar. In order to get sufficient amount of fiber in your diet, feel full for extended periods, and burn more stubborn belly fat, you should increase your intake of whole grains, especially if you do not eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.
If you want to make some good choices, you should always look for terms like 'Good source of Fiber’ or 'Fiber rich’ on your food’s packaging. Most whole grain food products contain terms like 'Whole wheat’, 'Whole Grain’, 'Whole oats’ or 'Rye’ on the packaging.
Eating More Whole Grains
Besides substituting some of the whole grain foods for less nutritious refined grain foods (especially breakfast cereals, whole grain bread and pasta), you should make some efforts to increase your intake of whole grains. Here are some simple tips to make it easier for you, and keep you motivated :
Start using oats or whole wheat flour instead of using white flour. Baking and cooking with whole grains can be the best way to increase your whole grains intake.
At a grocery store, always look for food products with whole grain ingredients, like barley vegetable soup.
Start eating whole grain snacks like baked tortilla chips
Add whole grains to your bread stuffing, meatloaf, homemade soup and more
Add oats to yogurt
Look for recipes which use more whole grains
Ordering whole grain foods when you eat at a restaurant to substitute for a high calorie meal you had previously
Some Good Examples of Whole Grain Foods
Oatmeal
Brown rice
Popcorn
Whole wheat cereal
Muesli
Whole wheat crackers
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat tortillas
Whole wheat pasta
Wild rice
These are some of the best examples of whole grain foods. In order to lose weight fast, you should add more whole grains to your diet. This will make you feel fuller, and helps you avoid overeating. The high nutritious value of whole grains also helps you burn more fat, even when your body is at rest. So, if you want to lose weight fast, then from now on try to add as much whole grain foods in your daily diet as possible. After all, whole grains do not taste bad at all.
Secret No.3 - Focus on a Low Carbohydrate Diet
Therefore, your body starts storing more of almost everything in anticipation of future periods of starvation. This can slow down the weight loss process. On the other hand, a low carb diet helps your body maintain a normal metabolic rate, and burn more fat.
According to many health and nutrition experts, low carb diets can show positive results by leaving a lot of room for protein intake. Moreover, low carb diets can also stabilize your blood sugar level. This can be quite beneficial for diabetics. People who suffer from hyperinsulinism have no choice, but follow low carb diets.
When you’re trying to lose weight fast, focusing on a low carbohydrate can be very beneficial. Planning it ahead can help you even more. You need to be planned when you go for grocery shopping. You should prepare a list of your favorite foods which have low carbohydrate concentration. This way, you will be able to resist the temptation of eating high-carb foods.
Foods like pork loins and roasted beef can be a good part of your overall diet when you’re trying to lose weight fast. These foods are not only delicious, but form a major part of your low carbohydrate diet. Thus, they accelerate fat loss in your body. It is worth mentioning that a low carb diet does not work for every person. However, if your body’s metabolic rate is messed up, a low carbohydrate diet can do wonders to set it back to normal.
Needless to say, low carbohydrate foods also keep your taste buds stimulated. Since you don’t have to miss tasty and delicious foods, you don’t crave for sugar rich or high carb foods in your diet. Foods discussed later in the chapter are also a good source of protein, which can help you build more muscle.
Determine Your Favorite Low Carb Foods
When you’re trying to develop an appropriate low carb diet plan, it is important to determine certain foods which can keep you encouraged towards your weight loss goals. Once you’ve figured this out, it will be easier to focus on a healthy, low carb diet plan to lose weight fast.
At first, you may find it difficult to choose between foods you know. However, once you conduct an extensive research, you will be able to find many delicious and tasty low carb foods.
When it comes to low carb diets, chicken and fish will be your best choices. There are many people who think protein intake also reduces with a low carb diet. This is nothing but a misconception. There are many low carb foods which can be a good source of protein. But when you eat low-carb and protein-rich foods like chicken and fish, make sure the amount of calories from protein is less than 35% of the total intake.
Final Words
Though the two above mentioned secrets are known to very few people looking to lose weight fast but there is no question about the effectiveness. Try those out, you would definitely able to lose weight fast.
