Are you ready? Come on! Start the list at the top (the most important thing) and continue as far as necessary. Click on any tip to read it in full. You may only need the first one.
Eat a low-carb diet
Eat when you're hungry
Eat real food
Eat only when you are hungry
Measure your progress sensibly
Be persistent
Avoid fruits
Avoid beer
Avoid artificial sweeteners
Reconsider medications
Stress less, sleep more
Eat less dairy and nuts
Take vitamins and minerals
Practice intermittent fasting
Exercise wisely
Achieve optimal ketosis
Get a hormonal test
Consider including weight loss pills (if you're desperate)
If you want to lose weight, you should start by avoiding sugars and starches (such as bread, pasta, and potatoes). This is an old idea: for 150 years or more there have been an infinite number of weight loss diets based on eating fewer carbohydrates. What is new is that there are now many modern scientific studies that have proven that restricting carbohydrates in the diet is the most effective way to lose weight.4
Obviously, it is still possible to lose weight with any diet: you just have to eat fewer calories than you burn, right? The problem with this simplistic advice is that it ignores one very obvious and important thing: hunger. Most people don't like to “just eat less,” meaning being constantly hungry. That is a diet for masochists. Sooner or later, a normal person will give up and eat: this is the reason why "yo-yo diets" are so widespread.5 Although it is possible to lose weight with any diet, with some it is easy and with others much more difficult.
The main advantage of the low carb diet is that it makes you want to eat less. Even without counting calories, most overweight people consume fewer calories on a low-carbohydrate diet.6
Sugars and starches can increase your hunger level, while avoiding them can decrease your appetite to an appropriate level.7 If your body wants an adequate amount of calories, you don't have to worry about counting them. So: calories count, but it's not you who has to count them.
Additionally, a 2012 study showed that people who had lost weight experienced a much smaller reduction in total energy expenditure (the number of calories burned in a 24-hour period) when they followed a low-carbohydrate diet compared to a low-carb diet. in fat during the weight maintenance phase; specifically, the difference was 300 calories.8
According to one of the Harvard professors who developed the study, this advantage "is equivalent to the number of calories that are normally burned during one hour of moderate intensity physical exercise." Picture it: an extra full hour of exercise without actually exercising.
Recently, a more careful study confirmed this metabolism-sparing effect in groups of people who had lost weight by burning an average of 200 to almost 500 extra calories per day on a low-carb maintenance diet compared to a high diet or moderate in carbohydrates.9
Bottom Line: A low-carb diet reduces hunger, makes it easier for you to eat less, and can even increase fat burning at rest. Studies show time and again that eating less carbohydrates is the smart way to lose weight and improve some important health markers10
How to lose weight using optimal ketosis
How to get started: join the keto challenge
Learn more about low carb and keto
Want to know more about exactly what to eat on a low carb diet, what are the possible problems and their solutions… and lots of great recipes? Start here: The Keto Diet for Beginners If you prefer, you can also make the low carb diet easier by signing up for our two-week keto challenge.
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Don't be hungry The most common mistake when starting a low-carb diet is cutting back on carbs when you're still afraid of fat. Carbohydrates and fat are the two main sources of energy for the body, and your body needs at least one of the two.
Low carb AND low fat = starvation
Restricting carbohydrates and fat causes hunger, cravings, and fatigue. Sooner or later people can't take it and give up. The solution is to eat more natural fats until you are satisfied. For example:
Butter
Whipping cream (whipping cream) of whole milk
Olive oil
Meat (including fat)
Fatty fish
Bacon (bacon)
Eggs
Coconut oil, etc.
Top 10 ways to eat more fat
Always eat enough to fill yourself up, especially when starting to lose weight. Doing this on a low carb diet means that your body will burn the fat you eat for fuel because your levels of the fat storage hormone insulin will be lower.11
You will become a fat burning machine. You will lose excess weight without starving.12
Are you still afraid of saturated fat? Don't have it. The fear of saturated fat is based on outdated theories that have been disproved by the most recent studies.13
Butter is an excellent food; however, feel free to consume mostly unsaturated fats (eg olive oil, avocado, fatty fish) if you prefer - it could be a low carb Mediterranean diet, and it works great too.14
Eating when you're hungry comes with something else too: If you're not hungry, you probably don't need to eat yet. By following a low-carb diet, you can once again rely on your feelings of hunger and fullness. Eat the number of times a day that suits you best.
Some people eat three times a day, and occasionally have a snack between meals (note: snacking frequently may mean adding more extra fat to meals to increase satiety). However, there is evidence that frequent snacking is not a good idea when trying to lose weight.15 Other people only eat once or twice a day and never snack. Do what works best for you, the important thing is to eat when you are hungry.
Read more about why eating when you're hungry is smarter than counting calories
Learn more about using fat for fuel
Another common mistake when following a low-carb diet is being fooled by creative advertising for specialty "low-carb" products.
Remember: an effective low carb diet that is effective for weight loss should be based on real foods.
Real foods are those that humans have been eating for thousands or, rather, millions of years, eg meat, vegetables, eggs, butter, olive oil, nuts, etc.16
If you want to lose weight, you should avoid special "low-carb" products that are packed with them. This should be obvious, but creative marketers are doing everything they can to fool you (and get your money). They will tell you that you can eat cookies, pasta, ice cream, bread, and plenty of chocolate on a low carb diet as long as you buy their brand. They are full of carbohydrates, don't be fooled.
What about low carb bread? Be careful: if it's made from grains, you can be sure it's not low-carb, but some companies still try to sell it to you as a low-carb option.
Low carb chocolate usually has a lot of sugar alcohols that the manufacturing company does not count as carbohydrates. However, the body could absorb about half of these carbohydrates, which increases blood glucose and insulin levels.17 The rest of the carbohydrates end up in the colon and can cause gas and diarrhea. Also, using any sweetener can make sugar cravings linger.18
Here are three examples of what to avoid:
Atkins' Fairy Tale Cookies (article in English)
Julian’s Bakery's “Low Carb” Bread, Actually High Carb (English article)
The Dreamfields Pasta Fraud (which was ultimately the subject of a $ 8 million fine!) (Article in English)
These three companies are not unique. Thousands of similar companies are trying to trick you into buying their "low carb" junk food filled with starches, sugar alcohols, wheat flour, weird sweeteners and additives.
Two simple rules to avoid this:
Don't eat "low carb" versions of high carb foods, such as cookies, bars, chocolate, bread, pasta, or ice cream, unless you are SURE of the ingredients (perhaps making them yourself).
Avoid products that have the words "net carbohydrates" on the label. Usually it is just a way to deceive you.
Focus on eating good quality, minimally processed foods. Ideally, the foods you buy don't even have an ingredient list (or it should be very short).
Read more about fake "low carb" products
Read more about sweeteners
Less moderation, more quality
Finally, forget all about the failed "everything in moderation" slogan used by clueless dietitians. It's not necessarily helpful advice for people who have a hard time losing weight. In fact, it may not help them at all.19
Don't eat everything in moderation; eat all the healthy foods you can when you are hungry. Eat the least unhealthy junk you can; if possible, do not eat anything.
4. Eat only when you are hungry
On a low carb diet you should try to eat when you are hungry (see tip # 2, above). What if you are not hungry? Do not eat. There is nothing that slows weight loss more than frequently eating a lot of food you don't need.20 In fact, this is so important that it deserves its own section.
Cut down on unnecessary snacking
Unnecessary snacking can also be a problem on a ketogenic diet. Some things are easy to eat simply because they are tasty and affordable. Here are three common pitfalls to watch out for when on a ketogenic diet:
Dairy products like cream and cheese. They are good for cooking because they are satiating, the problem comes if you eat a lot of cheese in front of the television at night ... without being hungry. Be careful with this. Or eat a lot of cream with desserts when in reality you are already full and you only keep eating because it tastes good. Another common culprit: too much cream in your coffee multiple times a day. Learn more about dairy here.
Nuts. It is very easy to eat until the nuts are gone no matter how full you are. According to science, salty nuts are more difficult to stop eating than unsalted varieties.21 Salty nuts tempt you to overeat. Good to Know. Another tip: avoid taking the entire package to the sofa, it is preferable to use a small bowl. Many times I eat all the nuts in front of me, regardless of whether I am hungry or not.
Low-carb pastry. Even if you only use almond flour and sweeteners,
5. Measure your progress sensibly
Sometimes tracking successful weight loss is more difficult than you might think. Focusing only on the weight and the scale every day can be misleading, cause unnecessary anxiety, and hurt your motivation for no reason.
The scale is not necessarily your friend. You may want to lose fat, but the scale also weighs your muscles, bones, and internal organs. Increasing muscle mass is good. For this reason, weight and body mass index (BMI) are imperfect ways to measure your progress. This is particularly true if you have just finished a long period of semi-starvation (calorie counting), because your body may want to restore muscle mass, etc. that I had lost. Starting weight training and building muscle mass can also mask fat loss.
Losing weight and building muscle mass shows excellent progress, but you might stop noticing it by just weighing yourself. That is why it is wise to also track your abdominal fat loss by measuring your waist circumference.
How to do it:
Put the tape measure around the abdomen as in the image, a little above the navel (more precisely, in the midpoint between the lowest rib and the top of the hip bone, on the side of the body)
Exhale and relax (don't try to stick your stomach in)
Make sure the tape measure is snug, not squeezing the skin
Take the measure
Compare the result with these recommendations:
Good Decent Too high
Women less than 80 cm 80 - 88 cm more than 88 cm
(31.5 inches) (31.5 - 35 inches) (35 inches)
Men less than 94 cm 94 - 102 cm more than 102 cm
(37 inches) (37 - 40 inches) (40 inches)
I recommend targeting "good", but this is not always realistic. Young people can usually achieve this, but for some middle-aged or older women it can be a great triumph to reach the “decent” level .24
Measure progress
I advise measuring your waist circumference and weight before starting your weight loss journey, and then maybe once a week or a month afterward. Write down the results so you can track your progress. If you want, you can measure more parts of the body: around the buttocks, chest, arms, legs, etc.
Keep in mind that weight can fluctuate several kilos up or down on a daily basis, depending on fluid balance and stomach content: don't worry about short-term changes, rather follow the long-term trend.
If you can, try checking out other important health markers when you're starting out, like these:
Blood pressure
Blood glucose (fasting blood glucose or HbA1c)
Cholesterol profile (including HDL and triglycerides)
These markers are almost universally improved on a low-carb diet, even before significant weight loss.25 Rechecking these health markers after a few months can be great for motivation because they will usually show that you're not just losing weight. weight, but also your health improves.
P.D .: Don't you have a tape measure at home? Try these options:
Use any piece of string. Stretch the rope around your waist and cut the rope to size on the first day. This rope should, magically, get longer and longer each week that you stretch it around your waist.
Comparing how an old pair of jeans fit you is also a good option.
It usually takes years or even decades to put on a lot of weight. Trying to lose everything as quickly as possible while starving seldom works in the long run - it's just a sure path to yo-yo dieting.26 To be successful, you need something that will work for the long term.
In addition, it is important to have realistic expectations, which consider maintaining good health as you lose weight. You can read more about this in our guide to weight loss expectations.
What has to be the goal?
It is common to lose 1-3 kg (2-6 pounds) during the first week on a strict low-carbohydrate diet, and then an average of about 0.5 kg (one pound) a week as long as you have excess of weight to lose.27 This is approximately 50 pounds a year.
Every pound of fat lost equals roughly one centimeter of waist reduction (5 pounds = 1 inch).
Young men sometimes lose weight faster, perhaps up to twice as fast.28 Postmenopausal women may lose weight slightly more slowly.29 People who strictly restrict carbohydrates may lose weight more quickly, in addition to those who they exercise a lot (extra) .30 And if you are extremely overweight, you could start to lose weight much more quickly.
When you get close to your ideal weight, weight loss may slow down a bit until you stabilize at a weight that feels right for your body. Very few people end up underweight on a low-carb diet as long as they eat when they are hungry.
Read success stories
Initial delays
Coming out of a period of semi-starvation (calorie counting)? Focus on your waist circumference and health markers (see tip # 4). At first, it may take several weeks for weight loss to be noticeable.31
Weight loss stagnation
Rest assured that there will be times when you stagnate: it may be that the figures on the scale do not change for several days or weeks. Everybody goes through this.32 Stay calm, keep doing the same thing, and sooner or later, everything will start again (if not, check out the other 17 tips).
More: Weight Stagnation - Top 10 Tips to Fix It
How to lose weight forever
You won't be able to lose a lot of weight in the long run and maintain your ideal weight forever if you don't change your habits forever. If you lose weight and then go back to living in exactly the same way as when you gained the weight, don't be surprised when you gain that excess weight back. Because yes, it will return.
Maintaining weight loss requires patience and long-term change.
Forget the quick fixes: if you lose a little weight each month, you will lose all the excess weight in the long run. It is an inevitable progress, it is what you want.
Long-term change is only difficult at first, especially during the first two weeks. It is like quitting smoking. Once you develop new habits, it gets easier each week. In the end it is something spontaneous.
If you want, you can sign up for our Slim for Life program, where we will accompany you for 10 weeks with menus and exclusive articles so that you learn the habits that will help you reach your ideal weight and maintain it, while following a delicious plan Of foods. This program is available to members only.
For more inspiration and advice, you can read this and other long-term weight maintenance stories:
Brian: How You've Maintained a 45kg Weight Loss for Seven Years
How Melissa lost 45kg on a ketogenic diet and kept it off for 15 years
Karen: How You've Maintained a 30kg Weight Loss for Five Years
How to lose weight faster
Keep reading!
This advice is controversial as currently the fruit has an aura of magical food for health. People believe that fruit is nutritious, but unfortunately, fruit contains a lot of sugar: about 10% of its weight (the rest is mostly water). You just have to try an orange or a grape, they are quite sweet, right?
Five servings of fruit a day is equal to the amount of sugar in 500 ml of a soda (16 ounces) .33 Contrary to what many people believe, sugar is almost the same (about 50% glucose and 50% glucose). % fructose).
The sugar in fruit can stop fat burning. This can increase feelings of hunger and delay weight loss.34 For best results, skip fruit or enjoy it occasionally as an occasional indulgence.
Conclusion: fruit is nature's candy
The fruit is not natural?
Most people believe that fruit is natural, but supermarket fruits today look very little like the fruits that existed before
8. Avoid drinking beer
Beer contains carbohydrates that digest faster and stop fat burning. That is why beer is sometimes called "liquid bread." There is a good reason for the term "beer belly" .35
Here are some smarter alcoholic options for weight loss:
Wine (red or dry white)
Dry champagne
Spirits like whiskey, cognac, and vodka (avoid sugary cocktails, try vodka with sparkling water and lemon instead)
These drinks contain almost no sugar or carbohydrates, so they are better than beer. However, excessive alcoholic beverages can significantly delay weight loss, so drinking in moderation is still a good idea.
Low-Carb alcohol
9. Don't use artificial sweeteners
Many people replace sugar with artificial sweeteners, believing that this will reduce their calorie intake and cause weight loss. It sounds plausible; however, several studies have been unable to show any positive effect of consuming artificial sweeteners instead of normal sugar for weight loss.36
In contrast, according to scientific studies, artificial sweeteners can increase appetite and keep cravings for sweet foods.37 In addition, a recent independent study clearly demonstrated that drinking water instead of soda with sweeteners helped women lose weight. weight: 38
Study: Avoiding Diet Drinks Helps Women Lose Weight
This could be because the body releases insulin when it anticipates the presence of sugar in the blood. When this doesn't happen, blood sugar drops and hunger increases. Whether this chain of events occurs regularly or not is uncertain. However, something strange happened when I did a test with Pepsi Max and there are well designed studies showing that insulin increases with the use of artificial sweeteners.39
Also, for susceptible people, artificial sweeteners can keep you in the sweet tooth and cause cravings for sugary or starchy snacks.
If you are having a hard time losing weight, I recommend that you totally avoid sweeteners. As an added bonus, you'll soon start to enjoy the natural sweetness of real food once you get out of the habit of the over-sweetness of junk food and "light" sodas.
Low-carb sweeteners - the complete guide to low-carb sweeteners
Sugar addiction
Does giving up sweeteners seem almost impossible to imagine? Addiction to sugar and carbohydrate-rich foods is very common, but it can be overcome. Watch our video course with addiction nurse specialist Bitten Jonsson
Many prescription drugs can cause weight loss stalls. Discuss any treatment changes with your doctor. Here we detail the three worst:
Insulin injections, especially in high doses, are probably the worst obstacle to losing weight.40 There are three ways to reduce the need for insulin:
A. Eat fewer carbohydrates, which makes it easier to lose weight. The less carbohydrates you eat, the less insulin you need. Remember to reduce doses if you can.
B. If this is not enough, a treatment with metformin pills (at a dose of 2-3 grams per day) can decrease the need for insulin (at least for people with type 2 diabetes) .42
C. If this is not enough to stop using insulin (again, for those with type 2 diabetes), you could try newer promising drugs, such as Victoza / Saxenda (liraglutide) or Byetta (exenatide). They reduce the need for insulin and cause weight loss, but the possible long-term side effects are not yet known.
Pills Other medications for diabetes. Insulin-releasing medications (eg, sulfonylureas) often cause weight gain.43 These include Minodiab (glipizide), Euglucon (glibenclamide), and Daonil (glyburide). Pills like Avandia, Actos, Starlix, and NovoNorm also promote weight gain, but metformin does not. Newer drugs such as Victoza and Byetta (injectables) often cause weight loss, but their possible long-term side effects are unknown. Read more about diabetes
Cortisone as an oral drug (eg prednisolone) is another culprit. Cortisone often causes long-term weight gain, especially at large doses (eg, more than 5 mg of prednisolone per day) .44 Unfortunately, for people prescribed cortisone, this drug is many times essential, but the dose should be adjusted frequently so that they do not take more than they need. Asthma inhalers and other local cortisone treatments, such as nasal creams or sprays, have little effect on body weight.
These other medications can also cause problems:
Neuroleptic / antipsychotic drugs can promote weight gain, especially the newer drugs such as Zyprexa (olanzapine).
Some antidepressant medications can cause weight gain, especially the older tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), such as Tryiptizol / Saroten (amitriptyline) and Anafranil (clomipramine); in addition to newer drugs such as Remeron (mirtazapine) .45 Lithium (for manic-depressive disorder) can cause weight gain. The most common antidepressants, known as SSRIs, such as Celexa (citalopram) and Zoloft (sertraline), do not normally affect weight significantly.46 Read more about depression
Some contraceptives often contribute to slight weight gain, especially those containing only progesterone and not estrogen, for example the mini-pill, the contraceptive injection, or contraceptive implants.47 Read more about fertility
Blood pressure medications in the form of beta blockers can cause weight gain. These drugs include Seloken, Metoprolol, and Atenolol. Read more about hypertension
Drugs for epilepsy can cause weight gain (eg carbamazepine and valproate).
Allergy medications, antihistamines, can cause weight gain, especially at high doses. Cortisone is even worse (see above). Read more about allergies
Antibiotics may cause temporary weight gain by disrupting the gut microbiota and increasing the amount of energy we absorb from food.48 This is still speculation in the case of humans, but it is another reason not to take antibiotics at all. unless you really need them.
Have you ever wished for more sleep and a less stressful life in general? Most people have, and stress and lack of sleep can be bad news for your weight.
Chronic stress can increase the levels of stress hormones like cortisol in the body. This can cause increased hunger and lead to weight gain.49 If you want to lose weight, you should consider possible ways to reduce or better manage excess stress in your life. Although this usually requires significant changes, it may affect stress hormone levels immediately, and perhaps weight as well.
You should also make an effort to get adequate and good sleep, preferably every night. Try to wake up refreshed and on your own, without depending on the alarm clock. If you're the kind of person who wakes up violently in the morning to the sound of the alarm clock, your body may never get adequate rest.
One way to prevent this is to go to bed early enough for the body to wake up on its own before the alarm goes off. Allowing yourself a good night's rest is another way to lower your stress hormone levels.
Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, goes hand in hand with sugar cravings.50 Furthermore, it has a negative effect on self-discipline and makes it terribly easy to be tempted (it is no coincidence that sleep deprivation is used as a a common interrogation technique). Similarly, a sleep deprivation weakens your determination to exercise.
Trouble sleeping?
Do you have trouble sleeping even with time to spare? Here are five tips from an expert:
Go to bed at the same time every night - in the long run, this will help your body prepare for sleep at that time.
No coffee after 2pm - just don't drink it, and remember that it takes time for caffeine to leave the body.
Limit alcohol consumption three hours before bedtime: although alcoholic beverages make you drowsy, it worsens the quality of your sleep.
Limit exercise four hours before bedtime: Physical activity can make you feel tense and cause difficulty sleeping for several hours after training.
Soak up the sun for 15 minutes every day - this is good for your circadian rhythm (your "body clock").
Finally, make sure your room is dark enough and has a comfortable temperature. Sleep well!
Difficult, but worth it
For many people, the above tips are difficult to follow, perhaps due to lack of time (or its equivalent: young children!). But stress less and sleep more not only makes you feel good, it can also play an important role in helping you lose weight.
Read more about the benefits of sleep
Can you eat all you want and still lose weight? Yes, that usually works well with a low-carb diet as appetite regulation occurs naturally.51
However, while a low-carb diet generally makes eating the right things easy, there are foods considered low-carb that are a problem if eaten in large amounts. If you are having a hard time losing weight on a low carb diet, you should try to be more careful with:
Dairy products (yogurt, cream and cheese)
Nuts
Dairy products contain variable amounts of lactose (milk sugar), which slows down weight loss. That is why restricting your intake of dairy products can accelerate weight loss.
This is especially true with low-fat dairy products like plain milk and some yogurts, but be equally careful with whole dairy like cream and cheese, as it's easy to overdo it.
Butter is exempt from all these dairy tips because it is almost pure fat. It can generally be consumed freely, but watch for signs of satiety if your goal is to lose weight. If you consume too much, you will burn dietary fat for energy instead of body fat.
Low-carb and dairy-free recipes
Nuts, the second food to watch out for, have significant carbohydrate content and it's easy to accidentally eat large amounts.52 Cashews are among the worst when it comes to carbohydrates (by weight, around 20% are carbohydrates).
For someone who follows a strict BCAG diet with a daily limit of 20 grams of carbohydrates, this means that by consuming 100 grams (and this happens in an instant!) You will have reached your daily limit. Peanuts usually contain about 10-15% carbohydrates, so it is not completely safe either.
So for people who have a hard time losing weight: eat nuts in moderation. When you are in a situation where it is necessary to eat them, you should know that the least dangerous nuts in terms of carbohydrates are macadamia nuts normally containing around 5% carbohydrates) or Brazil nuts (4%).
13. Supplement with vitamins and minerals
Your body needs a certain amount of essential vitamins and minerals to function properly. What happens when you don't consume enough? What happens when you don't eat enough food or what you eat isn't nutritious enough? Perhaps our bodies take notice and respond with increased hunger levels.
After all, if we eat more, we increase the probability of consuming enough of any nutrient that we need. Instead, safe access to vitamins and minerals could mean a reduction in hunger levels and cravings, thus promoting weight loss.
The foregoing is, by the way, speculation, but there are well-done studies that suggest it might not be that far from the truth.
Vitamin D
Lack of vitamin D is probably the most common deficiency in northern countries, such as Canada and most of the US Three recent studies indicate that a vitamin D supplement can reduce your fat weight compared to a placebo or waist circumference.53
In one of the studies, 77 overweight or obese women were given a 1000-unit vitamin D supplement or a placebo every day for 3 months. Those who took the vitamin D supplement reduced their body fat by 2.7 kg (6 pounds), a much greater loss than the placebo group, who on average lost only 0.4 kg of fat (less than 1 pound). 54
Multivitamins
In a 2010 study, about 100 women with weight problems participated, separated into three groups. One group received a daily multivitamin supplement, another group took a daily calcium supplement, and the other only received a placebo. The study lasted six months.
Not surprisingly, the results showed that there was no change in the women who received the calcium or the placebo. However, the group that took the multivitamin supplement lost more weight - about 3 kg more - and their health markers also improved. Among other things, their basal metabolic rate (that is, the rate at which the body burns calories at rest) increased.55 Although the differences were small, they were statistically significant.
conclusion
Eating good quality, nutrient-dense food is the foundation for weight loss, but it can be difficult to get an adequate amount of vitamin D with food, particularly for those who are vegetarians or do not eat fatty fish (the main food source of vitamin D) on a regular basis. In the case of lack of sun (as occurs during the darkest months of fall and winter) it is sensible to supplement with this vitamin for multiple health reasons, and perhaps even your weight.
If you are overweight and not entirely sure whether your diet includes enough nutrients, taking a multivitamin pill may be beneficial.
Although the evidence is not strong, there seems to be no downside and you may get a small benefit.
14. Practice intermittent fasting
There are many things to consider before moving on to tip # 14, but don't be fooled by that. This is one of the most effective tools to lose weight, it is perfect when the weight has stagnated despite "doing everything correctly" or to accelerate weight loss.56
This super weapon is called intermittent fasting. It means exactly what it sounds like: not eating for a specific period of time.
Recommended first option: fasts of 16 hours
The most popular option is probably to fast for 16 hours (including sleeping hours), which is usually easy to do on a ketogenic diet. It just requires swapping breakfast for a cup of coffee (or another calorie-free liquid) and eating lunch as the first meal of the day. Fasting from 8 p.m. to 12 noon, for example, is equivalent to 16 hours of fasting.
Of course there are many other versions of intermittent fasting, but this method 16 and 8 (16 hours of not eating, with an interval of 8 hours where you do eat) is the one that I recommend as the first option. It's effective, easy to do, and requires no calorie counting.
You can do a 16-hour fast as many times as you want. For example, twice a week or only during the week ... or every day. The more often you do it, the more effective it will be.57
In fact, on a ketogenic diet, some people start this habit spontaneously because their appetite decreases (see weight loss tip # 4, eat only when you're hungry).
Other forms of intermittent fasting
There are many other options. Basically longer periods are more difficult to do, but more effective. Here are two other common options:
Fast for 24 hours (often from dinner to dinner) once or twice a week. This is effective and surprisingly easy to do, especially on a ketogenic diet.
The 5 & 2 Diet. Eat as much as you need to feel full for 5 days a week, and then restrict calories for 2 days (500 calories for women; 600 calories for men). It requires counting calories and planning more, but still some people like it.
But what about the advice to eat when you're hungry?
Doesn't the advice on intermittent fasting contradict the advice to eat when you're hungry? If true.
I recommend eating when you're hungry as a first option, and always eating until you feel full. However, if this is not effective enough, then intermittent fasting is a very effective supplement. Remember - and this is key - that between periods of fasting you still have to eat your fill.
Intermittent fasting is not the same as obsessively counting calories and making you hungry 24 hours a day, that is, "primary calorie restriction" diets. Starving is the sure path to suffering and failure.
Intermittent fasting consists of eating as much as your body needs ... while sometimes also allowing it a break from constant eating.
What is acceptable to take during fasts?
During a fast you cannot eat, but you must definitely drink liquids. Water is the optimal drink, but coffee, tea and non-carb mate are also good options. During longer fasts, it may be wise to add a little salt as well or have broth or consommé.
Any liquid you drink should contain zero calories, but it may be acceptable to cheat, adding a small amount of milk or cream to coffee or tea if absolutely necessary to enjoy the drink.
What to eat between fasts?
So what should you eat when you are not fasting? Well, if your goal is to lose weight, I recommend that you follow all of the above tips, including following a ketogenic diet. Combining it with intermittent fasting is an excellent combination.
On a ketogenic diet hunger is reduced and fasting is much easier to do. Also, fat burning is already very effective, so while you fast, you will burn a lot of fat very easily.58
That is why by following a ketogenic diet, periods of fasting are easier and more effective. 1 + 1 = 3.
Who Shouldn't Practice Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting can be a great idea, but not everyone should:
If you have a food or sugar addiction, intermittent fasting could increase food cravings and put you at risk for a relapse… so be very careful. I recommend always eating when you are hungry.
If you are very stressed or sleep deprived, fix this first (see weight loss tip # 11) or fasting could be too stressful on the body.
If you are taking any medications - especially insulin - your doses may need to be adjusted during fasts. Talk it over with your doctor first.
Growing children, pregnant women and lactating women should not do long periods of fasting as they have a higher need for nutrients. I recommend eating when you're hungry and using the 14 tips above if you need to lose weight.
Are you wondering why this tip doesn't appear until number 15? It's because few things are as overrated as exercise for weight loss.59
Have you ever seen "The Biggest Loser"? Participants take leave from work (and from their families) for several months. They are only allowed to eat small amounts of food and have to train as if it were their full-time job, 40 hours a week, and sometimes more. It is clear that this method is not sustainable for the average person in the long term.
Just going up the stairs instead of taking the elevator or getting off the bus a stop early will not change the figures on the scale: it is a myth. Sorry. Studies show that if all you do is just start exercising, you'll need at least an hour of hard training every day to lose noticeable weight.60 Part of the reason is that exercise increases hunger, and eating more reduces the effect on weight.61
Basically, the effect of exercise on weight is overrated.62 That's why it's only number 15 on the list. There are other things you have to take care of first. It's not a good idea to eat bad food, drink sugar water (so-called "sports drinks"), or take medications that force you to exercise for several hours a day just to compensate. Metaphorically, it's like digging a hole, shoving your ladder inside, climbing in, and starting to paint the basement windows of your house.
Exercise cannot compensate for other problems in your life. You have to fix these first.
The good news
If, on the other hand, you have already completed steps 1-14, you should have a body that is rested, renewed and happy with the fat burning. In this case, increased physical activity will accelerate weight loss and be a good extra help. Also, don't forget that the non-weight-related health effects of exercise are impressive.
Hormonal effects
For even more impressive effects on body composition, do forms of exercise that produce a positive hormonal response. This can be lifting very heavy things (weight training) or interval training. These workouts increase levels of the sex hormone testosterone (mostly in men), 63 in addition to growth hormone. Having higher levels of these hormones not only increases muscle mass, it also reduces visceral fat (belly fat) in the long term.
As a final bonus, exercise will make you feel and look better.
Warning: Not recommended for people with type 1 diabetes. See below.
We've now reached tip 16. If you're still having trouble losing weight despite following the 15 tips outlined above, it might be a good idea to pull out the heavy hitters - optimal ketosis. For many people who are on a low-carb diet and are stuck in losing weight, optimal ketosis can be very helpful. It is what can make the fat start to disappear again.
So how does it work? A short review: the first tip was to follow a low carb diet. This is because a low carbohydrate diet reduces levels of insulin, the fat storage hormone, which allows fat stores to decrease and release the energy they contain.64
This often causes you to want to consume less energy than you do — without hunger — and to lose weight.65 A lot of the tips listed above are about adjusting your diet to improve this effect.
How do you know if you are getting a maximum hormonal effect thanks to the low carbohydrate diet? Coming to what is known as "optimal ketosis."
Ketosis
Ketosis is a state where the body has an extremely high rate of burning fat. Even the brain feeds on fat through ketone bodies, which are energy molecules in the blood (like blood sugar) that are turned into fuel for the brain after being produced by the liver from fat.66
To promote ketone production, the amount of insulin in the blood must be low: the lower the insulin, the higher the ketone production. And when you have a well controlled and sufficiently large amount of ketones in your blood, it means that your insulin is very low and therefore that you are enjoying the maximum effect of the low carb diet. This is what is called optimal ketosis.67
How to measure ketones
There are now reasonably priced devices for measuring ketone levels at home. A needle stick to your finger and in a few seconds you will know the level of blood ketones.
Ketones in the blood are best measured on an empty stomach in the morning (that is, before breakfast). Here are some suggestions on how to interpret the result:
Below 0.5 mmol / L is not considered "ketosis". At this level you are still a long way from optimal fat burning.
Between 0.5 and 1.5 mmol / L is mild nutritional ketosis. It will have a good effect on body weight, but not optimal.68
Around 1.5-3 mmol / L is optimal ketosis and is the recommended level for maximum weight loss.69
Values above 3 mmol / l are not necessary. That is, no better or worse results will be obtained than at level 1.5-3. Higher values can sometimes mean that you are consuming not enough food ("starvation ketosis"). For those with type 1 diabetes these values can be caused by a severe lack of insulin, see below.
Ketones in urine
Ketone levels in urine can be measured in a more traditional way, with urine test strips (sold over the counter in pharmacies or on Amazon) .70 These test strips give less reliable results for several reasons, and the recommendations above cannot be applied directly. However, they are much cheaper.
My personal experience
You can read what I wrote about a two-month personal experiment:
Experiment: optimal ketosis to lose weight and increase physical performance
Four weeks of a strict ketogenic diet with ketone control
Final report: two months of a strict ketogenic diet with ketone control
Although I was happy with my body weight prior to these experiments, they caused an additional 10-pound and 3-inch drop in waist circumference, without any additional exercise and without starvation.
How to achieve optimal ketosis
Many people who believe they are following a strict low-carbohydrate diet are surprised to measure ketones in their blood. They can only be 0.2 or 0.5, well off the sweet spot! Why?
First, you need to make sure you are not consuming any of the obvious carbohydrate sources (sweets, bread, spaghetti, rice, potatoes). Next, check for "hidden carbs" in salad dressings, spreads, and other sources.
You may be able to achieve an optimal level of ketosis by incorporating intermittent fasting or exercise into your routine (see tips # 14 and 15).
Lastly, make sure you only eat adequate amounts of protein. A keto diet is not a very high protein diet. We recommend between 1.2 and 1.7 grams for each kg of body weight of reference per day.71 Consult our table of desired amounts of protein to find out how much you need per day.
Consuming more than 2 grams for every kg of reference body weight can be an example of too much protein per day if you want to be in ketosis.
Less than 0.8 g / kg / day is probably too low, as it is below the recommended daily allowance.
You can make sure you're not overconsuming protein by eating fat until you're full. For example, if you add a larger portion of herbed butter to your steak, you may not be in the mood for another steak and will be satisfied with just one. However, remember that the extra calories from fat can also make it difficult to lose weight.
If it does not work
Being in a state of optimal ketosis for an extended period of time (a month, say) will ensure that you experience the maximum hormonal effects of following a low carb diet. If this does not cause noticeable weight loss, you can be sure that eating too many carbohydrates is NOT the reason for your weight problem and is not the obstacle to losing weight for you. In fact, there are other causes of obesity and being overweight. The next three tips in this series may help you.
test it
Order a ketone meter online and start your measurements. There are a few different models, but probably the most popular is the “Precision Xtra” ketone meter .72 Unfortunately, all of these meters are quite expensive to use, as the test strips can cost around $ 5 per test. However, a new company, Keto-Mojo, offers a meter with test strips that cost only $ 0.99 each.
Here you will find a complete package73 that contains everything you need to measure ketone levels in the blood.
Plus
Learn much more about ketogenic diets here:
A Quick Guide to Ketogenic Diets
An important notice
If you have type 1 diabetes, you shouldn't follow the tips above about optimal ketosis - it can be dangerous. If you have the least amount of ketones in your blood, you must make sure that your blood glucose levels are normal. If so, you are in a normal state of ketosis, exactly like the ketosis of people without diabetes who follow a strict low-carb diet.
On the other hand, if you have high blood glucose levels along with high blood ketone levels, this will mean that your insulin levels are pathologically low. This does not occur in people without diabetes and can lead to ketoacidosis - a life-threatening condition. If this happens, you will have to inject more insulin; If you have the slightest doubt about what to do, contact a medical professional. Trying to have very high levels of ketones in the blood to control weight with type 1 diabetes does not outweigh the risk.
So, you followed the advice above, made major lifestyle changes, and found that it's not a drug problem or a vitamin deficiency. You've even tried being in optimal ketosis for a while (to ensure low insulin levels). And still you can't get to a normal body weight?
If this is the case for you, it is time to consider the possibility that hormone imbalances are causing these problems. There are three problem areas that are common:
Thyroid hormone
Sex hormones
Stress hormones
Thyroid hormone
Some people, especially women, suffer from a reduced metabolism as a result of a deficiency of thyroid hormones: hypothyroidism. Some common symptoms are:
Fatigue
Cold intolerance
Constipation
Dry Skin
Weight gain
In these cases, the weight gains caused by reduced metabolism usually do not exceed seven kilos.74
Your doctor can easily arrange a blood test to measure your thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level. If when you receive the results you see that everything is fine, it is likely that the thyroid gland is working well. For a more accurate diagnosis, you can ask to measure the actual levels of thyroid hormones in the blood (T3 and T4), as these are sometimes low even if TSH is within the wide normal range.75
There are two ways to avoid a thyroid hormone deficiency:
Make sure you are getting enough iodine, a building block of thyroid hormone. Some good sources are fish, shellfish, and iodized salt (or sea salt).
Very low levels of thyroid hormone normally indicate an autoimmune reaction to the thyroid gland itself. This means that you will need to take oral thyroid hormone supplements, usually the stable form, T4 (Levothyroxine), which your doctor can prescribe. The body will convert T4 into the active hormone T3 when needed. The dosage of the supplement should be adjusted so that you reach normal levels of the thyroid hormones (TSH, T3, and T4) and the symptoms are relieved; however, some people feel better when they keep TSH levels slightly below normal.
Some people are better off supplementing with T3, the already active thyroid hormone (which is sometimes made from the thyroid gland of pigs) because it may have a stronger effect than the T4 hormone. However, its effects are more difficult to control.76 Most healthcare professionals rarely prescribe or offer this type of T3 treatment, as it appears to lack significant benefits and may constitute a risk when doses are high for a period of time. long period of time. However, T3 replacement is popular with functional medicine physicians and naturopathic doctors. Regardless, the key is to make sure to review your levels and symptoms to ensure that your thyroid hormones are not being replaced under or in excess of what is needed.
Sex hormones
Sex hormones also influence weight:
Women: Women can suffer from the endocrine disorder PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), which increases testosterone and insulin levels, which can lead to weight gain and menstrual disorders (very common), infertility, acne, and male patterns of hair growth (such as facial hair). A low-carbohydrate diet is a good treatment for this.77 Read more about PCOS.
During menopause the level of estrogen, the female sex hormone, decreases. This often causes weight gain, especially abdominal fat (so-called central obesity). The excess weight gained after menopause is usually distributed in a less feminine, less curved way.
Learn more:
Top 10 Low Carb Weight Loss Tips for Women Over 40>
Men: From maturity onwards, men experience a gradual decline in their levels of the male sex hormone, testosterone. This causes a slight increase in weight, also usually around the abdomen, and a reduction in muscle mass.78
What can you do about sex hormones?
A testosterone deficiency can be partially cured by adopting smart exercise routines, using mindful body language, and supplementing with vitamin D.
By the way, you can also influence testosterone levels by asking your doctor to prescribe a testosterone supplement (a blood test will check for any deficiencies). Women can use estrogen supplementation for menopausal problems.
However, it is important to note that taking testosterone or estrogen supplements for many years at a very high dose for your age will increase the risk of prostate cancer (for men) and breast cancer (for women).
It might be sensible to accept that you don't (and shouldn't!) Have the body of a twenty-year-old when you're at least twice the age. A better option might be to try to focus on living a healthy lifestyle and being as happy and grateful as possible with your body.
Stress hormone
The last possible culprit for persistent weight problems may be cortisol, the stress hormone. Having cortisol levels that are too high will increase your hunger levels, leading to weight gain, especially around the waist. 80 The most common cause of elevated cortisol is chronic stress and lack of sleep (see tip # 11), or cortisone medications (see tip # 10). It is a good idea to try to do something about it.
In rare and extreme cases, you could be dealing with a specific type of tumor that stimulates cortisol production. The disease is called Cushing's syndrome. If you suspect that you have this disease, consult your doctor and he will schedule the necessary tests.
18. Consider taking weight loss pills (if you're desperate)
It seems like a dream. Keep living like you already do, take one pill a day and lose excess weight effortlessly. This is why diet pills are a multi-billion dollar industry.
So do they work? Yes, but they are not very effective.
There are many medications that cause moderate weight loss (a couple of kilos on average), at the cost of significant side effects.
Supplements available without a prescription
The Internet is full of claims about magical weight loss supplements. Unfortunately, the only thing that will lose weight is your wallet. This is so even if they were ever mentioned in Dr. Oz. You know it's an entertainment show, right?
Any over-the-counter supplement that is neither dangerous nor illegal will likely have little or negligible effect on weight.
This is true even in the case of the vitamin supplements that we mentioned in tip # 13, the effect is certainly small, but in that case it is also safe, perhaps even healthy and very economical, which makes it a nice extra ( Please note that we do not sell any supplements or make any money by giving this advice).
There are also "carbohydrate blockers" that supposedly inhibit the body from absorbing the carbohydrates we eat. However, the effects are usually relatively small even in studies funded by the companies that sell the products.81 There is no doubt that it is more effective not to eat carbohydrates, as well as free.
Ancient appetite suppressants
Phentermine In the United States, it is still possible to get appetite suppressants that are similar to amphetamines and that are prescribed for short-term use (a few weeks). As they are only intended for short-term use, they are not for long-term weight management. These drugs are not authorized in the European Union.
They have side effects, such as insomnia, heart palpitations, and high blood pressure. It is also possible to develop addiction to them and therefore require a special prescription for controlled substances. Some examples are:
Adipex-P or Suprenza (phentermine)
Bondril (phendimetrazine)
Didrex (benzphetamine)
The effects of these drugs are clearly moderate and short-term, which is not an adequate benefit to be worth the risks associated with them. We do not recommend them.
The "oily discharge" pill
there
We move on to an older drug, Xenical, which has recently been on sale without a prescription under the name "Alli" and whose popularity is waning.
This drug prevents the body from digesting fat in the intestines. Instead of being digested, it passes directly through your system and ends up in the toilet… or in your pants.
Side effects are abdominal cramps, unexpected dribbling of oily stools, and inability to control bowel movements. And finally, the "oily discharge" that many times occurs when you think you are simply passing gas.
This pill is not compatible with the use of white pants or with the consumption of fat, therefore, it is not compatible with the low carbohydrate diet.
Just forget this drug. Most doctors already have.
The pill that stuns
Stupid Is there a worse option than Xenical / Alli? Of course there is. It is called Qsymia.
Qsymia is available in the US, but was rejected in Europe (where they sensibly deduced that the side effects were worse than the benefits). Personally, I prefer to label this drug "the groggy pill."
Qsymia combines a miniscule amount of the old phentermine (see Appetite Suppressants) with a small dose of topiramate, an anticonvulsant drug.
The real problem? Common side effects of topiramate include drowsiness, tiredness, depression, sleep disturbances, memory loss, cognitive disorders, impaired psychomotor skills (i.e., becoming clumsy), lethargy, balance disorders, sedation, gait abnormalities ( for example, walking like you're drunk).
Basically, this drug slows down your brain, like alcohol or tranquilizers. Are you really going to do that just to lose a couple of kilos, which you will regain once you stop taking the drug?
The mediocre pills
Two other weight management drugs, Belviq and Contrave, were approved in the US in 2012 and are currently on sale.
Belviq has been rejected in Europe for security reasons. Contrave was recently approved (under the name Mysimba).
These two drugs act on different receptors in the brain to control appetite. The effect is moderate, a loss of 2.5-3.5 kg in one year, with a partial recovery thereafter.
There is constant concern for the safety of the two drugs and a clear risk of side effects such as nausea, constipation, headaches, risk of suicidal thoughts and seizures.
In my opinion, these moderate benefits do not outweigh the risk of side effects.
The current champion
And there is only one more drug to lose weight that is authorized. Luckily, it is very promising and can accelerate weight loss significantly.
This drug is an injectable variety of a satiety hormone called GLP-1. It makes the stomach empty more slowly and informs the brain that you don't need to eat yet, an excellent idea to lose weight. Plus, it has the added bonus that it works well for keto dieters and even better with intermittent fasting for fast, hunger-free weight loss.
This drug was initially used to control blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes - under the name Victoza - and had the interesting side effect of causing significant weight loss.82
Tests carried out in obese people (without diabetes) indicate that at higher doses the drug is quite effective, when used only to lose weight. Patients lost an average of 5.6 kilograms (12.3 pounds) more than a placebo group after one year.83
This drug has been approved in both the US and Europe for weight loss under the name Saxenda. There are many other similar GLP-1 drugs for treating type 2 diabetes, but none have been carefully tested or approved for the treatment of obesity.
Saxenda is now available in the US at a great price of $ 1,000 a month.
In both the US and Europe another option is Victoza, the same drug with half the dose and half the price. At this lower dose, the resulting weight loss is typically 75% of when using Saxenda. Victoza is only approved for the treatment of type 2.84 diabetes
The main side effect of Saxenda / Victoza is the same as when the feeling of fullness is too strong: nausea and vomiting. This is quite common at first, so it is necessary to start with a low dose and then gradually increase the dose as the body adjusts to the medicine.
The extra
If you have type 2 diabetes, there is another diabetes drug that can cause noticeable weight loss: the drug Farxiga, "low carbohydrates in a pill" (called Forxiga in Europe). Unfortunately, this pill carries an increased risk of ketoacidosis and is likely to occur to a greater extent in people following strict ketogenic or low-carb diets. Consumption of this medication while following a strict low-carbohydrate diet is not recommended.85
conclusion
There is no pill that makes you lose weight easily. All of these drugs are pretty bad, or at least not very effective.
The only possible exception is Saxenda, and it is a daily injection, not a pill.
The downside to Saxenda is its high price (your insurance may only cover part of it) and the nausea that is often experienced.
Taking into account my experience and that of many other people who treat patients with this medicine, it can be said that it does not work equally well for everyone. There are people who only lose a minimal amount of weight; other people lost much more than the additional 5.5 kilos that a recent study indicates (this is only an average).
Finally, Saxenda only works for as long as you use it. Once you stop, the weight usually comes back. So is losing around 5.5 kilos worth the $ 1,000 per month and the risk of nausea? Only you can decide.
Most people who want to lose weight have more than 5.5 kilos to lose. That is why even the best weight loss drug in the world can only be an optional supplement to other treatments. And that's why this tip is number 18 out of 18. It might be an added help for some people, but the tips above on this list are the ones that make the biggest difference by far.
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