Absolutely, you only have to look at the popular weight loss TV show, ‘The Biggest Loser’ to see some amazing quick weight loss results.
A contestant from season 10, Mark Pinkhasovich, managed to lose a staggering 41 pounds in the first week. Now, let me state here that we do NOT condone extreme weight loss in, or indeed the overall TV show.
Healthy, Quick Natural Weight Loss
The point behind this rather extreme example is to show that to lose 10 lbs in one month, is not only achievable, but safe. To achieve quick weight loss naturally it is necessary to eat healthily. This involves cutting out high calorie foods, such as sugars and refined carbohydrates.
This post will be looking at how you can lose weight the natural way. Some of our tips may require a little effort at first. However, a lot of it is all about forming new eating and lifestyle habits and establishing routines.
In the beginning you have to be consciously aware and give yourself reminders to drink that glass of water before every meal, for example. However, after a few weeks the new behaviours should become more automatic. All the tips here involve how to achieve healthy weight loss the natural way and you may find a few other hidden health benefits too.
Cut out high calorie foods, you say? Hmmm. Do you get low calorie donuts?
Well, you could maybe start buying ones without the frosting and sprinkles.
Jessica, I donut like you any more. I can live without that sort of negativity in my life.
Eat Naturally: No Processed Foods
Most processed foods are packaged in a box, packet, bag or bottle and havehighrefined carbohydrate and sugar content and should be avoided at all costs, not just for effective, quick weight loss, but to improve general health and well being.
At the store, check labels for artificial colorings and additives. Be aware of the sugar and sodium content of your food. On the money saved by cutting out all those cookies, chips and processed food (fast food) you can afford to go organic on the fruit and vegetables that you buy.
Eat more FOOD: F for fruits and vegetables, O for Organic lean Proteins, O for Omega 3 Fatty Acids and D for Drink Water.
Are there scientific studies that show giving up processed food helps aid quick weight loss?
There have been many scientific studies that demonstrate that the worldwide rise in obesity is directly linked to the introduction of processed foods in developing countries. A 2011 study by Asfaw identifies a change from natural eating to increased consumption of processed foods. This is known as ‘nutrition transition’. Furthermore, it is one of the leading risk factors of mortality. The study showed that only a 10% increase in the consumption of processed foods leads to an increase of 4.25 % in Body Mass Index (BMI)
Closer to home, in a scientific paper entitled, ‘Why have Americans become more Obese?‘ by Cutler (et al.) it has been argued that the increase in the rates of obesity in the US are a direct result of increased food consumption due to the convenience of processed foods.
Disturbing Eating Trends in America
Several factors, Cutler argues, have contributed to the disturbing trend of Americans eating a lot more than in previous times and these include:-
Technological Innovations: Companies can mass prepare food and transport it to consumers for immediate consumption. Therefore, there is widespread distribution of ready to eat, processed foods
Lower time costs of Food: In the not too distant past, if you wanted to eat lunch, or a snack, you would have to buy the fresh ingredients and make it from scratch. This, obviously, would involve time in shopping, preparation and cooking. Lower time costs lead to increased food consumption and increase in weight
Food variety has increased
People eat on more occasions in the day
Prices have declined for processed, ready to eat meals
The above factors combined have led directly to the increasing rise of obesity and demonstrate a strong link between the consumption of processed convenience foods and obesity.
You know when you’ve eaten too much junk food when you actually start craving a healthy meal.
Yeah right. I choked on a bit of raw carrot this morning and all I kept thinking was ‘I bet that a donut wouldn’t have done that to me!
Water: The Elixir of Life and Weight Loss
Many people confuse the body’s signals of thirst with those of hunger because both arise from the same area of the brain.
The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), in a recent news report, stated that up to 75% of Americans fall way short of the Recommended dietary Allowance (RDA) of water. This means that many of us are not profiting from the major health benefits associated with drinking more water. There are ample, proven health benefits to staying well hydrated so before we begin our look into the wonders of water related to weight loss let us have a brief look at a few general benefits:-
The General Benefits of Drinking more Water
Increases Energy and Vitiality: If you are dehydrated this will contribute to feelings of extreme fatigue and slumps in energy levels.
Contributes to glowing healthy Skin:- The skin is a major organ and is made up of 64% water, it stands to reason that staying well hydrated by drinking lots of water will help the skin look and feel better. Without water the skin cannot eradicate toxins efficiently which leads to congestion and a whole host of skin problems.
Aids Good Digestive Function:- Water is key in helping to rid the body of toxins and metabolic waste more efficiently. It can help reduce the impact of many digestive disorders including ulcers, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, excessive gas and constipation.
Aids Bladder and Kidney Function– Drinking plenty of water helps the kidneys to flush any microbes out of the system thus reducing the risk of infections such as Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’S) and Cystitis. Staying well hydrated also helps eliminate stored up toxins and waste and helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance.
… and there’s More
Protects against coronary heart disease:- This is a very worthy reason alone to up your water intake. A 2002 study by Chan (et al.) investigated the effects of water intake in 20,000 men and women in relation to heart disease. This study found that drinking more water served as a strong protection against coronary heart disease. Several studies have also shown that dehydration may be an important factor in contributing to risk factors associated with heart diseases such as high blood pressure and atherosclerosis(clogged arteries).
Helps slow the Aging Process:- Drinking lots of fresh water and staying well hydrated helps keep you looking and feeling younger for longer. Being well hydrated has also been linked with healing joints and cartilage repair so helps with those aches and pains too!
Reduces bloating and Water Retention: Strangely enough drinking more water helps you lose that water weight. You may be retaining water because you are mildly dehydrated.
Sometimes I drink a glass of water just to surprise my liver.
Oh Moose! Water is the most essential element of life.
I agree Jess, because without water you can’t make coffee … or beer!
Does drinking more Water aid Weight Loss?
When the cells of our body do not have enough water they cannot create the energy that we need to function efficiently. Next,the calls send signals to the brain to get more energy. These signals are translated in transit to ‘EAT high energy food’ rather than drink some water. Keeping the cells of your body really well hydrated prevents this mix up.
It’s strange how 8 glasses of water a day seems nearly impossible, but 8 beers is so damn easy!
Are there scientific studies to show drinking more water helps you to lose weight?
In a study by Dennis (et al.) a group of middle aged and older adults undertook a scientific trial whereby they were divided into two groups. Both groups went on a low calorie diet but one group drank 500 ml (16 fl. oz.) of water before each of the three main meals. After 12 weeks the water swilling bunch had lost 2 kg more than the group that were on the same calorie controlled diet. In another scientific study, 173 women, aged between 25 and 50, were examined regularly over a 12 month period. All the women were overweight at the time of the study. The results showed that increasing daily water intake was linked to significant weight loss and a reduction in body fat over time.
I woke up in the night to drink some water, but I accidentally ate half a pizza and some cheesecake!
How much Water do you need to drink every day to aid Quick Weight Loss?
Well as we have seen in the study, drinking one 500 ml glass of water before each meal will help with weight loss over time.
How much water each person needs a day is still debated. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends drinking 3.7 litres (15 cups) of water daily for an average male and 2.7 litres (11 cups) for an average female. However, this seems rather excessive and each person’s individual needs vary and change on a daily basis according to factors such as exercise levels and temperature. However, by the time that thirst is experienced you are probably already dehydrated.
Simply start by adding a glass of water whenever you can throughout your day. After a couple of weeks this will become an automatic behaviour and as well as feeling more energized and looking great you could find a significant improvement with your weight-loss program.
The problem for me is that water can be quite boring to drink.
I love the taste of water, especially when it is frozen into cubes and surrounded by vodka.
You can always add a dash of fresh lemon juice or fruit ~ even better add some hot water to green tea.
There is no getting away from it … Exercise
Sorry to say it guys but if you really want to boost your metabolic rate and burn fat, exercise is going to be necessary. The first thing to do is limit the time you spend watching TV and sitting on your PC – these activities have been scientifically-proven to lead to weight gain.
Simply gradually becoming more physically active will help – clean the house with a bit more vigour, walk a little faster and have more sex – any exercise really will lead to an increase in fat burning. What you really need to do to dissolve fat quicker is to turn it into lean muscle mass. Resistance training or strength training can help you with this.
I do 5 sit-ups every morning. May not sound like much but there’s only so many times you can hit the snooze button.
Always start the day with a Good Breakfast
Now, here’s a thing, there are not many weight loss programs that actually encourage eating but waking up and enjoying a healthy breakfast may help you out with your weight loss efforts more than you know.
Scientific studies suggest that eating a good breakfast of around 300 calories can kick start your metabolism. This, in turn, helps minimize the risk of unhealthy snacking and therefore helps to achieve steady weight loss.
When I serve somebody breakfast in bed I would just like them to say Thanks. Not all this How did you get into my house? business.
Running for the door after a quick coffee means that your blood sugar level, which will be low anyway following hours of sleep, drops even further.
This usually means that by mid-morning you’re reaching for that donut or refined sweet treat which causes large swings in blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance is thought to be connected with spikes in blood sugar and is also an early warning sign associated with the development of diabetes.
A 2003 study at the American Heart Association suggested that eating breakfast reduces the risk of obesity and insulin resistance by around 35% to 50%
The Science behind Breakfast Eating
A study by Schlundt (et.al.) involved fifty-two obese women who were split into two groups. The first group skipped breakfast and ate two meals a day, whilst the second group had breakfast and ate three meals a day. The energy content of the diet of the two groups was exactly the same. After 12 weeks, those who ate breakfast had lost more weight than the breakfast-skipping group. The study concluded that eating breakfast actually reduced the risk of impulsive snacking during the day and helped reduce dietary fat.
Another interesting factor is that eating breakfast can also help with maintaining your weight and long-term success after a weight loss program. A 2002 study, connected with the National Weight Control Registry, concluded that:-
Eating breakfast is a characteristic common to successful weight loss maintainers and may be a factor in their success.
What are the best breakfasts for quick weight loss?
Breakfast is an important start to the day. To ensure a healthy breakfast that will keep you feeling full right until lunchtime try and include foods from three or more groups. Protein foods are always good as they take longer to digest and will provide energy for longer. Good carbohydrates and high-fiber foods are also an excellent nutritional source.
Below is a list of quick and healthy breakfast options. Once you get into the habit of eating breakfast you can choose your own or mix and match your favourites.
Cereal and milk: Always go for wholemeal cereals and add some fresh fruit. Look for high fibre (more than 5 grams) and low sugar content (less than 5 grams)
Fruit Salad : Choose from all your favourites, grapefruit, melon, kiwis, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and anything else that you really like
What do you mean three cups of coffee and a can of Pringles isn’t a good breakfast?
I’m not that good at eating breakfast Moose. All I know is that it’s some sort of meal without beer.
Ditch the Diet
Research has shown that weight loss diets do NOT work for long-term weight reduction and can even lead to more weight gain.
This includes all diets; including low-calorie diets, low-carbohydrate diets (Atkins, Ketogenic diet), low-fat diets, fad diets (natural hcg diet plan), south beach diet, the military diet, the Paleo diet, cabbage soup diet) and especially yo-yo dieting.
A sustainable healthy eating plan and portion control is more likely to lead to a healthy weight. In addition many diets can lead you feeling tired and lethargic because of a low caloric intake.
I drink green tea as part of my natural weight loss plan.
Do you think that helps?
Only if you go and pick the leaves from the mountains yourself.
Substitute one Meal a Day
One researched method for great weight loss results involves replacing one meal a day with fresh green juice made from a juicer or making a nutritious shake with your blender.
It does not appear to matter if you replace lunch or dinner with the nutritious drink. However, we suggest a healthy breakfast, shake it for lunch and a good dinner.
Furthermore, drinking at least one green juice or smoothie a day will help your body detoxwhilst still benefiting from essential nutrients, which may help you lose pounds quicker. For a full discussion on skipping meals see our 16 8 Fasting Plan article.
I love Smoothies. In fact, I like to add a bit of rum to mine. Then I feel all healthy and self righteous and can enjoy day time drinking without judgement.
I think that you’ve missed the point a bit, as usual, Moose.
The Science behind Meal Replacements and Weight Loss
Heymsfield (et al.), in a meta-study, analysed six scientific trials regarding the effectiveness of a partial meal replacement plan for weight loss. Substituting one meal for a nutritious Smoothie drink qualifies as a partial meal replacement.
In the study, one group of participants substituted a liquid drink for one or two meals of the day and the other group followed a reduced calorie diet.
The calorie intake was the same for both groups. The two groups were evaluated at the 3 month and one year interval and the results were significant. The group that had substituted a liquid drink for a meal had lost 7 % to 8 % of their body weight.
In comparison, those on a traditional calorie controlled diet had lost only 3 % to 7 %. The weight loss in the meal replacement group was around 2.54 kg greater than the dieting group at 3 months and remained at 2.43 kg greater after a year. This shows substituting one meal can help you lose weight naturally and lead to permanent weight loss.
‘I’m Innocent’ I shouted, as I stood in court this morning dressed as a giant Smoothie
Questions and Answers
Does skipping meals lead to greater weight loss?
That is a tricky one because there is a lot of conflicting opinion amongst medical specialists surrounding this topic.
Some argue that skipping meals leads to binge eating, unhealthy shopping and eating choices later in the day. This fast and binge pattern can cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar. Furthermore it promotes delayed insulin response. This can ultimately leading to an increased risk of diabetes.
Some people gain weight by skipping meals. However, there has been evidence to suggest that skipping meals can have some surprising health benefits, including weight loss.
The Science
A 2007 study by Johnston (et al.) that examined obese, asthmatic patients who ate normally for one day and then ate only one calorie restricted meal per day, on alternate days, found that the participants lost 8 % of their body weight.
Furthermore these patients, after 8 weeks on the regime, experienced significant improvement in their asthma-related symptoms and also had:-
The patients Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) increased significantly in just 2 weeks of the alternate day meal skipping diet. This is evidence that indicates an improvement in pulmonary function.
This study showed rapid and sustained beneficial effects for obese, asthmatic patients by the alternate day calorie restriction eating plan.
The answer is that it is okay to skip meals during the day, particularly if it is a short term calorie controlled eating plan similar to that outlined above for obese, asthmatic patients. Some dietary regimes such as the 5:2 plan have had some impressive results.
However, skipping meals as a long term weight loss plan may lead to both short and long term health problems. Eating a healthy, diet and adapting other beneficial behaviours to help with quick weight loss appears to be the way forward.
My New Year’s Resolution was to lose 20 pounds by the end of the summer … I’ve only got 30 pounds to go.
I’m interested in replacing one meal a day with a nutritious smoothie but finding the time to make it is a problem. Is it okay to buy Smoothies?
Some brands of Smoothies that you can buy in supermarkets are not as Innocent as they seem. Nothing beats a freshly, homemade nutritional shake.
If you are short of time you can always blend your lunchtime replacement the night before work, refrigerate and take to work the next day. Alternatively, get up just 15 minutes earlier and whilst sipping your hot water and lemon juice blend up those nutritious shakes. Remember your smoothies can be a mix of fruit and veg – try and go for the low-carb vegetables.
A word about Supermarket Smoothies
If you really must buy your Smoothies at a supermarket be very vigilante about reading labels. One well known brand that is promoted as a healthy choice, contains 171 calories and 34.3 grams of sugar in just 250 mls. To put this into perspective, that is more sugar than a can of soda.
Look out for juice bars that blend their own Smoothies from fresh ingredients on the premises.
An American father asked his young son, ‘What will you do when you grow up as big as me?’ The small boy replies, ‘Diet’.
I’ve heard that coconut oil is good for losing weight but I can’t actually drink it. Is coconut water or coconut milk the same?
Yes, there have been a good few scientific studies that show a direct link between coconut oil and weight loss. Thus, coconut oil is particularly effective in helping lose that stubborn belly fat.
Coconut water or coconut milk is the natural liquid that is inside the white flesh of the coconut when you open it. Coconut water is very good for you, it is full of vital enzymes, phytonutrients and vitamins and minerals.
However, coconut oil is extracted from the mature dried coconut flesh at low temperatures. Coconut oil contains a high concentrate of medium-chain fatty acids. The fatty acids help raise metabolism and may be used as part of a good diet plan to help you lose weight.
Coconut oil fixes everything; rub it on your hair, your skin, your relationship and your bank account!
I was told recently by my physician to get medical weight loss. What exactly does this mean? Will it involve bariatric surgery and following a pre-surgery diet?
Medical weight loss is not what you would think. It is not surgery or weight loss pills but it is rather very much the philosophy behind the Halls.md website.
Medical weight loss is a management treatment that is adapted to each individual’s weight-loss goals. The treatment and guidance are supervised by qualified physicians, dietitians and nutritionists.
There are many weight loss centers. Although some advocate themselves as quick weight loss centers, most will supervise a healthy, weight loss diet.
Moose, you’re fat and you need to go on a diet.
That’s a bit blunt, Doc!
Well, I’m not going to sugar coat it because you would probably eat that too.
How to Lose Weight Fast Follow Halls and Moose EASY scientifically-proven 8 step plan that shows you all the easiest ways to quick weight loss. No fad diets, no trendy diet pills just proven advice on how to achieve a healthy weight.
Kramer FM , Jeffery RW , Forster JL , Snell MK (1989) Long-term follow-up of behavioral treatment for obesity: patterns of weight regain among men and women. International Journal of Obesity [1989, 13(2):123-136] (Retrieved January 12th 2016) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2663745
