Millions around the globe suffer from obesity or excess weight, yet after trying different remedies, many are still not able to fight it. Losing weight can also be a tricky thing as what might work for one may not work for the others. Adding the busy modern lifestyles can be even more challenging to lose weight.
Excess weight may not only be due to a sedentary lifestyle or unhealthy eating habits. But there could also be some underlying health conditions that can lead to obesity. So, focusing on improving overall health not only helps you cut weight but also fights the underlying conditions that are responsible for it.
Causes of Overweight
As mentioned above, other than physical inactivity and overeating, various other health conditions can lead to obesity. Below listed are a few such common health conditions:
- Genetics
- Cirrhosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Water retention
- High-calorie beverages
- Changes in gut bacteria
- Digestive disorders
- Hashimoto’s disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- High-calorie diet (mostly fat or carbs)
- Cardiac or kidney disorders disorders
Psychological disorders, such as insomnia, stress, and depression, can also indirectly lead to obesity. It is because they can disrupt the appetite or increase the craving for foods, especially sweets.
Certain medications and treatments are also known to cause obesity.
Pregnancy may also lead to obesity, and following a healthy lifestyle after child-birth can help women lose weight.
If you are obese, it doesn’t mean that you have any of these conditions. These are just some common conditions that can cause overweight or obesity. So, on a safer side, focusing on improving overall health helps you in maintaining a proper weight for a long time and also may treat the underlying conditions.
It is of utmost importance to treat obesity or overweight in time. If left untreated, it can lead to other complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, atherosclerosis, cancers, and various other physical and psychological disorders.
Natural and Fastest Ways to Treat Obesity or Reduce Weight
Foods, therapies, physical, and psychological workouts are the four natural ways that can help you lose weight in real-time without any significant side effects.
Before you try any treatments or remedies, get a full-body health check-up. Consult a physician and check if you have any health complications. By understanding it, you will have more effective options to treat obesity or overweight.
Understanding Calorie Intake
If you are looking for the fastest ways to lose weight, abruptly cutting on food or lowering calorie intake is not the solution. It can even worsen health conditions or reverse the benefits in some cases.
Check this article to get a brief idea of the calorie intake and how carbohydrates, proteins, and fats play a role in regulating health.
Healthy calorie intake is around 2,000 for adult women and 2,500 for an adult man.(1)
Also, you can check with a dietician or nutrition on the calorie intake. Depending on age, sex, and other factors, they can help optimize the ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for a healthy weight loss.
One of the best ways is to restrict the amount of carbs and fats. But, altogether avoiding carbs or fats can deprive your diet of all the essential nutrients.
A protein-rich diet is the fastest way to lose weight. There are plenty of reasons for it and below listed are a few:
- Burns more calories
- Promotes digestion
- Reduces appetite
- Cuts food-cravings
- Inhibits muscle-loss during the weight cut
Fasting for Quick Weight Loss
If you are looking for the natural and fastest way to lose weight, then fasting is the answer. When fasting, the body burns the fat reservoirs for energy, which helps in quick weight loss without harming the body.
Fasting once in a while or skipping meals once in a while, maybe good as your body burns extra fat reservoirs to provide energy. Proper fasting techniques such as alternate day fasting, warrior diet, and other intermittent fasting techniques promote quick weight loss.
However, doing it every day can put your health at risk. So, make sure that you get a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If you plan on fasting to reduce weight, there are few ways to do it effectively, and you should also take measures to keep your energy levels perfect.
Check this article to find out how you can skip meals with effective fasting techniques to lose weight.
Weight Loss Foods
Foods play a vital role in reducing weight. Below listed are some of the best foods that not only reduce weight but also enrich health.
1. Oatmeal for Breakfast
A cup of oatmeals has around 150 calories, which give around 5 grams of fibers and fill about 20% of the daily goal.
Oatmeals are one of the best diet staples and contain healthy amounts of carbs and proteins.
Fiber-rich oatmeal food is known to be an excellent source for promoting weight loss. These are known to contain beta-glucans, a type of fiber that may make your stomach feel full and satisfied.
They also enrich the body with vital components such as calcium, copper, magnesium, iron, selenium, phosphorus, and potassium. To address your food cravings, you can also use oatmeals in making smoothies, muffins, and other similar desserts or snacks.
Oats are one of the healthiest whole grains which are known to reduce blood pressure and enrich the digestion.
Other Health Benefits of Oatmeals:
- Relieves constipation
- Promotes healthy gut bacteria
- Improves blood flow
- Improves insulin response and reduces blood sugar
All these properties of oatmeal can have both a direct and indirect impact on promoting healthy weight loss.
Other Breakfast Foods for Weight Loss:
Every food does not contain all the essential nutrients. Alongside being mundane, eating the same food every day may deprive your body of healthy nutrients. Here are some other good breakfast options that you may add to your everyday breakfast:
- Yogurt
- Bananas
- Berries
- Grapefruits
- Ginger jam
- Eggs (scrambled or boiled)
- Whole wheat bread
You can either mix these foods or eat them alone.
Quick Weight-Loss Foods for Lunch or Dinner
There are a lot of food options that can make you feel full and also have a high nutritional value that, in turn, promote quick weight loss. Below listed are a few such foods that you can add either for lunch or dinner:
1. Sweet Potatoes
One hundred grams of sweet potatoes gives around 85 calories and contains 20 grams of carbohydrates (with 3 of dietary fiber) and 1.6 grams of proteins. They also contain vitamins A, C, & B-6, calcium, and magnesium.
Intense, fresh, and sugary flesh taste, sweet potatoes are one of the delicious foods to help you lose weight. They come with proper amounts of dietary fibers that absorb water, make you feel fuller, and thus helping you maintain the calorie-restricted diet.
The high water content of sweet potatoes may help in hydrating the cells and also enriching the metabolic activity. It, therefore, can prevent the accumulation of fat cells and in eliminating the toxins from the body.
The low-glycemic nature of sweet potatoes also does not cause an instant rise in blood sugar levels. It can thus help the body in promoting weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. These are also one of the best options to satisfy the cravings for carbs.
You can eat them either by boiling, baking, roasting or even in mashed form. You can also eat it alone or add it to other foods or salads.
Other health benefits of sweet potatoes:
- Improves digestive health
- Helps in managing diabetes
- Boosts immune system
- Reduces inflammation
- Supports brain health and development
- Reduces LDL or bad cholesterol levels
- Reduces the risk of cardiac disorders
2. Avocadoes
150 g of avocados account for 240 calories and contains 13 g of carbs, 3 g of proteins, and 22 g of fat. Most of the fat, around 15 g of it is monounsaturated, which is an essential and healthy fat.
According to a study (2), monounsaturated fat may prevent fat distribution, especially in the central part of the body. And avocados, as mentioned above, are an excellent source for it.
Alongside providing good calorie content, they also improve the quality of the diet and regulate a healthy appetite. These are also one of the best foods that have densely packed nutrients. The proper amounts of dietary fiber in avocados make them one of the best sources to aid the digestive process and even promote a healthy weight loss.
Avocados are one of those foods which can boost metabolism and enrich exercise endurance. These properties of avocados can make one burn more calories and also helps in eliminating the toxic fat cells.
Other health benefits of avocados:
- Great for vision
- May prevent osteoporosis
- Promotes cardiac health
- Exhibits antioxidant properties
- Good antimicrobials
Avocados are also known to lower the risk of diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, and may improve insulin sensitivity.
May also reduce skin inflammation, promote wound healing, and moisturize the dry skin.
3. Tofu
One-hundred grams of tofu accounts for about 76 calories and contains 1.9 g of carbs, 8 g of protein, and 4.8 g of fat. It is also an excellent source of calcium and iron.
Tofu is rich in proteins. Eating it can make one feel fuller for a longer time and can help in sticking to a low-calorie diet.
According to a study, soy proteins can limit or reduce the accumulation of fat in the body and also improve insulin resistance (3).
Besides, these are also known to reduce body weight and fat mass. And tofu is a soy product, and thus these factors make tofu one of the best products to incorporate in a regular diet to lose weight.
Other health benefits of tofu:
- Known to promote immune system
- Can help diabetic people
- Improves skin elasticity and can tone facial muscles
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke
Other healthy foods for weight loss:
- Salmon
- Leafy greens
- Chili Pepper
- Cottage Cheese
- Beans and Legumes
- Cruciferous Vegetables
- Lean Beef and Chicken Breast
Fruits to Promote Weight Loss
1. Blueberries
One hundred grams of blueberries contain
- 14 g of carbohydrates
- 0.7 g of protein, and
- 0.3 g of fat
Blueberries are one of the highly nutritious and low-calorie foods. They are a low-glycemic food, meaning they do not trigger conditions that may result in weight gain. They contain proper amounts of vitamins A & C, which can help in fighting auto-immune disorders and also may fight weight gain associated with it.
Dietary fibers are known to play a vital role in reducing weight, and blueberries are an excellent source for it. Flavonoid-rich blueberries also improve mental health. They are also diuretic, which may reduce belly fat. Antioxidants in blueberries may also reduce the levels of oxidized LDL, which can be useful for the heart.
Edible berries, including strawberries and raspberries, also exhibit similar health benefits.
Other Fruits That Promote Quick Weight Loss:
Eating foods does not reduce weight loss, but it may promote metabolism and other factors that can help in burning calories or other body functions that reduce weight.
Is Dietary Fiber Good for Health and Quick Weight Loss?
Dietary fiber is highly essential for promoting health, including regulating weight.
There are two types of fibers, soluble and insoluble, and both of them are essential. They play a vital role in controlling body weight, preventing hypertension, regulating bowel movements, lowering the risk of diabetes, and also helps in preventing various chronic conditions and enriching overall health.
Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol levels by mitigating their entry into the bloodstream and instead promotes their exit through feces.
How Much Fiber Should I Eat Every Day?
- Average adult male: 31 – 38 g
- Average adult female: 21 – 25 g
Note: These remedies may or may not be useful for everyone. If you have any medical condition, taking medications, or undergoing any treatment, it is better to consult a doctor. Check with them and make sure that these remedies do not interact or trigger any negative health consequences.
Sticking to these diets every day, followed by a physical workout, and other remedies mentioned above are some of the easiest and fastest ways for you to lose weight.
Other simple tips to promote quick weight loss:
- Protein foods can reduce cravings and also reduce the amount of calorie intake.
- Drinking water before meals can make you feel fuller and suppress your appetite.
- Consume coffee, green tea, or other beverages that can boost metabolism. It can, in turn, help the body in burning more calories.
- Instead of eating huge meals, eat smaller portions and eat them more frequently.
- Walk after your meal; it helps in fastening the metabolism.
- Do not stand while eating or drinking; it can disrupt the digestive process.
- Chew the food properly; it helps in improving the digestion of the food.
Physical Workout for Quick Weight Loss
Exercise or physical workout is one of the most vital factors that can contribute to weight loss and a healthy life. It helps in burning more calories, improves lean body mass, and reduces the risk of cardiac disorders and other chronic conditions, which may otherwise lead to obesity or overweight.
1. Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercises or cardio is one of the best ways to reduce obesity or overweight. It helps in fighting cardiac diseases, diabetes, anxiety, stress, and respiratory disorders, which may be contributing or may lead to obesity.
Aerobic exercises improve blood volume, cardiovascular efficiency, muscular system, bones, and tendons, which can both directly and indirectly, reduce weight and other conditions associated with it.
During aerobic exercises, the body burns calories or stored fat to energize the body’s muscular or cardiovascular systems. These exercises can also reduce cholesterol levels in the body, one of the causes of obesity. It also improves the metabolic rate, which can, in turn, burn fat.
Walking, jogging, stair climbing, swimming, skipping rope are some of the simple aerobic exercises that you can practice at home to lose weight.
Before starting your routine of aerobic exercises, make sure to stretch for a minimum of 5-10 minutes. Follow a schedule where you can practice the exercises for at least 30 t0 45 minutes every day or on alternate days. Make sure that you get a minimum of 2.5 to 3 hours of physical workout every week.
Most intense workouts are often known to be the best and fastest ways to lose weight.
2. Weight-Training for Quick Weight Loss
Weight-training is also another fastest way to lose weight. Although it may not burn as many calories as aerobic exercises, it is more effective in building muscles. In turn, the better the muscles, the more calories or fat they burn at rest.
Besides, muscles also enrich the resting metabolism, which typically helps in burning more calories at rest. However, if you are new to weight-training and looking for the fastest ways to lose weight, then you must learn the best techniques that are suitable for your body by a professional or an expert.
Anaerobic exercises are also one of the best ways to lose weight. If you are training at home, you should consult an expert who can help in designing you a set of exercises depending on body fat, age, height, sex, and even health conditions.
[ Read: Is There a Best Time to Exercise for Weight Loss ]
Therapies for Promoting Weight Loss
Therapies are known to be one of the most beneficial ways to improve and treat various health conditions. These can be helpful for those suffering from obesity or excess weight.
Here, therapies can play a significant in promoting quick weight loss:
1. Water Therapy
Water therapy is known to reduce around 1-2 pounds of weight in a week. Alongside promoting quick weight loss, it also helps in removing toxins from the body.
There are a few different types of water therapies, and below listed is one of the prominent ones.
Drink around 4 to 5 glasses of water soon after waking up. Later, you can brush your teeth. Have your breakfast after at least 45 minutes of drinking water. Also, do not eat anything for at least two hours after your meal.
Water therapy can help you burn more calories and reduce appetite (drinking water before meals), cleaning the stomach, and enriching the digestive system. It, in turn, helps the body in promoting quick weight loss.
To get the proper results, you must also follow a healthy lifestyle and other tips mentioned in this article.
2. Fruit Diets
Fruits diets are also one of the fastest ways to lose weight. Everyone may not be able to take a complete only-fruit diet. Besides, fruits may also lack specific vitamins and micronutrients. Hence, adding veggies is an excellent idea to fill the gap of the essential nutrients.
Most fruits have almost zero fat and lower carbs. So, they are also one of the best ways for those looking for quick weight loss. Just a week of fruit diet can help you lose around 9 pounds.
Adding protein foods to the diet can also be a healthy option to enrich the process.
Fruits that you can include in fruit diet:
- Kiwi
- Melons
- Apples
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Passion fruit
Note: Before adopting any therapies mentioned above or changing your diet, make sure to check with your doctor or nutrition. Although these diets work for most people, it is always wise to check the effect it may have on your health and then proceed.
Other Therapies for Weight Loss
1. Acupuncture
Acupuncture originated in China is one of the ancient, still active, and widely used therapies in modern society. It uses a healing method that focuses on the energy that circulates in the body.
The treatment removes the blockages & restores the balance in the energy flow that may cause obesity and other health conditions. It also improves the digestive functions, which can, in turn, enhance the process of weight loss.
In acupuncture, the practitioners insert needles, which stimulates the release of feel-good hormones known as endorphins. It thus creates a relaxing and calming effect that can fight the mental disorders which may be responsible for obesity or other conditions associated with it.
The therapy can also release anxiety, frustration, and stress and help in fighting food cravings or addictions, improve appetite, and also build a healthy lifestyle. It can also improve metabolism, which can naturally help in fighting obesity.
Acupuncture also helps in regulating the functions of kidneys, nervous system, circulatory system, thyroid, adrenal, and ovary glands. Here, acupuncture also reduces weight by treating any underlying causes that may arise from these systems.
Other Health Benefits of Acupuncture:
- Alleviates pain or tensions in the neck, back, hands, and legs
- Relieves headaches
- Reduces eye strain
- Improves immune system
Ear piercing is another similar technique that can help in treating obesity or weight loss.
Check this article, which discusses the method and its benefits: Ear Piercing – The Best Way to Lose Body Fat.
2. Acupressure
Acupressure is another method close to acupuncture that can help in promoting weight loss. It works on a similar technique of improving overall health, but here the practitioners use pressure instead of needles.
Aromatherapy is another excellent way which can help improve health and enrich the body’s abilities to fight obesity or overweight naturally. It can even be practiced at home by visiting a practitioner. The therapy uses essential oils that are put in a diffuser or inhaled, which holistically promotes weight loss.
Calories Used per Hour in Common Physical Activities(Source)
| Moderate Physical Activity | Approximate Calories/30 Minutes for a 154 lb Person1 | Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person1 |
|---|---|---|
| Hiking | 185 | 370 |
| Light gardening/yard work | 165 | 330 |
| Dancing | 165 | 330 |
| Golf (walking and carrying clubs) | 165 | 330 |
| Bicycling (<10 mph) | 145 | 290 |
| Walking (3.5 mph) | 140 | 280 |
| Weight lifting (general light workout) | 110 | 220 |
| Stretching | 90 | 180 |
| Vigorous Physical Activity | Approximate Calories/30 Minutes for a 154 lb Person1 | Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person1 |
| Running/jogging (5 mph) | 295 | 590 |
| Bicycling (>10 mph) | 295 | 590 |
| Swimming (slow freestyle laps) | 255 | 510 |
| Aerobics | 240 | 480 |
| Walking (4.5 mph) | 230 | 460 |
| Heavy yard work (chopping wood) | 220 | 440 |
| Weight lifting (vigorous effort) | 440 | |
| Basketball (vigorous) | 220 | 440 |
Psychotherapy for Weight Loss
As discussed earlier, not only physical conditions but various psychological conditions can also lead to obesity. In such cases, sometimes even dietary changes or physical workouts may not be helpful. Hence, addressing the underlying mental conditions and fixing it is one way to treat obesity.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one such psychological treatment that treats obesity and also various other health conditions.
1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
CBT or Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps individuals by alleviating emotional stress, anxiety, depression, or any other adverse mental conditions that may be responsible for obesity or other health conditions. It works by getting deeper into the person’s mental state and dealing with the core problems.
In CBT, the practitioner will be addressing the issue by understanding the physical and mental history, relationship with food, lifestyle choices, and personal or professional factors. Here, they will be helping you in setting goals and other processes that can help in reducing weight and also in improving overall health.
Goal setting, self-monitoring, reinforcement, motivation, self-esteem, and rewards are some techniques used by the practitioner. It is also one of the wise choices because losing weight alone can be difficult. So, having someone who can motivate and walk us through the journey can be highly beneficial.
Make sure that alongside CBT, you also follow a healthy dietary and physical workout regimen to get the desired results.
Other tips for enriching quick weight loss:
- Make sure to get a proper sleep
- Do not stress over simple things
- Take short naps whenever possible
- Do not binge-eat
- Chew gum
- Stretch yourself (while working you can stretch sitting on the chair)
Bottom Line:
Overweight is one of the most stressful things for many, which can damage both physical and mental health. Losing weight can be tricky and may not be the same for everyone. Just know that a healthy lifestyle with proper eating habits, rest, and physical workout are the three simple ways that can help you lose weight quickly and also may prevent obesity in the future.
FAQs
1. What Is the Best Time to Workout for Weight Loss?
In general, working out in the morning is best because exercise can release both physical and psychological toxins. It can, in turn, improve your mood and keep you alleviated for the rest of the day. However, there is no such thing as you have to work out only in the mornings. You can work out even in the evening, night, or any time that fits your schedule.
2. Are Surgeries the Best Way to Get Rid of Fat Instantly?
Surgeries can help in getting rid of the fat in the body. However, it may come back as you are only removing the fat but not the underlying health conditions associated with it. A healthy lifestyle with proper dietary habits and physical workouts are the best ways to lose weight and even prevent obesity.
