7 Rules To Follow If You Want To Lose Weight

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

Dr. Constance Odom, MD

About

Constance Tambakis Odom, MD graduated in 1987 with her Doctorate of Medicine from the New York Medical College, and was an Anesthesiologist Resident from 1988 to 1991 at the Brookdale Medical Center PGY II (CA-I)-PGY IV (CA-III). She is Board Certified by the American Board of Anesthesiology since 1998 and American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine since 2002. Constance Odom, MD is affiliated with the American Medical Association, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Society of Anesthesiology, Georgia Society of Anesthesiology, Hellenic Medical Society of New York, North Carolina Society of Anesthesiology, and Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia.

Credentials

Medical Director At:

• Nu Image Medical
• MetroMedispa P.A.

Staff Anesthesiologist at:

• Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital in Dunn, NC
• Onslow Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, NC
• Duplin General Hospital in Kenansville, NC

Director of Anesthesia Services at:

• Jacksonville Surgery Center in Jacksonville, NC

Written by our editorial team.

Last Edited 8 years ago · 7 min read

There are several small changes that you can start implementing today to lose weight, and the sooner that you start the better your results will be. These 7 rules can help you start losing weight today and they don't take much effort to start implementing.

These guidelines will help you get closer to your ideal weight and you'll find that they are very helpful as general health guidelines even if you aren't trying to lose weight. Everyone is different, and if any of these methods don't seem like they'll work for you based on your past experiences you don't need to necessarily try them. Pick the ones that you think will be more effective and natural for you and you'll be more likely to stick to them.

#1 - Try eating breakfast

The simple act of eating breakfast can go a long way in helping you lose weight and it's recommended that you start eating it if you haven't already. Breakfast helps you regulate your appetite throughout the day, and it makes a significant difference in the amount of energy that you have at the start of the day. If you aren't hungry in the morning you can pack a portable breakfast with you like hardboiled eggs, fruit or oatmeal and wait until you're hungry to eat, but either way you should do your best to try to eat something in the morning. You'll very likely find that you aren't as hungry when lunch rolls around and you will probably eat fewer calories during the week.

#2 - Don't rely on carbohydrates for energy

It's a big mistake if you are snacking on high carbohydrate foods, and you aren't going to be able to lose weight very easily if a large percentage of your calories are coming from them. Be sure that you are consuming adequate healthy fat and protein with your meals, and limit your carbohydrate intake from non-vegetable and non-fruit sources. Starches, sugar, and grains are the major culprits for weight gain, and if you've been snacking on high carbohydrate foods you really have to do your best to limit your intake of these foods to lose weight. It can make a huge difference in the amount of weight that you lose and your calorie intake and it definitely matters.

#3 - Eat as many vegetables and fruits as you can in your diet

Another important thing to do is to eat as many fruits and vegetables as you can, and although it may seem obvious, almost all of us could be better at doing it. Just by increasing your intake of vegetables and fruits you will very likely naturally start to lose weight or at least stabilize your weight. Try to always have your favorite vegetables and fruits with you and do your best to have at least a few servings in every meal. Limit your grain and carbohydrate intake and increase your vegetable intake, and it can make a huge difference in the amount of calories that you consume because vegetables are high in fiber and filling, along with most non-starchy and low sugar fruits.

#4 - Get rid of soda and sugary drinks

This is a must if you're trying to lose weight: you have to find replacement drinks for juices, sugary drinks, or soda. The best replacement is obviously water, but if you have had a soda addiction you probably won't be as satisfied with water and more likely to relapse if you just quit cold turkey. One good substitute for soda is sparkling water without any added sugar. Diet soda however isn't a good substitute and can make your weight problems and metabolic issues even worse, so don't rely on diet drinks as an alternative. Try to eliminate most sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks from your diet and you'll find that it's a lot easier to lose weight.

#5 - Be sure that you're eating healthy fat

It's important to eat healthy fat with your meals, and healthy fat won't necessarily lead to weight gain as long as you consume it in moderation. Some good sources of healthy fat include nuts, avocados, olives and olive oil, coconut oil, and other non-processed natural oils. These oils are a good source of healthy fats that can improve your cardiovascular system like monounsaturated fats (in nuts, avocados and olive oil) and medium chain triglycerides (in coconut oil). Flax seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids as well as olive oil, and most types of fish are also a good source of omega-3s which can help lower inflammation.

#6 - Drink more water

The simple act of drinking more water can go a long way in helping you lose weight, and it can help you control your appetite and reduce the number of calories that you eat during each meal. Drinking at least 4 cups of water each day was associated with a 5-pound weight loss over the course of a year in a study by the Stanford Prevention Research Center. This wasn't even considering substituting water for sugary drinks, which resulted in even more weight loss. In general, if you want to lose weight quickly, substitute most of your drinks for water and stick with it.

#7 - Drink more green tea or coffee

If you're a regular green tea or coffee drinker you're in luck because both of those drinks can greatly assist with weight loss. Compounds in green tea can lower your appetite and can even boost your metabolism a little bit. The same goes for coffee which can suppress your appetite with the effect of caffeine. Both drinks have been associated with a wide range of health benefits, but green tea as a whole is considered to be healthier than coffee. Coffee isn't necessarily bad for you but there are some types of coffee that are heavily sprayed with pesticides and organic green tea shouldn't have any of that in it. For both types of drinks you should try to buy higher quality organic tea or coffee products whenever possible, but even if you can't they are still far better than any sugary drinks or soda.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your physician about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Nu Image Medical may not offer the medications or services mentioned in this article.