We wanted to know what these studies found and, most importantly, when all the science and evidence were boiled down, what experts recommend for people who would like to shed pounds in a safe, healthy manner. All of the experts emphasized one thing: A person's approach to weight loss should be one that is enjoyable and can be maintained over the long term. Weight loss shouldn't be about deprivation, because diets that deprive people of their favorite foods tend to be short-lived, said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and general internist at Cambridge Health Alliance.
"Only doing abdominal-focused workouts, like crunches, won’t help you banish the bulge. Belly fat is simply where your body stores energy, so you need to take a whole-body approach to tackle it. HIIT training (high intensity interval training) is a great way to burn fat and get your heart rate up. Squats, burpees and treadmill sprints are all examples to try."
So boiling it down even further: reduce calories, eat better, exercise, and most of all, remember it is a practice that has to be repeated over time – months or years. The fact that you'll have to work harder at maintenance than your never-overweight best friend is depressing, but it's worth coming to terms with. And, most important to remember, your brain (the organ behind all this, after all) is plastic, and it will respond to the changes you make – better than you think. And so will your body.
43. Eat Fermented Foods – Foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt can help to curb sweet cravings while also improving gut health. Believe it or not, eating fermented foods has also been found to improve blood pressure and body composition.45 Fermented vegetables aren’t your only option either. You can also include fermented drinks like kombucha, coconut water kefir, and kvass.
For someone who wants to know how to lose 10 pounds, “I may suggest 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat,” says Gans. “The bulk of the carbs should come from whole grains, legumes, fruits, and starchy vegetables that are minimally processed; the proteins should come from lean sources as well as seafood, and the fats come from healthy sources like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olives.”
The sad truth is that conventional ideas – eat less, run more – do not work long term. Counting calories, exercising for hours every day and trying to ignore your hunger? That’s needless suffering and it wastes your time and precious willpower. It’s weight loss for masochists. Eventually almost everyone gives up. That’s why we have an obesity epidemic. Fortunately there’s a better way.
