There is always a new diet tip or trick to try, but what about the old favourites? Wellness experts are often called on to give dieting advice, but which weight loss strategies do they always, without fail, recommend? The best weight-loss tips are the ones that stand the test of time so we’ve spoken to top diet authors, celebrity trainers, and doctors for their all-time favourite weight loss suggestions.
1. Never Skip Breakfast: ‘Eat breakfast,’ instructs Mehmet Oz, MD, presenter of The Dr Oz Show. ‘It’ll energize you for the day and keep your diet in check.’
2. Nibble Your Pudding: ‘Use the three-bite rule with dessert,’ recommends JJ Virgin, author of The Virgin Diet. ‘Have three small bites and put your fork down.’
3. Keep the Burn Going: Fitness expert Jillian Michaels advises, ‘During your workout, rest no more than 30 seconds between exercises. This will dramatically bump your calorie burn.’
4. Avoid Eating in the Evening: Mark Hyman, MD, author of UltraMetabolism, explains, ‘Finish eating three hours before bedtime. Your metabolism slows down when you sleep so you shift from fat burning to fat storage.’
5. Don’t Forget Your Dumbbells: ‘Increase the strength component of your workout,’ suggests celebrity trainer Sara Shears. ‘Adding lean muscle to your body not only tones, it also increases your metabolism.’
6. Question Your Cravings: Michelle May, MD, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat, notes, ‘Before you eat, ask yourself, “Am I hungry?” Unless a craving comes from hunger, eating won’t satisfy it.’
7. Get Plenty of Sleep: ‘Get six to eight hours of sleep a night,’ Manuel Villacorta, RD, author of Eating Free, stresses. ‘Without it, the appetite hormone ghrelin increases, which could result in weight gain. And schedule at least two three-minute breaks during the day to practice deep-breathing exercises. It will reduce the stress hormone cortisol, which builds fat around your mid-section.’
8. Train Your Brain: ‘Be specific about your weight-loss goal,’ asserts Heidi Grant Halvorson, PhD, author of The Psychology of Goals. ‘The brain detects a difference between where you are and where you want to be, so when you’re specific, your brain throws resources like willpower at it.’
9. Start with Greens: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, comments, ‘Eat in the right order. Eat vegetables first to naturally have more of them and ultimately eat fewer calories.’
10. Snack Away: Pamela Peeke, MD, author of The Hunger Fix, points out you should ‘Eat every three to four hours so you’ll be equipped to say no to temptations.’
11. Set a Firm Goal: ‘Set a tangible goal with a firm deadline,’ says Ramona Braganza, the trainer who got Jessica Alba in shape for a photo shoot less than three months after Alba gave birth. ‘For example, schedule an “after” photo shoot. It will help you stay motivated.’
12. Steel Yourself: ‘Expect some discomfort,’ warns Anne Parker of the Miraval Arizona Resort and Spa. ‘You’re leaving your comfort zone of old eating habits. Knowing that it can be uncomfortable will help you get through it.’
13. Schedule a Cheat Day: Jim Nicolai, MD, Miraval Arizona Resort and Spa, recommends, ‘Resist cravings by postponing indulging to a future day when you’re free to eat whatever you want.’
14. Use Your Arms: Celebrity trainer Jeanette Jenkins suggests, ‘When you are doing a treadmill workout, add arm exercises with light weights to increase your calorie burn.’
15. Stop Drinking Fizzy Drinks: ‘Put the soda down [and] step away,’ instructs Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD. ‘Regular soda drinking may make muscles less likely to burn fat.’