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The Hidden Fasting Benefits Science Finally Revealed in 2025

08/26/2025 Leave a comment

Fasting benefits extend far beyond simple weight loss, as groundbreaking research in 2025 has finally unveiled. For decades, intermittent fasting was primarily viewed as a dietary strategy for shedding unwanted pounds. However, recent scientific discoveries have revealed that temporarily abstaining from food triggers a cascade of powerful biological processes that can transform your brain health, cellular function, and overall longevity. The concept of “intermittent fasting healthy” practices has gained significant traction in both scientific and popular circles.

Surprisingly, these newly discovered benefits of intermittent fasting affect multiple body systems simultaneously. When you fast, your body initiates complex mechanisms like autophagy (cellular housekeeping), ketone utilization, and enhanced neuroplasticity—processes that were previously understudied in relation to fasting. Furthermore, researchers have documented significant improvements in cognitive function, inflammation reduction, and disease prevention that occur specifically during fasting periods.

This article explores the different fasting approaches, their unique biological effects, and the remarkable brain-boosting benefits that science has only recently confirmed. We’ll examine how these fasting protocols might help prevent neurodegenerative diseases and what the latest research tells us about implementing fasting in your own life—regardless of your current health status.

The different types of intermittent fasting explained

Intermittent fasting encompasses several distinct approaches, each with unique protocols and potential advantages. Unlike traditional diets that focus on what to eat, these methods primarily address when to eat, creating strategic eating windows and fasting periods.

Time-restricted eating (TRE)

Time-restricted eating concentrates your food consumption within a consistent daily window, typically ranging from 6 to 12 hours, while fasting for the remaining hours. The most popular variation is the 16/8 method, which involves fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window. ¹ For example, you might eat between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., then fast until the next day. Many practitioners find this approach particularly accessible since much of the fasting occurs during sleep.

Women may benefit from shorter fasting periods of about 14 hours due to hormonal considerations.² Additionally, recent research indicates that early time-restricted eating (eTRE)—scheduling meals earlier in the day—may produce better results for weight management and metabolic health, with studies showing an average weight loss of 2.3 kg with this approach ³.

Alternate-day fasting (ADF)

Alternate-day fasting involves cycling between regular eating days and significant calorie reduction. The two main variations include zero-calorie ADF, where no foods or caloric beverages are consumed on fasting days, and modified alternate-day fasting (MADF), which allows approximately 20-25% of normal caloric intake (typically 500-600 calories) on fasting days ⁴.

This approach can be challenging to maintain long-term but may offer significant metabolic benefits. According to research, modified alternate-day fasting has led to weight loss of 3-8% over periods ranging from 3 to 24 weeks, along with a 4-7% reduction in waist circumference ⁵.

Periodic fasting (5:2 method)

The 5:2 method, popularized by British journalist Michael Mosley, involves eating normally for five days of the week while restricting calories to 500 for women and 600 for men on the other two non-consecutive days ⁵. These fasting days should be separated by at least one non-fasting day to optimize results.

For maximum benefit, nutrition quality matters even on non-fasting days. On fasting days, focus on nutrient-dense foods like lean proteins and non-starchy vegetables to manage hunger effectively ⁶. Some practitioners split their fasting-day calories into two or three small meals, while others prefer two slightly larger meals ⁵.

Fasting-mimicking diet (FMD)

The fasting-mimicking diet represents a more structured approach developed by researchers at USC. This 5-day protocol provides approximately 40-50% of normal calorie intake on day one and 10-20% on subsequent days ⁷. Unlike complete fasting, FMD allows consumption of specific foods—primarily plant-based items including vegetables, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats like olive oil ⁷.

Recent studies demonstrate impressive benefits beyond weight management. A 2024 study in Nature Communications found that periodic FMD cycles reduced markers of immune system aging and insulin resistance while decreasing liver fat. Remarkably, participants experienced an average reduction in biological age of 2.5 years ⁸.

The structured nature of FMD, combined with its periodic implementation (typically monthly cycles), makes it potentially more sustainable than stricter fasting regimens. Moreover, it provides essential nutrients even during restricted periods, addressing concerns about nutritional deficiencies that may arise with complete fasting ⁷.

How fasting triggers powerful biological changes

When you stop eating, your body undergoes a remarkable series of biochemical changes that extend far beyond simple calorie restriction. These transformations represent ancient survival mechanisms that have recently been linked to numerous health benefits.

The metabolic switch: from glucose to ketones

Your body typically relies on glucose as its primary fuel source. Yet, once you fast for 12-36 hours (depending on your activity level and initial glycogen stores), a critical transformation occurs: the metabolic switch ⁹ This pivotal moment happens when your liver depletes its glycogen reserves, forcing your body to mobilize fat through lipolysis and initiate glycogenolysis.

As fasting continues, your body shifts from glucose metabolism to fatty acid-derived ketones, entering a state of ketosis. This evolutionary adaptation preserves muscle mass while providing an alternative energy source ⁹. The ketone production pathway begins when fuel utilization shifts from glucose to fatty acids and ketone bodies during the overnight fast ¹⁰. Blood ketone levels, typically low during fed states, increase within 8-12 hours of fasting in humans, reaching 2-5 mM by 24 hours ¹¹.

This metabolic flexibility represents a crucial survival advantage, allowing the body to maintain function during periods of food scarcity. Notably, this metabolic switching reinforces metabolic circadian rhythms and promotes overall metabolic efficiency ¹⁰.

Autophagy and cellular housekeeping

Fasting activates autophagy, a critical cellular “housekeeping” process ¹². During autophagy, your cells form specialized membrane compartments that function like trash bags, collecting damaged proteins and organelles ¹². These cellular components are then broken down and recycled, improving overall cellular function and promoting protein synthesis ¹³.

This cleansing process occurs throughout the body, including the brain, where autophagy increases dramatically after just 24 hours of fasting ¹³. The process is regulated by nutrient-sensing pathways—specifically, when ATP and glucose levels drop, AMPK activation increases, inhibiting mTOR pathway and initiating autophagy ¹⁴.

Remarkably, studies show that disruption of autophagy can cause neurodegeneration, whereas upregulation may protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by removing harmful protein aggregates ¹³¹².

Hormonal shifts and insulin sensitivity

Fasting triggers significant hormonal changes that collectively improve metabolic health. Most immediately, insulin levels decrease substantially during fasting periods ¹⁵. This reduction in insulin enables increased lipolysis and fat oxidation, leading to the release of free fatty acids ¹⁶.

Growth hormone increases during fasting, which helps preserve muscle mass while promoting fat utilization ¹⁷. Concurrently, fasting reduces leptin and increases adiponectin, leading to decreased hepatic gluconeogenesis and improved insulin sensitivity ¹⁶.

These hormonal shifts create a more metabolically flexible state. Even short-term fasting (16.8 hours daily for two weeks) has been shown to reduce fasting glucose by 6.1% and improve insulin resistance markers by the same percentage ¹⁶.

Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress

Fasting significantly decreases markers of inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body ¹⁸. Studies have documented reductions in pro-inflammatory cytokines and a decrease in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio following fasting periods ¹⁹.

The antioxidant benefits appear to occur through multiple mechanisms. Fasting increases antioxidant enzyme activities, including catalase, which helps neutralize harmful hydrogen peroxide ^{18 19}. Additionally, fasting reduces malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, indicating decreased lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage. These effects strengthen the body’s antioxidant defenses damage ^{18 19}.

This reduction in oxidative stress affects different organs uniquely. Research has shown significant decreases in heart MDA levels between control and fasting groups, although brain and kidney responses varied ¹⁸. These effects appear to result from hormesis—the beneficial adaptation to moderate stressors that ultimately enhances cellular stress resilience ¹⁸.

The brain-boosting effects of fasting

Beyond weight management, fasting produces profound changes in brain function. Recent scientific discoveries have illuminated how periods without food can actually enhance cognitive abilities through several distinct biological mechanisms, contributing significantly to overall brain health.

Increased BDNF and neuroplasticity

Fasting triggers the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for brain health and neural resilience. Higher BDNF levels are consistently associated with a sharper, healthier brain and improved cognitive performance ²⁰. This protein plays a crucial role in neuronal survival, growth, and the formation of new synaptic connections, including dendritic spines.

The metabolic shift that occurs during fasting activates excitatory synaptic activity in neurons, ultimately inducing BDNF expression ⁴. Ketones, particularly β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), stimulate BDNF production through two distinct mechanisms: by inhibiting histone deacetylase (which normally suppresses BDNF expression) and by inducing transcription of nuclear factor κB, which subsequently upregulates BDNF expression ⁴.

Research demonstrates that fasting increases synaptic plasticity—the brain’s ability to form and reorganize synaptic connections. This enhanced neuroplasticity helps the brain resist stress, injury, and disease ²⁰. Essentially, fasting creates a mild yet beneficial stress that reinforces brain support systems.

Improved mitochondrial function

Fasting substantially enhances mitochondrial biogenesis within neurons. Studies reveal that dietary interventions like intermittent fasting significantly increase maximal respiration capacity in cellular studies, indicating improved energy production ³. This mitochondrial enhancement occurs through activation of genes like PGC-1alpha, which regulate mitochondrial function and protect against oxidative stress ²¹.

The bioenergetic health index—a measure of mitochondrial function—improves markedly with fasting protocols ³. Additionally, fasting reduces non-mitochondrial respiration, suggesting a more efficient cellular energy system ³. This optimization of the electron transport chain leads to increased ATP production and overall metabolic efficiency, improving brain energy metabolism.

Enhanced memory and learning in animal models

Animal studies provide compelling evidence for fasting’s cognitive benefits. Mice subjected to intermittent fasting for 11 months demonstrated superior learning and memory in Barnes maze and fear conditioning tests compared to controls ²². These improvements corresponded with thicker CA1 pyramidal cell layers in the hippocampus and higher expression of drebrin, a protein critical for dendritic spine formation ²².

Particularly remarkable is how intermittent fasting enhances long-term retention memory more effectively than caloric restriction alone ²³. One study found that fasting mice showed significantly increased adult hippocampal neurogenesis and upregulation of the longevity gene Klotho ²³. These mice displayed better spatial learning and memory formation at both 24 hours and 10 days post-training ²³.

Mood regulation through serotonin and dopamine pathways

Beyond cognitive enhancement, fasting influences mood through neurotransmitter pathways. Research indicates that fasting activates the Drd1-cAMP-PKA-DARPP-32-CREB-BDNF signaling pathway, which plays a crucial role in mood regulation ⁵. This activation helps explain why many fasting practitioners report improved mental clarity and emotional well-being.

Studies in mice demonstrated that even a brief 9-hour fast produced antidepressant effects through the serotonin (5-HT2A) receptor system and BDNF pathways in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex ⁶. This finding suggests that fasting may complement conventional treatments for mood disorders and anxiety disorders.

Fasting and its role in preventing brain-related diseases

Emerging research reveals that fasting protocols offer promising protection against several neurological diseases. Scientists are increasingly documenting how strategic food restriction creates resilience against conditions that damage brain function and structure.

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

Intermittent fasting significantly reduces beta-amyloid accumulation—the cardinal pathological marker of Alzheimer’s disease—animal studies ²⁴. Time-restricted eating in mice has demonstrated up to 50% reduction in amyloid plaques alongside improved memory in maze tests ²⁵. Consequently, these benefits appear to occur through multiple mechanisms, including increased ketone body production, which enhances beta-amyloid clearance across the blood-brain barrier ²⁴.

For Parkinson’s disease, intermittent fasting shows similar promise. In viral vector-based mouse models, alternate-day fasting reduced alpha-synuclein pathology by 33% in the substantia nigra and 30% in striatal axon terminals ²⁶. Furthermore, this protection translated to functional improvements, with fasting mice showing better motor control and reduced asymmetry in forepaw use tests ²⁶.

Multiple sclerosis and epilepsy

Multiple sclerosis patients may benefit substantially from fasting protocols. In fact, a randomized clinical trial demonstrated that three months of intermittent calorie restriction improved cognitive function and reduced inflammatory T-cell subsets while increasing regulatory T-cells ²⁷. Similarly, another study showed that just 15 days of alternate-day fasting modified gut microbiome composition in MS patients, with increased populations of beneficial bacteria including Faecalibacterium, Lachnospiraceae, and Blautia ²⁸.

Regarding epilepsy, albeit with limited human evidence, some studies indicate that fasting periods may help reduce seizure frequency ⁷. Nevertheless, researchers emphasize the importance of consulting healthcare providers before attempting fasting with this condition, as individual triggers and medication timing must be carefully considered ⁷.

Stroke recovery and neuroprotection

Fasting’s neuroprotective effects extend to stroke outcomes. Notably, mice maintained on intermittent fasting before middle cerebral artery occlusion showed approximately 34% smaller infarct volumes ⁸ and significantly better motor function recovery on days 7 and 14 post-stroke ⁸. Interestingly, the timing of fasting matters—active-phase intermittent fasting (during normal waking hours) produced better post-stroke recovery and reduced brain damage compared to inactive-phase fasting ²⁹.

These neuroprotective effects may also extend to traumatic brain injury, though more research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits in this area.

Gut-brain axis and microbiome diversity

The gut-brain connection plays a crucial role in fasting’s neurological benefits. Intermittent fasting reshapes gut microbiota composition, which in turn influences brain health through neural, endocrine, and immune pathways ³⁰. In clinical studies, alternate-day fasting increased microbiota richness in MS animal models ³⁰, correspondingly reducing harmful T-lymphocytes linked to disease progression. Indeed, transplanting gut microbiota from fasting mice into non-fasting mice with MS reduced disease pathogenesis—highlighting the causal relationship between fasting-modified gut bacteria and brain health ³⁰.

What science says about fasting for healthy individuals

While fasting shows promising health outcomes, research presents a nuanced picture for healthy individuals.

Short-term cognitive effects in healthy adults

Studies examining cognitive performance during fasting reveal inconsistent results. Despite common assumptions, short-term fasting (up to 12 hours) generally doesn’t impair cognitive ability on brief mental tasks ³¹. Nevertheless, some research indicates potential declines in executive function, psychomotor speed, and mental rotation abilities ³⁰. Interestingly, set-shifting abilities and hand-eye coordination typically diminish during fasting periods ¹.

Why benefits may depend on age and metabolic state

The initial baseline of mental state dramatically influences fasting outcomes. Those experiencing depression, anxiety, or stress at baseline often show improved mood following fasting interventions ¹¹. Conversely, young adults with optimal cognitive function might experience minimal benefits—possibly due to ceiling effects ³⁰. Prior fasting experience also matters; newcomers to fasting typically report more negative mood states compared to experienced fasters ¹¹.

It’s important to note that while fasting can be beneficial for many, it may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals with a history of eating disorders, pregnant women, and those with certain medical conditions should consult with healthcare professionals before attempting any fasting regimen.

The role of circadian alignment in fasting success

Time-restricted eating that aligns with natural circadian rhythms produces optimal results. Eating during daylight hours—when metabolism-related hormones peak—supports more efficient digestion and fat metabolism ². Forthwith, early time-restricted eating improves glycemic control and insulin sensitivity beyond what’s achieved through calorie reduction alone ³². Ultimately, synchronizing fasting windows with your body’s internal clock strengthens circadian rhythms, potentially yielding greater metabolic benefits ³³.

Conclusion

Fasting represents far more than a simple weight loss strategy. Throughout this article, we’ve examined how periodic abstention from food triggers profound biological processes that transform health at cellular and systemic levels. The metabolic switch from glucose to ketones not only burns fat but also initiates cellular housekeeping mechanisms like autophagy, which remove damaged components and rejuvenate tissues. Additionally, these processes create cascading benefits for brain health through increased BDNF production and enhanced synaptic plasticity.

The science clearly demonstrates that different fasting protocols offer unique advantages. Time-restricted eating provides accessibility for beginners, while alternate-day fasting may deliver more significant metabolic shifts. Similarly, the 5:2 method balances restriction with flexibility, and the fasting-mimicking diet offers structured nutrition even during limited calorie periods. Therefore, most people can find an approach aligned with their lifestyle and health goals.

Brain health emerges as perhaps the most remarkable beneficiary of fasting practices. Research now confirms that strategic food restriction enhances cognitive function while potentially protecting against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. These neuroprotective effects stem from multiple mechanisms – reduced neuroinflammation, improved mitochondrial efficiency, and enhanced cellular housekeeping all contribute to brain resilience.

The benefits appear most pronounced when fasting aligns with your body’s natural rhythms. Early time-restricted eating synchronizes with circadian patterns, potentially amplifying metabolic improvements. Nonetheless, individual responses vary based on age, metabolic health, and previous fasting experience. Beginners might experience temporary discomfort, though adaptation typically follows with consistent practice.

Fasting essentially reawakens ancient survival mechanisms built into human biology. These evolutionary adaptations – once critical for survival during food scarcity – now offer protection against modern diseases of excess. The remarkable versatility of fasting makes it a powerful tool that works simultaneously across multiple body systems, creating comprehensive health benefits beyond what most single interventions can achieve.

Most people would benefit from consulting healthcare providers before beginning any fasting regimen, especially those with existing health conditions. The optimal approach remains personalized, accounting for individual health status, goals, and lifestyle factors. Though research continues to evolve, the evidence strongly suggests that strategic periods without food might help unlock our bodies’ natural capacity for repair, rejuvenation, and stress resistance.

References

Filed under weight loss Tagged with anxiety disorders, atophagy, atp production, benefits of intermittent, brain health, caloric restriction, cognitive function, dendritic spines, depression, diet, effects of fasting, electron transport chain, fasting, fasting benefits, glucose metabolism, glycogenolysis, growth hormone, gut microbiome, health, insulin sensitivity, intermittent fasting, intermittent fasting healthy, ketone bodies, ketosis, learning and memory, metabolic switch, mitochondrial biogenesis, mood disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, neuroplasticity, oxidative stress, protein synthesis, synaptic plasticity, traumatic brain injury, weight loss

Why 95% of Weight Loss Fails (And How to Be in the 5% Who Succeed)

02/13/2025 Leave a comment

Despite billions spent on weight loss products and programs each year, 95% of people who lose weight end up regaining it within a few years. This startling statistic isn’t just a number – it represents countless hours of effort, determination, and hope that ultimately led to frustration for millions of people trying to lose weight.

However, this doesn’t mean sustainable weight loss is impossible. In fact, understanding why most weight loss attempts fail can be the key to joining the successful 5%. The difference between success and failure often lies not in willpower or motivation, but in understanding the science behind weight loss and implementing proven, sustainable strategies.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the real reasons behind failed weight loss attempts, examine how your body responds to weight changes, and reveal the evidence-based habits that set successful weight loss maintainers apart from the rest. We’ll also discuss how to lose weight fast and the best way to lose weight for long-term success.

Why Most Weight Loss Attempts Fail

Studies show that most dieters regain any lost weight, with one to two-thirds actually regaining more weight than they initially lost [1]. This pattern stems from several interconnected factors that sabotage long-term success.

The restrictive diet trap

Severely limiting calorie intake triggers a cascade of biological responses. When people follow restrictive diets, their bodies interpret this as a sign of famine, consequently slowing down metabolism and increasing hunger signals [2]. Furthermore, these restrictive approaches often lead to nutritional deficiencies and can disrupt hormonal balance [3].

Notably, restrictive dieting has been linked to psychological distress and disordered eating behaviors. Studies indicate that individuals who diet at severe levels are 18 times more likely to develop eating disorders than those who don’t [3]. Additionally, the prevalence of eating disorders ranges from 8.4%-19.4% in women and 2.2%-13.8% in men [3].

Unrealistic expectations

Many dieters set themselves up for failure through unrealistic goals. Research shows that overweight individuals typically aim to lose 32% of their body mass – three times the amount needed for health benefits [4]. Such ambitious targets often lead to:

Rapid, unsustainable weight loss methods
Frustration when results don’t match expectations
Increased likelihood of giving up entirely
Higher risk of weight cycling, which permanently slows metabolic rate [2]

Lack of proper support system

The healthcare system primarily struggles to provide the level of support needed for effective weight management [5]. Research reveals that weight loss programs often lack comprehensive support, failing to address both physical and psychological aspects of weight loss [5].

Social support plays a crucial role, as studies show that those with supportive friends and family members are more successful in their weight loss efforts [6]. Without proper support, individuals are more likely to experience setbacks, particularly during stressful periods or when facing emotional challenges [5].

Understanding Your Body’s Response to Weight Loss

The human body responds to weight loss through sophisticated biological mechanisms that evolved to protect against starvation. Understanding these responses helps explain why maintaining weight loss proves challenging for many people and provides insights on how to increase metabolism.

Metabolic adaptation

Your body’s metabolism naturally adjusts to weight loss through a process called metabolic adaptation. Studies show that after weight loss, resting metabolic rate decreases by approximately 8% at 3 months, 7% at 6 months, and 5% at 24 months [7]. This reduction in energy expenditure persists even after weight stabilization [7].

Research indicates that metabolic adaptation occurs primarily through calorie restriction rather than exercise-induced weight loss [7]. Studies comparing different approaches found that continuous calorie restriction led to greater metabolic adaptation compared to alternate-day fasting, even with smaller energy deficits [7].

Hunger hormone changes

The body’s hormonal response to weight loss creates a perfect storm that promotes weight regain. Here’s how key hormones shift:

Leptin (fullness hormone): Decreases by 44% within 6 months of calorie restriction [7]
Ghrelin (hunger hormone): Increases significantly, stimulating appetite [8]
Insulin: Drops substantially, affecting metabolism and insulin sensitivity [9]

Moreover, these hormonal changes persist long after initial weight loss. Studies reveal that even one year after weight loss, significant differences remain in leptin, ghrelin, and other appetite-regulating hormones [9]. Subsequently, these alterations lead to increased hunger and decreased feelings of fullness [9].

Primarily, these biological adaptations served as survival mechanisms throughout human evolution, protecting against starvation in times of food scarcity [10]. Accordingly, while these responses might have been beneficial for our ancestors, they now present significant challenges in our modern environment where food is abundant [9].

Research demonstrates that the magnitude of these adaptations varies among individuals. Some people experience more pronounced metabolic slowdown, while others maintain relatively stable metabolism [11]. Therefore, understanding your body’s unique response to weight loss becomes crucial for developing effective, personalized strategies for long-term success and improving metabolic health.

Common Habits of Successful Weight Loss Maintainers

Research from the National Weight Control Registry reveals distinct patterns among those who maintain their weight loss successfully. These individuals share specific habits that set them apart from those who regain weight, offering insights into the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

Regular self-monitoring

Self-monitoring serves as a cornerstone of successful weight maintenance. Studies show that individuals who weigh themselves daily lost approximately 13 pounds more over six months than those who weighed less frequently [12]. Essentially, daily self-weighing increases motivation and improves self-control, leading to better weight management outcomes.

Food logging also plays a vital role in weight loss strategies. The minimum information tracked should include type, amount, and caloric content of food consumed [13]. Specifically, recording meals closer to consumption time correlates with greater weight loss success [14]. Maintaining a weight loss journal can be an effective tool for tracking progress and identifying areas for improvement.

Consistent meal timing

Proper meal timing aligns with the body’s natural circadian rhythms and enhances weight management. Studies indicate that consuming meals at regular times each day supports long-term weight maintenance [15]. Generally, eating breakfast within two hours of waking and finishing dinner before 8 PM optimizes metabolic function [16].

Research demonstrates that those who eat lunch around 1-2 PM show improved glucose tolerance and cognitive function compared to those who eat later [16]. Additionally, evening meals consumed at 6-7 PM, rather than 10 PM, increase calorie burning at rest [16]. Some individuals find success with intermittent fasting, which can help regulate circadian rhythms and improve metabolic flexibility.

Active lifestyle integration

Physical activity remains crucial for maintaining weight loss, with successful maintainers engaging in 60 to 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity most days [17]. The National Weight Control Registry found that 90% of participants reported exercise as key to their long-term success, averaging a 383-calorie energy expenditure seven days per week [18].

Benefits of regular physical activity include:

Improved blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity
Enhanced appetite regulation
Increased daily calorie expenditure
Better long-term weight maintenance [19]
Improved body composition and increased muscle mass

Stress management techniques

Stress significantly impacts weight maintenance through various biological mechanisms. Studies reveal that elevated stress levels increase cortisol production, which can lead to:

Higher hunger levels
Increased cravings for high-calorie foods
Greater accumulation of belly fat [20]
Increased oxidative stress, which can affect metabolic pathways

Successful weight maintainers primarily focus on stress reduction through mindfulness exercises and regular physical activity [20]. Research shows that learning to manage stress through activities besides eating helps prevent emotional eating patterns and supports long-term weight management [21].

Building a Sustainable Weight Loss Mindset

Successful weight loss requires more than understanding biological mechanisms – it demands fundamental shifts in how we think about ourselves and our relationship with health. Research confirms that proper psychology plays a critical role in regulating the physiology that supports weight loss [22].

Identity-based changes

The path to lasting weight loss begins with changing core beliefs about who we are, not just what we do. Studies show that individuals who focus on building a new identity, rather than just following diet rules, maintain their weight loss more successfully [23]. This approach involves two key steps:

First, decide who you want to become – someone who prioritizes health and movement naturally. Second, prove this new identity through small, consistent actions [24]. For instance, instead of saying “I’m trying to lose weight,” which reinforces an old identity, successful maintainers use phrases like “I’m someone who chooses nutritious foods” or “I’m a person who exercises regularly” [25].

This identity-based approach yields measurable results. Research indicates that when people align their health behaviors with their values and sense of self, they demonstrate significantly higher rates of sustained weight loss [23]. Primarily, this occurs because actions stemming from identity feel natural rather than forced.

Progress over perfection

Perfectionism often sabotages weight loss efforts. Studies reveal that those who strive for perfection are less likely to adjust their goals when facing challenges, often leading to complete abandonment of health objectives [26]. Instead, successful weight maintainers embrace a progress-focused mindset.

Research shows that small changes alone – such as increasing daily steps by 2,000 or reducing daily calories by 100 – can prevent weight gain for up to two years [26]. This approach works because:

It builds sustainable habits gradually
Reduces the likelihood of feeling overwhelmed
Creates momentum through consistent small wins
Allows for natural adjustment periods

Altogether, the evidence suggests that getting comfortable with discomfort plays a vital role in long-term success [22]. This means accepting occasional hunger, choosing exercise over stress eating, and honestly distinguishing between reward-seeking and genuine hunger. Indeed, those who maintain their weight loss consistently advise perseverance through setbacks and regular monitoring of eating behaviors as key strategies [22].

The most successful maintainers stay motivated by reflecting on their improved health and appearance at their lower weight [22]. Otherwise stated, they focus on progress indicators beyond the scale, such as increased energy levels, better sleep quality, and improved physical capabilities [27].

Creating Your Personal Success Strategy

Creating a supportive environment stands as the cornerstone of sustainable weight loss success. Research shows that your surroundings significantly influence daily choices and habits, making environmental optimization a crucial first step in any weight loss program.

Environmental optimization

A well-structured home environment promotes healthier choices naturally. Studies indicate that individuals who keep their kitchens organized and clutter-free demonstrate better eating habits [28]. Primarily, this involves:

Removing trigger foods from visible spaces
Organizing kitchen spaces for meal preparation
Maintaining clean, stress-free eating areas
Creating dedicated spaces for healthy food storage

Similarly, workplace optimization plays a vital role. Research reveals that strategic workplace modifications, namely removing high-calorie snacks from vending machines and increasing healthy food options, support better eating habits [29]. Although workplace programs alone show mixed results, combining environmental changes with personal strategies yields better outcomes.

Backup plans for challenges

The most successful weight loss maintainers recognize that setbacks occur and prepare accordingly. Research demonstrates that having predetermined backup strategies significantly increases long-term success [3]. Hence, effective backup plans should address common challenges:

First, for dietary challenges, keeping protein bars or raw vegetables readily available helps manage unexpected food temptations [3]. Likewise, checking restaurant menus beforehand and selecting healthy options in advance prevents impulsive choices [30].

Still, exercise disruptions require equally thoughtful planning. On days when regular workouts prove impossible, successful maintainers opt for shorter, high-intensity sessions or active recovery activities [3]. Thus, maintaining momentum regardless of circumstances becomes possible through flexible adaptation.

Support system development

Building a robust support network emerges as a critical factor in long-term success. Research confirms that individuals receiving strong social support lose more weight at six months compared to those with minimal support [31]. Nevertheless, creating an effective support system requires strategic planning.

Identifying specific support needs remains crucial. Whether seeking emotional encouragement, practical assistance, or accountability partnerships, successful maintainers clearly communicate their requirements to potential supporters [32]. Furthermore, studies show that support from spouses or romantic partners correlates directly with dietary adherence and sustained weight loss [31].

Online support groups, regardless, offer unique advantages. Research indicates that video conference support groups lead to greater 12-week weight loss compared to in-person meetings [31]. Additionally, these virtual communities provide safe, judgment-free spaces for sharing experiences and strategies.

Family involvement proves particularly impactful. Studies demonstrate that including family members in the weight loss journey increases the likelihood of permanent changes throughout the household [29]. Simultaneously, this approach enhances the probability of maintaining weight loss long-term.

Conclusion

Sustainable weight loss stands within reach, despite the challenging 95% failure rate. Understanding biological responses to weight loss, particularly metabolic adaptation and hormonal changes, helps explain why traditional approaches often fall short. Therefore, success requires a comprehensive strategy that addresses both physical and psychological aspects of weight management.

Research clearly shows that successful maintainers share specific habits: consistent self-monitoring, regular meal timing, and active lifestyle integration. Additionally, they embrace identity-based changes rather than temporary fixes. These individuals prove that long-term success stems from building sustainable habits while managing stress effectively.

Environmental optimization and strong support systems play equally important roles. Successful weight loss maintainers create spaces that naturally encourage healthy choices, develop backup plans for challenges, and build networks that support their goals. Above all, they understand that occasional setbacks represent normal parts of the journey rather than failures.

The path to lasting weight loss requires patience, understanding, and strategic planning. Though the journey might seem daunting, remember that countless individuals have successfully maintained their weight loss through evidence-based approaches. Start by implementing one small change today, knowing that each step forward brings you closer to joining the successful 5% who achieve lasting results.

Whether you’re looking to lose weight fast or find the best way to lose weight for your body, remember that sustainable fat loss and improved metabolic health come from a combination of dietary modifications, increased physical activity, and behavior modification. By focusing on these key areas and implementing the strategies outlined in this article, you can overcome a low metabolism, reduce body fat, and achieve your weight loss goals without resorting to extreme weight loss methods.

References

[1] – https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/mind-body-food/202008/why-do-most-diets-fail-in-the-long-run [2] – https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/extreme-dieting-risks-and-types [3] – https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/g19909403/backup-plans-to-reach-weight-loss-goals/ [4] – https://www.webmd.com/obesity/features/is-your-weight-loss-goal-realistic [5] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5421368/ [6] – https://diet.mayoclinic.org/us/blog/2021/social-support-a-necessity-for-weight-loss/ [7] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9036397/ [8] – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/calorie-restriction-risks [9] – https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1105816 [10] – https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-calorie-cycling [11] – https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12986-021-00587-8 [12] – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/weight-loss-morning-habits [13] – https://www.obesityaction.org/resources/self-monitoring-the-way-to-successful-weight-management/ [14] – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/20552076221102774?icid=int.sj-abstract.similar-articles.3 [15] – https://theconversation.com/ten-habits-of-people-who-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off-101387 [16] – https://wellbeing.jhu.edu/blog/2022/12/09/timing-is-everything-why-eating-on-a-regular-schedule-supports-overall-well-being/ [17] – https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/losing-weight/keeping-it-off.html [18] – https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556592/ [19] – https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/physical-activity/index.html [20] – https://healthcare.utah.edu/weight-management/stress-weight-loss [21] – https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342 [22] – https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-a-successful-mindset-for-weight-loss-maintenance-202205112742 [23] – https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(24)00623-3/fulltext [24] – https://jamesclear.com/identity-based-habits [25] – https://www.fitaliciousnutrition.com/post/identity-and-weight-loss [26] – https://www.weightwatchers.com/au/blog/weight-loss/progress-over-perfection?srsltid=AfmBOopFC67dNN4c1eX8wCtvblua3NjIAI5Von9bqh4WkL5fulZRcKgD [27] – https://www.weightandwellness.com/resources/articles-and-videos/weight-loss-mindset [28] – https://susanbiali.com/lose-weight-by-optimizing-environment/ [29] – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221839/ [30] – https://www.webmd.com/obesity/features/healthy-goals-backup-plans [31] – https://www.loseit.com/articles/steps-to-building-your-weight-loss-support-network/ [32] – https://www.psychologytoday.com/nz/blog/what-are-you-weighting/202206/creating-support-network-weight-loss-journey

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Cool Down and Slim Down: Nutritious Summer Foods for Health and Weight Loss

06/16/2024 Leave a comment

The hot summer days often lead to lighter eating habits for many people. The heat can suppress your appetite, making heavy foods seem less appealing. Instead, fresh fruits and vegetables, which are in season, become the go-to choices. A salad with fresh produce can be particularly satisfying. These summer fruits and vegetables are delicious and can aid in weight loss and provide a more nutritious diet. Packed with vitamins, fiber, calcium, potassium, and other essential nutrients, vegetables and fruits are also low in calories.

Tomatoes and Bell Peppers: These vibrant veggies are rich in vitamins A and C, and contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene helps reduce the risk of prostate and digestive tract cancers and may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Bell peppers also boast beta carotene, which supports the immune system and protects cells from free radical damage.

Berries (Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries): Naturally sweet and nutrient-dense, these berries are excellent sources of vitamin C and ellagic acid, an antioxidant that helps detoxify cells and may prevent cancer growth. Their natural sugars and fiber make them perfect for a cool smoothie blended with low-fat milk or as a topping for low-fat yogurt.

Fresh Salads: Start your light summer meals with crisp salads featuring a variety of leafy greens like spinach, kale, or arugula, paired with refreshing additions such as cucumber, radishes, and avocado. Drizzle with a light vinaigrette crafted from olive oil and lemon to enhance the flavor.

Grilled Fish: Opt for lean proteins like grilled fish, such as salmon, trout, or tilapia. These fish are delicious and high in omega-3 fatty acids, promoting heart health. If you prefer, you can also bake or steam the fish. Pair it with grilled vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, and zucchini for a satisfying and nutritious meal.

Cold Soups: Beat the heat with chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber. These soups contain hydrating ingredients such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs. They are low in calories and provide a refreshing way to stay cool and nourished.

Enjoy the bounty of summer by incorporating these light and nutritious foods into your diet. Not only will they help you stay cool and satisfied, but they also support overall health and weight loss goals.

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Dancing is a Fun and Exciting Way to Lose Weight

07/01/2021 Leave a comment

Lose weight dancing!

Lose weight dancing! Doesn’t it sound fun? Dancing is beneficial for many more reasons than one. It’s not only a fast way to lose weight, but it’s fun and allows you to learn a new skill that will simply catapult your social quotient. Dancing as a form of exercise is also much less monotonous than boring gym routines.

Dance is not just a seductive movement of the body aimed to charm a room full of people, or merely an art form designed to express oneself. Dance is so much more; it’s a way of life, and a way of attaining perfection in the body and the soul.

Benefits of Dancing for Weight Loss

There are many ways in which dancing promotes weight loss. Here are a few of them:

A lot of people stop exercising because it becomes monotonous and boring. With dancing, that does not really happen and many people are able to stay on track and achieve their weight loss goals.
While we lose weight dancing, we also acquire a new skill that helps us to gain greater self-confidence and self-worth.
Some people may find traditional workouts like sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups strenuous and hard on the muscles. Dancing, on the other hand, is relaxing and helps burn a lot of calories.
Apart from losing weight, dancing also helps develop concentration, patience and relieves stress.

Types of Dance Workouts

These popular dance workouts can be done at home with videos or taken with a group of friends at a fitness class.

Fusion dance is for those who are not biased to any particular form of dance. This dance form takes the good parts of many other dance forms, along with their own innovative steps and makes your workout time worthwhile. Highly recommended for people who get bored quickly.
Piloxing is a blend of Pilates, boxing and dance. Ideal for those looking to burn calories fast, as well as build and tone muscles. Recommended for the sporty individual.
Ballet is an art and fitness routine fused together. Apart from sculpting a svelte figure, it increases flexibility like no other forms of exercise. It also helps in personality development by promoting gracefulness.
Zumba is a high energetic Latin inspired dance routine that includes cardio workouts in its routine.

The benefits of dancing for weight loss are endless. Most gyms nowadays offer variety of packages to help you lose weight dancing. Research the form of dance that you like and select a package accordingly, or you can simply tune into the home dance videos and dance your calories away.

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Want To Lose Weight Faster? Try These Workouts

04/20/2021 Leave a comment

Photo credit: Petr Kratochvil [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Exercise is one of the most important factors for a healthy lifestyle. If you want to lose weight fast, then it’s essential that you choose the right workouts for the best results. Workouts are also needed to both tone muscle and keep the mind and body healthy.

The idea of ‘working out’ doesn’t have to incorporate a session at the gym. The term ‘workout’ means “a practice or exercise to improve one’s fitness,” or “a session of vigorous physical training.” So any kind of intensive activity can be classed as a workout.

Here are some excellent workouts to try if you want to lose weight faster.

Walking. This might sound like it is too simple for to be called a ‘workout’, but if you currently have a sedentary lifestyle, then walking can be ideal. Walking has been described as a low-intensity activity to lose weight. It should be possible to burn up to 360 calories in 45 minutes. This means that walking 45 minutes per day a person can lose around a pound a week.
Swimming. Swimming is a great way to lose extra pounds. Depending on the type of swimming, a person can burn between 450 and 700 calories an hour. This is a low impact workout as the body isn’t subject to the bumps and strains of lifting weights or running. It’s a good form of exercise for people with other health issues like obesity, arthritis, and asthma.
Kettlebells. What are they? Cast iron balls that have a single handle. The interesting aspect of using kettlebells in a workout is that, because the weight isn’t distributed evenly, the body has to work to counterbalance kettlebell’s weight. Kettlebell workouts can burn around 400 calories in about 20 minutes. In terms of cardiovascular benefits, a workout with a kettlebell can be the equivalent to running six miles.
Jumping/skipping rope. This shouldn’t be resigned to the school playground. A jumping rope workout can help you burn up to 800 calories in an hour. Just 10 minutes of this type of workout is the same as running a mile. There are more than just cardiovascular benefits to using a jumping rope. It’s also a great way to improve endurance, coordination, and agility. It’s more intensive that other workouts, but this means that you don’t have to do it as long.
Squats. Squats burn fat fast and build muscle. Squat exercises use most of the muscles in the body. Why is this important? The more muscle mass a person has, the better his metabolism, and therefore calories will be burned faster. Squat workouts can be used with or without weights, therefore perfect for either home exercising or at the gym.
Lunges. These can be performed at home and no equipment is needed. They are great exercises to tone your lower body, but more importantly they great for burning calories. It’s estimated that a person can burn around 275 calories in a 30-minute workout. There are various types of lunges, even ‘explosive lunges.’
Bicycling is another low-impact, high-rewards activity for losing weight. Depending on how fast a person cycles and the type of terrain, it is possible to burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour. Cycling can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle. For example, you could cycle to work or use the bicycle for leisure time. If that’s not possible, then most gyms have cycles.
Running. This is the ‘classic’ workout for losing weight. Running is great for strengthening muscle, improving the cardiovascular system and is generally good for the whole body and mind. It only requires a good pair of running shoes and a music player to help you keep pace. Even better is to use high-intensity interval running. This involves short bursts of running at top speed, then a slowing the pace before the next burst.

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Can Stress Sabotage Your Weight Loss Efforts?

08/20/2020 Leave a comment

Photo credit: Andrea Piscquadio from Pexels

We face more stress today than we ever have before, but can stress sabotage your weight loss efforts? Well, it depends. If you find you’re constantly under stress and struggling with weight issues, then it’s probably a good idea to take a look at the level of stress in your life. You can experience stress in relationships, at work, financial hardships, moving, sitting in a traffic jam, losing a loved one, and so much more. If stress becomes chronic, it can lead to a cascade of chemical responses in the body and bring weight loss to a screeching halt. Learning to recognize stress triggers and how stress affects the body can help you to reach your weight loss goals and keep the extra pounds off.

How is stress sabotaging your weight loss effort?

The Body’s Response to Stress

When stress is triggered, the body releases hormones that have different effects. The primary stress response hormones are epinephrine and cortisol. The stress response is commonly referred to as the fight for flight response.

Flight or fight response

During this phase of the stress response, people experience increased heart rate, increased respiration, and a slowing of the digestive tract company with a release of glucose and fats into the bloodstream. The body also releases cortisol during the stress.

What Does Cortisol Do?

When cortisol dumps fat and glucose in the bloodstream, it’s designed to help you have access to quick energy when outrunning a lion.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many lions in our current environment, only traffic jams and demanding bosses.

So now, instead of using up all of the energy that cortisol pumped into your bloodstream, you have extra nutrients, glucose and fat just sitting around.

Not only does cortisol have the ability to release nutrients into the bloodstream, it also stops the digestive process. What does that mean for weight loss?

Insulin & Cortisol

Cortisol has a direct negative impact on insulin. Cortisol suppresses insulin, the hormone that lowers blood sugar. If your cortisol levels remain high due to chronic stress, it will lead to poor blood sugar regulation and many other health problems such as obesity, moods swings, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Cortisol also inhibits the muscle’s ability to take in amino acids, which can lead to fatigue because the muscles are not being properly fed.
Finally, cortisol partially shuts down the body’s immune system because when you’re running away from the bear, you don’t need to be fighting off the common cold. This means that chronically stressed people are more prone to illness.

So, what does this have to do with weight loss?

When the body responds to stress, all of the normal hormonal processes change. Instead of handling food, feeding muscles, fighting illness, and using fat, your body is doing the exact opposite…

Getting sick, losing muscle, storing food, and storing fat.

Increased hunger

The increased appetite that’s often associated with stress becomes more problematic when stress shuts down and alters the body’s ability to process food.

Fat becomes more easily stored and less used for energy. These changes happen in the body because of the excess glucose. When you are consuming more calories, and burning less of them, you’re going to store more fat.

Easy energy

Excess blood sugar happens during the stress response, and the body will always use glucose first. The process to convert glucose to energy is simple. Our bodies are nothing if not efficient. Stress provides a constant source of glucose. The rapid source of energy stops your body from using fat stores.

Your metabolism is lazy. It will always pick the power supply (glucose, amino acids, and triglycerides) that is easiest to process (glucose).

Positive ways to manage stress

Fortunately, the case for stress sabotaging weight loss is not hopeless. There are plenty of things that you can do to reduce your body’s response to stress.

Exercise

Exercise helps lower the body’s response to stress, and it is a wonderful way to get the right hormones in surplus within the body. Without exercise, many people would live in a chronic stressed out state.

Meditation/Prayer

Individuals who pray regularly and/or meditate regularly are usually better able to handle what life hands them.

Meditation and prayer have a calming effect that is seen well after the actual prayer and meditation stop.

Deep Breathing

When traffic hits or your boss goes berserk, stop and take a few long, deep breaths. This interrupts the stress response by slowing your respirations. Not allowing your heart rate to accelerate.

People who exercise, meditate, pray, and practice deep breathing all have statistically lower body weights.

Can this be because of their ability to handle stress better?

How do you combat daily stress?

Filed under weight loss Tagged with high cortisol and weight gain, stress and weight gain, stress sabotaging weight loss

Key Ingredients of a Successful Weight Loss Plan

02/24/2020 1 Comment

Photo credit: http://www.localfitness.com.au

Most, if not all, individuals want to lose weight at one point or another in their lives. For many, it is done in a haphazard sort of way without much planning, thought, or time to expend.

However, losing weight involves much more than determination or desire. You need to take the time to implement a solid weight loss plan that can set you on a path to long-term positive lifestyle changes. Just as you would make a list for any typical household project, a list in the form of a straight forward, easy-to-follow weight loss plan is imperative, as well.

There are several key ingredients to a successful weight loss plan.

Goal Setting

Of course, common sense would dictate that the first ingredient is to set a goal. However, setting a goal is not as easy as picking a number. You should set realistic goals that will not leave you feeling as though you have failed. In general, you can diminish the concern that you place on those height and weight charts and go according to your healthy weight goal you intend to set.

A healthy weight goal is a good place to start, because it is a place where you will feel a little bit better about yourself, be healthier, and breathe a little easier. You can always continue to keep up with your weight loss goals. Setting smaller goals is better than setting your sights too high and then crashing even harder.

Get Informed

Before you run out and buy the latest exercise equipment, join a gym, and purchase a diet plan, you need to get informed by educating yourself in the field of exercise and nutrition. For some, cardiovascular exercise is what is necessary and for others, weight training might be more suitable. Although, the combination of the two will produce the best results. If you do join a gym, definitely take advantage of their personal trainers. A personal trainer can help you identify your weight-loss goals, find your trouble spots, and help you to personalize a weight-loss plan that is suitable to you and only you. If the gym is not for you, then try a workout video at home to save time, money and exercise when it’s convenient for you.

Get informed on the foods that will facilitate your weight loss efforts, as well as what metabolism-boosting supplements you might want to take, and what fluids are ideal for aiding in your weight-loss endeavor.

Make a Decision

With so many options from juicing to vegetarian eating plans, you need to find something that progresses slowly and then eases you into the next level of weight-loss. Make a decision based on your lifestyle. For example, if you have very limited time, an expansive weight-loss program may not be a good fit for you. Choose exercises and a location where you will feel you are most comfortable. For example, some may prefer to exercise in a gym, while others may prefer the privacy of their own home.

Once you have made choices that fit your lifestyle whether it is cycling, weight training or power walking, you are well on your way to reaching your weight-loss goals.

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Fasting for Better Health

11/14/2019 1 Comment

Photo credit: Derek Jensen [Public domain]

What is Fasting?

A simple definition of fasting: “The act of willingly abstaining from all food, and in some cases drink, for a pre-determined period of time.” The key word here is willingly. The other key word/phrase is pre-determined period of time. You will be deciding to not eat for a period of time.

The Benefits of Fasting

-Fasting has many benefits, a few of which include:

-You learn to master better lifelong eating habits.

-Doesn’t cost a penny. Fasting is free. You don’t need to buy supplements or services.

-Develops mindful eating. You become more aware of what, when, and why you are eating.

-Reduces your insulin resistance.

You gain control over mindless snacking. Once you experience that a 24-hour pause in your eating is tolerable, it becomes easier to avoid snacking needlessly when you’re not hungry.

How Long to Fast?

The 24-hour fast is the one most people use to the greatest benefit. There are longer fasts, such as three days and five days, but they should be monitored and guided by a health professional. The 24-hour fast can be done by anyone, though it needs to be noted that it should not be done more than once a week.

With a 24-hour fast, you never go a whole day without eating. The fasting begins as soon as you finish a meal. You decide when you will begin fasting, and when you put your fork down, look at the clock. You will be eating again in 24 hours. You can decide to begin right after breakfast or dinner. It is up to you.

No food is allowed during the fasting period. This means no low-calorie or no-calorie food, too. If you decide that you simply must eat something, end the fast and start again on another day.

Liquids are allowed and encouraged during a fast. There are recommended liquids that allow your body to stay in the fasted state and those are:

Water: filtered or sparkling, but no flavoring.
Water with lemon or lime
Black coffee
Tea with no sugar or sweetener and no milk
Tea with lemon

You do not need any special drinks, supplements, cleanses or detoxifiers. Keep it simple.

After 24 hours have passed, you can break the fast and eat a meal.

Set Yourself Up for Success

Plan ahead to remove temptation so that you are in control of your schedule and what you drink during your fast.
Set your intentions. Some people think of fasting as deprivation, but those who gain the most from fasting think of it as a cleansing.
Prepare to feel hungry and have a strategy to handle it. You can embrace hunger as a sign that your body is releasing stored fat and using it for energy. You can imagine the fatty parts of your body being depleted.

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Weight Loss for Women: You Can Break These 5 Rules and Still Lose Weight

08/11/2019 Leave a comment

Many women find it difficult and frustrating to lose weight, and it doesn’t help that there is so much conflicting information on the internet, TV advertisements, books and magazines. Sifting through all the information out there can be so overwhelming at times, but it doesn’t have to be. By sticking to basic weight loss strategies, you will be able to take it one step at a time, one pound at a time, and eventually reach your ideal weight in a relatively short amount of time. However, to make this happen, you need to start with an easy-to-follow, realistic fitness and nutrition plan. If you need help with this, you can always seek the expertise of a nutritionist or a personal trainer.

Again, sticking to a basic weight loss plan is your best bet and the least complicated. The basic weight loss strategy involves clean eating and burning more calories than you consume. How can you replicate this process in the easiest way? You can use free app tools like My Fitness Pal or Lose It. Both will show you how to track your calories, your fitness, and find your “sweet spot” with intake, so you can learn to lose weight the healthy way.

To help you lose weight while still enjoying the foods you love, there are rules you can break and still lose weight.

Rule #1: Don’t eat late at night

This is one rule you can break pretty easily and still come out on top. Remember, it is a simple formula: calories in and calories out. As long as you stick to your calorie limits, those calories can be consumed any time of the day or night as long as you don’t go over. However, you should try to consume most of your calories earlier in the day when you’re more active.

Rule #2: Be a member of the clean plate club!

Yes, your mother preached to you about the starving children in Africa who would gladly eat what you left on your plate. But, if you can’t finish all the food on your plate, it doesn’t mean that it will go to waste. Simply save what is left for later, or save it for another meal during the week. Forcing yourself to eat when you’re not hungry will only create bad eating habits and unwanted weight gain.

Rule #3: Eat at the same time every day

This might work if we stuck to the standard 3 meals per day, but many experts suggest that to stabilize our blood sugar and eliminate insulin spikes, we should divide our intake into 6 smaller meals per day. You can set a schedule if you like, but it is not vital to your weight loss if you don’t. Most people don’t always stick to the standard and occasionally skip meals or eat later, and that is OK because occasional fasting helps your system use up extra calories and lowers your insulin levels.

Rule #4: Restrict all carbohydrates

The low-carb movement introduced us to limiting or cutting out all carbohydrates to induce a state of ketosis where your body burns fat for fuel. While this may work temporarily, it is very hard to stick to this way of eating for very long. You eventually become bored and end up craving the foods you are missing. An alternative for this would be to consume high-water content, nutrient-dense complex carbs like celery, asparagus, cucumbers, kale, spinach, and zucchini, and low-sugar, fiber-rich fruits like apples, melons, pomegranate, and mixed berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries). You can find recipe substitutions for your favorite meals that lower the carb counts without eliminating it completely.

Rule # 5: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day

While breakfast can help to boost your metabolism and jump-start your day, it’s good to occasionally shake up your routine. Skipping breakfast on occasion can facilitate fat burning and allow your body to heal. Just don’t fast too often, as it can cause your metabolism to slow and stall your weight loss progress. If you get in the habit of skipping meals or not consuming enough calories, your body will go into starvation mode and begin storing calories as fat for later.

There are many diet programs out there for women looking to lose weight. Your main goal, however, should be to follow a healthy eating plan that you can stick with for the long-term. Don’t fall for the short-term, quick fix fad diets, which many people find too restricting and ultimately end up derailing their weight loss efforts. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up all your favorite treats. Life is too short for that, so go ahead and enjoy that piece of chocolate or glass of wine. You’re much more likely to lose weight and keep it off using this approach. Just keep it in moderation and watch the portions!

If you watch television or read things on the internet, you will no doubt understand that there are many myths associated with weight loss. Big diet industry names have capitalized on that to make money from our misunderstanding of the issue. If you follow the tips outlined above, you will lose weight in the easiest way possible and without spending a ton of money. You will be lighter, healthier, and happier in your new lifestyle.

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Weight Loss Plateaus: Main Causes and Top 12 Solutions

08/08/2019 Leave a comment

What is a weight loss plateau?

You have started a weight loss plan and have been following it for some time and you could not be more pleased with the results. You look better, feel better, and even have more confidence in yourself. All those things have made you that much more determined to reach your weight loss goals.

There is only one problem and it’s a big one; even though you’re eating and physical activity routines have not changed, you have suddenly stopped losing any weight at all. It can be a very frustrating experience to say the least. A weight loss plateau is a time period in which your body stops losing weight despite your diet and exercise efforts.

Does that mean that your results have been hindered and you should quit your efforts? Of course not!

Possible causes for weight loss plateaus

It is important to understand why you may have hit a weight loss plateau in the first place. Prior to finding some solutions for your weight loss plateau, here are some vital facts on weight loss plateaus that you need to know:

Weight loss plateaus are extremely common. If you don’t notice a weight loss plateau as you get to your ideal weight, you should feel extremely lucky. Weight loss plateaus are expected as you continue to lose weight. Your body is resistant to being changed. Many people who get to their ideal weight have had as many as 2-3 weight loss plateaus during that period of time. If changing your body were that simple, everyone would have a normal weight.

The more weight you lose, the harder it is to lose weight. It all comes down to mathematics. If you weigh a lot, losing a pound or so of fat is just a small percentage of your body weight. As you approach your ideal weight, a pound lost is a lesser percentage of your total body weight.

As you diet and exercise to lose weight, your body initially gets a nice boost in metabolism in order to start compensating for the loss of calorie intake. Over time, this compensation will slow down because you have lost fat and possibly lost some muscle too, as this can happen when you diet and do not perform some type of weight training exercise. A slower metabolism means less weight loss.

Losing weight becomes more difficult the closer you get to your ideal goal. Not only does your body work harder to keep your fat stores the thinner you become, the pace of weight loss is slower. The fact is that the ability to lose more fat goes down, as you get closer to your body weight. The most common weight loss plateaus occur at around 20-22 percent body fat, decreasing to around 12 percent body fat, as you get closer to your goal.

Mindless Cheating. Is it possible that you are allowing yourself to cheat a little bit on your diet now that you are bubbling over in confidence in your ability to lose weight and not even noticing that you are cheating more than you think?

Top 12 Solutions to Weight Loss Plateaus

Push past the plateau by challenging the body.

Try getting on the treadmill every day for about thirty minutes and do some intense brisk walking. With time, your body gets too used to the same routine and you become less efficient at sticking with your goals. Try varying your physical activity so you can push the envelope to get past your weight loss plateau.

In your treadmill session, for example, try pushing up the incline or speed up for a little while to get your muscles really going. Keep at this higher intensity for a couple of minutes and then go back to what you are comfortable with, this type of High Intensity Interval Training is highly effective in keeping the body guessing, challenged and burning fat.

Make sure you include strength training, such as weight lifting, in your routine. Having more muscle on you will help you burn more calories so you’ll start losing weight again. The truth is that the body always strives to adapt, and once it does, it no longer needs to work so you must demand it to do so to go to the next level.

Step away.

If you keep weighing yourself and obsessing over the stuck scale, this will cause you stress and stress plays a key role in weight gain. Stress releases a hormone called cortisol, which is a major culprit in storing fat. So stop weighing yourself. Stay on track with your program, relax, and just let it go. If you continue to do what you need to, eventually you will start to see results again.

Take a closer look at your weight loss habits.

If you have lost weight and then hit a plateau, you may not understand why because you have not changed your eating or your physical routine at all. Or have you?

Sometimes you need to take a closer look at your habits that helped you lose weight and look for subtle changes in them. It could be something as simple as adding sweetened beverages back into your diet again or allowing yourself to eat larger portions of food than you were eating before. Maybe you have skipped more workouts than you thought lately?

Identifying any and all subtle ways in which you may have slipped in your weight loss plan and correcting them could be the key to helping you begin to drop those unwanted pounds again.

Don’t underestimate the calorie content of any food you eat.

This is a common error that can lead to a weight loss plateau. Make sure to identify the correct calorie count of everything you eat, and make sure to be sure the actual portions for those counts. If you are eating too many calories, this may be because of emotional triggers. Try tracking your feelings with the time of day and write down your feelings in order to discover those emotions and problem times that can cause you to eat too much.

Recognize what triggers you to eat and look for healthier foods to satisfy your appetite. At least find foods that help you deal with your emotions that don’t cause you to gain weight. Keep track of your progress and reward yourself with something you really like to do in order to pay yourself back for all the hard work you’ve put in.

The scale is not your only progress assessment tool.

Do you lift weights or perform any type of muscle building exercises? Did you know that muscle weighs more than fat? This is the reason that gym people and personal trainers rarely rely on the scale, but instead use a fat caliper to measure their body fat percentage. This is what concerns them much more than weight because a 250-pound man that is all muscle, could be 50 pounds overweight according to the governmental health guidelines, but if all that “excess” weight is muscle, and not fat then in reality is he is very healthy.

Use a tape measure to measure your waist, chest, and other parts of the body. Check how your clothes feel, are they loose? Use a fat caliper instead of just using the scale. All of these options will provide you with a much more realistic picture of the results of your efforts.

Watch portions.

Remain consistent with portion control to avoid accidently eating more calories than you need. This is why it is extremely important to consistently measure, and weigh your portions in the same ways that you usually do.

Eat lots of protein.

Studies show that eating a low carb, high protein diet can help control your hunger. High protein foods work by keeping the hormone ghrelin in check, which is a hormone secreted by the stomach that cause hunger. Carbs promote hunger, while protein satisfies it and keeps you full longer. Consuming high protein foods will decrease the level of ghrelin significantly, helping to keep hunger pangs under control.

Eat more vegetables.

Fill up on vegetables because they are chock-full of nutrients and low in calories. Try starting a meal with a bowl of broth or a vegetable salad rather than going straight to the main meal. Have plenty of vegetables on hand and ready to eat, to avoid the roadblock of washing and prep time. When you fill up on nutrient-dense and low-calorie vegetables, you are less likely to binge on highly processed foods.

Get cravings under control.

It’s true that when you diet you may get some pretty powerful hunger urges, but you can satisfy your hunger in a way that will not interfere with your weight loss. A lot of that has to do with eating certain foods.

One of the best ways to stabilize hunger and avoid out of control cravings is to limit your intake of unhealthy carbs; instead, focus on eating carbs low on the glycemic index, which means not eating anything white and avoiding starches and sugar.

Sticking to berries for a sweet tooth is a low carb option and eating more non-starchy vegetables instead of rice or pasta can go a long way to stabilizing your hunger, and keeping out of control cravings at bay.

Don’t starve yourself.

The opposite problem to increasing calories is not getting in enough calories to sustain your weight. If you chronically deprive your body of food, it will slow its metabolism down and you’ll have trouble losing weight. Starvation sends the body into survival mode, which means it will store anything and everything you do eat as fat for later use. Each meal you consume should be nutrient rich and include a healthy fat, a healthy carb, and a protein.

Get moving.

This sounds obvious, but many forget about physical activity and how little things really matter to get beyond a weight loss plateau. Stay consistent and exercise every day to boost metabolism, and this does not just mean going to the gym or performing structured workouts.

Try walking briskly instead of just strolling around the room. Get outdoors where you have more room to move around. As previously mentioned, many times people hit weight loss plateaus because their metabolism starts to slow again as they lose weight. Well, there is no better way to jumpstart weight loss again than by increasing the time you spend working out, being generally active or increasing the effort you put into your workouts. This is especially important for those who have a sedentary job.

Choose to go walk around a museum as opposed to going to a movie and sitting down. You can also go for a swim instead of chatting on the computer or take your dog for a walk instead of reading a book.

Your body will have no choice but to start using up its stored fat in order to supply itself with the energy it needs. The bottom line is that anything extra that you do physically each day can be a catalyst to help get you over a weight loss plateau.

Drink More Water.

Water is essential in weight loss because as the body loses weight it generates water as part of fat metabolism, so you need more water to reach a healthy water balance. Moreover, as fat cells shrink they release toxins, which must be removed by internal processes that involve the digestive system and liver.

Drinking plenty of water promotes this process and dehydration stalls it, and may interfere with hormones causing to increase fat stores. Drinking plenty of water also helps to regulate the appetite and promotes satiety.

Final Thoughts

Don’t give up on your diet or weight loss goals just because you hit a weight loss plateau. This is a very common thing.

You found a way to get the will power once to start losing weight. If you stay focused and determined and take some of the advice given here, you will find a way to get over your weight loss plateau, too. So, stay on track and keep going!

Filed under weight loss Tagged with solutions to weight loss plateaus, weight loss plateaus

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The different types of intermittent fasting explained

Time-restricted eating (TRE)

Alternate-day fasting (ADF)

Periodic fasting (5:2 method)

Fasting-mimicking diet (FMD)

How fasting triggers powerful biological changes

The metabolic switch: from glucose to ketones

Autophagy and cellular housekeeping

Hormonal shifts and insulin sensitivity

Reduced inflammation and oxidative stress

The brain-boosting effects of fasting

Increased BDNF and neuroplasticity

Improved mitochondrial function

Enhanced memory and learning in animal models

Mood regulation through serotonin and dopamine pathways

Fasting and its role in preventing brain-related diseases

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

Multiple sclerosis and epilepsy

Stroke recovery and neuroprotection

Gut-brain axis and microbiome diversity

What science says about fasting for healthy individuals

Short-term cognitive effects in healthy adults

Why benefits may depend on age and metabolic state

The role of circadian alignment in fasting success

Conclusion

References

Why Most Weight Loss Attempts Fail

The restrictive diet trap

Unrealistic expectations

Lack of proper support system

Understanding Your Body’s Response to Weight Loss

Metabolic adaptation

Hunger hormone changes

Common Habits of Successful Weight Loss Maintainers

Regular self-monitoring

Consistent meal timing

Active lifestyle integration

Stress management techniques

Building a Sustainable Weight Loss Mindset

Identity-based changes

Progress over perfection

Creating Your Personal Success Strategy

Environmental optimization

Backup plans for challenges

Support system development

Conclusion

References

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