According to Dr. Axe: 
1. Drink plenty of
water
Often we think we’re hungry when our
bodies are actually just begging for water. So it’s important to drink enough water throughout
the day to stay hydrated.
Drinking water not only keeps fat
toxins moving out of the body, it also keeps your metabolism running optimally.
In fact, in a 2013 study showed 14 healthy men and women increased their metabolic rate
by 30 percent after drinking about 16 ounces of water!
And if that’s not enough to convince
you the world’s healthiest drink will help you lose weight fast, remember that
it’s calorie-free, too!
2. Pack your own snacks
It comes on suddenly: One minute
you’re feeling great and the next you’re starving for a snack. Skip the vending
machine and prepare your own healthy snacks to take
to work, school or whenever you’re out and about. From apple chips to an
on-the-go healthy smoothie,
packing your own snacks will help you lose weight fast while also giving you
the nutrients you need without the icky preservatives from expensive, processed
“foods.”
3. Increase your
protein intake
Increasing your protein intake is a
great way to lose weight fast and burn fat. And most people don’t get nearly
enough protein in their diet. If your goal is to lose weight, I would recommend
consuming half your body weight in grams of protein a day (at the very
least). For those seeking to burn fat and build muscle, aim to consume .7 to 1
gram per pound of body weight. For example, if you weight 150 pounds,
you should be getting 75 to 150 grams of protein a day (depending on your
goals). Checkout this list of these top protein foods.
4. Eat grapefruit
New research is revealing that consuming
grapefruit benefits weight loss in a major way. The key may be an enzyme called
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) that is found in grapefruit. AMPK helps
your body utilize sugar, which results in boosting your
metabolism.
Additionally, nootkatone, a
component found in grapefruit, has been shown to significantly increase
fat-burning (AMPK) activity. So consider grapefruit a great vitamin C-rich
snack and add grapefruit slices to a spinach salad or even into an immune
boosting smoothie to help you lose weight fast.
5. Drink green tea
Drinking herbal teas such as matcha green tea, white
tea, black tea and rooibos tea can amp up your metabolism. According to a study
in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green
tea is more effective than other teas like oolong at promoting weight loss
because of it’s high levels of catechins. So if you want to lose weight fast, I
recommend drinking 1-3 cups of green tea daily.
6. Get your fill of
fiber
Foods high in fiber will help you
feel fuller longer and help reduce sugar cravings. Also, fiber has been proven
to balance blood sugar, lower cholesterol, and more. But chances are you’re not
consuming enough. The average person only gets 15-20 grams of fiber
each day when they should be getting 30-40 grams daily. Not sure if your
favorite foods stack up? Check out my top high-fiber foods.
7. Eat 90 percent of
your meals at home
Whether you’re a novice or a pro in
the kitchen, making your own snacks and meals will help you lose weight fast.
By controlling what ingredients, fats and oils are in your food, you’ll be able
to make healthy choices without sacrificing the food and flavors you love.
Start by committing to making one
meal a day at home. As you get more comfortable in the kitchen, increase that
number. You’ll be surprised by the quality of dishes you can make right in your
own kitchen. Get some of my favorite healthy recipes here.
21. Stock pile healthy snacks at home
See no evil, eat no evil. It’s hard
to resist temptation when it comes to foods — so eliminate it instead! Keep
your cabinets and refrigerator stocked with fresh, healthy snacks so they’re front and
center. One trick I love is washing fresh fruits and veggies as soon as I get
home from the store and storing them in glass or nice bowls on the counter or
refrigerator shelf. It keeps them visible so you remember to eat them!
Plus, whenever I need a snack, they’re
already prepped. To make it a little easier to start, here are some tips
for healthy eating on a budget. You can
also take along my healing diet shopping list the next
time you hit the supermarket.
22. Make a menu
If you’re constantly find yourself
thinking, “I have nothing to eat,” or “I don’t know what to make,” preparing a
menu is for you. Choose your favorite recipes and decide what you want to serve
for meals a week at a time. Write out the ingredients you’ll need and take that
list with you when you shop. You’ll have all the ingredients on hand to make
nutritious meals for the week.
Bonus: Save money by choosing meals
that use in-season produce and combining your meals with your local grocery
store’s sales flyer. And don’t forget about leftovers! Use them to create new
meals (for instance, make a stir-fry with leftover cooked meats and veggies) or
have a weekly night where all the leftovers get put out and everyone in the
family can eat their favorites again.
23. Slow down!
When you eat fast, it’s easy to
overeat. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to register that
it’s full. While you chew, your brain is processing that you are eating,
and chewing releases enzymes for pre-digestion in your saliva to start the
digestion process.
So begin mindful
eating, chewing slowly and enjoying the flavor of your food!
This also eases digestion and helps your brain to catch up with your
body. If you have trouble eating slowly, try putting down your fork or spoon in
between bites.
24. Let go of the grains
Even though grains have been
promoted as healthy, consuming them is one of the fastest ways to pack on the
pounds. Plus as you probably know by now, the gluten found in most grains can increase
inflammation in your body and put a strain on your digestive system. And
store-bought bread often has added high fructose corn syrup, sugar and
preservatives.
Grains contain large amounts of
carbohydrates, which break down into sugar that your body will store as
fat. So my advice is to keep your grain consumption down to one serving or less
daily. And when you do eat grains, eat only sprouted grains or quinoa,
and load up on vegetables!
25. Don’t shop on an
empty stomach
Does this situation sound familiar?
You have the best of intentions to fill the grocery cart with lots of produce
and healthy protein. But halfway through your shopping trip, your stomach
starts growling and all of a sudden those potato chips are looking a lot more
appealing than normal. Well, it’s happened to us all. The best solution? Fill
up before you go! When you’re not fighting hunger pangs, it’s a lot easier to
make healthy choices.
26. Make healthy swaps
Eating clean doesn’t mean you have
to give up your favorite foods. Instead, think of ways to “healthify” them
yourself! Is dip your weakness? Try this spicy bean dip. Are Fridays your pizza night?
Make a coconut crust pizza
instead. I guarantee they’ll be delicious, satisfy your cravings and help you
feel great!
27. Don’t supersize
No, I’m not talking about fast
food…in fact, please don’t eat ANY fast food. But simply speaking, there are
going to be times that you are in a situation where you are in a position to
eat something that is usually “off-the-menu” for healthy eating. So, instead of
binging on these foods, keep your goals in mind and nibble on smaller amounts.
Are you at a party with hors
d’oeuvres and appetizers you just can’t turn down? Decide you’ll eat just
one type of bite-sized food and turn down the rest. Or, is your office having a
pizza party and the smell of cheesy goodness is too hard to resist? Pick the
slice loaded with veggies, enjoy and then turn away.
28. Add in some
fat-burning herbs
Adding in some healthy herbs to your
diet may be just what you need to lose weight fast! Studies have shown that
herbs like cayenne pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and dandelion may all
help promote weight loss. You can add a bit of cayenne
pepper to season chicken or dips, use turmeric when making burgers or sprinkle
it on a salad, put 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in your smoothie and drink a
hot cup of dandelion tea in the morning for breakfast.
29. Downsize your
plate
Believe me, this really works!
Because the same serving of food looks like less food on larger plates, trick your brain
into eating less by serving your main dish on salad-sized plates instead of
dinner ones. I switched out all my large dinner plates with salad plates
for a while. And it is amazing how a medium-sized plate of food felt more
satisfying when I cleaned it. When you combine this with eating slower and more
intentionally, you will enjoy your food more and eat less!
30. Do a cleanse or detox
Doing a short cleanse or detox is
one of the best ways to lose weight fast. Whether it be a few days or weeks,
doing something like a vegetable juice cleanse or the Daniel Diet is highly
effective. Another simple way to cleanse is by starting to drink this Secret Detox Drink.
31. Make a better breakfast
Start your day on the right foot and
fuel your body with a hearty breakfast. It’ll give you energy in those first
few hours you’re awake. Plus, since breakfast is the first meal of the
day, you’ll have all day to burn those calories. Tired of the same old eggs and
toast? Try some of these delicious breakfast recipes.
32. Go crazy for coconuts
When consumed as part of a low-carb
diet, coconut is one of the best “weight loss foods” in the world today.
Coconut contains MCFAs (medium-chain fatty acids) that your body can easily
burn as fuel for energy.
To get more coconut into your diet,
switch out the other oils in your home for coconut oil,
add coconut milk into your morning smoothie, use coconut flakes to crust
chicken tenders and drink coconut water to stay hydrated during your next
workout.
33. Don’t drink your
calories
Creamy, foamy drinks might taste delicious,
but they can have enough calories to serve as an entire meal — and that’s not
even taking into account the amount of sugar and preservatives they contain.
Make your own healthier versions instead. From pumpkin spice lattes to spiced hot apple cider, there’s a nutritious
alternative for most high-calorie beverages
34. Choose healthy fats
Not all fat is created equal. The
fats found in foods like avocados, nuts and
dark chocolate are actually good for you —
and they taste delicious! Enjoy them on a regular basis to reap their health
benefits but don’t go overboard because they are calorie dense.
35. Bring your own foods
It’s your Aunt Mildred’s birthday
and, while you’re committed to healthy eating, the rest of your family hasn’t
gotten there yet. Instead of chowing down on fried, unhealthy foods or being
rude and turning down everything that’s offered, a great compromise is to bring
a dish along to share (after clearing it with the host, of course).
Whether it’s a healthy appetizer, a
tasty side dish, or your favorite clean-eating dessert, you’ll know there’s at
least one healthy option that you can fill up on while minimizing your intake
of the unhealthier ones. You might even convert a few people in the process,
too!
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