7 Best Ways to Lose Weight, According to Women’s Health Experts

How to lose weight? That’s the number one question we get asked here at Women’s Health, and with good reason—keeping your belly slim and your body lean will make you feel better about yourself and help you live longer, healthier lives. In our new book The Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises, we’ve got tons of tips on how to shed pounds, but also keep them off once you reach your goal weight.

Measure your waist circumference

Measuring your waist is a good way to see if you are carrying too much weight in your middle. Take a tape measure and wrap it around your waist, just above your hipbone. To get the best measurement, ensure the tape measure is perfectly level around the waist and measure at the end of a normal breath. Ideal female waist size is less than 35 inches. The more weight you have in your abdominal area, the more likely you are to experience negative health risks. As University Hospitals  explained, we can’t say for sure why, but there is a definite correlation. That’s why there is such a strong correlation between visceral fat—around the organs like the liver—and insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Go gluten-free

It’s no secret that going gluten-free has become one of the hottest food trends in recent years. But what is good for women’s health? According to some experts, a gluten-free diet can be healthy for women as it can help with weight loss and provide other health benefits. However, not all doctors agree on this point. Talk to your doctor before starting any new diets or food restrictions! Healthy eating isn’t just about what you eat – it’s also about how much you eat. Eat healthy: Aim for nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean proteins like chicken and fish, beans and legumes like lentils and black beans which are rich in fiber and protein. Avoid processed foods high in sugar or fat. Instead choose minimally processed foods such as brown rice over white rice or apples over apple juice. What is good for women’s health doesn’t stop at diet; get enough sleep! Sleep deprivation has been linked to higher body mass index (BMI) levels and increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, depression and death. So aim for 7-8 hours each night when possible and make sure to get out into the sunshine every day. Finally, find an activity you enjoy doing; studies show exercise releases endorphins which reduce stress levels.

Eat more fiber

Fiber is good for women’s health because it helps with digestion, weight loss, and blood sugar control. A high-fiber diet can also reduce your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. The best way to get more fiber is to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. You should also try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. These have lots of added salt, fat, and other ingredients that you don’t need. They’re also full of unhealthy sugars like corn syrup or honey which will spike your blood sugar levels and make you feel hungry again soon after eating them. Instead, opt for healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, and avocado to keep you feeling fuller longer. Whole wheat bread is another great option since it has a lower glycemic index than white bread so the glucose in the food isn’t absorbed into the bloodstream quickly making you feel hungrier sooner. And finally, any time you cook something at home instead of buying a prepared meal from a restaurant or takeout place, you’ll know exactly what’s going into your food.

Cut out processed food

If you’re worried about your health, eliminate processed foods from your diet. They are often high in unhealthy fats, salt, and sugar. Foods in jars often contain chemicals and preservatives that are bad for your health. It’s best to have a diet with whole foods to improve your wellbeing. Whole foods include produce, whole grains, and lean protein. These are ingredients for a healthy diet that are especially important for a woman’s health. Here’s the strategy to come up with a balanced meal plan: provide yourself with enough produce, healthy proteins like chicken or beans, healthy carbs like quinoa or oats, and healthy fats like avocado or olive oil. Note how many calories you are eating every day and ensure that you’re not overeating. Follow a nutritious diet, keep a healthy weight, and care for your health with self-love!

Pick a meatless Monday

 

 

Women’s health should be found through the use of fresh fruit and vegetables, so try doing Meatless Monday each week. Following a vegetarian diet has been found to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Eat no meat or poultry on Mondays. It is a very environmentally friendly choice! If Americans reduce meat consumption just one day a week, we can save enough water to supply New York City for two years! Consider having a meatless Monday to change up your routine, then when you start eating meat again, make sure it is leaner. Consume less red meat and go for healthier sources of protein like salmon, shrimp, and tofu. You can also get many nutrients from beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and eggs. In order to become vegan, you can switch to many alternative sources of protein, including quinoa, amaranth, soybeans, tempeh, and seitan.

Exercise regularly

If you’re trying to lose weight, you might be tempted to cut out alcohol completely. But that’s not necessarily the best approach, according to experts. Moderate drinking can actually be helpful for weight loss and management, says Rachael Hartley, RD, LDN. The important thing is knowing how to drink in moderation. Here are seven tips from women’s health experts on the best ways to lose weight and keep it off -Maintain a healthy diet by filling your plate with mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein like beans or fish. A good rule of thumb is to aim for no more than three ounces of meat per meal, suggests Carolyn Brown Barrow. That’s about one palm-sized serving. And if you’re still hungry after eating this amount, choose a low-calorie snack like celery sticks with peanut butter or air-popped popcorn instead of grabbing another slice of pizza or going back for seconds at dinner.

Use alcohol in moderation

It’s no secret that alcohol can have some pretty negative effects on your health. But did you know that it can also help you lose weight? In moderation, of course. Here’s how Alcohol helps you feel full and curbs cravings for unhealthy foods like fried snacks and candy bars. Plus, alcohol contains calories which means the more you drink, the more weight you’ll likely lose. However, experts warn that overdoing it with alcohol will actually lead to an increase in body fat percentage because those calories aren’t being burned off through exercise. A good rule of thumb is limiting yourself to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.