Losing weight may feel like a mammoth task, but some simple changes can make a big difference.
According to a clinical nutritionist, ditching sugary drinks is a great way to go if you want to slim down for good.
Autumn Bates said on YouTube: “If you want to lose weight and don’t know where to start, do these three things right now to start seeing some major results.”
She told slimmers to “cut out all sugary drinks”. This means not adding sugar to coffee or tea, and avoiding cocktails or sodas that are “liquid forms of sugar”.
Avoid adding sugar to your tea or coffee
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She explained that these drinks “spike our storing hormone insulin and make it really hard to switch back into fat burning”.
Next, the expert advised waiting an hour before waking up to start eating. She said: “This is the first major step to starting intermittent fasting.”
Bupa UK explained: “Intermittent fasting (IF) is when you go for extended periods of time without eating. This is followed by a period of eating normally.”
One popular intermittent fasting schedule is the 5:2, where a person consumes only 500 to 600 calories for two days each week, eating a normal, healthy, and balanced diet for the remaining five days.
Others follow a 16:8 schedule, which involves eating during an eight-hour window and fasting for 16 hours each day. During fasting hours, people may drink water, milk, tea or coffee.
Research suggests that limiting your eating window may help you shed some excess weight. However, slimmers should consult a medical professional before starting intermittent fasting or another diet plan.
The nutritionist also recommended that people trying to lose weight up their protein intake and include a source in every meal.
She advised going for 20 – 30 grams of complete protein with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
She added: “And studies show that if you have your protein before the rest of the food on your plate, it actually helps to lower the storing hormone insulin versus if you were to have your food in a different order.”
Excellent sources of protein include beans, peas and lentils, nuts and seeds, lean meats, fish, dairy products and soy products.
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