As I follow discussions that take place among people trying to lose weight I’ve noticed a common theme. Many people resort to very low-calorie diets in order to go about it. And by that I mean they’re just counting calories in the foods they already eat and slashing how much of those foods they consume. This can help you to lose weight but not without feeling like you’re starving yourself to accomplish it. And that’s not exactly sustainable.
That begs the question: if it’s not sustainable then why bother? I think it’s because they don’t know what else to do. I’m not a fan of diets at all because they always seem to be about deprivation. Instead, I would like to suggest that you can lose weight without starving yourself if you just change a few habits.
And the great part about this strategy is that you can do baby steps. Start with a few simple changes and over time keep making more. That way, they eventually add up to a major lifestyle change that you can maintain long-term.
I know this strategy works because this is how I lost weight when I wanted to years ago and it’s how I continue to maintain my weight today. It just takes being committed to being a healthier person. I believe if you focus on better health, not just weight loss, then you’ll lose the weight naturally while feeling good too.
So here are my tips for losing weight without starving yourself.
Eat better, not less
In order to lose weight you do have to have a calorie deficit. In other words, you need to take in fewer calories than you burn. But there’s more than one way to go about that. The key to dropping calories is not necessarily to eat less, but to eat better than you ever have! That means focusing on nutrient-dense, natural foods instead of processed food. Why?
Natural foods generally have fewer calories than processed foods and none of the added crap. You’ll realize this if you always read labels on those packaged foods. They contain high levels of sugar, salt and fat which translates to lots of extra unhealthy calories! But besides being lower in calories, natural foods have the nutrients you need to fuel your body with energy.
And with energy comes motivation. The vitamins and minerals you get will help you stay motivated to keep taking care of yourself because you’ll feel better. Without it, you’ll go right back to eating crap because you’ll need quick pick-me-ups throughout the day. That’s why people are addicted to sugar and caffeine! They don’t have the energy that should be getting from food.
Strategy #1: So with every meal try to swap out something processed for something real. An example would be having an apple at the end of your meal instead of a cookie or candy bar.
Related article: What does it mean to “eat healthy”?
Eat more healthy protein
Protein has been shown to satisfy our hunger more and allow us to go longer between meals. But just because I say protein doesn’t mean I’m referring to eating meat or dairy constantly. We can get protein from healthier plant sources and avoid consuming the saturated fat and cholesterol that come from animal products.
In the same study I just linked to above, the authors point out that:
“People on high-protein diets are advised to choose their source of protein very carefully (i.e. emphasize the use of high-quality protein sources from plant origin).”
You can also listen to Dr. Michael Greger explain on his website Nutritionfacts.org how a whole food, plant-based diet will keep you healthy long-term but also lead to weight loss now. High animal protein diets can lead to heart disease and high cholesterol. So a healthier choice would be to get your protein from soy products, beans, nuts and seeds.
Here’s a good list of high-protein plant foods to choose from:
Strategy #2: Start incorporating some of the items from the list above into your daily diet. By adding these in, you’ll have less room for the other less healthy products.
Related article: How to lose weight on a plant-based diet.
Eat more fiber
If you really want to lose weight without starving yourself you should also focus on eating more fiber. That means fruits, veggies and beans (which are high in protein too!). Most Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diets and fiber slows down digestion to make us feel full longer.
Fiber also helps us to have those regular bowel movements we appreciate so much! It doesn’t make sense to take pills for constipation when you can just eat better foods and avoid it altogether!
So when it comes to fruits, dark-colored berries are your best choice as are dark-colored veggies. All those bright colors mean they’re high in antioxidants which help prevent cell damage. And beans are not only a great source of fiber but also make a good meat replacement due to their texture.
Meat has no fiber but it does have plenty of saturated fat and cholesterol that you don’t want. Beans, on the other hand, have none of that but do contain both the fiber and antioxidants that your body needs.
In his book “How Not to Die”, Dr. Michael Greger writes “those who increased their bean consumption by even less than one-quarter cup a day appeared to cut their odds of precancerous colorectal polyp recurrence by up to 65 percent” (p. 67). That’s a bonus!
Here’s a short list of other high-fiber foods to check out:
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- Whole wheat grains: bread, pasta, oatmeal, barley & brown rice.
- Fruits with skins: apples, pears, berries & citrus.
- Vegetables: green peas, broccoli, leafy greens & potatoes with skin.
- Legumes/nuts/seeds: black beans, lentils, split peas, almonds & chia seeds.
Strategy #3: Eat more fiber to help you feel fuller so you can lose weight, but also for the long-term benefits of a healthy heart and a lower risk of cancer!
What to avoid to lose weight without starving
There are always things you can add to your diet to help with weight loss without starving yourself. But there are also some things you should avoid in order to lose weight and have better health. Think of it this way: we’re not rambunctious children anymore. Therefore, we need to adjust our consumption of empty calories or pay the price!
Avoid drinking your calories
It’s never a good idea to drink your calories. And the reason for that is that they don’t help to fill you up but they will give you lots of extra calories and sugar that you don’t need. It’s always better to stick with water, tea or coffee (without a bunch of added sugar!).
I had an older client once who tried telling me that nothing “quenched her thirst” like Arizona Sweet Tea! But she came to me for help in losing a little weight and getting healthier overall. I had to break it to her that she was probably confusing “thirst” with her craving for sugar. We often just want a drink for the sugar high.
As adults, we have to be able to give some things up or at least only partake of them on special occasions as a treat. Otherwise, we have to exercise like maniacs to work off those calories! This goes for alcoholic drinks too. They’re a huge source of extra calories! So know what you’re drinking and limit the worst offenders.
Strategy #4: Start reading the labels on all the liquids you drink so you know how much you’re taking in. Then swap those drinks out for lower-calorie ones.
Related article: What to drink (and not drink) for better health.
Avoid snacking during the day
If you’re eating decent meals then snacking isn’t even necessary. We’re just so used to the idea of having snacks in-between meals that we keep it up. Children need to snack because they can’t eat much at one time and they’re moving constantly so they use all that energy. But as adults, we eat bigger meals and sit most of the day.
Recently, I noticed I had gained some weight so I decided to quit snacking to try to get it under control. Amazingly, that’s all it took to get my weight back down to where I wanted it. I didn’t exercise more or cut back anywhere else. It was the extra food I was taking in that made all the difference.
Strategy #5: Avoid snacking in-between meals.
Manage stress and GET YOUR SLEEP!
Have you ever noticed that when you’re stressed or overly tired you start reaching for high-calorie junk food and drinks? I know it happens to me! It is well-documented that stress can lead to obesity. So keep your stress as low as possible to have more control over your weight. Learn to say “no”!
Related article: The many health benefits of meditation.
Prioritizing the amount and quality of sleep you get will also help you control your weight. It’s been shown that lack of sleep can lead to overeating and weight gain. Stress and lack of sleep both contribute to cravings for addictive foods and drinks.
Strategy #6: Lower your stress and get your sleep to keep those cravings under control.
Exercise!
In his book “The Exercise Cure”, Dr. Jordan D. Metzl, MD writes:
“Regular exercise is the key to a longer, healthier, and less expensive life” (p. 5).
When it comes to weight loss, adopting a healthier diet should be your first strategy. That’s because it’ll help you lower your caloric intake while also giving you more energy to feel better. But adding exercise to that will give you faster weight loss and a better quality of life.
And isn’t quality of life the best goal to have? Of course, we all want to look good too. With exercise, your body will look better (more firm) and be able to do more because it’s fit. Here’s another quote from The Exercise Cure based on a study from Brazil:
“Those who could stand up without using their hands or getting other help lived longer than those who couldn’t. A lot longer.” (p. 3)
People who first had to get on their knees or needed the help of a piece of furniture or another person to get up were much more likely to die prematurely than the non-help group. This goes to show that strength is just as important for long-term health. If you’re strong that means you’re using your body more which also means you’re most likely carrying less weight.
Strategy #7: Move more! Exercise will help you keep your weight under control and help you to live a longer, more satisfying life.
Related article: 6 Easy core exercises you can do at home.
My final thoughts
There’s a lot involved in losing weight without starving yourself and I’ve outlined what I think are the most important tips here.
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- Eating more natural, less processed foods will help you take in fewer calories and have more energy and motivation.
- Eat more high-quality protein to help you feel full longer. And try to focus more on plant sources to avoid overconsuming saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Fiber will also help you to feel full longer while reducing your cholesterol and giving you more nutrients from the plants it comes from.
- Avoid drinking your calories. This is an easy way to lose weight fast without doing anything else.
- Avoid snacking in-between meals. Most adults aren’t active enough to need them.
- Manage your stress levels and get the sleep you need to fend off cravings.
- And finally…exercise! This is essential to having a good quality of life and fast-tracking your weight loss.
I always say that baby steps are the key to forming healthy habits. So if you need to, tackle each of these strategies one at a time. Or just start implementing them all without trying to be perfect. No one is. It’s about making small changes over a lifetime so the older you get the better you get!
Let me know in the comments below if any of these strategies have worked for you. I would also love to know what other strategies you may have come up with that worked for weight loss!