Safest Ways to Lose Weight in 2024

One New Year’s resolution we often make is that we’re going to lose weight. Maybe we want to get rid of those pesky 5 pounds that stubbornly hang on despite our best efforts. Perhaps it’s the first step to a whole health transformation. Regardless of your motivation, not every weight loss plan is safe and effective (for example, the tapeworm diet).

So how do you know which way is best? There are a couple of steps you can take to determine if your weight-loss method is a good, safe choice. It’s always recommended that you talk to your medical professional before starting any program.

This could be your primary care doctor, nurse practitioner, nurse, or health care specialist. They are trained to evaluate how the method you choose affects your personal health. Also, consider your motivation levels. Are you the kind of person who will stick to a plan or do you tend to fall off the bandwagon quickly? What would you need to keep your interest in your weight loss program long-term?

Changing your diet

This is one of the simplest ways to make long-lasting changes to your weight. It does take some planning, as you are making a conscientious decision to embrace better eating habits. Changing your diet has the additional benefit of improving your overall health as you lose weight safely. For some people, this is all they need to meet their weight loss goals.

Which diet you choose is not as important as what your diet is composed of, and how much you consume. Many people choose commercially available diets, like the Atkins, South Beach, and Mediterranean Diets.

However, you don’t need a commercial plan to eat healthier. Harvard University Medical School’s Healthy Eating Plate breaks down what constitutes a well-balanced meal. They recommend that ¾ of your plate should be plant-based, and the remainder should be healthy proteins.

(Of the plant-based foods, the majority should be vegetables, followed by whole grains and fruits.) Oils and fats should be limited. Finally, you should consider how much you’re eating. Calories which are unused by the body can be stored as fat, no matter what food group they’re from.

Some people find this method inconvenient. It does take time to plan all your meals to ensure that your diet is healthy. This may not work with everyone’s lifestyle or tastes (some adults are still picky eaters). Based on where you reside, access to healthy options may be expensive. Worse, if you live in a food desert, your options are limited. Your choices are based off of what foods are available, instead of what is good for you.

Exercise

Adding more physical activity into your life is another great way to lose weight. You convert stored fat (and sometimes muscle) into energy that your body uses during and after the workout. Like changing your diet, exercise has additional benefits besides just weight loss.

Cardio exercises build endurance, allowing you to push yourself for longer periods than you had before. Weight-training exercises tones muscles for a leaner overall look. When combined with a healthy diet, you can speed up the weight loss abilities to exercise.

The best exercise program is the one that works with your lifestyle and helps you achieve your goals. For some, this may be group classes at the gym or individual sessions with a trainer. Sometimes, it’s combative or team sports played for victory; or a 30 to 1-hour break using equipment at home. For others, it could be a solitary activity with just their thoughts for company. Whatever you do, consult your medical professional, and use the correct physical form to prevent accidental injury.

The key challenge for many when it comes to exercise is time. We live in a fast-paced world, where time is a limited resource. For some, it is difficult to regularly carve an hour 2 or 3 times a week to work out. There is always some assignment, work project, or family activity that seems like a better use of the time. Price may also be a factor. Sure, the cost barrier to an exercise like walking in a park may be low (the price of sneakers).

What about places where it isn’t reasonable to walk outdoors? In that case, exercising may be done indoors at a gym such as Revmma or at home. Personal exercise machines can cost hundreds of dollars (before installation costs). They only work until you get bored of repeating the same activity.

Gyms can be expensive or have contracts that are difficult to break. Trainers, specialty classes, personal equipment, and other perks are extra. When you consider the overall cost of the gym, the investment can be pricey.

Coolsculpting

If you haven’t heard about Coolsculpting, you’re missing out! It’s a new outpatient cosmetic procedure that smooths your skin to reveal a tight, tone surface. It’s not surgery. An applicator is applied to the problem area, where it freezes fat cells. After some time, the cells exit the body via the liver.

Coolsculpting is growing in popularity because it is convenient, and it works. Patients love Coolsculpting for several reasons, including:

• The procedure can be done in 1-3 hours, depending on the size of the treatment area.
• Treatments can be scheduled to fit in with your lifestyle. Most patients need up to three treatments for best results, but they can be easily worked into daily life.
• It can be done at your local dermatologist’s office. This means you can have it done by someone you know and trust.
• Pain is minimal and short-term. There are no injections in the procedure. Most patients indicate they had no discomfort. The sensation you feel is a cold sucking sensation that ends very quickly once the applicator is removed.
• There isn’t any rehabilitation period. You can get the procedure done on your lunch break and return to work as normal right after. There is no time needed for healing, and no bandages to worry about.
• Coolsculpting gives impressive results. Expect to see the effects within a month. When combined with a healthy diet and exercise plan, the results are long-term.

Unfortunately, Coolsculpting isn’t best for everyone. It’s not recommended for people who are extremely overweight. According to Mayoral Dermatology, this procedure is best for persons who need to spot treatment to target areas that have been resistant to diet and exercise.

.If you’re worried about Coolsculpting’s side effects, there are a few. You may experience some redness, bruising, swelling, or reduced sensation at the site of treatment.

Fortunately, most patients have reported that these conditions were not significant to prevent their daily activities. In extreme cases, the side effects of Coolsculpting were extreme pain, severe numbing and bloating. Fortunately, not only were these rare, they can easily be addressed by your dermatologist. Also keep in mind that there are plenty of safe and natural supplements that support metabolic function. For example, turmeric curcumin by Lyfe Botanicals may be able to help you maintain a healthy weight with regular use.