21 Foolproof Steps to Lose Weight in 2021

So, we are finally in 2021 and those of us who have “weight loss” high up on the New Year’s resolution list, might be looking for infallible ways to shed extra layers. If you have made up your mind to melt away all the extra pounds, we are here to help with effective and foolproof tips that can get you to a lighter version of yourself. There are umpteen number of benefits of losing weight and fitting into an old pair of skinny jeans is just one of them! From slimming down, to better energy and mood, losing even 10% of body weight can considerably cut down the risk of health issues such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. So, here’s a list of 21 Foolproof Steps to Lose Weight in 2021.

1. Start on a Perfect Weight Loss Plan: Since weight loss is all about 80% diet and 20% exercise, dieting should be given its due importance and that’s why getting started on the right kind of weight loss diet, such as on Rati Beauty app, is of supreme importance. When you start eating healthy on these diets, they get you into calorie deficit, and it’s more than half the battle won when trying to lose weight.
2. Say Yes to Healthy Fats: A lot of people consider “fats” a villain in a weight loss diet. Of course, the wrong kind of fats can make you gain weight, but it’s a myth that if you want to lose weight, you should cut out “fat” completely from the diet or at least go “low fat.” However, in reality, eating healthy fats can help you slim down. Moreover, unlike carbs, healthy fats do not cause insulin spikes and “insulin,” as we all know, is a hormone that also triggers fat storage. When there is too much insulin in the blood stream, there are more chances of it getting stored as fat. Healthy fats boost metabolism instead of making it sluggish. Walnuts, flaxseeds, soybean, tofu, eggs, dark chocolate all have the healthy kind of fats.
3. Switch to a Healthy Cooking Oil: If you have decided to clean up your diet in order to shed weight by getting rid of junk food and cutting down on sugar, then changing your cooking oil would be a great idea too. Check out this list of Healthiest Cooking Oils for Indian Cooking for more details.
4. Count Liquid Calories: We often miss noting down the calories that we consume from fruit juices, soft drinks, sodas, smoothies, etc. Since fruit juices do not have fiber content, they do not keep you full for long. Post-workout shakes, milk shakes, smoothies all have calories in them which can take up your calorie count as much as solid food. The trick with liquid calories is that you cannot measure them, so you have to be mindful, and make sure to limit their consumption as much as possible.
5. Exercise 5 times a week: Keep aside just 30 to 40 minutes out of 24 hours for workout/exercise because exercise the whole weight loss process. As we have mentioned above, weight loss is all about 80% diet and 20% exercise, and if you are skimping on exercise while trying to lose weight, you may drop pounds and kilograms, but would not get a toned physique or shape when you reach your goal weight. You can start with 5-Minute exercises like Planks, Jumping jacks, squats, lunges, pushups, high knees or follow the exercise routines on the Rati Beauty app.
6. Practice Clean Eating: Clean eating is majorly about eating whole and natural foods in daily diet and eliminating processed foods completely. When you switch to local produce and unprocessed food, you would be nourishing your body, lose weight, and get rid of a lot of health problems as well by getting down inflammation as well. To eat clean, you would have to include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your diet, get rid of refined carbs, say no to preservative-laden foods, avoid sugar totally, avoid packaged snacks, and opt for grass-fed butter and ghee. Through clean eating, you would be giving yourself a diet rich in protein, complex carbs, antioxidants, trace minerals, vitamins, fiber, and you get all of them in the correct proportion on Rati Beauty diet programs.
7. Load up on Healthy Food: From white refined sugar to white rice, to maida, weed out all white things except for of course vegetables like cauliflower and dairy. These white things add loads of calories with little to zero nutritional value to your body. In fact, here are 10 Amazing Ways to Start Eating Healthy.
8. Cut Down on Added Sugars: Added sugar is extremely bad for weight loss and that’s because it acts in multiple ways to facilitate weight gain. It spikes the hormone insulin, which not only regulates blood sugar, it also triggers fat storage. Additionally, sugar also raises inflammation in the body and puts you at a risk of developing life-threatening disorders. Ice creams, candies, chocolates, cakes, cupcakes, all have added sugar, but a majority of packaged and processed food have added sugar too, so do read the ingredients list first.
9. Increase Chromium Through Natural Food: Chromium is a trace mineral which is found in spring onions, nuts, eggs, etc., and it improves the body’s response to insulin and lowers blood sugar. It also helps in curbing appetite and cravings. Additionally, it also helps you metabolise carbs for fuel.
10. Say Completely no to Processed Food and Transfat: High in sodium, calories, and unhealthy fats, processed food and transfat can cause rapid weight gain. And for this reason, here are 15 Transfat Food Items you should Avoid to Lose Weight Effectively.
11. Cover Half of your Plate with Veggies: Most of the veggies out there are extremely low in calories and nourish the body with vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein, minerals, necessary to synthesize essential hormones and enzymes that boost weight loss. Though healthy foods should be taken in limited amount, fresh vegetables are an exception, which you can eat as much as you can, without getting out of calorie deficit. A healthy diet should promote 2 to 3 servings of vegetables each day. However, if you absolutely dislike veggies day in and day out, here are 9 interesting ways to eat more vegetables for weight loss. Here are 9 Interesting Ways to Eat More Vegetables for Weight Loss.
12. Portion Control: Portion control is an essential aspect, not only to lose weight but also to maintain optimum health and to prevent diseases such as type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Portion control is essential to remain in calorie deficit, without which losing weight is not possible. Here are 10 Tips to Portion Control Food for Weight Loss.
13. Exercise on Empty Stomach: Exercising on an empty stomach helps the body to deplete glycogen stores and reach out to stored fat for energy and fuel. Exercising on empty stomach increases the level of fat oxidation and lipolysis.
14. Cheat Meal Once a Week: A “cheat meal” is highly recommended because it helps to amp up a sluggish metabolism, satisfy cravings, prevent binge eating, and overcome weight loss plateau, and most importantly, to stick to your diet plan better. Follow these 10 Cheat Meal Rules for Weight Loss.
15. Eat Local Produce: From millets, to locally produced vegetables and fruits, try to opt for fresh, organic produce that retain their freshness for long, and supply the body nutrients that would help in the whole fat-burning process. Nutrients from vegetables flood the body with B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, among others, and all these nutrients are absolutely essential to synthesise hormones that help with weight loss too.
16. Opt for These Healthy Swaps: The most important change that one can start their weight loss journey with or in general get healthy is by swapping unhealthy food in their diet with healthy alternatives. Replacing unhealthy food items with healthier options will motor up your weight loss process and would serve as stepping stones to big successes. Go through this list of 50 Healthy Food Swaps That Everyone Should Absolutely Try.
17. Make your Gut Robust: Experts have for long highlighted the strong link between good gut health and weight loss. The friendly bacteria that reside in the gut are necessary to extract nutrients from the food, to balance out important fat-burning hormones, and to control stress hormone – all these factors boost the whole weight loss process. Here’s how you can strengthen the gut and set the weight loss process into motion.
18. Get More Sleep: As we have always maintained, there’s a strong link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. When someone sleeps for less than 7 hours, they tend to have high levels of hunger hormone ghrelin and stress hormone cortisol that can increase cravings and appetite, making you eat more food, leading to weight gain. Do not compromise on less than 7 hours of sleep each night.
19. Eat More Fermented Foods: Fermented food supplies healthy probiotic bacteria that creates a robust digestive system and a healthy gut is the secret behind fat burning. Dahi, tofu, dhokla, cheese are all good examples of fermented food.
20. Include a Protein Source in Every Meal: Fitness instructors, dieticians, health experts unanimously recommend keeping your protein level high in order to shed weight. When you consume protein, it increases the levels of the satiety hormones, helps burn more calories by inducing thermogenesis, and reduces appetite by lowering the level of hunger hormone “ghrelin.” It also helps build muscle. Now, here are 15 Lean Protein Sources that you can include in your diet.
21. Lower Stress: Stress is as bad for weight loss as it is for overall health. Increased stress leads to a hormone called cortisol which leads to weight gain. One key tip to shed those extra pounds is to worry less about situations and stay carefree about the same. Don’t make losing weight a job to do, make it a hobby or passion. This will change your outlook towards it and cause less stress inside your mind. Let’s discuss about how to lower stress to become fit and some tips you can follow to combat stress.