How to naturally lose weight with dietary and lifestyle changes

Dietary changes such as intermittent fasting and focusing on protein may help promote weight loss. Getting enough sleep, managing stress, and speaking with a registered dietitian can also help.

Although supplements, diets, and meal replacement plans may not offer a safe or effective way to lose weight, scientific research supports some other methods for losing weight.

These methods include exercising regularly, keeping track of calorie intake, intermittent fasting, and reducing the number of carbohydrates in the diet.

This article lists ten potentially effective methods for weight loss.

1. Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that involves regular short-term fasts and consuming meals within a shorter time period during the day.

Intermittent fasting induces weight loss in the same way that a traditional low-calorie diet does—by creating a calorie deficit. According to a 2022 meta-analysis, short-term intermittent fasting up to 26 weeks is as effective for weight loss as following a daily low-calorie diet.

Some common intermittent fasting methods include:

• Alternate-day fasting: In this diet, people fast every other day and eat a typical diet on non-fasting days. The modified version involves eating 20% to 30% of the body’s energy needs on fasting days.

• The 5:2 Diet: People fast on two out of every seven days. On fasting days, they eat fewer calories or fast completely.

• The 16:8 method: This involves fasting for 16 hours and eating only during an 8-hour window. People may also call this type of fasting a type of time-restricted eating.

Fasting may not be suitable for everyone. Before starting a fasting regime, people can discuss their circumstances with a healthcare professional.

2. Tracking weight, diet, and exercise

If someone wants to lose weight, staying aware of what they eat and drink each day may help. One way to do this is to log these items in a journal or an online food tracker.

A 2020 literature review Trusted Source suggests that tracking diet and exercise may be helpful for weight loss because it promotes behavior changes and increases motivation.

In a 2021 study, researchers associated self-monitoring of weight most consistently with weight loss, which was most significant in dedicated users with “exceptional” food logging.

A 2022 review Trusted Source also suggests that wearable activity trackers may help improve physical activity levels, fitness, and body composition.

3. Eating mindfully

Mindful eating is a practice where people pay attention to how and where they eat food. This practice can enable people to enjoy the food they eat and may help Trusted Source to promote weight loss.

If people lead busy lives, they may eat quickly on the run, in the car, working at their desks, and watching TV. As a result, people may pay little attention to their food.

The following techniques may help a person be more mindful when eating:

• Sit down to eat: People can try sitting at a table, if possible.
• Avoid distractions: Turning off electronic devices, including TVs, laptops, or phones, may help people pay more attention to their food.

• Eat slowly: Take time to chew and savor the food. This may give a person time to recognize the signals that they are full, which may help prevent overeating.

• Consider food choices: Choose foods full of nourishing nutrients to make up a balanced diet.

4. Eating protein with meals

Protein can help regulate appetite hormones to help people feel full. This is mostly due to a decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin and a rise in the satiety hormones peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin.

A 2020 review of diet strategies explains that a high-protein diet typically involves eating more than 0.8 grams (g) of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight daily.

This value, 8 g/kg, is the minimum daily protein intake necessary for maintenance, growth, and repair of tissues, organs, and muscles.

Much higher amounts, such as 1.2 to 2 g/kg daily, may help to maintain muscle while eating in a calorie deficit for weight loss, to manage hunger, to promote exercise recovery, and to offset age-related muscle loss in older adults.

People may benefit from working with a registered dietitian, nutritionist, or other healthcare professional to help them increase their protein intake while ensuring an adequate, balanced diet.

Dietary sources of protein that people can add to meals include:

• eggs

• soy, including tofu, tempeh, and edamame

• nut and seed butters

• dairy, particularly Greek yogurt and cottage cheese

• seafood, such as salmon and sardines

• chia seed pudding

• beans, lentils, and legumes

• lean poultry, such as chicken or turkey

5. Cutting back on sugar and refined carbohydrates

The typical Western diet is high in added sugars, which has links with obesity and weight gain.

Refined grains undergo processing to remove the bran and the germ, which contain most of the grain’s fiber and nutrients. These grains include white rice, white bread, and regular pasta.

A 2023 study links the consumption of more refined grains with weight gain. A 2021 review suggests that whole grains are more likely to reduce hunger and increase fullness, which could lead to lower calorie intake.

To experience these benefits, people can try swapping highly processed and sugary foods for more nutritionally dense options. Potential food swaps include:

• whole grain rice, bread, and pasta instead of the white versions
• fruit, nuts, and seeds instead of high-sugar snacks

• herb teas and fruit-infused water instead of high-sugar sodas

• smoothies with water or milk instead of fruit juice

6. Eating plenty of fiber

Dietary fiber describes plant-based carbohydrates that the small intestine cannot digest or absorb, unlike sugar and starch.

Including enough fiber in the diet can increase Trusted Source the feeling of fullness, which may help people eat less overall. This reduction in calorie intake may support weight loss, in turn.

Fiber-rich foods include:

• whole-grain breakfast cereals and bread

• whole wheat pasta

• fruit and vegetables
• peas, beans, and pulses
• nuts and seeds

7. Balancing gut bacteria

The human gut hosts a vast number and variety of microorganisms.

Every person has different types and amounts of bacteria in their gut. Some types may increase the amount of energy the person absorbs from food, leading to fat deposition and weight gain.

Some foods, such as those rich in fiber and probiotics, may increase the number of good bacteria in the gut, including:

• sauerkraut

• kimchi
• yogurt

• tempeh

miso

• kefir

Prebiotics provide fuel for probiotics, allowing them to grow and thrive in the gut. Foods high in prebiotic fibers include:

• fruit

• vegetables

• whole grains

• beans and lentils

8. Getting enough sleep

According to a 2022 review, insufficient or poor-quality sleep slows down the process of converting nutrients from food into energy—metabolism. If people consistently consume more calories than they expend, the body may store unused energy as fat.

In addition, insufficient sleep may promote insulin resistance and increase levels of cortisol, which also promotes fat storage.

How long someone sleeps also affects the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin.

With less sleep, ghrelin—the hunger hormone—increases, so people will feel hungrier and potentially eat more. Leptin, which sends the signals that make a person feel full, decreases with less sleep, which could contribute to overeating.

9. Managing stress levels

According to a 2022 review, stress and obesity are interconnected.

Stress may affect certain hormones, including leptin, ghrelin, and cortisol. Research in the review suggests a link between increased cortisol and abdominal fat.

Stress may also lead to behaviors that can affect weight, such as eating larger amounts of foods high in sugar, fat, or calories.

A 2018 study of 45 adults with obesity compared the effects of a stress management program on weight loss levels over eight weeks. The program involved:

• diaphragmatic breathing

• guided visualization

All participants also had instructions for leading a healthy lifestyle. At the end of the study, participants in the stress management group showed significantly greater reductions in body mass index (BMI).

10. Regular exercise

Research shows that regular physical activity can help with weight loss and weight loss maintenance. This may be most effective alongside a calorie deficit.

Regular physical activity also offers the following health benefits:

• better sleep

• better mental health and brain health

• stronger bones and muscles, which may improve balance and mobility

• lower risk of certain health conditions, including:

• high blood pressure

• heart disease

• stroke

• type 2 diabetes

• some types of cancer

The amount of exercise necessary to maintain a moderate weight varies from person to person.

However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trusted Source recommends that most adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise and two days of muscle-strengthening exercise every week.

Next steps

• Consider contacting a registered dietitian to discuss dietary changes that may help. They can help find ways to add more protein and fiber to meals or snacks.
• Create a workout plan to help improve sleep, support mental health, and aid in weight loss.

• Identify ways of managing stress levels that may be beneficial based on individual circumstances. These can include diaphragmatic breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided visualization.