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Are you having trouble losing weight and keeping it off? Nicole Hopsecger, RD, LD, a registered dietitian, shared the top weight-loss suggestions she gives her patients.

  • First and foremost, control your hunger.

Don't give up on your diet because you're hungry. There are many different diets that can help you lose weight.

"Hunger is a natural reaction to calorie restriction. "When you eat less, your fat cells release more hunger hormones, which makes you hungrier," Hopsecger explains. "The greatest way to control your hunger and appetite is to eat a high-protein, high-fiber diet."

Breakfast should include high-protein/high-fiber foods like eggs or Greek yogurt blended with chia seeds and berries, rather than processed carbs like white bread, bagels, muffins, or doughnuts. You'll notice that you're fuller for longer.

  • Tip 2: If a carbohydrate doesn't have fiber associated to it, don't eat it.

"This helps you choose carbs that better support your hunger and nutrition demands by reducing sweets and white flour (pastries, white bread, candy, juice, etc.) in your diet," adds Hopsecger. "The higher the fiber content of your diet, the better!"

Fiber aids in blood sugar regulation, cholesterol reduction, and the prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, colorectal cancer, and heart disease. Because you'll need less insulin if you eat fewer carbs (including bread, pasta, rice, desserts, sugary beverages, and juice) if you have diabetes. This can aid in the prevention of hunger, fat storage, and weight gain.

Legumes (dry beans, lentils), vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, spinach squash, sweet potatoes), and fruit are all high in fiber (apples, berries, oranges, pears).

  • Tip 3: Concentrate on healthy habits rather than the number on the scale.

When you solely consider your weight, it's easy to become disheartened. "Rather, concentrate on making excellent dietary choices, portion control, and frequent exercise," Hopsecger advises. "If you start with these habits, the weight will come off."

Substitute specific mini-goals for broad goals like "eat 1 cup of vegetables at dinner," "exercise 20 minutes a day," or "maintain a daily food log." If you're unhappy with your weight loss at the end of the week, think about how well you stuck to each target.

"Congratulations on making healthy changes!" she exclaims. "Ask yourself why you fell short. Were the objectives too challenging? Do you require a more powerful support system? Is there a significant impediment in your way? Then either adjust your objectives or concentrate on the variables that you can influence."

In a journal, keep track of your lifestyle changes, food, exercise, and weight. Check off which new behaviors are working and which require more effort at the end of each week. She says, "Your health is a lifelong journey."

  • Tip #4: Make plants a staple in your diet.

For various people, different weight loss methods work. Plant foods, on the other hand, should form the backbone of every diet.

"The benefits of plant-based nutrition approaches for weight loss, disease prevention, and overall health are strongly supported by research," explains Hopsecger. "Your diet should include a range of foods from the earth, whether you're a vegetarian, paleo, high-fat, vegan, or pegan (a blend of paleo and vegan)." Always keep in mind that a plant-based diet necessitates portion control!

Non-starchy veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cucumbers, and bok choy, as well as fruits such as berries, apples, and pears, are also good choices.

"Vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients found in plant-based diets can nourish your cells and reduce inflammation," she explains. They also include fiber and water, both of which contribute to a fuller feeling.

  • Tip 5: There are no foods that are completely off-limits.

When you categorize foods as "good" or "bad," you'll naturally become fixated on foods you shouldn't consume but yet crave — and will most likely crave even more once they're completely off-limits.

"Instead, focus 80 to 90 percent of the time on picking the correct portions of healthful foods," she advises. "When combined with a balanced exercise regimen, this can result in long-term weight loss success." It also gives you some leeway to indulge in 'fun meals' on occasion without feeling guilty or resentful."

Rather than giving children a list of things to consume and foods to avoid, she proposes educating them which choices are superior and will fuel their bodies more effectively.

"Guilt from eating restricted foods can compound into negative feelings throughout infancy, adolescence, and adulthood," she explains.

  • Tip #6: Make the most of your calorie budget.

There is no such thing as an equal number of calories. "You can develop consistent desires for dense, high-calorie items with little nutritional value if your diet consists primarily of sugar, saturated/trans fats, and salt — all of which can be highly addictive," explains Hopsecger.

"As a result, additional calories are consumed, resulting in weight gain or incapacity to decrease weight."

You'll feel content throughout the day if you eat foods high in lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber, and you'll have fewer cravings. This will assist you in maintaining a decreased calorie intake, resulting in weight loss.

  • Tip #7: Start planning your meals for tomorrow today.

When you plan meals ahead of time, you avoid the panic of "grab what you see" that occurs when you wait until you're hungry at 6 p.m. When putting supper together on the hurry, you're more inclined to serve less nutritional, higher-calorie options.

Plan what you'll eat for dinner tomorrow when you sit down to dine tonight. "When you're not hungry, it's a lot easier," Hopsecger explains.

"This also allows you time to take something out of the freezer, cut vegetables today to put in the crockpot tomorrow morning, and see who will be home for supper," says the author.