Best Weight Loss Tips of 2021, According to Experts

Dietitians recommend trying these game-changing strategies going into 2022.

Going into 2021, experts say many people are more committed than ever to their goals. And is that any surprise? With gyms closing down and the “quarantine 15” becoming an inevitable reality thanks to working from home with access to an endless array of snacks, 2020 was a tough year for weight loss.

Now, many are downloading apps to help with calorie or macro tracking, investing in state-of-the-art home gym equipment to stay fit without leaving the house, trying new and more sustainable diets, and working with dietitians and nutritionists to personalize their plans. And experts say it’s the perfect time to take stock of your efforts—to reflect on what worked for you and what didn’t as you draw up those weight-loss resolutions for 2022. If you want to boost your metabolism, which may be sluggish due to bad lifestyle habits, or underlying medical conditions, OTC natural supplements can, try out the best metabolism pills.

“With all the trauma the pandemic has brought, it’s also given people the opportunity to think about their desires and priorities,” says Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, author of the free guide Change Your Habits & Ditch Restrictive Eating. “I think more people are approaching weight loss from a health viewpoint now instead of a cosmetic viewpoint. The health lens likely means slower weight loss for many people, but it also probably means more lasting weight loss. Instead of chasing numbers on the scale, people are approaching their weight as just one important part of their overall health.”

According to Silvia Carli, MS, RD, the lead nutritionist with 1AND1 LIFE, the one approach to ditch going into 2022 is fad diets that are too restrictive to be sustainable.

“We now understand that thinner does not necessarily equal healthier,” says Marissa Meshulam, RD, founder of MPM Nutrition. “Different bodies are meant to be different sizes and we should shift the focus more towards our individual health, what foods and activities feel good in our bodies and away from the scale.”

With all that in mind, we rounded up the best weight loss tips of 2021 from dietitians, doctors, and personal trainers, so you can work toward a healthier, more confident you in 2022.

1

Have protein at every meal.

Across the board, experts agree that eating enough protein is a crucial nutrient for weight loss, not only because it keeps you feeling satiated but because your body burns more calories metabolizing this macronutrient than it does for carbs or fat.

“One of the best things to help people manage their appetite is to spread their protein out fairly evenly over three meals,” says Weisenberger. “I recommend about 25 grams of protein at each meal because protein helps with satiety. And, equally important, it’s needed to stimulate muscle synthesis.”

During weight loss, it’s very easy to lose muscle along with fat, adds Weisenberger. Eating adequate protein can help to prevent this from happening—and that’s important since muscle burns more calories than fat tissue.

2

Stick with calorie-free drinks.

Water, unsweetened tea, flavored seltzer—these are the kinds of beverages that experts advise focusing on when you want to trim down. Alcoholic drinks, juices, and sugary coffee drinks can totally sabotage your weight loss efforts without even contributing many nutrients or helping you feel full. Visit https://www.firstpost.com/health/protetox-reviews-a-legitimate-weight-loss-pill-or-scam-11186701.html.

Amelia Brown, RD with Redwood Reserves, says minimizing your alcohol consumption, in particular, is imperative to losing weight. If giving up drinking cold turkey is too challenging, she advises only allowing yourself to drink on weekends and limiting yourself to one or two.

“Only consume drinks that have no calories in them,” says TJ Mentus, ACE-certified personal trainer and member of the expert review board at Garage Gym Reviews. “If you are consuming drinks with added sugars it is an easy way to unintentionally get into a surplus of calories. These calories will not satiate hunger like whole foods will so you will end up still having to eat real food. By cutting out these drinks you can easily save a couple of hundred calories a day if not more depending on what your current consumption looks—like which can translate to a half-pound of weight loss a week at least.”