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By , medical review by Updated December 5, 2021 Do you have trouble losing weight? Or would you like to lose faster? Youve come to the right place. Get ready for weight loss without hunger.

Our conventional ideas about weight loss eat less, move more require a lot of willpower. Counting calories, exercising for hours every day and trying to ignore your hunger? At DietDoctor, we believe thats needless suffering, and likely a waste of your time and precious energy.

Eventually people often give up. An excessive focus on counting calories has certainly not done much to reverse our current obesity epidemic. Fortunately there may be a better way.

The bottom line? Calories are not the only things that count in weight loss. Your weight is also hormonally regulated. If you reduce your hunger and the levels of your fat-storing hormone, insulin, youll likely have an easier time losing excess weight.

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Are you ready? Here we go. Start at the top of the list (most important) and go down as far as you need. Click on any tip to read all about it. Perhaps you only need the first piece of advice?

For extra support on your weight-loss journey, join our Connect community.

Eighteen tips too many for you? Check out our popular video course with the five most important ones. Sign up for free updates and youll get instant access to it:

This guide is written for adults with health issues, including obesity, that could benefit from losing weight.

We dont recommend counting calories, which is controversial. To learn more about the rationale for this, see our guide on restricting calories for weight loss.

Controversial topics related to a low-carb diet, and our take on them, include saturated fats, cholesterol, whole grains, red meat and whether the brain needs carbohydrates.

If you want to lose weight, consider starting by avoiding sugar and starch (like bread, pasta and potatoes). This is an old idea: for 150 years or more there have been a huge number of weight-loss diets based on eating fewer carbs. Whats new is that reviews of modern scientific studies have repeatedly shown that low carb is at least as good, if not better, than other approaches to diet.

Obviously, its still possible to lose weight on any diet just eat fewer calories than you burn, right? The problem with this simplistic advice is that it ignores the elephant in the room: hunger. Most people dont like to just eat less, as it may result in having to go hungry forever. Sooner or later, many will likely give up and eat without restriction, hence the prevalence of yo-yo dieting. While it should be possible to lose weight on any diet, some appear to make it easier and some to make it much harder.

The main advantage of the low-carb diet is that it may cause you to want to eat less. Even without counting calories, overweight people tend to eat fewer calories on low carb. Thus, calories count, but you dont need to count them.

A 2012 study also showed that people who had lost weight experienced far less reduction in total energy expenditure (the number of calories burned within a 24-hour period) when they followed a low-carb diet compared to a low-fat diet during weight maintenance a 300-calorie difference, in fact.

According to one of the Harvard professors behind the study, this advantagewould equal the number of calories typically burned in an hour of moderate-intensity physical activity. Imagine that: an entire bonus hour of exercise every day, without actually exercising.

Recently, an even larger and more carefully conducted study confirmed this metabolism-sparing effect, with different groups of people who had lost weight burning an average of between 200 and almost 500 extra calories per day on a low-carb maintenance diet compared to a high-carb or moderate-carb diet.

Bottom line: A low-carb diet can reduce your hunger, making it easier to eat less. And it might even increase your fat burning at rest. Study after study shows that low carb works for weight loss and that on average itimproves important health markers.

Why low carb can help you lose weight

How to lose weight with a low-carb diet

Do you want to know more about exactly what to eat on low carb, how to do it, potential problems and solutions and find lots of great recipes? Check out our keto for beginners guide. Alternatively, you can make low carb even simpler by signing up for our free two-week keto challenge.

Eating when hungry sounds simple:if youre not hungry, you probably dont need to eat yet.

When on a low-carb or keto diet you can trust your feelings of hunger and satiety again something many people following a low-fat or standard American diet cannot do. Feel free to eat as many or as few times per day as you feel is right for you.

Some people eat three times a day and occasionallysnackin between (note that frequent snacking could mean that youd benefit from adding protein, fibrous veggies, or extra fat calories to your meals, to increase satiety). However, theres some evidence that frequent snacking may not be wise when trying to lose weight.Some people only eat once or twice a day and never snack. Whatever works for you. Just eat when youre hungry, and dont eat when you arent.

It also helps that low-carb diets and higher protein diets tend to reduce hunger.

Studies demonstrate that people eating a very low-carb, ketogenic diet reduce their feelings of hunger and the amount of food they eat.

Multiple other studies demonstrate that adding protein to your diet markedly reduces hunger and food intake.

Our suggestion? Try a low-carb, higher protein approach and see what happens to your hunger levels.

Read more about why eating when hungry is smarter than counting calories

What's your main health goal?

Remember: an effective low-carb diet for weight loss should be based primarily onwhole food.

Prioritize what humans have been eating for thousands or likely millions of years, e.g. meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, butter, olives, nuts etc.

If you want to lose weight, avoid special low-carb products that are full of carbs.This should be obvious, but creative marketers are doing all they can to fool you (and get your money). They will tell you that you can eat cookies, pasta, ice cream, bread and plenty of chocolate on a low-carb diet, as long as you buy their brand. Theyre often full of carbohydrates. Dont be fooled.

How about low-carb bread? Be careful: if its baked with grains its certainlynot low carb. But some companies still try to sell it to you as a low-carb option.

Low-carb chocolate is usually full of a kind of sugar alcohol maltitol that may actually be partially absorbed by the body, but which the manufacturer does not count as carbs. If the maltitol is absorbed, it is likely to raise blood sugar and insulin levels. The remaining carbs end up in the colon, potentially causing gas and diarrhea.

While low-carb chocolate made with erythritol or stevia is likely to be okay, you still have to consider that any sweeteners can maintain sugar cravings.

Two simple rules to avoid being tricked into purchasing unhealthy low carb products:

Focus on eating good quality, minimally processed real food. Ideally the food you buy shouldnt evenhave a list of ingredients (or it should be very short).

Read more about fake low-carb products

Read more about sweeteners

Finally you may want to forget about the old everything in moderation diet motto.It isnt necessarily helpful advice for people who struggle with weight in fact, it may be exactly the opposite.

Dont eat everything in moderation. Eat as much healthy food as you can, whenever you are hungry. Eat as little unhealthy food as you can if possible, none at all.

Unnecessary snacking can be a problem on a low-carb diet too. Some things are easy to eat just because theyre tasty and readily available. Here are three common traps to watch out for on a low-carb or keto diet:

Do you have to eat breakfast? Research has confirmed that the answer is no. Dont eat if youre not hungry. And this goes for any meal.

On a strict low-carb diet the hunger and urge to eat tend to decrease significantly. If this happens, be happy! Dont fight it by eating food you dont want. Instead, wait for the hunger to return before you eat again. This will save you both time and money, while speeding up your weight loss.

Some people fear that they will lose control if they dont eat every three hours. The concern that this urge to binge will blow their diets completely leads them to obsessively snack all the time.

This constant snacking may be necessary in order to control the hunger and craving that may arise during a diet high in sugar and starchy carbs, but itsusually unnecessary on a low-carb diet. Hunger will only slowly return and you should have plenty of time to prepare food or grab a snack.

Bottom line: To lose weight in a sustainable way, eat when youre hungry but only when youre hungry.Forget the clock and listen to your body instead.

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5. Measure your progress wisely

Tracking successful weight loss is sometimes trickier than youd think. Focusing primarily on weight and stepping on the scale every day might be misleading, cause unnecessary anxiety, and undermine your motivation for no good reason.

The scale is not necessarily your friend. You may want to lose fat but the scale measures muscles, bone and internal organs as well. Gaining muscle is a good thing. Thus weight orBMIare imperfect ways to measure your progress. This is especially trueif youre just coming off a long period of semi-starvation (which may accompany calorie-counting), as your body may want to restore lost muscle. Starting weight training and gaining muscle can also hide your fat loss.

Losing fat and gaining muscle means great progress, but you may miss this if you only measure your weight. Thus its best to quantify body composition as you lose weight. You can do this with a DEXA scan, hydrostatic weights, plethysmography scales and others. But if these are not available, it is smart to also track the disappearance of your belly fat, by measuring yourwaist circumference.

I recommend aiming for good but its not always realistic. Young people can usually achieve this, but for some middle-aged or older people, it may be a major victory to get all the way to decent.

I suggest measuring your waist circumference and weight before starting your weight-loss journey and then perhaps once a week or once a month. Write the results down so that you can track your progress.If you want, you can measure more areas: around the buttocks, the chest, the arms, legs, etc.

Please note that your weight can fluctuate up and down several pounds from day to day, depending on fluid balance and digestive system contents. Dont worry about short-term changes, follow the long-term trend instead.

These markers are frequently improved on a low-carb diet, even before major weight loss. Re-checking these health markers after a few months can be great for your motivation astheyll usually showthat youre not just losing weight, youre gaining health too.

PS:Dont have a measuring tape at home? Try these options:

200+ meal plans designed for results

With our low-carb and keto meal plans, we do the planning for you. All you have to focus on is cooking, eating, and enjoying healthy, delicious food.

It usually takes years or decades to gain a lot of weight. Trying to lose it all as quickly as possible by starving yourself does not necessarily work well in the long term; instead it may be a recipe for yo-yo dieting.

In addition, you need to set realistic expectations for health and weight loss goals. You can read more in our detailed guide on realistic expectations.

Its common to lose2-6 pounds (1-3 kg) within the first weekon a strict low-carb diet, and then on average aboutone pound (0.5 kg) per week as long as you have a lot of weight remaining to lose. This translates into about 50 pounds (23 kilos) per year. However, weight loss doesnt occur at this rate in everyone.

Every 5 pounds of fat loss roughly equals 1 inch lost around the waist (1 kilo = 1 cm).

Young males sometimes lose weight faster than this, perhaps twice as fast. Post-menopausal women may lose at a slower pace. People on a very strict low-carb diet may lose weight quicker, as well as those who exercise a lot (a bonus). And if you have an enormous amount of excess weight to lose, you could start out much faster although initially, some of the weight you lose will be due to water loss.

As you get closer to your ideal weight, the loss may slow down until you stabilize at a weight that your body feels is right. Very few people become underweight on a low-carb diet as long as they eat when hungry.

Are you coming off a period of semi-starvation (which can occur with calorie-counting)? Focus on your waist circumference and health markers (see tip #4) at first, as it sometimes takes several weeks before weight loss is apparent.

Expect weight-loss plateaus: months where nothing seems to happen on the scale. Everybody hits them. Stay calm. Keep doing what youre doing and eventually things should start happening again (if not, check out the other 17 tips).

More: Top 10 tips top break a weight loss stall

Losing a lot of weight long term and keeping it off will likely not happen unless youchange your habits forever. If you lose weight and then return to living exactly the way you did when you gained weight, dont be surprised when the excess weight returns. It normally will.

Maintaining weight loss usually requires long-term change and patience. As tempting as it may be, dont fall forone of these magical diet scams.

Forget quick fixes:If you lose some weight every month, eventually you may get rid of all your excess weight.Thats inevitable progress. Thats what you want.

PS: Long-term change is hardest in the beginning, especially during the first couple of weeks. Its like quitting smoking. Once you develop new habits it becomes easier and easier every week. Eventually it may come naturally.

For inspiration and tips, check out some of our long-term weight maintenance success stories:

Keep reading!

7. Avoid overeating fruit

This piece of advice is controversial, as fruit has an almost magical health aura today. While fruit does contain fiber, antioxidants, and important vitamins, it also contains a fair amount of sugar around 10% by weight (the rest is mostly water). Just taste an orange or a grape. Sweet, right?

Eating whole fruits in moderation especially ones that are low in sugar, like berries can absolutely be part of a healthy diet. The soluble fiber in fruit can help with short-term satiety; it also reacts with water in your gut to form a thick gel that helps delay and reduce the amount of sugar absorbed from that fruit. In fact, up to 30% of the sugar from fruit may not be absorbed.

Larger quantities of fruit, however, will deliver a significant sugar load to your intestines. Even if only 70% of that sugar is absorbed, 70% of a big number is still a big number. For example, five servings of fruit per day can be equivalent to the amount of sugar in 16 ounces (500 ml) of soda 52 grams of sugar!

Most people believe that fruit is natural, but todays fruits in the grocery store have very little in common with what fruits looked like before they were cultured. Modern domesticated fruits are larger, less bitter, and have thinner peels and smaller seeds. This makes them tastier and easier to eat and because of their increased size, they may provide more sugar per piece of fruit than their earlier counterparts.

What fruits and vegetables looked like before

Beer contains rapidly digested carbsthat shut down fat burning. That may be why beer is sometimes referred to as liquid bread. Theres a good reason for the term beer belly.

Here aresmarter (lower-carb) alcoholic optionswhen trying to lose weight:

These drinks hardly contain any sugar or digestible carbohydrates so theyre better than beer. However, large amounts of alcohol might slow weight loss, so moderation is still a good idea.

Lowcarbalcoholthebest and the worst

9. Avoid non-caloric sweeteners

According to scientific studies,non-caloric sweeteners mayincrease appetite and maintain cravings for sweet food. And one recent independent study showed that switching drinks with non-caloric sweeteners to water helped women lose weight.

Study: Avoiding diet beverages helps women lose weight

This may be related to the increased insulin secretion seen with some non-caloric sweeteners. Maybe that is why something odd happened when I tested Pepsi Max.

If youre having trouble losing weight, I suggest that you avoid sweeteners. As a bonus, youll likely find it easier to enjoy the natural sweetness of real food, once youre no longer adapted to the overpowering sweetness of processed low-carb food products and diet sodas.

Read more:
How to Lose Weight Top 18 Simple Tips Diet Doctor

Whether the holidays were a time of a little extra indulging or its been a while since youve hit the gym regularly, you may be wondering if trying or cleanse or detox is the best way to jumpstart some weight loss, get back on a healthy diet plan, and reset your metabolism. Cleanses and detox diets are extremely popular. There are tons of commercial juice diets you can order, or enemas, or lemon and cayenne drinks recipes to follow, and expensive supplements and diet pills said to help detox your body, just to name a few.

Many of these popular programs claim to help rid your body of toxins, cleanse your blood and liver, and enable you to drop a significant amount of weight quickly. But do cleanses actually work? Are they safe? Is a cleanse the same thing as a detox diet? Is there an effective way to reset your metabolism and kickstart weight loss? Keep reading for the answers to these questions and the basics of cleanses and diet detoxes.

A cleanse is typically some kind of diet or regimen that aims to improve digestion and clean your system out, whereas a detox is said to systematically remove toxins that have built up in your blood, liver, or kidneys so that you feel more revitalized and healthy. Cleanses and detox diets usually involve a period of fasting followed by some kind of juice or liquid diet protocol with a strong emphasis on the complete avoidance of certain food groups like gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol, sweeteners, and perhaps even solid food. There may also be specific herbs, teas, supplements, and or enemas involved in the cleanse or detox as well.

The most important takeaway is that several of the claims made by detox dietsmainly that they can stimulate your liver and kidneys to eliminate excess toxinsare not true. Providing your body with healthy nutrients and steering clear of inflammatory foods like sugar, alcohol, and processed ingredients will reduce inflammation, support digestion, and aid circulation, but the liver and kidneys already detoxify nearly all harmful compounds in circulation and remove them via urine, feces, sweat, and even expired air. Heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium can build up in different tissues of the body over time; however, there is no evidence to suggest that detox diets can effectively get rid of these compounds. Therefore, the actual detoxing or toxin-eliminating claims of detox diets are not true. That said, there can be some health benefits to cleanses and detox diets.

While cleanses and detox diets do not increase the elimination of toxins in your body or spur your liver and kidneys to go into turbo mode, there can be physical and behavioral benefits to short-term cleanses and detoxes. For example, while a cleanse or detox diet wont remove heavy metals that are already in your body from storage, you likely wont be ingesting other inflammatory compounds during the cleanse. Foods containing trans fats and hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners and sugar, salt, food dyes, and chemicals, and even gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and certain other ingredients can be inflammatory. If youre following a cleanse that focuses on fresh produce like organic fruits and vegetables in their raw, cooked, or juiced forms, youll be giving your digestive system a break from breaking down fats, protein, and these other potentially inflammatory compounds from processed foods.

Because cleanses are so restrictive, most people do experience modest weight loss. However, results can be short-term if a healthy, calorie-controlled diet is not maintained after the end of the cleanse. That said, severe caloric restriction is not safe and not supportive of metabolic health, particularly if maintained beyond a couple of days. Consider intermittent fasting as an alternative way to get some of the weight loss benefits of a cleanse in a more metabolically effective and safe manner. Long-term starvation diets, in turn, will slow your metabolic rate and can disrupt hormonal balance and can encourage fat storage rather than fat loss.

Lastly, some people enjoy behavioral and emotional benefits from following a short-term cleanse or detox program. Just as a digital detox can be a much-needed break from technology and an eye-opener as to your reliance on phones, TV, and other devices, a diet detox or cleanse can help reset your palate, cravings, and unhealthy eating patterns. A cleanse may reduce sugar cravings and restore mindfulness around eating, helping you stick to a healthier, more balanced diet upon completion.

Again, the primary thing to keep in mind when embarking on a cleanse or detox diet is that you arent actually going to be eliminating any toxins from your body. Even if this isnt your only goal, there are still a few additional precautions to consider. Nearly all cleanses involve severe caloric restriction, which can cause low energy, headaches, blood sugar irregularities, arrhythmias, and bad breath. This may not be advisable for those with certain health conditions (particularly diabetes, eating disorders, and pregnancy/lactation), so you should consult your doctor if you take medications or have illnesses or medical disorders. Colon cleanses that use laxatives and diuretics often cause severe diarrhea and excessive urination and can lead to dehydration, nausea, and vomiting.

If you use commercial diet pills and herbal supplements as part of your cleanse, its important to keep in mind that many of these products are not regulated by the FDA. As such, they may be dangerous in high doses and the labels can be inaccurate. It is highly advisable to avoid any products that are not regulated and that may contain harmful substances or doses; just because something is herbal, does not mean it is safe; for example, ephedra can cause convulsions and heart irregularities.

These are some of the food groups that most cleanses eliminate:

Some even eliminate solid foods and only encourage juicing and drinking broths. That said, most allow free consumption of healthy vegetables and fresh fruits, which provide all sorts of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. There are some healthy juices packed with antioxidantsto reduce free radical damage and support health. For example, you might try cold-pressed juices from Factor, which retain all of the nutrients and have no added sugars. Green tea is also usually encouraged, as there is evidence that it increases metabolic rate, aids metabolism, and reduces oxidative damage in the body.

Cleanses and detox diets can be a potentially effective way to transition to a nutritious diet free from processed foods and excessive sugar, salt, and fat. That said, a detox diet does not eliminate toxins from the body and there are dangers associated with long-term or severe caloric restriction, diet pills, and supplements, laxatives, and diuretics.

Go here to see the original:
Do Cleanses and Detox Diets Really Work? - The Manual

Successfully making a quick and healthy lunch that doesn't come out of a greasy takeout bag is all about thinking ahead. If you keep healthy proteins in the fridge, like a rotisserie chicken, your favorite cheeses, eggs, and low-sodium lunch meats, the options for a meal you can whip up in no time are pretty endless.

Although, it's also important to stock your pantry with other ingredients that lend themselves to a fast midday meal. You'll need canned beans, quick-cooking rice, and your favorite spices. In the freezer, stock your favorite frozen veggie combos and some specialty items like frozen udon noodles. This way, you'll have everything you need to throw together all of these quick healthy lunch recipes.

The swift and delicious lunch recipes that follow don't require full-on meal prep. Instead, all of these meals can be made on the fly or prepped before you head out the door. Plus, if you're super short on time, don't miss 20+ Healthy Mug Recipes You Can Make in 5 Minutes (Or Less!)

Skip the fast-food McGriddle that's grease-filled and loaded with processed ingredients. Instead, make a quick sammie with one sunny-side-up egg, two pieces of all-natural bacon (or ham), and a slice of cheese. Leave off the top of the sandwich to cut back on the starchy carbs and keep you away from that overstuffed feeling.

Get our recipe for the Open-Face Hot Ham and Cheese with Chipotle Mayo.

RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter for more recipes and healthy eating tips.

Quick-cooking rice is the key to this warming meal. Everything cooks right in a bowl in the microwave, making this one of the easiest meals ever. Toss in some rotisserie chicken for a little bit more protein.

Get the recipe from Bigger Bolder Baking.

RELATED:We Tried 6 Store-Bought Rotisserie Chickens & This Is the Best

Piling fresh veggies, low-sodium cold cuts, and little cubes of cheese on skewers just seems more fun than a salad or sandwich, doesn't it? Dip these babies in a low-fat dressing of choice and enjoy!

Get the recipe from Lil' Luna.

Here, we take the classic Italian pasta pairing of peas and prosciutto, replace the noodles with dumplings, and throw in plenty of asparagus to round out the creation.

Get our recipe for Gnocchi With Peas and Prosciutto.

RELATED:15 Cozy Pasta Recipes Perfect for Weight Loss

This can be a warm-up to dinner (especially if you have guests over), or a light meal on its own. Better yet, double the recipe and freeze some for a busy week. Enjoy!

Get our recipe for Asparagus Salad With a Fried Egg and Prosciutto.

Hot dogs normally arouse the scorn of nutritionists and health-conscious eaters alike, but don't be so quick to dismiss the humble wiener. Yes, more often than not the ones you buy from a cart contain questionably nondescript insides, but there is another way! In the best circumstances, hot dogs are perfectly portioned, protein-packed vessels set to play host to a barrage of healthy, boldly flavored toppings.

Get our recipe for Mexican Hot Dogs.

RELATED:We Tasted 8 Hot Dog Brands & This Is the Best

Who would've thought that a delicious breakfast can be made in just minutes with the help of a mug? Combine two eggs, diced bell pepper, tomato, spinach and spices into a greased mug and microwave for about two minutes. You'll get a hearty protein-filled breakfast that will keep you energized and ready to take on the day in just an instant!

Or try our recipe forEasy Broccoli-Cheese Eggs in a Mug.

Put these tasty protein-packed salads together in the morning and then just shake and pour out onto a plate come lunchtime.

Get the recipe from The Seasoned Mom.

RELATED:35+ Healthy Salad Recipes for Weight Loss

Salads are the king of quick lunches and can be filling if you plan them out correctly. This bright arugula salad is packed with tomatoes, avocado, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese for a satisfying and healthy mid-day break.

Get the recipe from Lil' Luna.

It's taco time! In less than 10 minutes, you can throw together a Mexican-style raw taco by loading up a whole grain taco shell with salsa, shredded rotisserie chicken, avocado, and cilantro. Give it a squeeze of lime or lemon juice for that added tanginess.

Get our recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Tacos With Salsa Verde.

RELATED: 45+ Best Soups and Chilis to Make With Costco Rotisserie Chicken

These super-simple individual pizzas are a breeze to make. You can customize them any way you want with your favorite toppings.

Get the recipe from Bigger Bolder Baking.

Mashed avocado takes the place of mayo in these crazy healthy sandwiches. Black beans, cilantro, tomato, and goat cheese make these the most un-boring tuna sandwiches you've ever had.

Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

RELATED:The Best Sandwich in Every State

If you're not a fan of tuna or you're looking for a vegan sandwich recipe, try this one with mashed chickpeas, avocado, cranberries, and lemon. Full of fiber and flavor, this is one quick lunch that you'll want on repeat.

Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

RELATED:mSecret Side Effects of Eating Chickpeas, Says Science

Layer your favorite sandwich toppings and roll up these flatbreads for a quick and easy lunch that looks as good as it tastes. Bonus: the kids will love these too.

Get the recipe from Lil' Luna.

Sure you could toss together a simple grilled cheese in a few minutes, but this one will send your taste buds into overdrive. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet, savory, and spicy. If you don't have cherry jam, use what you have and play around with the flavors.

Get the recipe from Ambitious Kitchen.

RELATED:The Best Grilled Cheese in Every State

Really good teriyaki sauce and a good dose of garlic, ginger, and onion is the key to this sweet and tasty meal. Add some quick-cooking rice and a bag of frozen broccoli and you'll have a completely balanced meal in 10 minutes.

Get the recipe from The Seasoned Mom.

Cheese doesn't always have to be on the list of diet no-nos. As long as cheese is consumed in moderation it can make a healthy lunch much easier. Fill a whole wheat or sprouted tortilla with provolone or mozzarella which both easily get a day's worth of calcium per serving. You can use a stove, microwave, or panini press to make this dish, all in under ten!

Get our recipe for Cheesy Crispy Quesadillas.

RELATED:13 Easy Quesadilla Recipes to Make Right Now

Quesadillas are a quick-cooking lunch or snack, but why not kick them up by making them pizza-flavored? Mozzarella, marinara sauce, and your favorite toppings combine into the crispy, cheesy lunch. Add a salad on the side and you're good to go.

Get the recipe from The Seasoned Mom.

If you're not already avocado obsessed, this lunch will change that! Split an avocado in half, take out the pit and spoon out a small amount of the avo (obviously eat that). You can stuff it with anything from tomatoes and mozzarella with balsamic drizzle to quick brown rice with beans and salsa. Or try our recipe with crab!

Get our recipe for Avocado-Crab Salad.

RELATED:8 Amazing Secrets About Avocados You Never Knew

Wild salmon is a nutritional powerhouse with metabolism-boosting omega-3 fatty acids that can actually help burn calories. Throw together this quick meal in minutes with this New York bagel-inspired meal.

Get our recipe for the Smoked Salmon Sandwich.

If you're working from home, don't discount the stir fry as an amazing lunchtime option. The secret to a quick stir fry is to buy a package of assorted stir-fry vegetables so that you only have to do a minimal amount of chopping.

Get the recipe from Savory Simple.

RELATED:Secret Effects of Eating Tofu, Says Science

If you're only eating avocado toast in the morning, you're missing out on a perfect quick lunch. White beans and quickly microwaved asparagus make this a very healthy, balanced lunch in just 10 minutes.

Get the recipe from Savory Simple.

Frozen udon noodles are the secret to this perfect quick dish. A quick bath in boiling water thaws the noodles which are then tossed with almond butter that's been flavored with soy sauce, vinegar, sambal, sesame oil, garlic, and fish sauce. You can even throw in a bag of microwaved broccoli for a little more of a fiber punch.

Get the recipe from Savory Simple.

RELATED:15 Frozen Meals You Won't Believe Are Under 500 Calories

Avocado, corn, black beans, and red onion are tossed over romaine lettuce for this fiber-filled salad. A quick dressing of sour cream, scallions, lime juice, red pepper, honey, and olive oil turn lunch into a party for your mouth.

Get the recipe from Savory Simple.

Browse more of our quick, healthy recipes:

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See more here:
Quick Healthy Lunch Recipes Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

It's safe to say that most people love sandwiches. They're easy to make and take on the go, and you can fit your favorite ingredients in between two delicious slices of bread.

Even though people love sandwiches, they're often afraid to eat them when they're trying to lose weight because many people have been taught that all types of carbs are bad for weight loss.

While moderation and balance are key, it's still perfectly acceptable to fit your favorite type of sandwich into your healthy diet when you're trying to lean out. That's why we found these 13 healthy sandwiches that you can enjoy without having to sacrifice your health goals. Read on, and for more on how to eat healthy, don't miss 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.

Some people load their BLTs with mayo, but you really don't have to do that in order to get a juicy, flavorful sandwich. This recipe calls for oven-baked bacon, which helps to cook the bacon more evenly, resulting in better-tasting meat than usual.

Get our recipe for a BLT.

RELATED: Sign up for our newsletter to get daily recipes and food news in your inbox!

This healthier chicken sandwich recipe is great for your weight loss goals because you get a boost of protein and sweetness without the overflow of calories. For another better-for-you swap, choose a whole wheat bun that is higher in fiber and low in added sugar.

Get our recipe for the Spicy-Sweet Chicken Sandwich.

You can relive your childhood memories and still be in line with your weight loss goals with this sloppy Joe recipe. The use of ground turkey, natural spices, and whole wheat buns keeps the sugar count low and the calories at around only 340 per serving.

Get our recipe for the Turkey Sloppy Joe.

This tuna burger might require a bit more work upfront, but the end result is absolutely worth it. You can also mix your favorite olive oil mayo with some wasabi for a healthier sauce on the side.

Get our recipe for the Tuna Burger.

You can enjoy your favorite juicy burger without the red meat and added calories with this chicken burger recipe. The best part about this recipe is the delicious sun-dried tomato aioli you can put on top.

Get our recipe for the Chicken Burger.

This panini recipe is delicious, easy to make, and only about 350 calories per sandwich! This way you won't have to sacrifice any flavor to get a healthy meal option.

Get our recipe for the Easy Panini.

This grilled chicken sandwich is a great alternative to your favorite fried chicken sandwich but with fewer calories. You'll also get the added health benefits from the greens and bell peppers, and the chimichurri sauce is packed full of flavor.

Get our recipe for the Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

Chicken salad doesn't have to always be unhealthy and full of fat. With this sandwich recipe you'll get the creaminess and bold flavors of your favorite chicken salad but with far fewer calories and fat.

Get our recipe for the Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich.

Fish is a great source of "healthy fats" and makes for an excellent addition to your diet when you're trying to lose weight. This blackened fish sandwich recipe is easy to make and a better choice than grabbing a fried fish sandwich from your favorite fast-food chain.

Get our recipe for the Blackened Fish Sandwich.

Most buffalo chicken sandwiches come breaded and fried with tons of added fat calories. But this recipe is great for weight loss because you'll save plenty of calories by grilling your chicken instead of frying it. That way you can still enjoy the creamy blue cheese totally guilt-free.

Get our recipe for the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich.

This healthy Philly Cheesesteak gives you the comforting flavors of this classic sandwich but with a lower calorie count. One of the ways it achieves this is by using 2% Greek yogurt as its main base, with only a couple of tablespoons of olive oil mayonnaise.

Get our recipe for the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.

This healthy breakfast sandwich is a great way to kick-start your day and your weight loss goals with tons of lean protein and healthy fats.

Get our recipe for the Sunrise Sandwich.

And finally, a deliciously classic smoked salmon sandwich recipe. Not only is this one full of flavor, but salmon is a healthy source of lean fat and protein to keep you going throughout the day.

Get our recipe for the Smoked Salmon Sandwich.

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13 Easy Sandwich Recipes For Weight Loss Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Just because you've set an audacious goal to lose more weight doesn't mean you need to sacrifice eating some of the meals you love. In fact, multiple experts say that intense food restriction isn't actually the solution for long-term weight loss. Instead, feeding yourself wholesome meals full of good-for-you ingredients like lean protein, fiber-rich carbs, and healthy fats is actually the way to go for weight loss successand there are plenty of delicious recipes you can make packed with all three.

In order to inspire you to make some delicious, healthy, weight loss recipes, we turned to a recent Reddit thread where healthy foodies shared some of their clever creations that helped them lose weight. From tasty desserts to filling mains and even a few snacks, here are some of the weight loss recipes the Internet is currently obsessed over.

Then, for even more healthy meal ideas, be sure to check out our list of the 100 Easiest Recipes You Can Make.

Made with coconut flour and a zero-calorie sweetener, this mug cake from Reddit user u/towms is the perfect sweet treat if you're looking to keep your carb count low.

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For anyone looking to follow a plant-forward diet, these roasted mushroom tacos from Redditer u/allfood_for_thought still bring the flavor while slimming down the amount of fat you would usually get from meaty taco mains.

You don't always need the bun to enjoy mini burger sliders! This clever appetizer from Reddit user u/thatown2 lightens up your usual go-to game day food by piling mini burger patties with cheese and tomatoes on lettuce leaves, all pinched together with toothpicks.

Another keto mug muffin to try at home thanks to u/towms! This mini muffin is the perfect alternative to your usual breakfast quiche, made with almond and coconut flour to lean down the carbs and flavored with salty cooked ham.

Did you know your muffin tin can be a hand tool for portion control?

This filling creamy salmon recipe from u/towms is cooked with coconut milk to keep your meal rich as well as nutritious. Pair it with a side salad for the perfect elegant weeknight dinner.

When you're looking for something delicious to make for a cozy night in, this bowl of meat marinara over cooked zoodles by u/Miszteek can easily be a go-to.

Another easy meal from u/Miszteek that you can whip up in just 20 minutes' time, thanks to your nifty air fryer! Grab a lean cut of steak to cook up with some peppers and onions for a salty, savory dinner that will be ready in a flash.

For anyone looking to go plant-based, this baked tofu dinner by u/samilyan certainly can enter your meal rotation. Top it on a bed of brown rice with fresh veggies and avocado to increase the fiber and healthy fats of your mealboth essential elements in meals for hitting your weight loss goals.

While most stuffed peppers are cooked with ground beef or turkey, these stuffed peppers by u/SwansEscapedRonson are simply filled with canned tuna mixed with Greek yogurt, red onion, peas, and parmesan. Serve with a side of veggies or a salad for an easy weeknight lunch or dinner!

With just 64 calories per serving, this crunchy treat from u/sojo1818 is the perfect snack when you've got a craving for something sweet, but don't want to overdo it on the calories.

For even more meal ideas, read these next:

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10 Weight Loss Recipes People Are Currently Obsessed With Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

When it comes to trying to lose weight, most of us are rather poor math students. We mess up the addition and subtraction all the time. We'll try to subtract calories by skipping meals only to become ravenous later on and undercalculate how much food we've eaten to satisfy that gnawing hunger.

That's where smoothies can shine as effective weight-loss tools. Research has found that meal replacement shakes, such as protein and fruit/vegetable smoothies, can help people reduce overall daily calorie consumption if used regularly in place of calorie-dense meals and snacks.

Getting into the smoothie habit works for weight loss if you follow the right approach. We asked dietitians for the best strategies for getting the most benefit from your smoothie habit. After you read through these tips, try out our recipes for the 25 Best-Ever Weight Loss Smoothies.

Don't assume a new smoothie recipe is right for you simply because it's a smoothie. If weight loss is your goal, keep that mission in mind by always following these six rules from Mehak Naeem, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist for The Candida Diet.com.

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"The biggest smoothie mistakes most people make are not adding enough protein and fiber," says registered dietitian nutritionist Elise Harlow, RDN, owner of The Flourished Table. She recommends about 20 grams of protein and at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. "If these nutrients are overlooked, your smoothie can cause a significant increase in your blood sugar and leave you feeling hungry shortly after." Besides protein powder, Greek yogurt is a great high-protein addition to smoothies. Harlow also suggests a fairly uncommon add-in: white cannellini beans for their protein and fiber.

Carrots, squash, and spinach are great to add to smoothies because they are low in calories and full of fiber to keep your hunger satisfied a long time and they contain nutrients that will keep you healthy, says Trista Best, MPH, RD, a registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements. She recommends avoiding dairy in smoothies because it promotes mucus production, which can exacerbate common winter illness symptoms.

For weight loss, get into the habit of mixing ingredients into your smoothies that help your body burn more calories during the day, suggests Clara Lawson, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist with usahemp.com. USAHEMP.COM. Try these:

Smoothies that help with weight loss have certain key characteristics: they have fiber, they use colorful produce and they limit the extras, which add calories, says private practice nutritionist Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, the author of Finally Full, Finally Slim.

Here's the formula she shares with clients:

Smoothies made at smoothie shops and restaurants are usually enormous, warns Young. Order the small (which is often a good size), skip the fruit juice and add greens and crushed ice to keep the calories in check, says the adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University.

Oats are a whole grain that can be easily added to a smoothie. "Whole grains moderately increase your metabolic rate, and they also improve weight loss by providing you with fiber, which will keep you feeling full for longer between meals to avoid overeating," says nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet.

"I always recommend to my clients to consume a cup of blueberries a day; adding them to smoothies makes it convenient," says Sam Maclennan, chief nutritionist for Meal Prep Source. "Blueberries are the most antioxidant-dense berry with each cup containing a total of 13,427 antioxidants. Some studies have found that the mixture of these antioxidants, vitamins and minerals help your body actually regulate fat-burning and the storage of fat."

Maclennan also recommends adding leafy greens to every smoothie because they are very low in calories yet rich in nutrients like vitamins C, A, and K, fiber, iron, magnesium, and potassium. "This mixture has been found to help regulate blood sugars, carry more oxygen to muscles and burn fat," he says.

As long as you are aware of the number of calories they add, including avocado, nut butter or MCT oil to your smoothie may help you lose weight by slowing down digestion and giving you a fuller feeling for longer periods to prevent the overeating that can lead to weight gain, says Nataly Komova, nutritionist and fitness expert for JustCBD.

Adding a few ice cubes to your blender before blending your smoothie increases the volume of the liquid to fill your belly without extra calories by adding air.

"Many of us think we are on track to lose weight just because we're drinking smoothies, which are supposed to be good for us, but in reality, we are not using them correctly," warns Jessica Mason, a clinical nutritionist with Kitchen Habit. By loading up your smoothies with lots of high-calorie ingredients like peanut butter, chocolate, and honey, you'll defeat the purpose of a weight-loss smoothie, she says. And it's easy to do if you don't keep track of the calories of all those add-ins. Keep your additions low-cal, like greens and other vegetables and protein.

For a complete program using smoothies to help you lose weight, check out our book The 7-Day Smoothie Diet: Lose Up to a Pound a Dayand Sip Your Way to a Flat Belly!

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Best Smoothie Habits for Weight Loss, According to Dietitians Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

There is no question a healthy breakfast can truly kickstart your day. That first meal is your opportunity to fuel up with foods that will give you energy and keep you satiated.

But, you're not alone if sometimes a leisurely healthy breakfast can feel a bit like a dream rather than reality. Whether you aren't hungry when you wake up, you're too busy to sit down for your meal or you're skipping out in the hopes of losing weight, you could be unknowingly sabotaging your weight loss goals.

We consulted with Lisa Moskovitz, RD, CEO of NY Nutrition Group, author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan, and member of our medical expert board, who explained that the worst breakfast habit when you're trying to lose weight is skipping the meal altogether.

"When you're working towards weight loss, it may seem intuitive to try to cut back on calories as much as possible," says Moskovitz. "This can include skimping on meals or even skipping them entirely: breakfast is usually the first meal to go."

Even though you may think that taking in fewer calories in the morning is the right way to lose weight, it's not.

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"What you eat, or don't eat, for breakfast can either help or hurt your energy reserve, concentration, digestion, mood, hunger levels, and metabolic function the rest of the day," says Moskovitz.

Not only will it be harder to lose weight if you decide to skip breakfast, but you'll also likely feel tired, hungry, and moodydefinitely not the way to go for your overall health.

So, rather than cutting out breakfast for weight loss, which most likely won't even work, Moskovitz suggests going for a combination of fiber, protein, and fata trio she calls "the winning trifecta for healthy weight loss."

Moskovitz recommends smoothies, yogurt bowls, almond butter toast, or a protein bar for quick and easy breakfast solutions that can actually help you lose weight.

For more breakfast ideas check out The Best Breakfast Combinations for Faster Weight Loss, Say Dietitians.

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The #1 Worst Breakfast Habit For Weight Loss, Says Dietitian Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That