The path to healthy weight loss can be confusing and challenging. Between crash diets, trendy fads, and contradictory information on the internet, it is easy to lose track. We want to help you find a sustainable approach to weight loss that suits you and your lifestyle.
To effectively support your weight reduction with weight-loss injections, a conscious and calorie-reduced diet plays a decisive role. Your calorie intake should be in harmony with your calorie expenditure. To lose weight, you must achieve a calorie deficit – which means you consume more energy than you take in through food.
It is important to note: A rapid and radical change in diet may show immediate effects, but to reach and maintain a healthy weight in the long term, you should avoid crash diets, as they can often lead to the dreaded yo-yo effect.
We have helpful tips on how you can gradually integrate (new) eating habits into your everyday life. You can begin your weight management with even small changes and tricks.
12 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss - Getting Started with Changing Your Diet
A permanent change in diet is the key to losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way and keeping it off long-term. Those who want to lose weight should focus on a balanced diet that is not only low in calories but also provides all important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and fiber. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends focusing on a wholesome diet that keeps you full for a long time and prevents cravings. Foods like lentils, lean meat, and olive oil can help you stay healthy while getting rid of excess pounds. With our 12 tips, you will learn how to optimally compose your daily meals, support your digestion, and cleverly integrate healthy foods into your diet plan.
1. Reduce the consumption of ready-made meals
Industrially processed foods often contain many calories, hidden fattening agents like sugar, and saturated fatty acids. These can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate and trigger cravings. Pay attention to how your meals are prepared and choose healthy foods like fresh vegetables, whole grain products, and lean meat.
Instead: Use fresh and plant-based foods when cooking and try to make your own salad dressings or dips. This gives you control over the ingredients they contain.
Tip: Choose unprocessed foods according to the motto: Eating like in "Grandma's day"
Always check the ingredient list. Choose products with as few ingredients as possible (maximum 3-5) and avoid hydrogenated fats and flavor enhancers.
2. Focus on fiber-rich foods
Fiber not only satisfies hunger but also supports your digestion and helps to reduce weight healthily in the long term. Foods like lentils, oats, and vegetables ensure a long-lasting feeling of satiety and prevent you from consuming too many calories.
3. Plan balanced meals using the plate method
Divide your plate into three sections: ½ vegetables, ¼ proteins (e.g., lean meat or fish), and ¼ carbohydrates (e.g., whole grain rice or potatoes). This method helps you find the right portion sizes and ensure a balanced diet. For many high-calorie dishes, it is often enough to increase the proportion of vegetables while decreasing the amount of protein-rich foods and starchy sides. Choose 3/4 plant-based foods and 1/4 animal-based foods.
4. Use healthy fats in moderation
Fats are essential for the body because they transport important vitamins, provide energy, and can keep you full for a long time. However, reduce unhealthy, saturated fatty acids from processed foods and choose healthy alternatives like olive oil, avocados, nuts, or seeds instead. Ensure that your daily calorie intake from fat is around 30 percent to guarantee a balanced diet.
5. Drink enough – preferably water or unsweetened tea
Sufficient hydration is essential if you want to lose weight healthily. Drink at least 1.5 liters of water or unsweetened tea per day.
Adequate fluid intake is particularly important when using GLP-1 medications, as side effects such as vomiting or diarrhea can occur at the beginning of treatment, which may lead to increased fluid loss.
Tip: No calories in liquid form! You should avoid liquid calories from soft drinks or sweetened beverages.
6. Avoid restrictive diets
Many diets rely on extreme restrictions that are hard to stick to. A healthy and balanced diet that contains all essential nutrients is more successful in the long term. Nutrition plans specifically tailored to your needs can support you in this.
7. Use dairy products cleverly
Milk and dairy products provide important nutrients such as calcium and proteins. Choose low-fat varieties, such as low-fat quark or low-fat milk, to reduce your calorie intake without sacrificing nutrients.
8. Swap snacks: Fewer calories, more satiety
Habits are often hard to change, and the snack bowl on a TV night is part of the weekend routine for many. Replace high-calorie snacks with satisfying alternatives like fruit, unsalted nuts, or veggie sticks with hummus. These options are not only nutrient-dense but also help avoid cravings.
9. Ensure a regular meal structure
Irregular eating can trigger cravings and cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. Plan your meals so that they are spread throughout the day and contain sufficient nutrients like fiber, proteins, and healthy fats. A good meal structure not only helps you provide your body with everything it needs but also promotes a stable feeling of fullness.
10. Integrate physical activity into everyday life
Even if you want to change your diet, physical activity helps to burn energy and support weight loss. Even small changes, such as taking more steps per day, have a positive effect.
11. Long-term changes instead of quick success
Healthy weight loss means losing about 500 grams to a maximum of one kilo per week. This allows you to maintain your weight long-term and replace unhealthy habits with a permanent change in diet.
12. Tip: Stay flexible and motivated
There is no perfect diet plan. The important thing is that you find a way of eating that fits into your everyday life and that you can sustain long-term. Small steps lead to long-term success!
Determining portion sizes with the hand method
It is not only important what you eat, but also the amount of food. Is weighing to the gram, measuring, or counting calories with tables too complicated for you? The “hand method” is a quick way to measure portion sizes.
Palm (without fingers): for proteins (e.g., fish, meat, or beans)
Fist: for fruit, vegetables, or grains.
Thumb: for salad dressing, mayonnaise, or jam.
Thumb tip for: fats and oils.
Tip: The portion estimates correspond to an average hand size. Since men usually have larger hands than women, the portion is correspondingly larger. The hand method is a good exercise for beginners who have just started reducing calories and are thus developing a feel for portion sizes. For effective weight management, measuring and weighing food is more suitable.
Eat smaller meals
Do you find it difficult to change your diet, e.g., because you lack time to cook yourself or because you are cooking for several people? Reduce the portions of your meal. This way, you don't have to turn your daily routine upside down right away.
Tip: Instead of "Eat half," try "Eat the right thing." Halve the unhealthy parts and increase the vegetable and salad portion.
Change the ingredients
Can't give up your favorite dish? Swap portions of high-fat foods for lighter fare. Try eating fewer carbohydrates (e.g., potatoes, rice, pasta, or bread) and more proteins (e.g., oats, legumes, eggs, fish, and meat) instead. For example, using the plate method. Would you like to read more about nutrition myths and fattening foods? Then we recommend this article: Nutrition myths debunked: Which foods make you fat?
Conclusion on changing to a healthy diet instead of a diet
Even with small changes in everyday life, your diet can be improved long-term and calories saved – all without strict dieting or food bans. The most important – and often the most difficult – step is the first one. A balanced diet with sufficient fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.
If you have great difficulty changing your diet sustainably, professional advice can be useful. Many health insurance companies (public and private) offer programs for changing your diet that focus on a wholesome way of eating and the right foods.
Are you a SoLean customer?
We support you with individually tailored nutrition plans and help you replace unhealthy habits with healthy alternatives. Our team of experts is happy to answer your questions regarding your eating habits and the topics of weight loss, healthy nutrition, feeling of satiety, cravings, or the right composition of nutrients. This way, you can lose weight healthily and sustainably and reach your goals.
Talk to our team of experts if you have a specific question.
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