A doctor has revealed 12 “incredibly easy” fat-burning tips to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Dr Eric Berg took to his YouTube channel to outline the key dietary and lifestyle changes for getting slimmer.
Speaking in the video, he said: “Anyone can do these and the goal is to leverage your actions to create the biggest effect with losing weight.”
1. Animal proteins
When it comes to a weight-loss diet, the doctor explained that there are some cornerstones that need to be followed. He recommended keeping carbohydrates low, eating a moderate amount of protein, and, surprisingly, not worrying about fat.
Dr Berg said: “You want to do a moderate amount of animal proteins. I would say the amount of protein the size of the palm of your hand, if you’re female, and then times two, if you’re male.
When it comes to a weight-loss diet, the doctor explained that there are some cornerstones that need to be followed.
“As far as the carbs, we’ve got to keep that low, because if your carbs are too high, then the body is going to be running on carbs, it’s not going to run on your fat. The metabolic switch that allows you to tap into your own fat is regulated by how many carbs you consume. We must keep the carbs below 50 grams.
“As far as fat goes, I would just not worry about fat. Consume the fat that normally comes with the protein. That’s going to set up a foundation to be able to get rid of the hunger and the craving and get you into fat burning.”
2. Make your carbs vegetables
The doctor’s second tip is to opt for carbohydrates in the form of leafy greens and salad, as this is going to boost your fibre intake and “it’s not going to be an issue worrying about counting carbs”.
3. Don’t eat unless you’re hungry
While this might sound too obvious, Dr Berg explained that once you cut back on carbs, your body is going to tap into more fat and you’re not going to be as hungry as before.
He said: “So now, you’re eating in between meals – you’re eating your own fat – even though you’re not eating your calories. Ride the wave, go longer, until the point where you’re actually hungry.”
4. Exercise snacks
Sadly, tip number four isn’t about enjoying yummy snacks, but about taking advantage of exercise throughout the day. Dr Berg said: “For example, if you do a lot of computer work, take breaks on the hour – go for a walk for five minutes. Take every advantage to get more physical activity.”
5. Avoiding grains
The medical expert recommended avoiding all grains because grains get turned into synthetic sugars during processing. He said: “The synthetic sugars that come from the grain are going to create a tremendous amount of inflammation in your gut, causing leaky gut or it could even cause an autoimmune disease.”
6. No junk food in the house
The doctor initially created this policy for himself, as he might “cave” if the junk food was available to him. “It’s very important not to be tempted or to even have this junk food available,” he added.
7. Avoid locations where you will be tempted
It’s not enough to avoid junk food when you’re at home, you shouldn’t give into the temptations when you’re out either. Dr Berg said: “Whether it’s a restaurant or a social event, I would just avoid those areas because with those areas come other people that tend to push junk food on you.”
8. Avoid dead food
Another group of foods you should avoid is ultra-processed groceries that have been altered to have a long shelf life. “It’s either canned, cooked, boxed, or highly refined [foods],” the doctor said.
9. Cold therapy
Dr Berg explained that your body has to work really hard in a cold environment to increase its temperature, which means it’s going to start burning “a tremendous amount” of calories from brown fat.
He said: “And the brown fat is going to be activated by the cold and burn some of the white fat and it’s going to start to waste a lot of calories. You’re not even doing anything, you don’t even have to exercise, you’re just cold and it’s going to increase your burning calories depending on how much you’re exposed to it.”
10. Adaptogens
Another weight-loss tip the doctor offered is to include adaptogens like ashwagandha, vitamin B1 and D in your regimen. These can help reduce stress, making them “very, very important”.
11. Avoid glyphosate
Apart from grains and “dead food”, you should also vary foods treated with herbicide that contains glyphosate as its active ingredient. Dr Berg said: “Glyphosate acts as an antibiotic and it’s going to mess with your own microbes in your gut and that can very easily affect inflammation.
“It’s very high in all cereals, it’s high in corn, it’s high in soy, canola as in all of those seed oils. Wheat products are going to have glyphosate and also non-organic food. So when you buy commercial chicken, beef, things like that, guess what they are fed with – grains.”
12. Apple cider vinegar
The doctor’s last tip is adding apple cider vinegar to your shopping list, as it helps you indirectly to lose weight without you really doing anything.