'I lost 5st 11lb after I stopped restricting my foods - one major lifestyle change helped me shed weight at a consistent rate'
Restrictive eating is ill-advised for long-term weight loss
GETTY
There are countless diets that make promises of a smaller waistline, but weight loss starts with better awareness of your current daily habits.
By fine-tuning the quality and quantity of meals, slimmers can reach their goals without resorting to extreme diets.
One content creator recently told how she lost a substantial amount of weight after ditching unhealthy behaviours that were getting her nowhere.
Taking to TikTok, Nicole claimed her excess weight started dropping consistently after she stopped restricting her food intake.
The slimmer stopped restricting her food intake to lose weight
TIKTOK / NICOLEE.FIT
For weight loss that is considered safe and healthy, experts recommend making sure your food consumption provides 500 to 1,000 calories less than your total weight maintenance calories.
"I lost 37 kilos and I’m going to tell you exactly how," she told her followers. "Stop restricting yourself with those silly little diets that are no carb, low carb keto, eating under 1000 calories, eating 1200 calories.
"They are not going to work unless you’re going to give up carbs for the rest of your life, or only eat fats for the rest of your life, it is not going to work.
"Once you begin that type of diet, you’re going to crave the foods that you have always loved and you’re going to rebound and start that vicious cycle again."
She continued: "Once I learnt that I could eat the foods that I love while being in a calorie deficit and eating like 1,900 calories, I started losing weight and it was consistently dropping off, and I got to eat all of the doors that I loved."
A calorie intake should not fall below 1,200 days in women and 1,500 calories a day in men, as this could deprive the body of essential nutrients.
Being moderately active and getting roughly 30 minutes of exercise per day is equally important for healthy weight loss.
To feel full on fewer calories, medical experts at Mayo Clinic advise thinking of the energy density of each meal you consume.
Their website explains: "Simply put, energy density is the number of calories (energy) in a specific amount of food.
"Low energy density means there are few calories in a large amount of food. When you’re striving for weight loss, one strategy is to eat low-energy-dense foods."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Nicole she lost weight at a consistent rate by eating in a calorie deficit
TIKTOK / NICOLEE.FIT
The health body explains that the three main components that play a role in the density of food are water, fibre and fat.
For example, most vegetables tend to be low in calories but have a high volume or weight, due to their water and fibre. These elements provide weight without calories.
There is no quick-fix solution to weight loss, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for the next.
Finding the approach that works best for you will increase your chances of long-term weight loss.