1. Follow The 40:40:20 Rule While Eating
The 40:40:20 rule is a method for building healthy meals that is based on how much space each essential category of food takes up on your plate. In this case, 40% of your meal should consist of lean protein, another 40% should be fiber-filled fruits or veggies, and the final 20% should be some form of complex carbohydrates, like brown rice, sweet potatoes, or quinoa.
"Make sure you're eating three meals a day and aiming for 40 to 50 grams of protein for each of those meals," adds Dr. Hadac.
2. Hydrate
When you are dehydrated, there's a lot that can happen in your body, and you can actually hinder your weight loss progress. It's always a good idea in any scenario to stay hydrated, but especially when you're losing weight.
"Even if you're mildly dehydrated, your metabolism will slow," explains Dr. Hadac. "The average human requires about 80 to 96 ounces of water a day, so grab a 32-ounce [bottle] and drink enough."
3. Move Your Body For 20 Minutes Daily
While diet is super important to pay attention to while trying to lose weight, so is movement of some kind. The best part about learning to lose weight in a safe and sustainable way is that you'll figure out you don't need to become a gym rat. You just need to squeeze in some form of movement.
"I'm talking about after your day is over, spending 20 minutes walking, getting in the gym, hitting the elliptical, or anything to move your body, because you owe your body movement every single day," says Dr. Hadac.
4. Practicing A 14-Hour Fast
Many people have found some form of fasting to be very helpful on their weight loss journeys, and Dr. Hadac suggests fasting between a very specific time period of 7:00pm to 9:00am to avoid late-night eating that can disrupt your gut. You also don't need to fast all day and starve yourself to see results. In this case, it's more about eating within the best time frame for your digestive health.
"During your fasting hours, only have water, black coffee, or green tea," instructs Dr. Hadac. "Make sure when you break your fast, you eat 40 to 50 grams of protein."
5. Be Consistent
This may sound obvious, but if you hope to lose weight in a certain amount of time, you need to be motivated and consistent. Of course, you shouldn't burn yourself out, but holding yourself accountable is guaranteed to help.
"For many of you, 10 pounds in 30 days is definitely doable, but it requires consistency," says Dr. Hadac. "You can have a cheat meal on the weekends, but make sure you guys are focusing on your protein, your hydration, your fiber, and moving your body. I promise, if you stay consistent, it's so easy."