Lose Weight Quickly and Naturally with These 5 Tips
Written by TYE Medical on Jun 9th 2025
Fad diet or science-backed weight loss strategy? It’s important to know the difference. Generally, the most effective strategies include some variation of calorie tracking, exercising, intermittent fasting, and decreasing carbohydrates. These are tried and true methods that bring results, no matter how you package or pair them. But what do these strategies look like in action and what kind of results can you expect? Let’s take a closer look at quick and natural weight loss strategies that actually work.
1. Try Intermittent Fasting
A wildly popular approach, intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that alternates periods of short-term fasting with confined eating periods. Practicing this method for up to 26 weeks is believed to be as effective as low-calorie dieting, according to some sources.
The most popular intermittent fasting methods include:
Alternate Day Fasting
This involves fasting every other day and eating a normal diet on days between. But fasting days aren’t a complete fast, rather, you eat very limited calories, about 25-30% of your total calorie needs.
The 5:2 Diet
This approach allows you to eat normally 5 days per week and fast only two days. Again, fasting days don’t involve abstaining from food completely. Fasting days allow you to eat only 500-600 calories.
The 16/8 Method
With this method you only eat during an 8-hour window each day and fast for 16 hours. However, a large chunk of those hours are spent sleeping. You may choose to have your meals and snacks between the hours of 9 and 5 or noon to 8, whatever combination works for your schedule and eating habits. People tend to lose weight with this method because eating time is restricted each day, meaning fewer daily calories consumed.
Keep in mind that whatever intermittent fasting method you choose, it’s still important that you avoid overeating or too much unhealthy eating on your non-fasting days.
2. Track Calories and Exercise
A tried and true method for quick and natural weight loss involves logging your daily food intake and calories as well as exercise. For the greatest effect, you should measure portion sizes and calculate calories for your log. In more recent times, people often use phone apps known as online calorie counters or logs. Some apps help you track both your calories and exercise. Experts believe that tracking these daily habits can help people see a direct correlation between their actions and weight loss results. This is highly motivating and can encourage healthy habits.
For tracking exercise, some people use a pedometer, but in recent years fitness trackers built into smart watches have become popular.
3. Eat Protein with Meals
These may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to overload on carbohydrates and meals while slacking on protein. But it’s protein that increases satiety, or the full feeling that keeps us satisfied. Protein triggers hunger hormones to subside. Eating a breakfast high in protein can help you feel full for hours.
For a high protein breakfast that won’t bust your calorie limit, try including eggs, oats, nut or seed butters, quinoa porridge, and chia seed pudding.
4. Cut Back on Carbs and Refined Sugar
The modern western diet is laden with simple carbohydrates and added sugars, both of which are major contributors to obesity. Refined carbs are found in grains that have the bran and germ removed during processing, both of which contain most of the fiber and nutrition. The highly digestible, low fiber, low nutritional value portion of the grain is then packaged as white rice, white bread, or regular pasta. It is the bran that gives flour its brown color, which is diminished during processing.
These low fiber, highly processed grains digest easily as your body quickly converts them to sugar, spiking your blood glucose levels. This rise in blood sugar triggers the release of the hormone insulin, which causes your body to store fat. Increased levels of stored fat means weight gain. Instead, eat whole grains which tend to decrease hunger levels and keep you feeling fuller. This means you’re likely to eat less and lower your calorie intake.
5. Balance Gut Bacteria
Researchers are looking more closely at how gut bacteria affect weight gain or loss. Your gut harbors a wide variety of microorganisms in vast numbers estimated around 39 trillion bacteria. But strains of bacteria and exact amounts vary between people. Scientists believe that some types of gut bacteria may lead to increased fat deposits and weight gain because they increase how much energy is absorbed from food.
Other varieties of bacteria are considered “good” and promote both healthy digestion and proper metabolization of food. Foods that help boost the variety and number of “good” gut bacteria include:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains (oats, barley, brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
- Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, tempeh, miso)
For more information about the importance of gut health, read our article, “How Gut Health Dramatically Impacts Your Life (and Tips for Keeping It Balanced).”
A Healthy Approach to Weight Loss
Any of these methods individually or in combination can help you lose weight both naturally and quickly. But each method requires commitment, self-disciple, mindfulness, planning, and effort. There are no quick and easy fixes when it comes to losing weight.
Daily exercise and a method to ensure you’re eating a balanced and nutritious diet within the proper calorie range is the best approach. Your daily diet should include 10 portions of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and lean, quality protein. And be sure you get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, whether cardio or strength training.
