Natural Weight Loss Remedies and Benefits vs. Conventional Methods

Weight loss is a crucial aspect of achieving and maintaining overall health, especially for individuals facing obesity-related health risks. Obesity and excess weight among adults present a serious problem in the United States.7 in 10 adults in the United States are overweight, with 4 out of 10 being obese. Several health issues, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, breathing problems, joint disorders, and even cancers, are associated with weight issues.

Weight loss goals may vary, but the fundamental principle remains the same: burning more calories than you consume (maintaining a calorie deficit). Achieving weight loss through this fundamental calorie deficit principle can be achieved through natural remedies or conventional medicine methods.

Natural remedies for weight loss are often favored for their sustainable approach. Natural weight loss strategies include diet, physical activity, dietary habits, mindful eating, and stress management. Conventional medicine revolves around medications and surgical interventions. Weight-loss medications can lead to significant short-term weight loss, but they are often associated with side effects and long-term risks, such as nutrient deficiencies and metabolic complications. 

Learn more about the natural options and conventional medicine methods for weight loss in this article.

What Are the Natural Remedies for Weight Loss?

Natural remedies for weight loss include dietary changes (encompassing foods and supplements), considering dietary habits, optimizing sleep, lifestyle changes, physical activity, intermittent fasting, stress management, and weight lifting. These natural remedies promise safe and long-term weight loss.

The natural remedies for weight loss are explained below. 

Diet

Diet comprises everything we eat and drink. We need food to survive, as that is the body’s primary energy source. However, different foods impact the body differently. Some foods and drinks can make it difficult to lose weight, while others can contribute to a successful weight-loss journey. 

Below are the foods and supplements that contribute to weight loss and gain. 

Foods 

The primary aim of eating foods is to get the energy (measured in calories) that the body needs to survive. All foods have the capacity to supply energy, although how much of this energy is supplied varies with the type of food. Therefore, the notion that cutting high-calorie foods in a normal diet and replacing them with low-calorie options will cause weight loss is a correct take. The reality of weight loss is not that simple, though. 

The overarching principle of weight loss is burning more calories than you take in, also known as maintaining a calorie deficit. However, how you get calories is just as important as how many calories you get. In other words, the calorie quality is just as important as the calorie quantity, and two foods having the same number of calories does not mean they will benefit the body the same way. 

For example, getting 100 calories from vegetables is not the same as getting 100 calories from ice cream. The body gets 100 calories in both cases; however, ice cream is high in refined sugars, which can significantly raise blood sugar levels, increase blood lipids, and increase fat storage, contributing to weight gain and diabetes. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine even found that the risk of dying from heart problems is higher with refined sugars.

Therefore, most dietitians and nutrition professionals recommend eating a balanced, healthy diet following the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food guide pyramid but in smaller quantities. Foods that can also promote satiety are excellent for weight loss. Simultaneously, people trying to lose weight should avoid high-fat foods and refined sugars, which can cause other metabolic effects that promote weight gain. 

Here is a list of the foods to consider and avoid when trying to lose weight.

Foods to Eat

• Whole grains (oats, barley, millet, quinoa, brown rice)
• Vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, spinach, kale, asparagus, carrots)
• Fruits (avocados, apples, pears, peaches, grapes, strawberries)
• Eggs
• Meat (chicken, lean meat)
• Fish
• Beans and lentils 
• Nuts and seeds

Foods to Avoid

• Fatty chunks of meat
• Margarine
• Refined sugars (candies, ice cream, cookies, )
• Fried foods 
• White bread
• Baked goods
• White rice

Supplements

Weight loss supplements are designed to be added to a normal diet to help with weight loss. No weight loss supplement is a miracle cure, but some supplements can make it easier to lose weight by increasing satiety (the feeling of fullness), improving metabolism, increasing energy expenditure, and regulating lipid metabolism.

Here are some supplements that can assist with weight loss.

• Green tea
• Licorice
• Ginger
• Ginseng
• Magnesium
• Hot pepper
• B vitamins
• Cinnamon
• Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
• Astaxanthin

Supplements must also be used in conjunction with the right lifestyle and dietary habits for effective weight loss. Also, ensure you talk to your healthcare provider about any supplements you want to use because many manufactured supplements often have various chemical substances, especially if you are on medications or managing underlying conditions.

Physical Activity

Physical activity refers to all voluntary body movements that utilize energy. Physical activity is important in not only losing weight, but also maintaining a healthy weight for an extended period. Other health benefits associated with physical activity include improving sleep quality, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, relieving arthritis pain, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and improving mental health symptoms, like depression and anxiety.

The single most important principle to losing weight is maintaining a calorie deficit, which means burning more calories (through exercise and daily activities) than you consume (through diet). However, how you lose the calories is just as important as the number of calories you lose over any period. Physical activity presents one of the safest, most effective ways to lose calories. 

Therefore, the consensus in the science world regarding weight loss is to center the journey around physical activity and diet. According to the CDC, adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic physical activity every week to maintain overall health. The CDC also recommends that adults have 2 days a week of muscle-strengthening exercise. 

However, people trying to lose weight will need to exceed the CDC physical activity thresholds. The exact number of minutes needed for weight loss will vary from individual to individual, and it is a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider or a functional medicine practitioner to help you arrive at a suitable plan. Functional medicine is a patient-centered, evidence-based model of healthcare that focuses on managing conditions from their source rather than just addressing symptoms. 

Some examples of moderate-intensity activities are:

• Brisk walk
• Casual biking
• Playing with children
• Gardening 
• Dancing
• Pushing a lawn mower
• Hiking
• Snow shoveling

Some examples of vigorous-intensity activities are:

• Running
• Swimming laps
• Jumping rope
• Competitive sports (football, soccer, basketball, track)
• Riding a bike uphill or really fast
• Gymnastics

Never forget the fact that physical activity or diet alone cannot guarantee weight loss. You need to combine them and remain consistent with them to lose weight in the short-term and maintain them over an extended period. 

Dietary Habits

Dietary habits are long-term dietary patterns that individuals form and maintain in their daily lives. There is a relationship between dietary habits and metabolic and overall health. The right dietary habits can make it easier to lose weight, as well as improve blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Here are some of the best dietary practices and eating habits for losing weight. 

• Limiting processed foods. Processed foods like ice cream, sweets, cookies, sausages, and cakes are typically high in saturated fats, sugars, and salts, which contributes to weight gain.
• Eat more homemade meals. Consider making your own meals, and making them with fresh, healthy components. Making your own meals not only promotes healthier eating, but also makes you appreciate your foods more. 
• Limit sugary beverages. Sodas, sweetened drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks are high in sugar and can promote weight gain. Switch to drinking more water, lemon water, green tea, and smoothies.  
• Calorie counting. Calorie counting is a practice of monitoring your caloric intake daily. The basic principle of weight loss is losing more calories than you take, so assessing how many calories a meal has can make it easier to maintain a calorie deficit.
• Portion control. Pay attention to how much food you eat. You may use smaller plates and eat more slowly to limit your food intake and ensure you don’t eat past fullness.
• Consider intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves alternating cycles of eating and going without food (fasting). Intermittent fasting helps to burn calories and improve metabolism. 

Mindful Eating 

Mindful eating is an approach to eating that involves full focus and awareness. Mindful eating is based on the principles of mindfulness, a type of meditation in which one is fully present and aware of one’s thoughts, emotions, and actions. Research at the University of London, London, UK, finds that mindful eating can help weight management and promote healthy eating.

Techniques for achieving mindful eating include the following:

• Minimize distractions while eating
• Eat slowly
• Acknowledge the aroma, taste, flavor profiles, and other characteristics of the food
• Take small bites and chew thoroughly before swallowing
• Do not skip meals
• Pay attention to your body and do not eat past fullness
• Noticing the effects of food on your body

Stress Management

Stress management practices are techniques that help reduce stress levels in the body. Stress has long been linked to weight gain due to the increased production of cortisol, a hormone that can cause overeating and craving sweet foods. Adopting practices that can safely reduce stress levels can help in weight loss.

The body produces cortisol (a hormone) when stress levels increase. One of the ways cortisol helps the body lower stress levels is by triggering the liver to release glucose for a quick burst of energy. An increase in energy expenditure translates to an increase in appetite, which favors overeating. Also, elevated stress levels for a long time typically may result in more cravings for sweet and salty foods. Therefore, there is a relationship between stress and weight gain.

Stress management practices can help reduce stress levels, in turn, helping with weight loss. The theory of stress management practices helping with weight loss was also confirmed by a 2018 study by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece, where individuals in stress management programs achieved significantly larger reductions in their weight compared to those who were not a part of stress management programs. 

Some common stress management practices include:

• Sleep
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Tai chi
• Breathing exercises
• Mindfulness
• Exercise
• Healthy eating

Conventional Medicine Methods of Weight Loss

Medications and surgery are the main conventional medicine methods of weight loss. Some of the medications typically used for weight loss are semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), and phentermine (Adipex-P). Bariatric surgery is the main surgical option for managing weight loss. 

Treatment in conventional medicine almost always revolves around medications, and this is the case with obesity and weight loss, as well. The FDA has approved six medications for long-term use in weight loss. The approved weight loss medications are listed below:

• Orlistat (Xenical). Orlistat works by decreasing the amount of fat the body absorbs from food by as much as 30%. 
• Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia). Phentermine suppresses appetite, while topiramate suppresses appetite and improves satiety. 
• Naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave). Bupropion stimulates pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the hypothalamus, and naltrexone enhances the effect of POMC neurons by blocking their inhibition. Increased POMC activity is associated with weight loss, as POMC neurons reduce food intake and increase energy expenditure.
• Liraglutide (Saxenda). Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) that triggers the release of insulin (insulin is a hormone that reduces blood glucose levels), suppresses appetite, and decreases calorie intake. 
• Semaglutide (Ozempic). Semaglutide is a long-acting GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) agonist that increases insulin secretion, reduces appetite, lowers sensations of hunger, and enhances the feeling of fullness.
• Tirzepatide (Zepbound). Tirzepatide mimics the hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and GLP-1, which reduce appetite and calorie intake.

The other main treatment option for obesity and weight loss in conventional medicine is surgery. The type of surgery done to reduce weight is called bariatric or metabolic surgery. Bariatric surgery involves different surgical procedures like sleeve gastrectomy (removing about 80% of the stomach), gastric bypass, and gastric band. The primary goal of bariatric surgery is to reduce the volume of food a person takes and the absorption of that food. 

Are the Conventional Medicine Methods of Weight Loss Safe?

Conventional medications for weight loss are associated with different safety issues due to their side effects, some of which could be severe. There is also limited data regarding the long-term safety profile of weight-loss medications. Bariatric surgery also has immediate and long-term risks, including pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), nutrient deficiency, and anemia. 

All medications have the potential for adverse effects, and weight-loss medications are no exceptions. Undesirable adverse effects are common with weight loss medications. Below are some of the adverse effects associated with the FDA-approved weight loss medications.

• Orlistat: Gastrointestinal adverse effects (fatty stool, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and increased defecation), liver issues, and an increased risk of kidney problems.
• Phentermine and topiramate: Teratogenicity (toxic to the fetus of pregnant women), paresthesia (pins and needles sensation in hands and feet), dry mouth, attention issues, constipation, dizziness, irritability, hypoesthesia (reduced sensitivity to stimulation), increased blood pressure, and hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).
• Naltrexone-bupropion: Gastrointestinal disorders, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation; neuropsychiatric problems, like seizures, cognition problems, dizziness, anxiety, sleep disorders, psychotic symptoms, depression, and aggressiveness; teratogenicity
• Liraglutide: Gastrointestinal problems, like nausea and vomiting; an increased risk of pancreatitis
• Semaglutide: Gastrointestinal disturbances, like nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping
• Tirzepatide: Gastrointestinal problems, like nausea, vomiting, and constipation

Bariatric surgery has short- and long-term risks. The short-term risks include post-surgical bleeding, infections, and pancreatitis. Long-term complications include nutrient deficiencies (particularly of iron, vitamin B12, copper, and calcium), anemia, dumping syndrome (faster emptying of the stomach after eating), and gastric stenosis (narrowing of the opening of the stomach to the intestine).

What Are the Benefits of Losing Weight Naturally?

The benefits of losing weight naturally are a better safety profile and more sustained weight loss. There are also cardiovascular and metabolic effects associated with using natural weight loss methods, which help to improve overall health.

Natural treatment methods do not have the tendency for adverse effects or health complications like conventional medicines and surgeries. Losing weight naturally also confers longer-term weight loss. Conventional medicine methods may guarantee faster weight loss, but natural strategies correlate to longer-term weight loss.

Healthcare providers that recommend conventional medicine methods typically do so in severe cases, and even then, the benefits of combining conventional medicine weight loss methods with natural strategies cannot be overstated. Therefore, medications and surgery cannot and should not replace natural weight-loss strategies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do You Need Surgery for Weight Loss?

No, you do not need surgery for weight loss unless you have a BMI over 35 and obesity-related health conditions. The surgery for weight loss is known as bariatric or metabolic surgery. Healthcare providers usually recommend bariatric surgery when other weight loss strategies have failed and the individual’s health is at risk. 

Note that it is still possible to gain weight after bariatric surgery, occurring in many as early as 2 years after the surgery. Therefore, dietary and lifestyle changes that prevent weight gain will still be necessary even after bariatric surgery.

How Much Weight Can You Safely Lose in a Month?

You can safely lose about 4 to 8 pounds in a month, which is 1 to 2 pounds per week. People who lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week are more likely to regain this weight. Also, excessive and rapid weight loss can cause symptoms like fatigue, irritability, anger, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. Talk to your healthcare provider to arrive at safe weight loss goals before you embark on your weight loss journey. 

Can You Target Specific Body Areas to Lose Weight? 

No, you cannot target specific body areas to lose weight. The theory of losing weight in specific areas is called spot reduction, and this theory is a myth and unrealistic. Exercising a specific area of your body with the aim of losing weight in that area does not guarantee that the body will use fat from that specific area for energy.

Does Lemon Water Help You Lose Weight?

Yes, lemon water can help you lose weight in a similar fashion to water, which is by suppressing appetite, improving the efficiency of exercise, and boosting metabolism. Lemon water can also be an alternative to sugary and high-calorie beverages, and cutting off these high-calorie beverages from your diet is essential to weight loss. However, lemon water on its own cannot help you lose weight. You still need dietary and lifestyle changes that contribute to weight loss. 

Does Rice Water Help You Lose Weight?

Yes, rice water can help you lose weight, as it promotes the feeling of satiety (fullness) and reduces calorie intake. However, rice water alone cannot help you lose any significant weight, and you still need to combine it with the right dietary and lifestyle changes, like physical activity, stress management, and good sleep. 

Conclusion

Weight loss is an essential aspect of healthcare for overweight and obese people. There are different strategies for losing weight, falling broadly into natural and conventional medicine approaches. 

Natural weight loss strategies revolve around exercise and diet, with dietary habits, mindful eating, and stress management practices also useful in weight loss. Conventional medicine relies more on medications, and drug classes like semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy), naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave), and phentermine (Adipex-P) can help weight loss. Bariatric surgery may also be recommended for some individuals.

The best weight loss strategy is still one that revolves around diet and exercise. Therefore, even if your healthcare provider recommends medications or surgery for your weight loss, you cannot neglect healthy eating practices and regular physical activity. 

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