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        I’m a Doctor and This Is Exactly How to Lose “Serious Weight” with Intermittent Fasting
    Dr. Eric Berg reveals 12 steps to maximizing weight loss with time restricted eating.
By Leah GrothJul 15, 2024
Leah Groth
Writer, Editor, and Content Creator
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
 See Full Bio 
                       Follow:
                       

   FACT CHECKED BY
   Alek Korab
✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
Dr. Eric Berg DC/YouTube
By Leah GrothJul 15, 2024
Leah Groth
Writer, Editor, and Content Creator
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
 See Full Bio 
                       Follow:
                       

   FACT CHECKED BY
   Alek Korab
✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
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Do you want to lose “serious” weight? Intermittent fasting is a method you should check out, says one expert. Eric Berg, DC, is a doctor and chiropractor who specializes in keto and intermittent fasting. He regularly shares videos on how to lose weight with time restricted eating and has amassed a whopping 12.1 million YouTube subscribers. In a viral video he talks about “doing intermittent fasting for some serious weight loss.”
There Are Many Pros to Intermittent Fasting, he Says“There are many magical and very cool things about intermittent fasting that you need to be aware of,” he says at the start of the video. “First of all, it's extremely cheap. In fact, it's free. In fact, you'll save money. It's easy and it doesn't require any effort. You're not doing something, you're just avoiding something. You're avoiding food. Fasting gives you a lot of extra time so you're not constantly cooking all day. Fasting will help you live longer. It makes you smarter because it improves your cognitive function. It elevates your mood and lowers your risk for many diseases. So there are a lot of benefits.”
You Also Don’t Have to Spend a Lot of Time or Money on FoodShutterstock
He also adds that “because you're not cooking all day, you're gonna have a lot of extra time on your hands. So you're gonna have to find something to do. And because you're not spending all this extra money on food, you'll have a lot of extra money that you have to figure out what to do and that's a problem.”
Intermittent Fasting Is Not a Diet But a Pattern of EatingShutterstock
“Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it's a pattern of eating and not eating,” he continues. It's putting you in the driver's seat of when you tell your body it can eat and when it needs to avoid eating.” He points out that “so many times you'll get a very unhealthy answer if you ask your body what it's in the mood for. This especially applies to when your blood sugars are a problem because if your blood sugars are too low or too high, you're gonna get an insane answer. So it's kind of like you being in the backseat of a car and having some insane driver drive you around. This is not a good situation because you're no longer in control and unfortunately food has been controlling you your entire life. In fact, our whole existence revolves around food. So doing it in the fasting starts to put you in control over this insanity, which is a very powerful thing for you personally with your willpower, with your self discipline, and especially for your health.”
Every Time You Eat, You Trigger insulin
See on Instagram
“The one thing that you need to know about intermittent fasting is that every time you eat, you trigger insulin. So insulin not only increases with sugar and carbs, but also from just eating in general. So the less frequent you eat, the less insulin you're gonna trigger and the more benefits you're gonna have,” Dr. Berg continues.
Bodies Have Evolved Over Time to Not EatingShutterstock
“Our bodies have evolved over a very long period of time to not eating, because long ago
food wasn't very available. So our bodies have adapted and developed all sorts of very amazing genetics for surviving without food. And when I'm talking about survival, I'm talking about those genes that are survival genes, repair genes, disease genes turning off. Like for example, cancer turns off when you fast. So all sorts of fascinating survival things related to your DNA get activated when you start fasting,” he reveals.
Step 1: Stop SnackingShutterstock
The average person who is consuming three meals a day with snacks in between meals, “like six meals,” will be getting “a lot of spikes of insulin through the day and their body is suffering immensely from this,” he says. “So the first thing to do is to stop snacking. That's step number one. So then you just have three meals a day. And so then you do that until you're comfortable.”
Step 2: Skip BreakfastShutterstock
“The next stage is to skip your breakfast or that first meal,” he says. “So in other words, when you wake up in the morning because you're not snacking, you're not really gonna be hungry, especially if you're doing keto,” he continues. “So let the lack of appetite in the morning dictate whether you eat or not because the underlying principle is don't eat unless you're hungry.”
Step 3: Push Back the Timing of Your First MealShutterstock
“So you wake up, you're not hungry, don't eat, go as long as you can until your first meal. Okay? So you work up to your first meal being let's say at noon, right? Lunchtime. So let's say you're eating at 12 and six. That gives you 18 hours of fasting, okay? You have this window of eating, which is six hours, and then you have 18 hours of fasting,” he continues.
Step 4: Add Fat at the End of the MealShutterstock
“Now to add a little help to the situation, if you add more fat at the end of the meal, whether it's avocado, handful of nuts like macadamia nuts or pecans or any type of fat, that will allow you to fast longer in, get into the next stages easier,” he says.
Step 5: Add VinegarShutterstock
“As a side note, there's a lot of other things we can do to improve this situation, especially with blood sugars as well. For example, if you eat a big salad as the first thing that you eat in your meal and you put olive oil dressing on an extra virgin olive oil and you put some balsamic vinaigrette or even apple cider vinegar on that salad, you're gonna create a really cool effect with your blood sugars,” Dr. Berg claims.
Step 6: Eat a Lot of FiberShutterstock
Next, make sure “you're eating a lot of fiber,” he says. Fiber buffers. Insulin fiber is the only carbohydrate that won't trigger insulin. The oil in the extraversion. Olive oil is also another thing that really won't trigger insulin that much, if at all. And the oil helps you extract some of the fat soluble nutrients from that salad. And I'm talking about the phytonutrients, which are fat soluble. So you get the benefit of that vinegar, whether you do outside of vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette gives you a very potent antidiabetic effect 'cause it helps you lower blood sugars as well as insulin. Yu can also add some cinnamon to your diet, “like whether it's in that drink or in something else, cinnamon is another potent thing to help your blood sugars,” he says.
Step 7: Add Vitamin DShutterstock
He also recommends getting vitamin D. “It is another thing you can add to this mix and just get more sun that will help you,” he says.
Step 8: Fast for 18 Hours Until You Get ComfortableShutterstock
At this poing you're at the stage where you're eating two meals a day and during  a six hour window. “Now ideally you wouldn't wanna snack within that window, but if you had to, that would be the time to snack, not in the fasting window, because we want that 18 hours of just pure fasting. So you're gonna do this for a period of time until you get comfortable,” he says.
Step 9: Shift to a 20 Hour Fasting Period, Making Meals Closer TogetherShutterstock
“As you get used to it, then you wanna take it to the next step, especially if you wanna lose more weight,” he says. “What we wanna do is we wanna take those two meals and get 'em closer together, like within a four hour period. So let's say for example, you get up in the morning, you fast all the way to noon, you're still not hungry, you keep going, and then you fast until two o'clock, you have your first meal and your second meal at six. So now we have a four hour eating window and a 20 hour fasting window, which is gonna be even better. And you're gonna see more fat loss.
Step 10: Move to OMADAfter a “couple weeks until you feel comfortable,” he recommends switching to one meal a day, AKA OMAD. “Now what's happening is we collapse these two meals together as one, one large meal. Make sure it's nutrient dense and it's healthy and that's all you're gonna eat. Now, of course, you're not gonna be able to eat the same calories as you would when you're doing two meals, but the benefit of this is not really that you lower your calories, it's the fact that you're fasting for 23 hours. That's gonna produce even greater benefits for your immune system, for your brain, for your anti-aging, for your repair.”
Step 11: Eat Your Meal No Later Than 3:00 PMShutterstock
He also recommends adding “another tweak” to the OMAD plan. “It's just a slight change that could make a big difference with your sleep and even a greater improvement in your blood sugars and insulin and insulin resistance. And that would be having that last meal no later than 3:00 PM,” he recommends. He points out that “the later that you eat, apparently that can interfere with your sleep cycles and that can stir up certain genes that are related to food and that can inhibit your sleep. So you might wanna just try this, eat a little bit sooner, make it a big meal right in the middle of the day, like maybe two or three, and see if you don't sleep a lot better.”
Step 12: Add Exercise or Keto to the MixShutterstock
He says there are a “lot of other things” you can do to improve your result, like adding exercise. “We can also add the healthy version of the ketogenic diet, which I promote, which just is higher quality ingredients and more nutrients in that meal.”
Step 13: Interject Periodic Prolonged FastingShutterstock
The last phase of fasting is really interjecting some periodic prolonged fasting episodes. So you can add in like once a week or once every two weeks of 48 hour fast or even a 72 hour fast. It's a three day or even 128 hour fast, which is a five day fast, which could be unbelievable for your immune system and especially if you wanted to prevent cancer because as soon as you start fasting for long periods of time, you are literally destroying cancer in your body,” he claims.
Start Slow and Gradually Improve Your Fasting, He SaysShutterstock
The bottom line? He recommends starting slow with intermittent fasting and “gradually improving your fasting to the point where you're really doing it for some serious weight loss and health benefits.”
Follow Dr. Eric Berg on Social MediaYou can follow Dr. Eric Berg on social media. Here is his YouTube page. You can also subscribe to his newsletter via his website.
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        I’m a Doctor and This Is Exactly How to Lose “Serious Weight” with Intermittent Fasting
    
Dr. Eric Berg DC/YouTube
By Leah GrothJul 15, 2024
Leah Groth
Writer, Editor, and Content Creator
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
 See Full Bio 
                       Follow:
                       

   FACT CHECKED BY
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✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
Do you want to lose “serious” weight? Intermittent fasting is a method you should check out, says one expert. Eric Berg, DC, is a doctor and chiropractor who specializes in keto and intermittent fasting. He regularly shares videos on how to lose weight with time restricted eating and has amassed a whopping 12.1 million YouTube subscribers. In a viral video he talks about “doing intermittent fasting for some serious weight loss.”
There Are Many Pros to Intermittent Fasting, he Says“There are many magical and very cool things about intermittent fasting that you need to be aware of,” he says at the start of the video. “First of all, it's extremely cheap. In fact, it's free. In fact, you'll save money. It's easy and it doesn't require any effort. You're not doing something, you're just avoiding something. You're avoiding food. Fasting gives you a lot of extra time so you're not constantly cooking all day. Fasting will help you live longer. It makes you smarter because it improves your cognitive function. It elevates your mood and lowers your risk for many diseases. So there are a lot of benefits.”
You Also Don’t Have to Spend a Lot of Time or Money on FoodShutterstock
He also adds that “because you're not cooking all day, you're gonna have a lot of extra time on your hands. So you're gonna have to find something to do. And because you're not spending all this extra money on food, you'll have a lot of extra money that you have to figure out what to do and that's a problem.”
Intermittent Fasting Is Not a Diet But a Pattern of EatingShutterstock
“Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it's a pattern of eating and not eating,” he continues. It's putting you in the driver's seat of when you tell your body it can eat and when it needs to avoid eating.” He points out that “so many times you'll get a very unhealthy answer if you ask your body what it's in the mood for. This especially applies to when your blood sugars are a problem because if your blood sugars are too low or too high, you're gonna get an insane answer. So it's kind of like you being in the backseat of a car and having some insane driver drive you around. This is not a good situation because you're no longer in control and unfortunately food has been controlling you your entire life. In fact, our whole existence revolves around food. So doing it in the fasting starts to put you in control over this insanity, which is a very powerful thing for you personally with your willpower, with your self discipline, and especially for your health.”
Every Time You Eat, You Trigger insulin
See on Instagram
“The one thing that you need to know about intermittent fasting is that every time you eat, you trigger insulin. So insulin not only increases with sugar and carbs, but also from just eating in general. So the less frequent you eat, the less insulin you're gonna trigger and the more benefits you're gonna have,” Dr. Berg continues.
Bodies Have Evolved Over Time to Not EatingShutterstock
“Our bodies have evolved over a very long period of time to not eating, because long ago
food wasn't very available. So our bodies have adapted and developed all sorts of very amazing genetics for surviving without food. And when I'm talking about survival, I'm talking about those genes that are survival genes, repair genes, disease genes turning off. Like for example, cancer turns off when you fast. So all sorts of fascinating survival things related to your DNA get activated when you start fasting,” he reveals.
Step 1: Stop SnackingShutterstock
The average person who is consuming three meals a day with snacks in between meals, “like six meals,” will be getting “a lot of spikes of insulin through the day and their body is suffering immensely from this,” he says. “So the first thing to do is to stop snacking. That's step number one. So then you just have three meals a day. And so then you do that until you're comfortable.”
Step 2: Skip BreakfastShutterstock
“The next stage is to skip your breakfast or that first meal,” he says. “So in other words, when you wake up in the morning because you're not snacking, you're not really gonna be hungry, especially if you're doing keto,” he continues. “So let the lack of appetite in the morning dictate whether you eat or not because the underlying principle is don't eat unless you're hungry.”
Step 3: Push Back the Timing of Your First MealShutterstock
“So you wake up, you're not hungry, don't eat, go as long as you can until your first meal. Okay? So you work up to your first meal being let's say at noon, right? Lunchtime. So let's say you're eating at 12 and six. That gives you 18 hours of fasting, okay? You have this window of eating, which is six hours, and then you have 18 hours of fasting,” he continues.
Step 4: Add Fat at the End of the MealShutterstock
“Now to add a little help to the situation, if you add more fat at the end of the meal, whether it's avocado, handful of nuts like macadamia nuts or pecans or any type of fat, that will allow you to fast longer in, get into the next stages easier,” he says.
Step 5: Add VinegarShutterstock
“As a side note, there's a lot of other things we can do to improve this situation, especially with blood sugars as well. For example, if you eat a big salad as the first thing that you eat in your meal and you put olive oil dressing on an extra virgin olive oil and you put some balsamic vinaigrette or even apple cider vinegar on that salad, you're gonna create a really cool effect with your blood sugars,” Dr. Berg claims.
Step 6: Eat a Lot of FiberShutterstock
Next, make sure “you're eating a lot of fiber,” he says. Fiber buffers. Insulin fiber is the only carbohydrate that won't trigger insulin. The oil in the extraversion. Olive oil is also another thing that really won't trigger insulin that much, if at all. And the oil helps you extract some of the fat soluble nutrients from that salad. And I'm talking about the phytonutrients, which are fat soluble. So you get the benefit of that vinegar, whether you do outside of vinegar or balsamic vinaigrette gives you a very potent antidiabetic effect 'cause it helps you lower blood sugars as well as insulin. Yu can also add some cinnamon to your diet, “like whether it's in that drink or in something else, cinnamon is another potent thing to help your blood sugars,” he says.
Step 7: Add Vitamin DShutterstock
He also recommends getting vitamin D. “It is another thing you can add to this mix and just get more sun that will help you,” he says.
Step 8: Fast for 18 Hours Until You Get ComfortableShutterstock
At this poing you're at the stage where you're eating two meals a day and during  a six hour window. “Now ideally you wouldn't wanna snack within that window, but if you had to, that would be the time to snack, not in the fasting window, because we want that 18 hours of just pure fasting. So you're gonna do this for a period of time until you get comfortable,” he says.
Step 9: Shift to a 20 Hour Fasting Period, Making Meals Closer TogetherShutterstock
“As you get used to it, then you wanna take it to the next step, especially if you wanna lose more weight,” he says. “What we wanna do is we wanna take those two meals and get 'em closer together, like within a four hour period. So let's say for example, you get up in the morning, you fast all the way to noon, you're still not hungry, you keep going, and then you fast until two o'clock, you have your first meal and your second meal at six. So now we have a four hour eating window and a 20 hour fasting window, which is gonna be even better. And you're gonna see more fat loss.
Step 10: Move to OMADAfter a “couple weeks until you feel comfortable,” he recommends switching to one meal a day, AKA OMAD. “Now what's happening is we collapse these two meals together as one, one large meal. Make sure it's nutrient dense and it's healthy and that's all you're gonna eat. Now, of course, you're not gonna be able to eat the same calories as you would when you're doing two meals, but the benefit of this is not really that you lower your calories, it's the fact that you're fasting for 23 hours. That's gonna produce even greater benefits for your immune system, for your brain, for your anti-aging, for your repair.”
Step 11: Eat Your Meal No Later Than 3:00 PMShutterstock
He also recommends adding “another tweak” to the OMAD plan. “It's just a slight change that could make a big difference with your sleep and even a greater improvement in your blood sugars and insulin and insulin resistance. And that would be having that last meal no later than 3:00 PM,” he recommends. He points out that “the later that you eat, apparently that can interfere with your sleep cycles and that can stir up certain genes that are related to food and that can inhibit your sleep. So you might wanna just try this, eat a little bit sooner, make it a big meal right in the middle of the day, like maybe two or three, and see if you don't sleep a lot better.”
Step 12: Add Exercise or Keto to the MixShutterstock
He says there are a “lot of other things” you can do to improve your result, like adding exercise. “We can also add the healthy version of the ketogenic diet, which I promote, which just is higher quality ingredients and more nutrients in that meal.”
Step 13: Interject Periodic Prolonged FastingShutterstock
The last phase of fasting is really interjecting some periodic prolonged fasting episodes. So you can add in like once a week or once every two weeks of 48 hour fast or even a 72 hour fast. It's a three day or even 128 hour fast, which is a five day fast, which could be unbelievable for your immune system and especially if you wanted to prevent cancer because as soon as you start fasting for long periods of time, you are literally destroying cancer in your body,” he claims.
Start Slow and Gradually Improve Your Fasting, He SaysShutterstock
The bottom line? He recommends starting slow with intermittent fasting and “gradually improving your fasting to the point where you're really doing it for some serious weight loss and health benefits.”
Follow Dr. Eric Berg on Social MediaYou can follow Dr. Eric Berg on social media. Here is his YouTube page. You can also subscribe to his newsletter via his website.

        
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isiskellier/TikTok
By Leah GrothMar 02, 2024
Leah Groth
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Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
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Isis Kellier is a diet and fitness influencer who regularly shares videos on her channel about how she lost weight fast and got into the best shape of her life. In one TikTok video she reveals how she dropped an average of 2.5 pounds a week by making a few simple changes to her diet and fitness routine. “How I lost 15 pounds in six weeks,” she starts the clip, going on to reveal her secrets. We also asked The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to weigh in on her tactics. 
1. Intermittent FastingShutterstock
The first thing Isis did? Intermittent fasting, or “OMAD,” she reveals, which stands for “one meal a day. “The Lightly intermittent fasting app helps to keep everything on track,” she added. In another video she details what she eats in a day, starting at 2:00 pm with two glasses of green juice followed by a bowl of fruit. For her main meal of the day, “dinner,” she eats at 4:00 pm and enjoys spicy vodka pasta with a grilled chicken breast on top. At 5:30 pm she drinks two Premiere Protein shakes.
Related: 8 Things You Should Be Doing Now, According to Wellness Gurus 
2. Expert Weighs in on OMADShutterstock
“It sounds like she is only eating in a less than 4 hour window which is a very small eating window,” Collingwood notes. “I like that she has antioxidant rich green juice and fruit, but that is not really a ton of produce or fiber. When you eat most of your produce as juice, you are missing out on a lot of fiber which is really important for gut health and keeping the microbiome in check.” As for protein, she is likely meeting her requirements with the grilled chicken, “not sure size but let’s assume 4 oz = 28 grams of protein and two premier protein shakes at 30 grams each gives her another 60 grams to push her over 80 grams for the day,” she notes. “However, two highly processed protein shakes are not really providing the quality of food we like for overall good health. They do have a lot of vitamins and minerals added to them, which she needs because she is not eating very many calories or a variety of foods.” She is happy to see some carbs in the pasta, “but vodka sauce does not really provide much nutritional value,” she adds. “ Marinara would be much better with the antioxidants and nutrients in tomatoes.” Overall Collingwood is concerned about her low calorie intake. “Again, I don’t have exact portion sizes but I estimate this to be about 1000-1200 calories.”  
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3. 30-60 Minutes of Cardio DailyShutterstock
Next up? “30 to 60 minutes of cardio daily,” she reveals. In the other video she reveals that she does “fasted cardio” in the morning prior to her first meal. 
4. Expert Weighs in On Her WorkoutShutterstock
According to Collingwood, 30 to 60 minutes of cardio “is great,” she says. However, “if she is doing this in the morning and not getting any calories until 2 PM (and that is very few with the green juice and fruit and no protein) she is leaving her body susceptible to poor recovery, injury risk, dehydration, and low energy,” she points out. 
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5. Calorie DeficitShutterstock
Her final secret to losing 15 pounds in six weeks? Maintaining a “caloric deficit,” she says. The basic math of calories in vs calories out is caloric deficit which is necessary to lose weight, Collingwood agrees. “But you can create a caloric deficit in many other more healthy ways that include fueling the body in more regular intervals, feeding more nutritious foods, and having more balance.”
6. Bottom Line: Is a 15-Pound Weight Loss in 6 Weeks Realistic?Shutterstock
Collingwood and most experts agree that a healthy weight loss rate is typically one to two pounds per week. “15 pounds in 6 weeks is a bit higher than that,” Collingwood points out. “It all depends on how much weight someone has to lose.  If you have 100 pounds you lose, it will come off faster initially. If you only have 15 pounds to lose, the weight will come off more slowly.
In general, the faster it comes off, the more likely there is a higher proportion of muscle coming off vs a majority of fat tissue.”
@isiskellier
💪🔥Body Booster: Intermittent fasting is a form of dieting that works for some people. Oftentimes if you are eating in a short window, you will consume less calories. 
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Copyright Jillian Michaels/YouTube
By Leah GrothSep 24, 2024
Leah Groth
Writer, Editor, and Content Creator
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
 See Full Bio 
                       Follow:
                       

   FACT CHECKED BY
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✓Expert-Recommended
We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists              and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to                safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. We strive to only recommend                  products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat.
Can you lose weight fast and keep it off? Yes, says one top health and fitness expert. Jillian Michaels is a fitness expert and star of The Biggest Loser. In a recent video, she reveals that it is possible to lose weight fast. At the start of the clip, Michaels points out that “nobody ever” says, “I want to lose weight slowly.” And there’s nothing wrong with that. “There's a lot of conflicting information about whether it's safe, whether you lose weight too quickly, and whether you will have loose skin. And so here's the deal. You can lose weight quickly, and you can lose weight quickly, safely, depending on how you lose it,” she maintains.
Most People Go About Rapid Weight Loss the Wrong WayAccording to Michaels, most people go about rapid weight loss the wrong way. “To lose weight, we have to create a calorie deficit. You've gotta eat less food than your body is burning in a day,” she points out, noting that a pound “is about 3,500 calories,” so if you wanted to lose two pounds a week, you would need to burn a thousand extra calories a day. “This is where diets get dangerous,” she says.
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Starving Yourself Throws Off Your Hormones
See on Instagram
She explains that when people diet and do “things like fasts and cleanses or dramatic calorie reduction,” they are usually depriving their body of nutrients. “There's a reason people talk about yo-yo dieting,” she says, explaining that you will lose weight, but gain it all back. “When you starve the body, you're telling your body, ‘Oh my god, food is really scarce’” which then shifts your hormone balance, “to store more fat and I'm going to cannibalize my own healthy tissue because I need fat to insulate my vital organs,” she says.
It “Messes Up” Your Metabolism
See on Instagram
“The bottom line is it messes up your metabolism, and when you start eating normally again, if you even go back to normal, because a lot of times with these dramatic diets, there's a huge pendulum swing the other way, you've now damaged your metabolism,” she says. “You're going to put the weight you lost on and then some.” This is yo-yo dieting. “Plus, when we starve ourselves, we've lost lean tissue, lean body mass, which also compromises your metabolism. So it's this really dangerous, bad cycle.”
You Also Won’t Be Able to Exercise
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“Plus, how much are you really going to lose? So what are you going to run on 500 calories a day? Well, you're certainly not exercising on 500 calories a day. I mean, and even if you were, what did you burn? 2,000 calories a day?” she points out. This might help you lose three pounds a week, but you will “starve your body and do a ton of damage. Like you can't starve the weight off. It's just not possible,” she says.
RELATED:7 Foods You Should Never Eat, According to a Nutrition Expert
If You Want to Lose Weight Rapidly, You Need to Exercise
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The answer to losing weight fast, according to Michaels? “Rapid weight loss comes from exercise,” she says. “If you're maintaining your weight, it's going to be all food. If you don't overeat, you're not going to get any bigger, okay? If you're trying to lose weight, it's like 80% exercise because you can't starve it off,” she says.  “It requires more energy to move your body, period,” she adds, noting that “certain fitness techniques” are better than others for energy. They include HIIT, plyometrics, free weights, and metabolic circuits.
Women Should Never Drop Below 1,200 Calories and Men, 1,500
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“If you want to lose weight quickly and safely, this is the absolute bottom line for women. Do not go below 1200 calories and you can have unlimited green vegetables. You gotta count the stuff you put on them, but you can eat unlimited greens because the reality is that you're going to get more fiber, more phytonutrients, and it almost requires as much energy for you to break down and metabolize that food than the amount of energy that's actually in the food. As a man, I never would go below, never would go below 1500 would not do it,” she says.
You Can Do 4 to 5 Hours of Higher Intensity Exercise a Week
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She explains that you can do four to five hours of higher intensity training a week. “I don't mean four to five hours of the craziest techniques like HIIT and this and that. You can do like a good hour of resistance training in circuits with free weights, multiple muscle group exercises, squat thrusters, things of that nature. Pull ups, pushups that are going to burn more calories. You can work HIIT intervals into those sessions, four to five hours of intensity a week maximum.”
RELATED:I'm a Nutrition Pro: This 28-Day Walking Routine Burns More Fat Than Cardio
And, the Rest of Your Exercise Should Be Lower Intensity
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“The rest has gotta be low intensity activity,” she says. This includes hiking, walking, biking, swimming, “so that you're not over training, you're not overstressing, you're not putting your body at risk of injury, you're still giving your body enough recovery time,” Michaels continues. “I always call that kind of low intensity cardio, the bread and butter of extreme weight loss.”
If You Want to Lose Weight Fast, Do as Much Lower Intensity Cardio As You Can
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“If you want to lose a lot of weight, it's a lot of that low intensity cardio, a lot of it. And that's where it's not realistic, but it is safe. It is okay,” she says. “The extremes, that's where things get dangerous.”
RELATED:I Lost Over 250 Pounds And These Are 11 Habits That Transformed My Body
And, Here Is the Truth About Loose Skin
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As for loose skin, “contrary to popular belief, it doesn't matter how quickly you lose weight. If you've got loose skin, you've got loose skin and that's it,” Michaels says. “The skin is an organ. How it rebounds after weight loss has a lot of different factors and components, one of them being genetics.” And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
Nutrition & Diet
        This Is How I Lost 100 Pounds in 4 Months
    
Rosa Charice/Facebook
By Leah GrothAug 26, 2024
Leah Groth
Writer, Editor, and Content Creator
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
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   FACT CHECKED BY
   Christopher Roback
✓Fact-Checked
Our content is fact checked by our senior editorial staff to reflect accuracy and ensure our readers get
			   sound information and advice to make the smartest, healthiest choices.
We adhere to structured guidelines for sourcing information and linking to other resources, including
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Can you actually lose 25 pounds in a month? According to one weight loss influencer, the answer is yes. Rosa Charice (@rosacharice) has amassed nearly 400,000 followers on TikTok by sharing about her massive and rapid weight loss. In one video she reveals a significant secret to dropping tons of weight fast. “If you are trying to lose weight simply with a calorie deficit alone, and it isn't working for you, then you should try this instead. I was able to lose 25 pounds in just 30 days,” she says. Here is everything you need to know about how she did it. 
Intermittent Fasting Helped Her Lose Weight@rosachariceIt took me only 4 months to lose 100 pounds… and then I lost even MORE weight with intermittent fasting ❗️❤#loseweight #blacktiktok
Rosa reveals that restricting her eating hours was instrumental in her weight loss journey. “I was able to lose weight so fast by intermittent fasting and not even restricting myself,” she says in the clip. “I didn't even have to do much tracking after that.”
She Used an Intermittent Fasting AppShutterstock
She added that she used a fitness app to help her lose weight. “One of my favorite apps at the moment to use for weight loss or weight management is called Label. I have previously recommended this app to help you count calories, but they also recently just added a fasting feature,” she says, explaining that they offer one-on-one coaching through your intermittent fasting journey, “so you feel like you have companionship and guided support,” she says. “They also give you specific recipes you can pair with intermittent fasting, so you don't have to count calories. And they also give you a basic to-do list or even instructions to help make intermittent fasting easier for weight loss.”
Related: This is the Minimal Daily Step Goal According to Science
She Says There Are Lots of Benefits of Intermittent Fasting@rosachariceVisit TikTok to discover videos!
In another video, Rosa explains the benefits of intermittent fasting. “I understand how fasting could be a turnoff because it's like, well, I don't want to stop eating. I don't want to stop,” she says, listing the benefits she experienced as a result. 
Improved LooksRosa Charice/Facebook
First, she says intermittent fasting will improve your overall looks. “You're going to look better,” she says. 
Improved MoodRosa Charice/Facebook
She adds that it will also boost your mental health. “You're going to feel better,” she says. 
Increased EnergyRosa Charice/Facebook
Intermittent fasting also impacts your energy. “You're going to have more energy,” she notes. 
Improved SleepRosa Charice/Facebook
And, it could even help you get more rest, she claims. “You're going to have more sleep,” she promises. 
Reduced InflammationRosa Charice/Facebook
“The inflammation in your body will go down,” she adds. 
Weight LossRosa Charice/Facebook
And, last but not least, “You'll lose weight,” she says. “Who wouldn't want that?”
Related: The 11 Supplements Everyone Should Prioritize, According to a Nutrition Expert
Does Intermittent Fasting Work?Shutterstock
Intermittent fasting " prolongs the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat,” explains Johns Hopkins Medicine. However, according to  Chris McMahon, a nutrition and fitness coach, “there's nothing magical” about fasting because weight loss boils down to calories in versus out. However, “if you're someone with a hectic schedule or you're just not hungry in the morning and you don't tend to get hungry until 10 or 11,” there isn’t anything wrong with fasting. Still, it won’t “suddenly transform your body or reset your aging clock or your biological clock,” he says. “All you're doing is just cutting some of your calories out.”
💪🔥Body Booster:Try intermittent fasting if it fits your schedule. Remember, weight loss depends on a calorie deficit, not fasting alone.
Nutrition & Diet
        20 Intermittent Fasting Mistakes Preventing You From Losing Weight
    
Dr. Morgan Nolte/YouTube
By Leah GrothJul 16, 2024
Leah Groth
Writer, Editor, and Content Creator
Leah Groth has decades of experience covering all things health, wellness and fitness related. 
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   FACT CHECKED BY
   Alek Korab
✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
Are you already on the intermittent fasting bandwagon, but can’t seem to lose weight? You might be making a critical mistake, claims one expert. Dr. Morgan Nolte, PT, DPT, GCS, is a board-certified clinical specialist in geriatric physical therapy and the founder of Zivli. In a viral YouTube video she discusses the most common missteps people make while practicing time restricted eating. “If you are using intermittent fasting to lose weight or get healthy, be sure to avoid these 10 common intermittent fasting weight loss mistakes,” she says in the video. “The goal of this episode is to help you avoid 10 common intermittent fasting weight loss mistakes that I've made and that I see my clients make, especially beginners just getting started with fasting.”
Keep in Mind That When You Start on the Weight Loss Journey, Your Body Might Take Time to Adjust
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“When you're trying to lose weight or get healthy, there are so many forces working against you,” she says. “Your body likes the status quo and doesn't want to change.”
Intermittent Fasting Is a Great Tool to Lower Insulin and Get Your Body Into Fat Burning Mode
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“Habits are hard to break, but using intermittent fasting is one of the best tools in your weight loss toolbox because when you don't eat, your insulin stays low. Insulin is your fat creation and storage hormone. So if you want to get into fat burning, intermittent fasting is a great tool to lower insulin,” she continues.
If You Have Insulin Resistance There Is More to the Equation Than Just “Eat Less, Exercise More”
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“When insulin is too high for too long, you may develop insulin resistance, which makes losing weight harder. It's also a root cause for type two diabetes, heart disease, and dementia. So living a low insulin and inflammation lifestyle is key to better health and keeping the weight off,” Dr. Nolte continues. “It takes a more specific and targeted strategy than just eat less, exercise more to lose weight with insulin resistance.”
Here Is Who Should Try Intermittent Fasting
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Who should try intermittent fasting? “If you've been at a weight loss plateau or are just getting started and maybe you've lost some weight but you're terrified to regain or you just have a few extra pounds to lose, intermittent fasting can be a helpful strategy for you,” she maintains.
Keep in Mind That Intermittent Fasting Is Basically Time-Restricted Eating
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She also wants to “take any drama or fear” out of the term intermittent fasting. “Everyone is already intermittent fasting. Anytime you are not eating, you are intermittently. Fasting when you're sleeping is a great example. So for that reason, I prefer the term time-restricted eating or feeding because it's more descriptive of what you're doing. You're shortening your eating window so that more time of your day is spent fasting to lower insulin.”
Everyone Should Fast for 12 to 14 Hours a Day
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“I recommend everyone fast for at least 12 to 14 hours per day. That would be considered a baseline level of intermittent fasting, and in my opinion is ideally just part of everyone's lifestyle unless they have a medical reason not to,” she says.
Moderate Intermittent Fasting Is 14 to 24 Hours Fast and Anything Longer, Advanced
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“I consider moderate intermittent fasting, anything from about 14 to 24 hours,” Dr. Nolte says. She defines “more advanced fasting” as “anything longer than a day.” She recommends “moderate intermittent fasting because we want you to lose weight how you're gonna live the rest of your life and not necessarily view fasting as a diet,” she says.
Talk to a Doctor Before Extending Your Fast
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“There are good medical reasons for advanced or extended fasting, but they may require more direct medical supervision depending on your health conditions,” she continues. “While intermittent fasting is the most powerful tool in your weight loss toolbox, it is still just one tool.”
Mistake 1: Overeating or Eating Too Much Processed Food
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“What you eat and how much you eat is very important too. So mistake number one is overeating or eating too much processed food,” Dr. Nolte reveals. “The golden rule of nutrition is to eat real unprocessed food. Whatever dietary pattern you ascribe to the golden rule still applies and will make that nutritional pattern healthier.”
Mistake 2: Fasting Too Long
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“The second major mistake, especially for those who want to make time restricted eating part of their lifestyle is they fast for too long,” reveals Dr. Nolte. “Starting out, they shock their brain and body and develop a restriction mindset that leads to overeating or binging.” Instead, “gradually increasing your fasting window versus going from say, a 10 hour fasting window to a 16 hour fasting window in one day,” is the way to go. “Gradually increasing by 30 to 60 minutes will be easier for both your brain and your body to adjust, but before you advance your fasting window, refer to my first point about learning how to properly fuel your body so that when you are fasting, you're not as hungry.”
Mistake 3: Underhydration
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“Speaking of hunger, that brings me to the third mistake of under hydration. Much of the water we consume in a day comes during meals to help us chew and swallow our food. We also get some water from the food that we eat. So if you're not eating, it will be especially important to hydrate,” she explains. “Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Ideally, your urine is clear or light yellow. Now, small amounts of caffeinated beverages like coffee or tea, like less than four to 500 milligrams would technically count towards your water intake.”
Mistake 4: Drinking Alcohol or Sweetened Beverages – EvenThose with Non-Nutritive Sweeteners While Fasting
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“The fourth intermittent fasting mistake is drinking alcohol or any sweetened beverage, whether with sugar or non-nutritive sweeteners, even the healthy ones, during your fasting window,” she says. Sugary beverages, alcohol, and many zero or low calorie drinks like ice, Coke Zero, really anything sweet, will trigger the hypothalamic region in your brain to make you think that calories are coming in. The hypothalamus then sends a signal to your pancreas via your vagal nerve that says, ‘Hey, you better get some insulin pumped out because we have some sweet stuff coming in.’ Then the insulin gets pumped out, but there's not really a direct rise in the glucose because you didn't actually eat any sugar or calories. So insulin pushes glucose already in your bloodstream into your cells, which lowers blood sugar. This drop in blood sugar sends a signal to your brain to increase your hunger, which is not something that we wanna do when we're fasting.
Mistake 5. Not Having Electrolytes While Fasting
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“Piggybacking on the hydration mistake is mistake number five, which is not having electrolytes when you're fasting,” says Nolte. “This was a mistake that I made for a long time, but finally started taking them when I felt like my muscles were taking longer to recover from exercise than what I wanted.” She recommends unflavored electrolytes with no added sugar or sweeteners.
Mistake 6: Fearing Exercise
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“Mistake number six is fearing exercise when you're fasting,” says Nolte. “This is one that's very personalized based on the level of intensity of your workouts and body composition goals.” She recommends taking exercise one step at a time. “Start with where you're at and know that any movement is better than none. But for optimal mitochondrial health and fat burning an hour of zone two aerobic exercise several times a week can be great. If you're struggling through your workouts, try including electrolytes in your water during and after exercise.”
Mistake 7: Eating Too Much Starch and Sugar During Your Window
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“Mistake number seven is eating too much starch and sugar during your eating window,” says Nolte. “To maximize the benefits of intermittent fasting for weight loss and fat burning, it's important to reduce starches and sugars in your diet. Starches and sugar have the biggest insulin response of all three macronutrients. Now remember, the whole goal here is to live a low insulin and inflammation lifestyle. There are essential proteins and fats, and I'd argue that fiber is essential too, but there are no essential starches or sugars. So if you're at a plateau, do a nutrition audit and check to see how you could increase your portions of protein, fat, and fiber from whole foods and reduce the portions of starches and sugar.”
Mistake 8: Fasting at the Wrong Time of Your Menstrual Cycle
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“Now, mistake number eight is fasting at the wrong time of your menstrual cycle,” Nolte continues. “If you're a woman still menstruating, the best time to experiment or start fasting is the week of your period up to ovulation. So about days one to 14, you won't wanna do longer fasts during ovulation or the week before your period.”
Mistake 9: Fasting When You’re Not Sleeping Well
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Mistake number nine is fasting when you're not sleeping well. “Sleep deprivation will increase your hunger hormone, ghrelin and make fasting harder, not something that we want,” she says. “If you're not sleeping at least seven hours a night, I'd focus on improving your baseline nutrition and sleep before starting anything longer than a 14 hour fast. It will just be easier and you're gonna see better results.”
Mistake 10: Being Impatient and Giving Up Too Soon
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“I've saved the best mistake for last, and that is being impatient about your results and giving up too soon,” she says. “There is no entitlement in weight loss. I know that for some, when you fast, you feel like you deserve to see results on the scale right away, and you might because fasting lowers insulin faster than anything else. And when your insulin is lower, you'll excrete more water. So the first bit of weight you lose may be water weight. The weight loss will likely slow down, and that is 100% normal expected. And okay, we've got to get over the instant gratification mindset If our aim is long-term weight loss and better health because that mindset is not serving you.”
Tackle One of These at a Time
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“No need to tackle all of these at once as that often leads to overwhelm, like you're taking two steps forward and then one step back,” Nolte concludes. “Instead just pick one and narrow your focus, your efforts will be way more effective that way.”
Follow Dr. Nolte on Social Media
Dr. Morgan Nolte/YouTube
You can follow Dr. Morgan Nolte on social media for more intermittent fasting advice. Here is her YouTube Channel and Instagram account.
Nutrition & Diet
        She Lost 30 Pounds While Eating These Popular Foods
    

        I Lost 30 Pounds While Eating These High-Protein Foods
    

        Copyright denisehamdan/TikTok
    
By Leah SuzanneMay 12, 2025
Leah Suzanne
Freelance Writer/Editor
 See Full Bio 
✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
Denise Hamdan (@denisehamdan) is a food and fitness influencer on TikTok who regularly shares her tricks and tips on weight loss with her 71,000 followers. Hamdan lost a whopping 30 pounds by following a healthy diet and exercising. In a recent clip, she reveals her diet. “Hey y'all, here's everything I ate in one day to stay lean as someone who lost 30 pounds,” she says, revealing that she eats 1829 calories and 147 g of protein per day. Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies, also weighs in. 

            
                Breakfast
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“I started my morning with my breakfast cocktail of oxygen and creatine. I just added the products to my showcase. So go check them out. I have my cocktail with Greek yogurt with strawberries and blueberries and a drizzle of granola,” she says. The total calories equal 157 and 14 g protein.

            
                Lunch
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“I'm in this phase where I eat nearly the same thing every day, and that's been scrambled eggs with cheese and spinach and some turkey bacon on the side,” she says about her lunch. “And honestly, I'm not complaining because it hits every time. Her total calories are 562 and 52 g protein.

            
                Green Smoothie
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
Sometimes she will have a smoothie instead. “I made a cute little green smoothie and it was a little messy, but it was good regardless,” she says. 

            
                Pre-Workout Snack
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“Later, for a pre-workout snack, I made some cute little tuna crackers with the green onion and bell pepper,” she says about the snack totaling 430 calories and 28 g protein.

            
                OxyShred and Pre-Workout
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“Then I got to the gym and made my OxyShred and pre-workout combo before hitting cardio and abs,” she continued. “It had me sweating.”

            
                Protein Bar
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“Right after my workout I had my favorite dark chocolate pretzel protein bar,” she continued.

            
                Dinner
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“And finally for dinner I made this super easy teriyaki chicken bowl over brown rice,” she said, adding that the 560 calorie and 52 gram protein meal is “so delicious and the macros forward are amazing.”

            
                Dessert
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Denise 🇵🇸 (@denisehamdan)
“Lastly, for dessert, I had some chocolate 'cause I cannot end the day without a little sweet treat,” she said about the 120 calorie sweet treat.

            
                RDN Weighs in
            
            
        I'm a Nutritionist and These 9 High-Protein Snacks Keep My Clients Full While Losing 50 PoundsCopyright Tara Collingwood
“1800-1900 calories seems like a good amount for her, but I don’t know her exact age, height, weight, or exercise level,” says Collingwood. “147 grams of protein is probably more than she needs, but it is not dangerously high.”

            
                Try Eating More Vegetables, Expert Says
            
            
        
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“I see a little bit of fruit on the yogurt and a tiny bit of spinach in eggs and peppers in tuna but overall not much veggie intake (green smoothie was green powder and not real whole veggies) which is proven with only 16 grams of fiber for her overall day,” Collingwood continues. “I would recommend increasing veggies to aim for 25 grams of fiber each day.” She also likes how often she is eating with the meals and snacks in between. “I do worry about the OxyShred. I couldn’t find on their website anywhere exactly how much caffeine is in it and having it later in the day could definitely impact sleep since caffeine has a 5 hour half-life,” she points out.
💪🔥Body Booster: How much protein should you consume per day? Aim for 0.8 to one gram per pound of bodyweight. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week
Nutrition & Diet
        20 Things to Avoid While on Ozempic
    

        20 Things to Avoid While on Ozempic
    

        Shutterstock
    
By Leah SuzanneMay 12, 2025
Leah Suzanne
Freelance Writer/Editor
 See Full Bio 
✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
Ozempic can be highly effective for weight loss, but there are definitely some unpleasant side effects to contend with, as the makers of the drug, Novo Nordisk, warn about. Nausea, constipation, and stomach pain are common, but avoiding certain foods and behaviors can make a difference. Here are 20 things to avoid while on Ozempic, to make the most of the medication and encourage healthy weight loss.

            
                Too Much Sugar
            
            
        ShutterstockAdded sugars, and sugary sodas, can spike blood sugar. Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy, recommends that people avoid sugary foods while on the drug. “If you are taking medication to lower your sugar levels, it is advisable to avoid excess sugar consumption,” Dr. Dina Peralta-Reich, MD, FAAP, FOMA, tells Parade. “Failure to watch what you eat and keep your sugar levels elevated may prevent you from seeing the intended results of the medication,” she shares.”

            
                Ultra-Processed Foods
            
            
        ​2. Processed FoodsShutterstockUltra-processed foods can make side effects of Ozempic worse. “This medication slows down gastric emptying and the dense food will move much slower through your intestines, which can make you feel sick [and experience] nausea, vomiting, reflux and abdominal pain,” says Dr. Peralta-Reich. “Someone may not see the results they're looking for either.”

            
                High-Fat Foods
            
            
        ShutterstockFoods high in saturated and trans fats can make side effects of Ozempic worse. Some people complain of diarrhea and stomach pains. “I’ve seen an almost dumping syndrome-like response in people taking GLP-1s when they eat simple carbohydrates and high-fat foods,” Dr. Shauna Levy, a specialist in obesity medicine and medical director of the Tulane Bariatric and Weight Loss Center in New Orleans, tells TODAY.

            
                Sitting All Day
            
            
        Shutterstock/Prostock-studioStaying active is important while on Ozempic. Regular exercise is not only important for health, it can prevent muscle loss. The goal should be fat loss, and getting strong.

            
                Not Hydrating
            
            
        ShutterstockDon’t forget to drink your water and stay hydrated. Drinking water can help with side effects of Ozempic, especially nausea. Ozempic.com recommends drinking clear or ice-cold drinks to combat any nausea and discomfort.

            
                Too Much Alcohol
            
            
        ​Pro TipsShutterstockAvoid alcohol on Ozempic, experts advice. “One, it’s just empty calories. Two, it tends to make people make decisions that they otherwise might not make,” says Dr. Levy. “It could increase hunger, and the whole point of GLP-1s, or at least one of the points, is to decrease hunger. So it sort of negates their purpose.”

            
                Be Mindful of Portions
            
            
        ShutterstockOzempic keeps food in the stomach longer, so bigger portions can cause discomfort. “Understanding that overall portions are smaller on these medications, we want to optimize nutritional intake and consume the ‘best’ calories available,” obesity medicine physician Dr. Christopher McGowan tells TODAY. “The focus should be on lean protein, healthy fruits and vegetables, adequate fiber and adequate fluid intake.”

            
                Be Mindful of Coffee
            
            
        Shutterstock“Overall, coffee is perfectly fine to consume, but for some individuals can lead to stomach irritation,” says Dr. McGowan. “Therefore, I recommend drinking coffee in moderation, such as one to two cups a day. Patients should also be mindful of calorie-dense additives, like cream and sugar.”

            
                Don’t Skip Meals
            
            
        ShutterstockIt’s easy to skip meals when on Ozempic, but make sure you’re getting enough nutrition. Some people have even become malnourished as a result of not eating.  “It’s never healthy to not eat,” Dr. Hwang said. Dr. Janice Jin Hwang, the division chief of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine tells the New York Times.

            
                Don’t Consider It a Quick Fix
            
            
        ShutterstockOzempic should be part of a long-term health plan. “It’s important to note that if you start taking either of these drugs for weight loss, your body may get used to it, establishing a new normal,” says UC Davis Health. This can cause your weight to plateau. Research has shown that if you stop taking Ozempic (or Wegovy), it's likely that you will gain back the weight you lost.”

            
                Same Unhealthy Lifestyle
            
            
        ​Don’t Drink as Much AlcoholShutterstockDon’t continue an unhealthy diet and assume it’s ok because of Ozempic. “You can likely lose weight on semaglutide medications without changing your diet and activity behaviors, but these lifestyle changes will make the treatment more effective,” Richard Siegel, MD, tells the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. “Also, we don’t know if weight loss will have the same health benefits if one does not change their behaviors.”

            
                Protect Your Health
            
            
        Most Women on GLP-1s Are Making a Few Common MistakesShutterstockSome doctors warn that taking Ozempic can make people complacent about their health. “It is important to remember that obesity is heterogenous, chronic and complex,” Vijaya Surampudi, MD, physician nutrition specialist and assistant director of the UCLA Weight Management Program (RFO), tells UCLA Health. “There is no cure for obesity. It requires lifelong treatment that’s not one size fits all.”

            
                Carbonated Beverages
            
            
        ​Soda and Sugary DrinksShutterstockOzempic slows down digestion, keeping food in your stomach for longer. This causes a feeling of fullness and some unpleasant side effects for some people like belching. Stick to still water as carbonated beverages can make stomach issues worse.

            
                Long-Term Goals
            
            
        ShutterstockIf you plan on only taking Ozempic or Wegovy for a short while, it’s likely your weight will come back on. “In one trial of Wegovy, people regained about two-thirds of the weight lost within a year of stopping the drug,” Dr. Siegel explains. “Lifestyle changes can help maintain weight loss, but it’s unusual to maintain all weight loss once you stop any weight loss medication.”

            
                Refined Carbohydrates
            
            
        ​Eat BreakfastShutterstockRefined carbohydrates tend to spike blood sugar, which is exactly what Ozempic is meant to treat. You don’t have to cut these foods out entirely, but be aware it makes it harder for Ozempic to do its job. “Foods like white bread, white rice, crackers, or even cereals may seem like better choices than foods with added sugar, but refined carbohydrates still metabolize as glucose in the body,” Christine Fallabel, MPH, tells Diabetes Strong.

            
                Watch Out For High Fiber
            
            
        ​And Improve Insulin SensitivityShutterstockWhile many green vegetables are low GI, be careful about the fiber. “If you’re not used to eating a lot of vegetables, you may experience side effects such as bloating and gas, until your body has acclimated to eating a more fiber-filled diet,” Fallabel says.

            
                Junk Food
            
            
        ​Belly Flab Strip Tip: Sugar and Fat Calories Leave Its Mark on Your BodyShutterstockJunk food—which you should be avoiding either way for weight loss purposes—often contains high levels of sodium. “Ultra-processed foods are high in sodium, saturated fats and added sugars, which contribute to a range of health problems,” Elizabeth Ko, MD, and Eve Glazier, MD, tell UCLA Health. These include an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lowered immune response, certain cancers, dementia and early death.”

            
                Spicy Foods
            
            
        ShutterstockOzempic can cause acid reflux due to slow digestion. Spicy foods can make acid reflux worse, experts warn. However, if acid reflux is not an issue, people can probably enjoy spicy foods if they wish.

            
                Always See a Medical Professional
            
            
        ​The Drugs Mimic the GLP-1 Hormone Naturally Produced by the BodyShutterstockOzempic should only be prescribed by a medical professional. “Typically, I prescribe Ozempic for diabetes and have more often prescribed Wegovy for weight loss,” endocrinologist Alyssa Dominguez, MD, tells Keck Medicine. “I have used Ozempic, sometimes, off-label for weight loss, though getting insurance approval for that can be challenging.”

            
                Fried Foods
            
            
        ​3. Deep-Fried ItemsShutterstockFried, greasy foods can make Ozempic stomach issues worse. “Foods high in fat can make digestive side effects worse. Since food hangs around longer in the stomach, it has more time to cause problems,” Sarah Bullard, MS, RD, LD, tells Signos. “Some studies have shown that consuming too much fat can increase symptoms of fullness, nausea, and bloating in individuals with digestive issues and heartburn. Reducing fat intake resolved symptoms.”
💪🔥Body Booster: A whole foods Mediterranean diet is ideal while taking Ozempic.
Fitness & Workouts
        Sophie van Oostenbrugge Shares Her Routine
    

        Copyright gainsbybrains/Instagram/Shutterstock
    
By Leah SuzanneMay 11, 2025
Leah Suzanne
Freelance Writer/Editor
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✓Evidence-Based
This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.
Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.
We are committed to bringing you researched, expert-driven content to help you make more informed decisions around food, health, and wellness. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible.
Do you want to get your glutes sculpted for summer? Sophie van Oostenbrugg is a fitness trainer and the founder of the Gains with Brains app. She regularly shares workouts with her 2.4 million Instagram followers on how to burn fat and build muscle. “I grew up hearing that women should be as small as possible. That’s why I loved being able to share my bulking journey on social. I’ve done 2 bulks so far.. and I was thinking about starting and sharing a 3rd one,” she wrote in a recent post. She also revealed her “medium leg day” workout, which will help you tone up fast.

            
                She Does Multiple Leg Days a Week
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
“I have good news today..it’s a medium leg day!!!🫣🤭sooo I split my leg workouts & currently have lighter, medium and heavier days. this helps me with recovery, train through a variety of rep ranges and make it more enjoyable,” she explains in the post.

            
                She Does 8 to 12 Reps of Each Exercise
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
In the video she explains that she has “multiple leg days per week.” She goes onto reveal all of the exercises she does with “rep ranges from 8 to 12.”

            
                RDLS
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
“I started with RDLs, four sets of eight,” Sophie reveals. To do Romanian deadlifts, start with both legs pressed evenly on the floor. “Slightly bend knees while bending over,” says The Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian. “Keep your arms pointing down toward the floor and lower with you almost touching the floor. Keep hips and shoulders square facing forward throughout the exercise. Return to standing.” She suggests repeating 10 to 12 times with the right leg and repeating on the left side. “Progression includes holding a weight in the arm pointing toward the floor,” she adds. 

            
                Sumo Squat with Kettlebell
            
            
        
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A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
“Then I moved on to a sumo squat with kettlebell. You know the deal, form over everything, so go slow and control the weight,” she says. Sumo squats are similar to regular squats, only you point your toes outward.

            
                Glute Bridges
            
            
        
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A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
“Then I did glute bridges,” Sophie continues. You can do glute bridges with or without weights.

            
                Cable Step Up
            
            
        
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A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
Next up? Cable step ups, using an exercise block. “These are great as they help with balance and therefore they're easier to overload,” she says. 

            
                Seated Leg Curl
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
She sits down at a machine. “Then I did a seated leg curl,” she says.

            
                Core Exercise
            
            
        
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sophie van Oostenbrugge (@gainsbybrains)
“I finished with some core exercises,” Sophie concludes. “I want to get my core as strong as humanly possible so I can keep recording more intense ab workouts.”
💪🔥Body Booster: Try splitting up your workouts into light, medium, and intense days to allow your body ample time needed to recover.
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