7 Ways to Lose 25+ Pounds Without Taking Weight Loss Drugs, Says Expert

Are you struggling to lose weight? Make this year your weight loss success story by avoiding some diet and fitness strategies that may be backfiring. Tameika Gentles is a fitness coach and weight loss warrior who dropped a whopping 100 pounds sustainably. In a new post, she reveals a few of the things she avoided doing that enabled her to lose a lot of weight. “5 controversial things I DO NOT recommend if you’re trying to lose 50 pounds or more (and I’ve lost 100 lbs…),” she writes across the Instagram video.

She’s Lost 100 Pounds and Kept It Off After Failing Over and Over Again

“I’ve been there—tried it all and failed HARD. But after losing 100 lbs and keeping it off, here’s what I’ve learned,” she continues in the post. “And what I’m sharing isn’t about what’s good or bad—it’s about what’s NOT necessary for long-term success.”

You “Don’t Need to Do” These 5 Things to Lose Weight

“No shame to those who choose these methods—do what works for YOU! This message is for the people who feel like they have to follow these trends to succeed. I’m here to tell you: you don’t. If you’re kicking off your weight loss journey in 2025, here are five things you don’t need to do,” she says.

RELATED: Nutritionist Lost 80 Pounds With These 5 Daily Habits

1. Fasting

Fasting is the first thing you don’t need to do in order to lose weight. “Fasting can work for some, but it’s not a must for results. Skipping meals often leads to overeating later, slows your metabolism, and can mess with your hormones. Sustainable weight loss is about finding balance, not extremes,” she writes.

2. Low Carb Diet

The second thing you don’t need to do? Go on low-carb diets. “Cutting carbs might lead to quick results, but is it realistic for life? Carbs fuel your body and mind—they’re not the enemy. You don’t need to cut out entire food groups to see progress,” she says.

3. Excessive Exercise

The third thing you don’t need to do? Excessive exercise. “More isn’t always better. It’s about consistency. 30 minutes of daily movement for a year beats an intense 3-week overhaul that leads to burnout and months of inactivity,” she writes.

RELATED: This Coach Lost 110 Pounds by Walking More and These 4 Simple Changes

4. Detoxes

Number four? Detoxes. “Save your money. Your liver and kidneys are built-in detox powerhouses. Most detoxes are unnecessary (and some are even harmful). Focus on real, nourishing food instead,” she says.

5. Weight Loss Pills/Supplements

Weight loss pills and supplements are also not needed. “They’re often unregulated, unsustainable, and don’t address the behaviors that lead to lasting change. I lost 100 lbs without them, and my clients succeed without them, too. You don’t need them,” she says.

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Instead, Focus on Balance, Consistency, and What Works for You

“The key to sustainable weight loss isn’t doing what’s trendy—it’s finding what works for YOU. Starting your 2025 journey? Remember, you don’t need to follow extreme trends to see real, lasting progress. Focus on balance, consistency, and what fits your life,” she concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, don't missI’m a Nutritionist and Here Are 25 Weight Loss Truths You Need to Hear.

Do you want to lose a pound in just three days? It may be easier than you think, claims one expert. Alex, aka @alexxandra.fitt, is a fitness trainer and influencer whose goal is “helping women lose weight without the restrictions.” In a new social media post, she reveals how she helped one of her clients lose 10 pounds in just 30 days. “My client Lexi lost 10lbs in her first month of working together, and I’m gonna tell you exactly how she did it so you can too,” she says. Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva Tara Collingwood, also weighs in.

Creating an Eating Schedule

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The first tip is creating an eating schedule. “Pack your meals to work,” she says. “This helped Lexi a lot with her binge eating because she was eating throughout the day!”

Body Network’s Expert Weighs In

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“Planning and preparing food ahead of time can really help with preventing eating out and having healthy food on hand,” says Body Network’s Resident RDN, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies. “Remember to pack snacks as well as lunch to keep you going all day.”

Walk for an Hour Daily

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Next up, get your steps in. “Go for a one-hour walk every day. If you can’t get 10,000 steps, do an hour walk at least. This can be broken up into two 30-minute walks as well,” she recommends.

RELATED:15 Ways to Lose Weight Every Weekend

Body Network’s Expert Weighs In

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“Our lives have become so sedentary, and it is sending our metabolism into a tailspin and reducing the number of calories we burn significantly,” says Collingwood. “Moving your body with a walk or small bouts of exercise every day is necessary to counteract all of the sitting we are doing.”

Also, Exercise Three Times a Week

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“Do some type of exercise three times a week. This can be at home, Pilates class, yoga anything,” she recommends. “Lexi lost another 8 pounds in a month when she consistently followed the workouts I gave her.”

RELATED: This Is the Best Time of the Day to Exercise, According to Science

Body Network’s Expert Weighs In

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“When we lose weight, we lose fat but also muscle tissue,” explains Collingwood. “Doing resistance based exercise like lifting weights, bodyweight exercise, yoga, or pilates type workouts can help to maintain or even potentially build muscle instead of losing it during our weight loss journey.”

RELATED:10 Quick Exercises to Firm Up Loose Skin in 10 Days

Cut Soda and Fried Food Out

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Next up, clean up your diet. “Lexi was a huge soda addict. She cut out soda slowly and switched to sparkling water. Fried foods was a NO go as well she was committed,” she says.

Body Network’s Expert Weighs In

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“Regular sodas are the number one source of added sugar in our diets,” agrees Collingwood. “It is not filling and provides nothing but sugar. Sparkling water is hydrating and provides zero calories. Fried foods are laden in oil, which is extremely calorie dense and not conducive to weight loss.”

Consume More Protein

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Her final tip? “Protein baby,” she says. “I gave Lexi a meal plan with 140g of protein to eat a day she weighed 160 lbs at the start and dropped down to 142 lbs.”

RELATED:20 Possible Ozempic Side Effects

Body Network’s Expert Weighs In

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“Protein is essential but everyone needs different amounts,” explains Collingwood. “140 grams of protein for a woman is a lot of protein and may be difficult to achieve especially when on a weight loss diet.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Combine weight loss with resistance exercises like strength training, yoga, or Pilates to keep your muscles strong and healthy throughout your journey.

Dominique Sottile (@lifting_queen_dom) is a weight loss coach, trainer, and social media influencer who has amassed a large following across multiple platforms for sharing insider advice on how to burn fat and lose weight in a “realistic” way. In a new video, she explains how you can lose 26 pounds without taking weight loss pills – but simply through hard work and fueling your body with the fuel it needs to thrive. We also asked The Body Network’s Resident RDN, The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to weigh in on her advice.

A Woman Is Struggling to Lose Weight

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Dominique reads an email from a woman struggling to lose weight. “I weigh 176 pounds. This is the heaviest I've ever weighed. I'm depressed, sad, and would ideally like to weigh 150 pounds,” it says. She goes on to explain that she is eating 140 grams of protein, 80 to 100 carbs, and 35 grams of fat. She also drinks green powder daily. “I know you're probably not going to like those macros,” the email continues. She adds that she is losing “some weight” and doing an hour of cardio daily, “but I feel so bloated and puffy and tired no matter what I eat or how little I eat.”

First, Supplements and Green Powder Won’t Help You Lose Weight

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First, Dominique points out that green powder and supplements are going to “fix the problem” like changing your lifestyle will. “These weight loss pills, do you think you just taking these weight loss pills and not exercising and looking at your diet means you're going to lose weight? No. Just like taking greens powder, A greens powder is a good supplement for you to take if you are not drinking greens throughout the day. That is why I say take a greens powder in the morning. If you know that you don't like vegetables or put it in a smoothie, if you know you are lacking on your greens, this is not going to solve your bloating or your issues. This is just giving you extra greens throughout the day,” she says.

She Isn’t Eating Enough

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She adds that 80 to 100 grams of carbs is not the right number. “We know her current macros are 140 protein, 80 to 100 carbs and 35 fat. We know that she is bloated, puffy and tired, and she is only doing cardio. The calories for 140 to 80 carb and 35 fat is going to be 1195 calories, and then if she was eating a hundred carbs on a higher carb day, that's still only 1275 calories,” she says, pointing out that it probably isn’t enough for her especially if she is doing an hour of cardio daily.

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She Has No Energy to Run On

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She points out that if you are tired, bloated, only doing cardio, and suffering from inflammation, it’s probably because your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs. Therefore it has no energy to run on.

She Recommends Strength Training

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“Here's what we're going to do,” she says. “You can keep in some cardio if she truly loves it, but she's going to strength training three times a week.”

She’s Also Going to Bump Up Her Carbs and Fat

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She also recommends bumping up her carbs to 50 and fat to 45. “She can stay at 140 protein for now. That gives her a total of 1565 calories,” she continues. “As time goes on and she increases her activity, we will increase her food as well.” She explains that this will help her lose fat and not muscle, now that she is also strength training. “If you want to look toned, okay, and you want to have a six pack and you want to be lean, you know how you're going to do that. By losing fat,” she continues. As she starts exercising more, she will increase her food. “This is going to help with her bloating, with her digestion, with her being tired and she'll have more energy. The fact that she can have more energy, she'll be able to strength train.”

She Will Start Noticing a Difference and Keep Going

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“When she starts strength training, she'll notice she's losing inches. When she's losing inches, she'll notice her clothes are fitting better. When her clothes are feeling better, she'll notice that she has more confidence. When she has more confidence, she will keep going because it feels so dang good, and then we can keep upping her calories and her food until she's at a steady place where she is not struggling to eat 1195 calories,” she says.

Bottom Line: Don’t Fear Food, It Can “Heal You”

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She concludes by telling her followers that “you do not want to live the rest of your life being fearful of food. You do not want to live the rest of your life feeling bloated, bloated to the point where you're so scared to eat because all you do is bloat. You do not want to live the rest of your life being tired and hungry and starving and moody and always needing energy, drinks and caffeine, and always needing to take a nap. You are going to miss out on so much in life. When you are fearful to live life, this is all holding you back. You having a toxic relationship with food. Food is medicine. Food can heal you. Food is fuel. This will help you achieve your goals. Life is meant to have energy and enjoyment and love and confidence.”

RELATED: 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week

Lose Weight in a Sustainable Way

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She adds that if you lose weight in a sustainable way, you can be happy. “Stop doing things that lead you into being miserable. You deserve to be happy. You deserve to have your dream body. You deserve to have it all, and you can. It's not too late. You're not too old. These are all narratives that you tell yourself.”

Collingwood Agrees That She Isn’t Eating Enough

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Collingwood agrees that the woman in the email isn’t eating nearly enough and is too low on carbs and fat. “Definitely increasing both of these and spreading that out throughout the day is a great idea to give her more energy,” she says.

RELATED: The #1 Cause of "Hidden" Fat, According to Science

She Also Maintains That She Exhausting Herself With Cardio

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Also, she confirms that she is “exhausting herself” with one hour of cardio per day and her body has probably adjusted to it. “Reduce the cardio, increase the intensity of it with some intervals and cut it to 30 minutes,” she says. “Definitely add strength training to the routine and 3 times per week is a great recommendation.”

She May Be Bloating From Her Diet

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She adds that she may be feeling bloated from eating low carb foods (sugar alcohols), from carbonated foods, “or just that the gut microbiome is off from years of dieting,” Collingwood adds. “Add some probiotics and fiber to keep things moving.”

Body Booster: If you are struggling to lose weight, rethink your approach to diet and fitness. Maybe you aren’t eating enough or doing the right type of exercise.