Is it possible to lose weight quickly while staying healthy and effective? If you’re wondering how to lose weight fast and if it’s achievable, we invite you to read this mini-guide prepared by our clinical dietitian, MSc. Ewa Gębka!

Weight loss diet: what you need to know

A weight loss diet is nothing more than a calorie-reduction diet, which involves decreasing the intake of kilocalories through food (known as a calorie deficit).

The daily caloric requirement of a specific person depends on gender, age, weight, height, and daily physical activity. The caloric (energy) requirement of each person is thus the energy necessary for the body’s proper daily functioning.

Reduction is nothing more than decreasing the amount of kilocalories we provide to our body through food (including liquids).

How to lose weight fast naturally and permanently

Start by determining your individual energy needs. A common mistake is following ready-made diets from the Internet or a colleague at work, because “Basia lost weight on this diet”. Unfortunately, each of us has our own individual caloric requirements, and ready-made diets may not always result in losing those extra pounds in our case.

Step 1. Assess your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)

To determine your energy (caloric) needs, you first calculate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This represents the minimum amount of energy required to maintain basic life processes, including breathing and maintaining heart rate. You can easily calculate your BMR by searching for a “BMR calculator” online. To calculate your basic energy needs, you’ll need information such as gender, age, current body weight, and height.

Step 2. Estimate your Physical Activity Level (PAL), which is:

  • 1.2 – illness or complete lack of movement
  • 1.4 – mostly inactive or sedentary lifestyle
  • 1.5 – low active lifestyle (exercising 1-2 times a week)
  • 1.6 – moderately active lifestyle (exercising 2-3 times a week)
  • 1.7 – active lifestyle (exercising more than 3 times a week)
  • 2 – very active lifestyle (daily intense exercise).

Step 3. Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)

Once you know your BMR, it’s time to calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). TDEE consists of the previously mentioned BMR and your Physical Activity Level (PAL).
You should multiply your BMR by your PAL to get your TDEE, which roughly determines your daily caloric needs if you want to maintain your current body weight. If, however, you want to lose weight, proceed to Step 4.

Step 4. Set a calorie deficit

If you want to lose, for example, 1 kg per week, you need to subtract 1,000 kcal from the result obtained above, i.e., from your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). However, it is not recommended to consume fewer calories than your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

How much weight can you lose in a week?

If you want to reduce your body weight by 1 kg per week, you need to decrease your daily calorie intake by 1,000 calories. If you want to lose 0.5 kg per week, you need to achieve a daily deficit of around 500 kcal. This leads to an optimal weight loss of 0.5-1 kg per week, or about 2-4 kg per month. These are the numbers you should stick to when losing weight. There’s no point in aiming for a larger calorie deficit.

If you drastically reduce the number of kilocalories you consume, you won’t lose fat faster. Instead, your body will slow down its metabolism in an attempt to conserve energy. This is known as adaptive thermogenesis. Essentially, it’s the body’s way of saving energy when it’s in short supply. Moreover, severe calorie restrictions can lead to eating disorders, bodily depletion, or a return to your previous weight (the so-called yo-yo effect).

How to lose weight?

  1. Set realistic goals
    Studies have shown that if you do this, you’re much more likely to turn them into actions. Goals should be specific and realistic (e.g., “I’ll lose 5 kg in a month” instead of “I’d like to lose some weight in a month”). Try to set appropriate time frames – losing 15 kg by New Year’s Eve is obviously unrealistic.

  2. Monitor your progress
    You can track your progress no more than once a week by measuring your waist circumference and body weight. Avoid weighing yourself too often, as it can lead to an obsession with weight. Monitoring your waist circumference and body weight will allow you to see how your body shape is changing.

  3. Reduce calorie intake
    As explained above, reducing your calorie intake by around 500-1,000 kcal daily will allow you to lose weight without significantly slowing down your metabolism and will help you avoid nutritional deficiencies (of vitamins and minerals).

  4. Limit sugar and processed food intake
    All kinds of sweet carbonated drinks, fruit juices, and cookies are sources of so-called empty calories. Unfortunately, it’s easier to consume too many calories in liquid form than in solid form. To avoid becoming discouraged with a calorie-reduction diet, you can opt for alternatives like a diet soda instead of regular cola. This way, you’ll save almost 100 kcal per glass of such a drink. If you crave something sweet, it’s better to buy one small candy bar than a whole pack of cookies.

  5. Increase fiber intake
    Dietary fiber slows down the emptying of food from the stomach, reduces hunger, and helps maintain a feeling of fullness. It also adds volume to the foods you eat. The most filling foods are those with high volume and low-calorie density. Therefore, consume plenty of water-rich, fiber-rich foods that add volume to your meals. Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains.

    To maintain a feeling of fullness for longer, you can include a protein shake in your diet. Protein supplements from Primabiotic are made from plant-based proteins and yeast proteins. They’re enriched with vitamins and minerals. Protein supplements not only support weight loss but also help build muscle mass.

  6. Reduce portion sizes
    Use smaller plates and choose smaller packages. Scientists from the United States have discovered that the larger the portion or meal, the more calories you consume. This can be helpful during the upcoming holidays to avoid overeating.

  7. Eat regularly and without haste
    Try to eat 4-5 meals a day at regular intervals. This will help limit snacking between meals. Eating meals without rushing, sitting at the table, watching TV, or scrolling through your smartphone, will allow your body to register the food consumed. Slow eating will also reduce the size of meal portions.

  8. Don’t give up your favorite foods
    Numerous studies have shown that an effective strategy during a calorie-reduction diet is not to prohibit certain foods and to allow occasional indulgences without guilt. If you know you can have your favorite food or dish from time to time (e.g., a piece of your favorite cake on Sunday), you stop thinking of it as forbidden and, when you have the chance, you don’t overeat it.

  9. Change your lifestyle
    To maintain your desired weight long-term, you need to make changes to your eating habits – ones that suit you and that you can stick to. If you make changes too quickly and drastically, eliminating all “unhealthy” foods, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to maintain such a lifestyle in the long run. The plan for losing those extra pounds should be reasonable and balanced.

  10. Introduce changes gradually
    Eat what you like but in a healthier version. If you like to eat a sandwich with white bread, butter, cheese, and ham every morning for breakfast, make that sandwich in a healthier version. Replace the bread with whole grain, and put the butter in a plant-based spread or hummus. Keep the slice of cheese/ham, and add vegetables like a few radishes. This way, you won’t have to give up your favorite sandwiches, but the effect will be entirely different, and it will be easier to lose weight.

    If you like to drink 3 coffees with cream and sugar every day, we have a solution – replace the cream with skim milk and the sugar with a sweetener like stevia. This will help reduce your daily calorie intake. It’s known that the best results during weight loss are visible when combining a diet with physical activity. However, this doesn’t mean you need to buy a gym membership immediately. Start by getting off the bus two stops earlier before work/home and take a walk. Choose stairs over the elevator. These simple solutions combined with a desire to change will help you lose weight and develop healthier habits.

The Dangers of Yo-Yo Dieting

Repeated weight fluctuations are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, gallstone disease, and premature death. Some researchers suggest that this increased risk is because fat tissue usually redeposits around the abdomen, closer to the liver, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, the yo-yo effect can be harmful to our mental health. Every time we regain lost pounds, we experience a sense of failure, which usually lowers self-confidence and faith in our abilities.

Drastic weight loss diet – why is it a bad idea?

It’s also important to approach weight loss diets promoted in the media with caution, as they are often very low in calories. They quickly reduce body weight but often lead to regaining the lost weight. Diets that do not offer a properly balanced menu result in serious nutritional deficiencies and can even lead to health problems such as digestive disorders, anemia, muscle and joint pain, skin problems, and hormonal imbalances.

Another problem with such low-calorie diets is the risk of developing eating disorders, which pose a threat to life and health.

There is no one-size-fits-all weight loss diet

It is best if the weight loss process is conducted with the help of a certified dietitian. This will allow for an accurate assessment of your energy needs, help avoid nutritional deficiencies in your diet, and ensure that your meal plan is tailored to your lifestyle, culinary preferences, and current health condition.


Check out the other entries: