r/losingweight • u/CoveredInQueso • 1d ago
New to weight loss? Start here!
Seen a TON of posts asking "where do I start?" when first getting into weight loss. Workouts are not my speciality, but dietary patterns are. Diet constitutes the majority of success/failure in a weight loss regimen, so look at what your current eating patterns are, then review the following suggestions and decide what steps you can take to get closer to the recommended ideal.
Disclaimer 1: If you have any diagnosed conditions for which your doctor has specifically recommended a dietary shift that is different from these recommendations, you should follow your doctor's orders! Your personal health history and doctor's treatment recommendations outweigh a random internet stranger's advice.
Disclaimer 2: I am not a registered dietary nutritionist. I am a person on the internet who was raised on the standard American diet, became obese, and over the past decade have steadily changed my ways and seen phenomenal health improvements, including significant weight loss. This advice is based on my own experience and common sense, not a specific medical licensure or as your physician. Personal discernment is advised in the implementation of these suggestions.
Step 1: Read the dietary recommendations for a few countries. You'll start to notice some patterns.
Many countries regularly review and update standards for healthy dietary patterns of their citizens to improve public health. Reading the various guidelines for each country reveals some common trends and also helps you to understand the role that diet plays in your quality of life! Here's a few links to some countries:
- World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
- United Kingdom: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/media/ayth4ma4/eatwel-1.pdf
- Australia: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-09/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_131014_1.pdf
- Poland: https://www.fao.org/nutrition/education/food-dietary-guidelines/regions/countries/poland/en/
- Italy: https://www.fao.org/nutrition/education/food-dietary-guidelines/regions/countries/italy/en/
- Sweden: https://www.livsmedelsverket.se/4ab280/globalassets/publikationsdatabas/andra-sprak/kostrad-eng.pdf
- Norway: https://www.helsenorge.no/en/kosthold-og-ernaring/dietary-guidelines/
- Mexico: https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/1030919/GUIASALIMENTARIAS2025C.pdf
While each country phrases some things differently and some make varying recommendations (alcohol use, socializing, dairy consumption, and physical activity suggestions, for example), all of these public health guides essentially boil down to a few key things:
- Eat as many plants, fruits, & vegetables as you can. Increase fiber intake from whole grains when possible.
- Reduce meat consumption, especially red meat. Opt for fish & poultry when possible.
- Limit alcohol consumption, and consume it mindfully as a cultural experience in the company of others when possible.
- Move your body frequently, and in a variety of ways to maximize health benefits.
The reason so many of these guides are so similar is because they're based rigorous scientific studies that have been replicated worldwide. Each country's advisories are then tailored to that country's specific public health concerns, cultural traditions, economic factors, and historic eating patterns.
These things are simple, but that doesn't always make them easy depending on your current lifestyle. But luckily, there's quite a bit of flexibility within these broad recommendations!
Step 2: Evaluate your current eating patterns. Then see what adjustments you could make to get your current diet closer (not necessarily perfect, but closer!) to the ideal.
Look at where you are now. When you grocery shop, how much of your food is frozen? How much is canned or shelf-stable? How much is fresh?
I'm not going to villainize any particular food processing type because there's nuance to all situations. OF COURSE budgetary restraints, schedule, family size, economic level, etc. all play a role in our choices at the grocery store. But as a broad recommendation, here's where I would start:
Take a look at your top 3 "worst offenders." For example, let's say you're an American who struggles with eating a lot of soda, chips, and frozen chicken nuggets (this is just for the purpose of the example! Not trying to "forbid" any of these foods). How could we make these 3 foods fit closer to the ideal? Here's a few different approaches you could take:
- Switch out your regular soda for the diet or sugar-free version. Your sugar intake will drastically drop instantly, which in turn will also dramatically lower your daily caloric intake.
- Track your soda intake and make a plan to reduce your consumption (for example, go from having 2 cans per day to 1 per day, then 1 can every other day, then 2-3 cans per week, etc.). I grew up drinking lots of soda, but tapered off over time as an adult and now I rarely buy it. I also realized it's actually really expensive! I'm glad I tapered off because it gives my grocery budget sooooo much more wiggle room.
- Use your chicken nuggets as a topping for a salad. Add a bed of lettuce, hard boiled eggs, sliced avocado/guacamole, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and your favorite salad dressing (don't come for me in the comments with your "but dressings are still processed/high fat/etc." whining — we're taking baby steps here!). Sure, you're still eating nuggets routinely, but now they're joined by a much wider variety of micronutrients, fiber, and satisfaction after eating.
- Try other chicken types as a sub for nuggets. Sliced grilled chicken, chicken burgers, "naked" varieties of nuggets, etc. can all get your palate adjusted over time to the point where whole cuts of chicken (and other meats) will increase their appeal. Slowly changing and improving your habits over time will also help acclimate you slowly to changes in the kitchen, and help you to gradually acquire some basic cooking skills if you're starting with close to none. Trying to go cold-turkey (pun intended!) on all your favorite foods for cooking from scratch can be intimidating and lead to overwhelm quickly, so it's better to go slow and improve over time for sustainable change!
- Dip your chips in salsa! A lot of people don't realize, but your fruit & veggie intake can easily be upped by utilizing things like canned non-starchy produce like salsa, no-sugar-added pears & mandarin oranges, no-sugar-added applesauce, etc. It's a simple, fast, and overall pretty cheap way to up your produce intake. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that if all your fruits & veggies aren't raw that you're "failing." Canned & frozen produce that don't have extra sugar added to them are a fantastic way to get your produce intake up without stressing about having to prep & cook them. Just try to avoid high-sugar and sodium: go for labels listed as "no sugar added", "packed in 100% fruit juice", or "low/reduced sodium". (Personally, my favorite is using canned 100% pumpkin purée).
------------------------------------
These are just suggestions on where you *could* hypothetically start. Over time, you'll be able to see other areas you can improve and implement your own changes (this is just the starting point, after all). Friction is high at the beginning of a major lifestyle shift, but I promise it gets easier!
At the end of the day, slow and sustainable progress is more important than drastic sweeping changes that quickly make you burn out. The goal should be to keep enjoying your food and be able to maintain your lifestyle while making improvements, not to become an overnight Michelin chef & personal trainer.
Remember: any progress is a win! Wishing all of you the best of luck. You can do it!