Health

I’m a dietitian — this is my No. 1 tip for losing weight

By
Tracy Swartz
Published Aug. 30, 2024, 5:03 p.m. ET

Chew on this — an NYC-based registered dietitian says her top tip for weight loss is to eat more frequently throughout the day to prevent reaching for cookies and chips because you’re starving and they are right there.

“Although calories factor into weight loss, the key to losing weight is to avoid getting to the point of being too hungry,” Natalie Rizzo wrote last week for EatingWell. “As a matter of fact, the No. 1 habit to lose weight is to eat before you are ravenous.”

Rizzo says timing is key — if you're unable to nosh at the same time every day, try to eat a meal or snack every three to four hours to stave off hunger pangs.
Rizzo says timing is key — if you’re unable to nosh at the same time every day, try to eat a meal or snack every three to four hours to stave off hunger pangs. Ilona – stock.adobe.com
NYC-based registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo says her top tip for weight loss is to eat more frequently throughout the day to prevent reaching for unhealthy food because you're starving.
NYC-based registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo says her top tip for weight loss is to eat more frequently throughout the day to prevent reaching for unhealthy food because you’re starving. Prostock-studio – stock.adobe.com

In her argument for regular, consistent meals, Rizzo pointed to a 2022 study that found that consuming consistent amounts of calories at regular intervals, such as breakfast, lunch and dinner, may increase weight loss success.

Rizzo says timing is key — if you’re unable to nosh at the same time every day, try to eat a meal or snack every three to four hours to stave off hunger pangs.

“This window will allow you enough time to digest your food but prevent you from going so long between meals that you’re ravenous,” Rizzo explained in EatingWell. “If you struggle with distractions, set a timer on your phone until eating every few hours becomes second nature.” 

Rizzo suggests prioritizing protein and balancing it with whole-food carbohydrates — like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes — and "a dash" of healthy fats.
Rizzo suggests prioritizing protein and balancing it with whole-food carbohydrates — like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes — and “a dash” of healthy fats. AYAimages – stock.adobe.com

Of course, what you eat is important too. Rizzo suggests prioritizing protein and balancing it with whole-food carbohydrates — like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes — and “a dash” of healthy fats.

Protein can help you feel fuller because it takes longer to digest than other nutrients. It can also help preserve lean muscle mass, and muscle burns more calories than fat.

How much protein you need has long been the subject of debate, especially on TikTok.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight — or 0.36 grams per pound. For a 150-pound person, that’s 54 grams of protein daily.

But one dietitian advises eating at least 90 grams of protein every day, while a women’s weight loss coach swears by 120 grams of protein daily.

Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity medicine physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, warns that too much protein can strain the kidneys, especially for people with kidney disease.

“I always ask my patients when they propose some type of dietary strategy, ‘Do you plan on doing this for the rest of your life?’” Stanford told NBC News this month.

Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, dairy, beans and tofu.