Losing weight can be tough. Yes, there are a plethora of diets, workout routines, and pills out there that seem like a roadmap to the weight-loss promised land. But at the end of the day, keeping pounds off involves tweaking your lifestyle. Natural weight loss, which involves adopting healthy habits that you can incorporate long-term, can help that number on the scale go down in a safe, effective way.

The only problem: When you hit a simple Google search, there's an overabundance of natural weight-loss remedies, products, and pills practically screaming at you. How do you know what's legit?

"Stay away from anything that doesn't promote health," says JC Doornick, D.C., a health and lifestyle coach who travels the world helping people lose weight. "Anybody taking pills, stimulants, injections, fluids, or eating 500 calories a day is focused 100 percent on weight loss and zero percent on health."

It's also important to identify the strategies that feel right for you. A tactic like intermittent fasting may work for some, for example, but others may feel loopy come 11 a.m. without an energy-boosting breakfast. Check out the tips below to help you figure out how to lose weight naturally, in a way that feels totally customized to you and your body. That way, once the pounds peel off, they can stay off-for good.

Do the workout you love.
Often times, we think the best weight-loss strategies start with a lofty exercise program. But the reality is that workouts are only one part of the picture, and there are a slew of recommendations for how much exercise we should be getting on a regular basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for example, recommends that adults should exercise 150 minutes a week at a moderate intensity, or incorporate 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Meanwhile, a study published in Circulation found that the amount of exercise we get has a direct relationship to our heart health-the more you get, the healthier your heart will be-and they suggest two full hours a day as the new goal.

Basically, everyone's different, so it's hard to nail down a guideline that applies to everyone, says Sara Gottfried, M.D., bestselling author of The Hormone Cure and The Hormone Reset Diet. But if all else fails, remember this: Something is better than nothing. That's why Dr. Gottfried suggests incorporating 30 minutes of moderate intensity movement daily, devoting five minutes before your workout to an active warm-up, then another five minutes to cool down and prevent injury. Once you've got that down, you can layer on time and intensity. "After two weeks, add 10 minutes so that you're exercising moderately for 40 minutes, four days per week, or increase intensity," she suggests.


Finding something you enjoy is an important component to any fitness routine, too, because-duh-it means you'll be more likely to stick with it. So if running isn't your thing, don't sweat it-try a Zumba class, or meet girlfriends for Spin after work. (You could even try working out according to your Zodiac sign.) "You might get results from something you hate, but those results won't last," says Jess Sims, C.P.T., a Fhit Pro trainer at Fhitting Room in New York City. And don't be afraid to branch out and see if there's something else to love. "Varying your workouts will help keep you entertained and help you progress because your body doesn't get used to the same movements," adds Sims. Plain and simple: There's no one-size-fits-all workout, so don't box yourself in.