When it comes to losing weight, detox teas, week-long cleanses, crash diets, and metabolism pills aren’t your friend—just ask nutrition coach Gen Coco, who shed 50 pounds more than four years ago and has been able to successfully keep the weight off ever since. She achieved results following the 80/20 rule, which states that 80 percent of your diet comprises healthy foods. Now, in a new TikTok video, Coco is sharing how you can naturally drop 20 pounds within four months sans any sketchy diet hacks. Just follow these four simple tips.
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1. Start meal planning and adopt a “modest” caloric deficit.
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“What I would not do is starve myself. That is the quickest way to lead to fat gain after weight loss,” Coco cautions in her video. “What I would do is eat a modest caloric deficit of about 500 calories less per day.”
Coco says that for women, that usually means your calorie intake should fall somewhere between 1,500 and 1,900. Downloading an app like MyFitnessPal can help with calorie counting and tracking your daily intake of carbs, sugars, fats, and more.
Another hack Coco finds helpful is planning her meals a day in advance: “That way, I would know that I would still be hitting my calories and protein macro goals while still having a healthy and balanced social life.”
2. Aim to drink a gallon of water per day.
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Your new best friend is going to be a “big [expletive] water bottle,” says Coco, who suggests kicking off every meal with a tall glass of water.
“I would drink 16 ounces of water after waking up, and 16 ounces before every meal. My goal would be one gallon of water per day,” she advises.
According to The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, people should aim to drink 73 to 100 ounces of water per day. For reference, the average Hydro Flask and Stanley cup holds 32 fluid ounces and 40 fluid ounces, respectively. A gallon of water equates to 128 fluid ounces.
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3. Keep your fitness routine easy to follow.
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On the topic of things you shouldn’t do to lose weight, Coco has this to say: “Nor would I start exhausting myself in the gym by going multiple times a day.” One of the worst things you can do is “subscribe to some crazy fitness routine.” Instead, she suggests committing to “three—maximum four—days per week of weightlifting.”
On top of that, “prioritize going for one 60-minute walk per day,” she adds. You can walk it out on the treadmill, get outside, or bookend your day with two 30-minute walks. “It doesn’t matter, just make sure you get 60 minutes of walking per day,” she says.
4. Don’t forget to keep your mental health in check, too.
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Nurturing your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health, so check in with your feelings every once in a while.
“I would then visualize myself being the hottest, happiest version [of myself], and I would remember that even though my life is not defined by the number on the scale, it’s okay to want to take control of your health,” Coco tells followers.