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What is your ideal weight and how are you planning to maintain it? Experts recommend an overall healthy lifestyle to help you attain your weight loss goals. Therefore, any tips on how to lose weight without making tangible lifestyle changes are ultimately futile. However, there are numerous weight loss hacks to help you shed extra pounds and maintain healthy weight in the long run.
How to lose weight is a question of every overweight person because besides affecting your self-image and esteem, having extra weight leads to a number of health conditions. You must be aware that healthy meals and workouts keep your weight on track, so always choose healthy food over junk, embrace other consistent healthy habits such as regularly exercising or engaging in physical activity, and focus on taking care of your overall well-being.
Taking good care of your body will not only give you that good looking appearance but also keep you fit and healthy as the days go by. Be cautious of what you eat. Implement a healthy lifestyle by following these weight loss hacks that work to help you stick to the right path of healthy weight loss.
Your healthy weight loss journey begins with one meal at a time, so do not dig your grave with your own knife and fork by eating unhealthy foods. Food is amazing and should be enjoyed. But remember, when you eat junk, you might feel bad afterwards , so choose what you eat wisely. These hacks focus on why and how you should or should not eat certain foods, and not the specific meal plans for healthy weight loss.
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Your body requires more energy to burn proteins than it does to process carbohydrates, therefore, foods rich in proteins keep you full for longer. Some high-protein foods include canned tuna packed in water, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, lean meat, poultry, fish, legumes and beans and soy-based products.
Take fiber-rich foods especially at lunch time to keep you full throughout the afternoon. Eat veggies before the main meal to fill up the stomach and make you less hungry for the food that follows. Vegetables are the lowest calorie foods in our diet, they contain plenty of fibers to fill you up, which contributes to the feeling of satiety.
Processed and refined foods are in most cases high in calories, fats, sodium and poor in quality nutrients (2). Also, packaged meals have artificial additives, flavors, food colorings, and fillers which may make you bloated, low in energy, or inflamed, therefore should be avoided.
Various studies show that you should drink about 1.5 liters of water per day, or 8 glasses per day. However, the figures differ according to the research, and the different types of morphologies observed. Water is an essential need for the body, its consumption is therefore tremendous. In addition, this calorie-free beverage could help you lose weight by making you feel fuller and eating less.
Drinking water instead of other sugary and non-sugary beverages helps retrain your body and taste buds to enjoy less sugar, therefore your raging cravings for sweet treats and empty carbohydrates will dial down (1). You can take one glass of water before meals. If you do not like the taste of plain water, add natural flavors such as mint, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, or slices of fresh fruits.
Also, sometimes you may feel hungry but in reality you are thirsty, so other than water, you can enjoy a nice hot cup of broth before your main meal.
Blend your smoothies and protein shakes using nutritious and filling ingredients such as:
You can drink kombucha which is fermented tea or other healthy drinks in place of beer, wines, and cocktails. Kombucha, for instance, is low in sugar and calories, great for the digestive system and energy boosting. If you tend to drink alcohol as a way of winding down after a long day, you should try other methods of relaxing such as getting a massage.
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When you can, cook and sauté with water or vegetable broth instead of unhealthy oils. When dressing salad, use nutrient dense alternatives with lesser calories than oil such as avocado or tahini.
Peanut butter is a protein-packed plant-based food. It is also a great source of niacin and manganese, magnesium, antioxidant vitamin E, and phosphorus. Fat in peanut butter is mainly unsaturated, therefore good for your heart (6). However, for it to be effective for weight loss, pay attention to the portion size.
Looking at vegan weight loss hacks, most of the above points apply to all types of dieters apart from the ones involving animal products that are irrelevant to vegans (8).
To save money, shop when there are sales for products that you regularly use, but always check the nutrition label on everything you buy to know exactly the ingredients and additives they contain. Go for those with simple composition, and avoid items with labels containing (1):
You can still enjoy meals and desserts by swapping unhealthy ingredients for their healthier substitutes. For instance, you can replace:
Learn to identify the sources and amounts of sugars in sweet foods and drinks as well as processed stuff by reading the labels on items. Learn different names of sugar, such as evaporated cane juice, dextrose, glucose, sucrose, corn syrup, , fructose, galactose, malt syrup, maltose, brown sugar etc.
Read More: No Sugar Diet Food List To Keep Your Carb Intake Reined In
Healthy eating does not have to be boring, therefore spice up your meals to make them tasty and enjoyable for you to stick to the routine menu. You can spice up your food with healthy homemade marinades and sauces, garlic, ginger, black pepper, sea salt, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, coconut sugar, onion powder, cumin, and dried herbs such as tyme, rosemary, oregano, and basil.
Taking charge of your meals gives you total control of the quality, portion, and calories of the meals that you consume. This may help you avoid pre-packaged processed foods with unhealthy additives that help them taste better. Also, know what you will eat and prepare in advance to prevent last-minute change of mind for a quick, unhealthy alternative like ordering fast food.
A large portion of a meal may exceed your daily energy requirements, therefore, you should know what meal size contains the necessary calories you need. Even when you purchase foods in small-sized packages, do not eat them from the package. Instead, portion the right amount on a plate. To control your portions (1):
Failing to plan is planning to fail, therefore, proper planning is the foundation of achieving your weight loss goals as it gives you control over your healthy lifestyle. Always have healthy alternatives within reach. For instance, you should get rid of all unhealthy foods from your kitchen cabinets and drawers, and replace with plenty of nutritious snacks and foods that can be accessed easily when there is need, such as fresh and dried fruits, nuts, dark chocolate, high-proteins, and full-fat greek yogurt. Alternatively, you can store them away in places that are hard to reach, and put all the healthy foods on display instead.
Technology can be a healthy food hack because you can download apps that will help you keep track of your meals, drinks, calories consumed, and the nutritional profile of what you eat. If you aren’t on good terms with technology, you can track what you consume in hard-copy journals.
Focus on your meal when eating. Do not eat at your desk, while working, or watching television because the meal will be less satisfying, and you may want more food sooner than if you concentrate fully on the meal while eating. Eat slowly and chew your food for the stomach to properly communicate to the brain that you are full.
Mentally bingeing through eating fantasies may make you eat less of the actual meal. After eating, do not hover around the kitchen as this may lead to mindless grazing, making you overeat, so keep yourself busy outside the kitchen.
You cannot live without letting yourself enjoy your favorite snack every once in a while. To stop your raging cravings, incorporate cheat meals into your plan. To prevent your cheat meal from turning into a cheat month, make sure to (1):
This may give you the necessary boost to kick-start your weight loss, as it entails switching between predetermined periods of fasting and eating. Instead of focusing only on calorie intake, IF regulates the times that you eat for instance 6-12 hours, one day on, or one day off. Doing so may help you lose weight by:
However, note that not everyone should give intermittent fasting a go. Especially expectant, lactating, and women trying to conceive, those with conditions such as eating disorders, difficulty regulating insulin levels, diabetes, or on certain prescribed drugs. Therefore, you must consult your doctor or dietitian before trying any IF diet.
You can indicate the portion size of your favorite food packages and the required workout to burn it off to help you prevent over-indulgence.
When considering what to eat at night to lose weight, it is recommended to eat some little cottage cheese before bed because it contains digestion-slowing protein and tryptophan, the sleep-promoting amino acid (3). You can also take a protein shake to boost your metabolism and minty flavors such as peppermint that may help you curb your appetite. Some sources recommend chewing gum after dinner, drinking a cup of mint tea to calm your taste buds and mind, or brushing your teeth to prevent post-meal snacking.
Loose, comfy clothing such as sweatpants at meal time might not tell you if you have eaten enough. Instead, waistbands will become tighter as you eat more food.
Choosing a healthy lifestyle is not an easy thing, therefore, if you slip up and consume non-healthy meals or snacks, forgive yourself. The most important thing is not to give up and not let occasional mistakes along the way discourage you from turning your life around.
Keep your body physically active. For instance, instead of taking the elevator, take stairs, walk instead of driving, and wash dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher etc. When working out, listening to music may help you move faster, supercharge you, and subconsciously encourage you to continue with the routine. Make sure you follow exercises recommended by a professional and customized for you.
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Losing weight is not all about eating healthy food and burning calories – rest, sleep, and peace of mind are equally important factors for proper functioning of your body, and management of your cravings. Therefore, for workouts and healthy eating to be effective, you need to be mentally, emotionally and physically fit. This can be achieved through:
Did you know that good-quality sleep is key for weight loss? Since obesity is also related to your hormonal levels, inadequate sleep may lead to weight gain by messing the stress hormone cortisol. Therefore, a good night’s sleep may give you more energy throughout the day, making your body crave less sugar and empty carbohydrates for more energy. You can enhance your sleeping routine by:
Stress prompts a surge in cortisol, which is a fight or flight hormone that can impair blood-sugar metabolism, tear down muscle fiber, and enhance the brain chemical neuropeptide Y, sparking cravings (4). You can meditate for 10-30 minutes a day to lower cortisol levels, and engage in calming practices which normalize this hormone and boost those of serotonin, the appetite-suppressing hormone.
Find a friend or hire a professional to share your journey with. It’ll help you stay motivated. Research also shows that most food choices are determined by the character of people you are eating with, therefore it is important to carefully select your meal companions (9).
Clean living encourages clean eating, therefore, you should declutter your countertops to give yourself the space you require to prepare healthy meals.
For these weight loss hacks to work, you must put in effort, stay committed and keep a positive attitude. Give yourself credit for the success achieved daily. Take pictures of yourself regularly and you will notice the small changes which will encourage you to continue with the weight loss plan. Chant encouraging mantras with a personal meaning to keep you focused on your endgame.
Weight loss is possible! It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop. Follow these weight loss hacks to overcome the challenges that come with weight loss faster! Get a green light from your general physician and dietitian before trying any diet, and make sure your workouts aren’t doing you more harm than good by double-checking with a certified trainer.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!