Who doesn’t love to eat unhealthy and junk foods without worrying about ways to lose weight and having to watch their diet? No one. Absolutely no one. But, did you know that is very much possible? Sticking to a proper exercise routine or strictly following a diet plan is not everyone’s cup of tea. It takes a lot of hard work and self-control.
5 Effective Ways to Lose Weight
Here are a few tricks that can be helpful in our experience, even if you are unable to avoid unhealthy food.
Change your plates
Food experts say darker colored plates make you consume less food. The stark difference between the color of food and the plate makes the food more prominent and the portions seem larger. It’d make you conscious of how much you are eating.
The same logic applies to using smaller plates. This allows portion control and overeating. Trick your brain to think you’re consuming a whole plate. Another trick that is widely used at restaurants and hotels is using heavier crockery. Since it is hard to carry a heavy object for longer, people tend to wind up their meals earlier than usual. Avoid using light colors, especially white plates. The food blends in and the plates look emptier and one tends to fill it with more and more.
Eat more proteins
Intake of proteins is a great way of curbing down hunger and feeling fuller for longer. You can choose protein sources with fewer calories, e.g. fish and lean meat. This is a good option for those who want to lose weight without cutting on the nutritious value of their diet.
Eggs and dairy products are the best options, especially included in the breakfast. They are not only rich in proteins and other nutrients but also keep you full for longer. A handful of nuts is also a good alternative for any other snack loaded with oil, sugar or salt.
Fill it with water
Water is not only necessary to live but can also serve as one of the effective ways to lose weight. Drinking water on an empty stomach before meals makes you eat less. Also, use it as an alternative to other drinks you consume, like sodas, tea or coffee.
This will result in cutting down sugar intake and calories consumed. It will keep you hydrated and also benefit your skin and overall health. Water also makes you feel lighter and get going all day long.
Eat slowly to lose weight
Chew your food properly, thoroughly and slowly. This will take time and send signals to your brain that you have eaten enough. Eating quickly not only creates digestive problems but also leads to overeating. The brain takes time to process how much you have eaten and till then, you continue eating, resulting in consuming way more than you should have.
Chewing food slowly is also one of the ways to lose weight. It helps in smoother digestion and avoids common problems like constipation, burps and gas in the stomach. Distractions and talking while eating also make you eat more without realizing it. If you are not concentrating on your food, there is a good chance that you will lose track of how much you have eaten.
Good sleep and no stress
When it comes to ways to lose weight, people usually focus only on a healthy diet and exercise. A few important factors that are usually overlooked in this experience are sleep patterns and stress and anxiety. Lack of sleep directly affects your appetite and usually results in eating more, causing obesity and various diseases. And, of course, we all know about stress eating!
Disturbed sleep and stress cause the release of certain hormones that aggravate cravings for food and disrupt appetite. People usually misinterpret these signals, especially during late nights. The result is a tub of ice cream or bag of chips or food deliveries, which are seldom healthy. All those calories pile up and the result is weight gain.
Nobody grabs a pack of celery or carrot sticks or sits with a bowl of crisp green salad when they are disturbed, angry or stressed. All the comfort foods that we know of are ready-made, loaded with sugars, fats, artificial flavors, tons of calories and everything unhealthy that you can imagine. Avoid eating when you are stressed and instead go for a walk, or address the cause in a proper way to resolve it and not take solace in food.
All these habits and things mentioned here are actually small changes that you can bring about in your habits and life if you crave to experience a healthy life. These might not seem significant, but they do pay off in the long run. People usually overlook these small measures that they can take to help them in weight loss and follow a healthy diet.
Even if you cannot exercise regularly, take up on your favorite sport and go out and enjoy it with your friends once in a while. You can always find time for a little walk here and there. A few basic yoga exercises can be performed in your own place without any hassle to calm down your nerves and take off those day-to-day pressures.
If you have any tried and tested ways to lose weight, share with the Hedoniac community today!