Many people when they decide they want to lose weight turn to fad diets or fasting. However, many of these trending diets can be dangerous and are also unsustainable. This means even if you lose weight in the beginning, it may difficult to keep it off. Below are 9 tips to help you lose weight naturally so you can learn the skills to keep it off.
When it comes to fuelling your body, protein is king. As you digest and metabolize the foods you eat, your body burns calories. Protein speeds up digestion, which in turn boosts your metabolism. Furthermore, a high-protein diet can make you feel fuller for longer, which reduces your calorie intake. An easy way to add more protein to your diet is by having eggs for breakfast each morning.
An easy way to change your eating habits and become healthier is by eating whole single-ingredient foods. By focusing on this you immediately decrease your intake of high-sugar, and high-oil foods. Better yet, most whole foods contain various essential nutrients your body needs. Additionally, most whole foods are very filling, which means you eat less throughout the day.
Processed foods are primarily high in sugar, oils, preservatives, and calories. These foods often have much less nutritional value than whole foods and can become addictive. Therefore, the more you can avoid these, the fewer empty calories you will consume.
What you eat at home has the biggest impact on your weight and eating habits. By having healthier snack options readily available, you are much less likely to go out and buy processed junk foods. It also encourages other members of the household to eat better. Consider spending an hour or two on the weekend preparing snacks for the week. This could include yogurt cups, cut fruit, nut mixes, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese with crackers.
Drinking water can help you to lose weight, while also improving kidney function and brain performance. In fact, drinking 0.5 liters of water can increase your calorie burn by up to 30% for an hour. Additionally, many calories we consume, and through beverages, so the more often you can replace juice or sweet coffee with water, the better.
Using a smaller plate or bowl helps you to better control your portion size. This is because physiologically people will try to fill their plate, often resulting in overeating. Aim to have a quarter of your plate as protein, half vegetables, and slightly less than a quarter as carbohydrates. For those looking to reduce carbohydrates, add more protein.
Eating in front of the TV means that you aren’t paying attention to what you are eating, and will likely eat faster. Slow your eating down by having meals away from the screen. This will help you to regulate your appetite and allow you to see how much you’ve been overeating.
A lack of sleep can lead to weight gain and other health issues. Thus, in your quest to lose weight naturally, you should look at your sleep schedule. Try to get at least 7 hours per night, to regulate your appetite, aid in digestion and minimize snacking due to exhaustion. Aim to go to sleep at the same time every night, and avoid using your smartphone or tablet right before bed.
While you don’t need to be going to the gym, or running every day, making an effort to get your body moving will help with weight loss. Consider walking around the neighborhood after dinner, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work.
These small changes, along with changes to your food consumption will help you to lose weight naturally.
Dieting is stressful and unsustainable, consider using the tips above to make lifestyle changes and live a better life every day. Better yet, the changes to your lifestyle allow you to lose weight naturally, keep it off and continue enjoying food.
