Many people want to lose weight, but they hate the hunger they associate with dieting. In fact, all that's really required is to adopt sensible eating habits, practice portion control and exercise consistently.
Here are some great strategies for losing weight without dieting.
Cut back on processed foods. Heavily processed foods and refined grains like white rice increase blood sugar levels. When these levels rise rapidly, this tells our body that plenty of energy is available and that it should stop burning fat.
Reduce saturated fats and trans-fatty acids. These keep you from losing weight and increase your risk of heart disease. Instead, opt for unsaturated fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Cut down on sugar and sugary drinks. If you replace one sugary drink with water every day, you'll save approximately 150 to 200 calories per day.
Add healthy foods to your diet. A low-calorie, mostly plant-based diet with plenty of fish, whole grains, limited amounts of lean animal protein and moderate amounts of monounsaturated fat is the proper blueprint for losing weight without feeling hungry. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are absorbed slowly, satisfying your feelings of hunger. People switching from a diet containing lots of processed foods often discover that they can eat more and still lose weight in the process.
Eat more protein. Adding a source of lean or low-fat protein to each meal will make you feel full longer, so you're less likely to overeat. In addition, digestion of protein requires a lot of energy, which in turn burns calories.
Eat more fruits and vegetables. These nutritious, high-fiber foods will crowd out other foods that are higher in fat and calories. By adding more fruits and vegetables to each meal, you can eat more and still lose weight.
Eat more fiber. Fiber will make you feel full sooner and stay in your stomach longer. It will also move fat through your digestive system faster, so that less of it is absorbed.
Eat natural foods. Heavily processed foods tend to be low in nutritional value and to contain unhealthy ingredients, including sodium, preservatives, sugars, saturated fats and trans fats. Natural foods, with their greater nutritional value and high-fiber content, will help keep you slim.
Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol has more calories per gram (7) than carbohydrates (4) and protein (4). It also encourages mindless eating.
Try green tea. One study found that green tea extract produced a significant increase in energy expenditure and fat oxidation.
Use a tall, thin glass. Visual cues can trick us into consuming less. Use a tall, skinny glass instead of a short, wide tumbler. One study suggests that by doing so, you're likely to drink 25 to 30 percent less.
Shrink your plate or bowl. Use a 10-inch lunch plate instead of a 12-inch dinner plate to help you eat less. Researchers have found that when people use larger dishes, they serve more and eat more food.
Eat breakfast every day. Many people think that skipping breakfast is a good way to lose weight. In fact, the opposite is true, because you're more likely to gorge later in the day.
Eat frequently. When you skip a meal, your metabolism slows to conserve energy, preventing you from losing weight. Eating frequently provides consistent energy to help promote weight loss.
Follow the 80–20 rule. This rule refers to eating only until you are 80 percent full. The stomach's stretch receptors take about 20 minutes to tell the body how full it is. Therefore, if you wait a bit after you reach the 80 percent mark, you're likely to feel full.
Eat slowly. This is one of the best strategies for losing weight without a complicated diet plan. Paced meals give you greater pleasure from smaller portions and trigger a feeling of fullness. Wolfing your food down blocks those signals, causing overeating and weight gain.
Exercise regularly. Exercise allows you to create a caloric deficit without starving your body and slowing your metabolism. People who exercise regularly not only lose weight more effectively but are more successful at keeping it off.
Try yoga. Research suggests that people who do yoga tend to weigh less than others. Why? People who practice yoga report a more mindful approach to eating and weight loss.
