It is impossible to lose significant weight without making some changes in your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your eating habits. When it comes to weight loss, many fail to realise that what you eat matters more than when you eat. However, sticking to strict dieting and exercise can be quite challenging, which is why certain tips can make your weight loss journey a lot easier.
Whether going for meal replacement shakes or regular meals, eating healthy and losing weight don’t have to be a hassle. Here are eight ways to lose weight and prevent future weight gain without avoiding treats.
Use Smaller Plates For Unhealthy Foods
The size of a food plate can contribute to the amount of food you eat, affecting weight gain. This is a mental trick that has proven to be quite effective. Smaller plates trick the brain into believing that more food is being eaten.
Using smaller plates to eat unhealthy foods helps you eat less, while a bigger plate, on the other hand, makes a serving look smaller, making you add more food to fill up the space. To not miss out on treats, they should be consumed on smaller plates. This way, you eat them less and stay healthier.
Consume A Lot Of Protein
Protein has proven to be quite effective for healthy weight loss. Consuming proteins reduces the feeling of hunger and increases the feeling of fullness, which means you get to eat fewer calories. Research has shown that protein helps in weight loss without restricting any foods.
If you currently just eat anything you can lay your hands on, you may want to consider switching to meal replacement shakes, such as these from Shake That Weight, as they have proven to be quite effective as they contain all the healthy nutrients, including protein, which is essential to weight loss.
Store Unhealthy Foods Out Of Sight
“Out of sight, out of mind,” they say. This might just be the trick you need for an effective weight loss journey. Storing unhealthy foods where you cannot see them reduces your hunger and craving for them more than storing them openly where they can be easily seen.
Keep healthy foods like fruits visible, on the countertop and in the fridge. Unhealthy foods, on the other hand, if they must be gotten, should be stored out of sight, like in a closet or inside a cupboard, where they are less likely to catch your eyes.
Eat Fibre-Rich Foods
Fibre-rich food helps you feel fuller and is completely healthy. Viscous fibres are one of the most effective when it comes to weight loss. They contain properties that keep the stomach full for a long time, making them practical for reducing appetite. Viscous fibre can be found in plant foods like beans, oat cereals, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, oranges, and flax seeds.
Drink Water Regularly
You have probably heard this before, but water can do wonders for your health, including reducing weight. Drinking enough water keeps your stomach full, making you eat fewer calories, especially before meals. If calorie-loaded drinks are replaced with water, you will get an even more fantastic result, doing yourself good.
Reduced The Intake Of Sugary Drinks
Added sugar does your body no good. Sugary beverages have been associated with several diseases, so if they cannot be outrightly stopped, their consumption should be reduced. Instead of beverages high in sugar, you should consider healthy drinks like water, coffee, green tea, and nutritional shakes.
Get A Good Night’s Sleep
Research has shown that fewer sleep hours per night is associated with obesity. While you sleep, the body converts calories to energy, a process known as metabolism. However, when there is insufficient sleep, the whole process is affected. Adequate sleep also results in eating less during the day, which means you get to eat less while staying full.
Do Not Ban Foods
You don’t have to give up your favourite foods to reduce weight. There’s no harm in occasionally enjoying treats if they are done in moderation. Banning them will only make you crave them more, and it can get messy when you eventually give in.
Final Thoughts
Simple lifestyle changes can help you lose weight; it doesn’t necessarily depend on conventional diet or exercise, although they are also effective. Instead of focusing on losing weight, you should harness that energy to nourish your body with healthy food and nutrients. It will be more effective in the long run, as research has shown that people who often stick to dieting tend to gain more weight.
Therefore, it is essential to note that there are no quick fixes for weight loss. However, the best way to reach and maintain a healthy weight is to be consistent in living a healthy lifestyle and implementing these tips will make the journey easier.
