Eat less; exercise more. We've heard it a million times. In reality, we don't always have the time (or willpower) to stick to a weight-loss regime. Don't fret. As the summer months approach and you pull your bathing suit out of storage, you can enact some of these sly strategies to shed pounds without living at the gym.
You may be surprised to learn that exercise is not the most important factor in losing weight. In fact, exercise has a much more indirect impact on weight loss by increasing muscle mass, which helps burn fat more efficiently and balancing hormones. However, the driving influences on weight actually come down to our bacterial biome and hormones.
It takes about 20 minutes for satiety signals to reach the brain, so don't scarf down that burger in 15 minutes flat. Chew slowly to give yourself a chance to feel full and help move food through the digestion process. Plus, it's been said that the most satisfying bites of a meal are the first few. Having a hard time slowing down? Sip water between bites.
Monitoring your progress is important when you're losing weight. Stepping on the scale regularly can help you see how effective your diet program is going and whether or not you need to make any changes.
- Remember, safe weight loss is about one to two pounds per week. Be patient with your progress. You're more likely to sustain slow and steady weight loss in the long-term.[18]
-For the most accurate trend, it's best to weigh yourself at the same time of day, the same day of the week and in the same clothes (or choose to go without clothes).
-If your weight loss has plateaued or you've begun to gain weight, recheck your meal plans and food journals and see if you can cut out any more excess calories to help induce weight loss.
Drinking water can help you eat less and lose weight, especially if you drink it before a meal.
One study in adults found that drinking half a liter (17 oz) of water, about half an hour before meals, reduced hunger and helped them eat fewer calories.
Participants who drank water before a meal lost 44% more weight over a 12-week period, compared to those who did not.
Paying attention to what you eat may help you eat fewer calories.
People who eat while they’re watching TV or playing computer games may lose track of how much they have eaten. This, in turn, can cause overeating.
One review article looked at the results of 24 studies, finding that people who were distracted at a meal ate about 10% more in that sitting
We all have a few pairs of skinny jeans that only button when we lay down. Get these in your regular rotation as a reminder to eat right. If you have to release a button by the end of the day, you know you need to improve your meal plan.
One weird trick is to use red plates to help you eat less. At least, this seems to work with unhealthy snack foods.
One study reported that volunteers ate fewer pretzels from red plates, compared to white or blue plates.
The explanation may be that we associate the color red with stop signals and other man-made warnings.