There are all sorts of fad diets out there and not one of them will give you the figure of your wildest dreams for life. Want to know why? They stop working the minute you turn your back on them.
Fortunately, you really don’t have to subscribe to any fad diet just to lose weight. The fact is you can shed off excess pounds even without forcing yourself to eat less. Continue reading to learn some foolproof tips and tricks on how you can get in a fantastic shape sans dieting.
Have a Healthy Breakfast
The healthier your breakfast is, the easier it becomes to lose weight. Spending hours in dreamland causes your metabolism to slow down — an utter disadvantage because it makes getting rid of excess calories and fat harder. Skip your breakfast and your metabolism will stay sluggish for the entire day.
Eat 5 to 6 Times a Day
Instead of having 3 large meals in a day, it is a better idea to have 5 to 6 small ones equally spaced from each other. This approach is advantageous for a weight-watcher like you in couple of ways. First, it saves your metabolism from being idle throughout the day. Second, it helps in the suppression of hunger pangs.
Refrain from Fighting Off Cravings
Especially if you have a sweet tooth, it can be very challenging to suppress those cravings. Don’t try to fight it off — give in! However, opt for healthier choices such as a small piece of dark chocolate rather than a hunk of brownie.
Enjoy Your Protein
Your body uses up lots of calories just to process protein. Excellent sources of this metabolism-boosting nutrient include lean meat, poultry, eggs, fish and low- or non-fat dairy products. If you wish to stay away from meat and dairy, worry not. Nuts, seeds, beans and lentils are excellent sources of protein.
Build Lean Muscles
No matter if you are pumping iron or at rest, lean muscles are constantly using up calories for their maintenance. This is true even while you are sleeping! With lean muscles, your body sort of becomes a non-stop calorie-burning machine.
Drink Plenty of Water
Sometimes it’s actually hunger that you’re feeling. However, most of the time it’s just thirst! So before you cave in and raid the fridge, drink a glass of water and wait for a few minutes. If it’s just thirst, the craving will surely disappear. Besides, not drinking enough water leads to dehydration, something that slows down your metabolism.
Use Smaller Plates
In this day and age, plate and portion sizes are undeniably humongous. Opting for a smaller plate every meal helps save you from eating more than necessary.
Opt For Everything Blue
Every wonder why it’s not all the time that you can spot something blue inside restaurants? That’s because the said color has an appetite-suppressing effect. Use blue plates, tumblers, napkins and tablecloths at home to ward off overeating.
Take Your Time When Eating
Experts say that those satiety signals take 15 to 20 minutes to reach the brain from the time you had your first bite. If you rush at the table, you may have already eaten a lot more than you should before the feeling of satisfaction kicks in. Eat really slowly and savor everything that goes into your mouth. Eliminate distractions like the TV and a chatty officemate.
Use Your Other Hand
Here’s a simple trick to make yourself eat slowly every mealtime: use your non-dominant hand. Doing this saves you from munching hurriedly and mindlessly.
Bring Your Own Lunch
Preparing your office meal at home is good for your figure in a couple of ways. First, it allows you to opt for dishes whose ingredients won’t sabotage your goal to slim down. Second, all the slicing, chopping and stirring help you burn extra calories. In addition, the money you save for brown bagging it can be used to buy a new wardrobe when you drop a size.
Brush Immediately After Eating
The urge to have seconds or snacks can be curbed with the simple act of brushing your teeth. That’s why it’s a good idea to always have a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste handy especially when eating out. Oh, and you get to flash a nicer smile too.
Walk to Burn Calories
If you hate exercising, walk! Walking is actually an excellent form of exercise but it’s not as dreary as those lunges and jumping jacks. It’s a wonderful idea to get a pedometer and aim to add 1,000 steps each day.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Spending 7 to 8 hours in dreamland each night is a good idea. Sleep depravation is associated with craving unhealthy food, a sluggish metabolism and piling up of fat cells around the waist.
