Sometimes, it feels like I’m putting way too much thought into losing weight. There are so many things to think about: what you eat, what you drink, your activity levels, how much you sleep, and other important lifestyle choices. All of these things come together to help you reach your weight loss goal, but sometimes it can feel completely intimidating. Before you get overwhelmed, check out these almost-effortless strategies for weight loss. They really prove that slow, steady, and mindful wins the race!
These 8 tips don’t require an overhaul of your pantry or that you completely change your schedule. They’re small, but mindful, things you can incorporate into your daily routine. Once you get started, you’ll realize that it’s easy (actually, almost-effortless) to lose those pesky extra pounds. So let’s get started.
1. Make Exercise Fun
Many of us don’t like working out, but we know we need it to lose weight. That might leave you wondering how to get yourself motivated to start exercising on a regular basis. Even worse, if you’ve already started regular workouts and you’re just not losing the weight, you might be questioning what’s the point?
Exercising should help you reach your weight loss goals, but it doesn’t have to be a daunting task. More than that, it’s not a magic bullet, either. It will help you burn more calories, but it that doesn’t mean you can overeat! If you can make working out fun, you’ll be more likely to do it (and, less likely to ruin the results with over portioning afterwards).
In one study, researchers asked 56 overweight women to take a half-hour walk before eating lunch. Half of the women were told to monitor their exertion levels while the other half were instructed just to have fun, listen to music, and enjoy the activity. Ultimately, the researchers found that women who’d been “having fun” reported feeling happier and less tired after their walk. More than that, they ate less pudding and drank less soda after exercising!
Why did the subjects who measured the effort of exercise overeat? “Engaging in a physical activity seems to trigger the search for reward when individuals perceive it as exercise but not when they perceive it as fun,” the researchers reported. So stop looking for your “reward” (aka, food) and just start having fun while exercising today.
2. Eat more regularly
Portion control is a surefire way to help you drop the pounds. After all, if you’re eating too many calories, you won’t create a calorie deficit. On the other hand, if you’re not eating foods that fill you up, you’re going to find it hard to resist convenient junk food to stop your tummy from grumbling.
Their research suggests that people who maintain a healthy weight generally eat about four times a day. Obese people, on the other hand, tend to eat less often but consume more calories with each meal. All the more reason to eat more frequently and some of these appetite-curbing snacks on hand.
3. Snack smartly
A bag of chips might satisfy you for a minute, but it’s bound to make you feel lethargic in no time. Eating refined carbohydrates like pasta, white bread, pastries, cookies, and processed foods can cause a rise in blood sugar. Those abrupt spikes are generally followed by a major dip in insulin levels, which causes fatigue and weakness.
Snack swaps are one of the best almost-effortless strategies for weight loss success. Try to choose snacks that will provide you energy while also filling you up enough.
4. Eat more protein
If you’re the type of person that absolutely loves dessert, don’t deprive yourself. If you don’t give your body what its craving, you could set yourself up for binge eating. Instead, choose healthier options like Healthy Desserts Under 150 Calories. You could simply have one square of dark chocolate, or make sweet treats that are low in calories but bursting with decadence.
6. Catch your zzz’s
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a million times: you need to sleep more. I know how impossible that is, with all those TV shows you love, projects to finish at work, and costumes you must sew before your kid’s play. These obstacles might pop up when you’re thinking of turning off the lights a bit earlier, but you should really be thinking about your weight loss goals first.
7. Relax
We know that chronic stress doesn’t just mess with your mental state. It can cause an array of life-threatening medical issues, too. There’s plenty of research on the link between belly fat and stress, and studies have shown how a low-stress lifestyle can benefit the body.
In one study, researchers followed 61 healthy women for a year. Among the participants, over half of the participants were chronically stressed. All of the women were asked to keep a food diary to track track the consumption of high-sugar and high-fat foods.
The results showed a higher metabolic risk, a larger waistline, more belly fat, more insulin resistance, and higher oxidative damage in the high-stress group. The low-stress group, who also ate these unhealthy foods, did not experience the same negative metabolic effects.
8. Make water your go-to drink
If you’re really trying to lose weight, it’s essential you drink enough water. Research shows that water is an incredible weight-loss aid and increasing your water consumption means you won’t have as much room for the bad stuff, like unhealthy snacks and sodas.
