Want to lose weight without exercising? You can manage it by making a
few healthy changes to your everyday diet and lifestyle. For example,
keeping a habit of counting calories is fairly easy and really brings to
light how much you eat when you're not keeping track; after a while,
logging your foods will seem like second nature! Although your weight
loss would certainly be bigger with the added benefit of exercise, it
is possible to do without as well.....
What to Eat
-
Drink a glass of water or a cup of herbal tea before each meal or two just in case.
What you think is hunger might just be thirst — it can be difficult to
tell the difference. Drinking a full glass of water and waiting a few
minutes can help you make sure you're really hungry before you dig in.
- The water will also take up a little room in your stomach, which
will help you feel satisfied even if you eat less. If you don't want to
drink the whole glass before a meal, try taking sips between each bite.
- If you crave sugary drinks instead of water, trick yourself. Put a slice of lemon or lime in your water bottle to add flavor.
Count calories. Dieting
for weight loss comes down to simple addition — you have to burn more
calories than you're taking in. Figure out the calories in the items you
regularly eat, and add it up at the end of each day; or, download a
food tracking app and be sure to enter what you've eaten after each
meal.
- Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Even if you're not
exercising, you're still burning calories every day just by being alive.
Knowing how much wiggle room you have can help you plan your diet
accordingly.
- Aim to lose one pound per week. This is a safe pace for losing
weight, and it shouldn't force you to starve yourself to keep up. One
pound equals 3500 calories, so that means you need a 500-calorie deficit
every day of the week.
-
Eat foods that take a while to digest.
Eating items that take longer to break down will help you feel full for
longer, as well as keeping your metabolism busy. Focus on foods that
are high in fiber, such as
- Certain fruits (including raspberries, pears and apples)
- Vegetables (including peas, artichokes and broccoli)
- Nuts and legumes (such as beans, almonds and lentils)
- Grains (like whole-wheat spaghetti, bran flakes and barley)
-
Take smaller bites. When
you're eating, try to avoid putting large bites into your mouth.
Instead, divide your meal into more morsels. This forces you to eat more
slowly, which in turn can stretch out your meal and make it easier for
you to identify when you're full.
- Divide up your food before you eat. Cut meat into small pieces, or break bread into tiny bites.
- Use smaller utensils and smaller plates. If you tend to eat your
cereal with a large tablespoon, swap it out for a smaller teaspoon. A
meal looks like much more food on a lunch plate than a dinner plate.
When to Eat
-
Eat breakfast. Contrary to a popular misconception, you won't
lose more weight if you skip this meal. In fact, studies indicate that
eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism and gets it working for the
day.
- Giving your metabolism something to do first thing in the morning
gets it burning calories. When you don't eat for long periods of time,
your body functions as if you're fasting because food is scarce, and
accordingly burns less energy.
- Eat something that contains fiber or protein. It takes longer to
break down these foods than it takes to burn sugary foods with lots of
carbohydrates. Try foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, and
peanut butter.
-
Eat at regular intervals.
If you can, try to have your meals around the same time each day.
Eating on a regular schedule helps your body settle into a pattern that
allows it to burn the right amount of calories. If your eating habits
are unpredictable or you're prone to skipping meals, your body will tend
to hang onto calories for an emergency.
- A regular food schedule can also help you mentally control your
eating. If you have a set mealtime to look forward to, you can give
yourself an exact timetable for delaying gratification.
-
Don't eat in front of the TV or computer.
If eating while you watch television or computer, you might find that
you're not mentally engaged in eating. Instead, turn off the tube and
try to savor each bite as you take it. When you're hungry later, you'll
be able to remember eating more clearly.
- Don't snack while you watch a show. Instead of snacking until you're
satisfied, you run the risk of snacking until the program is over or
you hit a commercial break — which might be well past the point of
feeling full.
-
Control stress eating.
Stress and anxiety can lead cause weight gain because often people will
eat their feelings. Eating when you're not actually hungry adds a ton of
unnecessary calories to your diet that can easily be cut out by
relieving stress
- Find another outlet. Instead of eating for comfort, do something
like meditating, exercising, playing a musical instrument, or reading.
- Get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can lead to feeling more
stressed and, accordingly, hungrier during the day. Aim for at least
seven hours a night..Clear your mind before you eat. Take a few deep breaths and slow
your heart rate before you eat. Chew slowly, and and take a few breaths
between bites.
-
Avoid eating late at night.
Because your body doesn't burn a lot of calories while you're asleep,
you're more likely to hang onto whatever you eat before bed. Try these
tips for fighting off the nighttime munchies:
- Set a deadline. It should be at least two hours before you go to
bed, if not three. Once you've settled on it, consider it the point of
no return — if you want a snack, it has to be before 8:00.
- Drink herbal tea instead. If you can't get by without doing something,
brew a cup of herbal tea and sip it slowly before you go to bed. It
should have very few calories (if any), and it will help your stomach
feel full.
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