Lose weight without following a draconian diet or doing sports? A utopia for many of us…However, this objective is far from being unattainable! By improving our lifestyle and adopting good habits, it is quite possible to eliminate the extra pounds that poison our lives. Here are 11 tips to follow every day to lose weight without diet or exercise!
Admittedly, conventional diets aren’t for everyone. For some, combining menus calculated to the nearest gram with an already stressful pace of life is simply impossible. And for good reason, work, stress, or family obligations can take precedence over our motivation. In this sense, the best way to lose weight is to know the pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Easy to follow, they fit easily into your daily life without requiring a strict schedule or a radical change in your habits. So here are 11 scientifically proven tips for losing weight without diet or exercise.
1. Avoid stress and get enough sleep
This is often overlooked when trying to figure out what may have contributed to the weight gain. However, stress and sleep are two determining factors for our health.
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This is because insufficient sleep can disrupt appetite-regulating hormones, namely ghrelin, and leptin. Stress, on the other hand, increases our cortisol levels. A hormone that, when secreted in excess, promotes weight gain since after a peak of stress, it seeks to recompose your fat reserves by triggering hunger.
These hormonal shifts and fluctuations often cause us to opt for unhealthy, high-calorie foods, as the Sleep Foundation points out. In this sense, it is recommended to focus on relaxation activities to avoid stressful situations and promote restful and quality sleep.
2. Eat fiber-rich foods
It is mainly found in dried fruits, whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. And they are formidable for promoting satiety. In fact, fiber helps you feel full longer, as Dr. Serfaty-Lacrosnière, nutritionist, points out. And their effect would be particularly significant when it comes to soluble fiber.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the latter, which are found in oats, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, or flax seeds, create a kind of gel when they come into contact with water. A process that would justify the feeling of satiety they give us, according to scientists.
3. Eat and chew slowly
We don’t always think about it, but one of the most important rules for watching your diet is to slow down during a meal. This not only allows you to enjoy the taste of food but also gives your brain time to realize that it is no longer hungry.
As explained in a study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, increasing chewing time would reduce calorie intake as well as the concentration of ghrelin, a hormone responsible for stimulating appetite. A benefit is proven by a second study that suggests that eating slowly would increase the feeling of satiety and reduce caloric intake between meals. Additionally, a report published by The International Journal of Obesity found that eating quickly was positively associated with excess weight.
4. Increase your protein intake
Renowned for their effects on the appetite, proteins are your allies if you want to get rid of a few pounds. As scientists point out, although each metabolism is different and our needs vary from person to person, these are likely to reduce caloric intake by increasing energy expenditure.
Their effectiveness would be due to their impact on certain hormones related to hunger and satiety. According to a study of participants with metabolic syndrome, a high-protein diet could have significantly reduced their weight.
A second study conducted on overweight or obese women looked at protein-rich breakfasts to determine their impact on weight gain. According to the researchers, the consumption of eggs in the morning induced greater satiety, while reducing caloric intake during the day and the 36 hours that followed.
Protein–rich foods include chicken breast, Greek yogurt, quinoa, lentils, almonds, and fish.
5. Hide unhealthy foods
It may sound strange, but keeping your packets of crisps, chocolate bars, cookies, and other sweets close at hand is the surest way to increase cravings and tempt you. In the long term, this undoubtedly leads to weight gain.
A study has also addressed the issue, evaluating the impact of food visible on the kitchen counter. People who left cereal, soda, or candy lying around had a higher body mass index than those who didn’t. In this sense, scientists advised keeping only a bowl of fruit visible in this room.
Consider storing unhealthy foods in your cupboards, so they’re less likely to catch your eye when you’re hungry. Conversely, place healthy foods on the table or in the front of your refrigerator to make sure you choose them first if you want to have a snack.
6. Use small plates for high-calorie foods
To feel like you’re eating more, there’s nothing like reducing the size of your plates, especially if you want to treat yourself to high-calorie foods. The goal is to reduce the number of calories ingested but also to satisfy your cravings to avoid the frustration generally associated with restrictions that are too severe. In addition, choosing a small dish or cutlery prevents you from refilling yourself by giving you the impression that your portions are sufficient, according to a study. Conversely, favor large plates for your vegetables and healthy snacks.
7. Drink water regularly
Before being a slimming ally, water is above all necessary to maintain good health. But its benefits for weight loss are also very useful, especially if one knows how to take advantage of it in a thoughtful way. Indeed, some simple habits can be beneficial to eliminate the extra pounds, especially if you think of replacing sugary soft drinks and other sodas with water.
Additionally, one study found that participants who drank 500ml of water before each meal reduced calorie intake and reduced hunger. The 12-week experiment also indicated that people who drank water before eating lost more weight than those who didn’t.
8. Eat without distractions
Many people are tempted to watch TV, on their tablets, or on their phones during a meal. Worse still: others eat while playing video games, and this especially concerns children. Unfortunately, this distraction provided by electronic devices can interfere with our slimming goals. Indeed, one of the first rules for healthy nutrition is to pay attention to what you eat. If our attention is directed elsewhere, it becomes difficult to know the quantities that we have consumed, and we generally end up overeating without really knowing what we have ingested.
A scientific report attests to this. In 24 studies analyzed, distracted people ended up eating more than those who were attentive to their meal. In addition, they would also have increased their caloric intake during the rest of the day by eating nearly 25% more calories during the following meals.
Therefore, eating without being aware of what you are ingesting can ultimately lead to significant weight gain.
9. Serve unhealthy foods on red plates
This strategy may seem strange to you, but according to one study, the color red would send a subtle stop signal that would allow us to reduce our caloric intake.
The researchers offered 240 participants popcorn and chocolate chips served in white, blue, and red dishes. And it turned out that those who had eaten the least had used the red plates. The study suggests that it could be due to certain red flags that we associate with it, which would subconsciously encourage us to eat less when using dishes of this color.
Obviously, there are many limitations to these results, including the fact that the participants were not informed of the scientists’ intentions. However, it doesn’t hurt to try this trick at home or in the office, especially since red plates are particularly used during the festive season!
10. Use smaller portions
In 2014, the World Health Organization recommended reducing portions to prevent obesity and overweight in children. Indeed, the larger the portions, the more we take the risk of gaining weight, especially when the meals contain high-calorie foods. In addition, many of us have the reflex to finish our plate, even when we are not necessarily very hungry. In this sense, it can be very useful to use reduced portions in order to better control your caloric intake.
A scientific article published by Proceedings of The Nutrition Society emphasizes this phenomenon, noting that the size of the portions offered in several parts of the world, including Europe, seems to have increased. At the same time, an increase in overweight and obesity has also been observed.
11. Give up sugary drinks
We are not teaching you anything, sugar added by manufacturers is probably one of the most singled out ingredients when referring to bad eating habits. According to Valérie Espinasse, a micro-nutritionist, the simple fact of reducing its consumption is enough to reduce our calorie intake and stimulate weight loss.
In addition, sugary drinks are associated with many health problems, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as indicated by an analysis published by the journal Nutrients. In this sense, it is advisable to limit or even avoid their consumption, not only to lose weight but also to protect your health.
Moreover, it may be useful to remember that choosing fruit juices as a substitute is not necessarily a wise idea. These also contain a lot of sugar, even when they are 100% natural, as Professor Patrick Tounian, pediatric nutritionist, points out. In this sense, it is advisable to favor the consumption of whole fruits, which are much healthier for the body.
Beverages to favor include water, as we mentioned above, but also green tea and coffee without sugar, in reasonable quantities.
What you must remember
Although physical activity is essential to maintaining good health, many habits that promote weight loss have nothing to do with conventional diets or extreme exercise. They simply represent tips to integrate daily to improve your lifestyle which, in the long term, will help you achieve your slimming goals.
Remember, however, that sporting activity can only be beneficial to you, especially since it can optimize your chances of losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way.
