Losing pounds doesn't have to be torture. Adopt at least five of these tips. They're simple to integrate into your day-to-day routine, and all are enthusiastically backed by nutritionists. You'll be thinner and healthier in days.
1. Don’t skip breakfast
To lose weight -- and keep it off -- always make time for a healthy morning meal like high-fiber cereal, low-fat milk, and fruit. Not eating breakfast can make you hungry later, leading to too much nibbling and binge eating at lunch and dinner. On the other hand, a healthy breakfast can jump-start your metabolism and make you feel energized and ready to start the day.
2. Stock your kitchen with healthy foods
You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or order a pizza if you can throw together a healthy meal in five or 10 minutes. Here are some essentials to keep on hand: frozen vegetables, whole-grain pasta, reduced-fat cheese, canned tomatoes, canned beans, pre-cooked grilled chicken breast, whole grain tortillas or pitas, and bags of salad greens.
3. Keep the burn going
Boost your calorie burn by resting no more than 30 seconds between exercises.
4. Take notes
How does writing down what you eat and drink in a food journal work this kind of magic? For one thing, the simple act of keeping a food diary can instantly increase your awareness of what, how much, and why you are eating. This helps you cut down on mindless munching and thus, lose weight.
5. Get enough sleep
When you're sleep deprived, your body overproduces the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin but under-produces the hormone leptin, which tells you when you're full. Getting enough sleep may make you feel rested and full and keep you from doing unnecessary snacking.
6. Eat more fruits and vegetables
If you eat more fruits and vegetables, you shouldn't feel as hungry because these nutrient-rich foods are also high in fiber and water, which can give you a feeling of being full. Snacking can be a good thing as long as you choose smart snacks
7. Never shop hungry
Always grocery-shop on a full stomach with a written list and a cart (research shows that heavy baskets trigger instant-gratification decisions). If your goal is to eat well, have a healthy snack before going to the grocery store in order to stay on track.
8. Take a "before”photo
As crazy as it may sound, this method has proven to be very effective. Anytime you fall off the wagon, you can look at the "before”photos and that’s all the motivation you need!
9. Exercise at least 3 times a week
Doing 5 minutes of push-ups, lunges, and squats (in 30-second intervals) will help build and maintain muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be, so you'll torch more calories as you go about your day.
10. Weigh yourself once a week
People who weigh themselves regularly tend to have more weight loss success. Most experts suggest weighing yourself once a week, so you're not derailed by daily fluctuations. When you weigh yourself, follow these tips: Weigh yourself at the same time of day, on the same day of the week, on the same scale, and in the same clothes.
11. Avoid late-night snacks
It's best if you finish eating within three hours before going to bed. That's because your metabolism slows down when you sleep so you shift from fat burning to fat storage...and you need to avoid that!
12. Train your brain
You need to be specific about your weight-loss goal and keep remind yourself why you're doing this. Your brain detects the difference between where you are and where you want to be, so being specific helps your brain with willpower.
13. Schedule your cheat day
You can resist any cravings by postponing them to a future day when you're free to eat whatever you want.
14. Fill up on fiber and protein
Replacing processed carbs with high-quality protein can improve your good cholesterol and reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke. You’ll also feel full longer, which can help you lose weight. Here’s some examples: Replace red meat with fish, chicken, or plant-based protein such as beans, nuts, and soy. Replace processed carbohydrates from pastries, cakes, pizza, cookies and chips with fish, beans, nuts, seeds, peas, tofu, chicken, low-fat dairy, and soy products. Snack on nuts and seeds instead of chips, replace baked dessert with Greek yogurt, or swap out slices of pizza for a grilled chicken breast and a side of beans.
15. Use the apple test
If you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, then it means you're not really hungry.
These 16 diet tricks aren't always easy to stick to, but they've worked for us. Try them out, you got nothing to lose except unwanted pounds.