Losing weight can be a challenge, but small, easy changes can reap large benefits, especially if you incorporate several into your weight-loss plan.
The following seven simple, everyday tricks will show you how to lose weight naturally.
Drink plenty of water
Water helps you stay hydrated, so you’re less likely to confuse thirst with hunger and eat when you don’t need to. It has zero carbohydrates and can help fill you up, especially when you drink a glass before a meal.
If you don’t like plain water, try adding some mint, cucumber or lemon to a pitcher of water and putting it in the refrigerator. Later, you’ll be able to easily reach for a cold, refreshing glass to help stave off hunger and dehydration!
Avoid sugary drinks
Some beverages can be loaded with sugar, but they don’t provide the same feeling of fullness as the equivalent number of calories from food.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers an illustration of how these calories can easily add up. If you start your day with a medium café latte made with whole milk, have a 20-ounce bottle of non-diet soda with lunch, grab a 16-ounce sweetened ice tea from the vending machine during an afternoon break, and drink a glass of non-diet ginger ale with dinner, you’ve drunk 796 calories in just one day, not to mention over 150 grams of sugar!
Make sleep a priority
Not getting enough sleep can make you stressed out, which means you’re more likely to overeat and reach for unhealthy foods. When you’re sleep-deprived, the hormones in your body that regulate hunger are altered, causing your appetite to increase. You’re also less likely to feel like exercising if you’re exhausted.
Make getting enough sleep a priority by going to bed at roughly the same time every night (even on weekends) and turning off electronic devices an hour before bedtime.
Use aromatherapy
Aromatherapy can distract your brain from hunger pains and help reduce stress that could cause you to overeat. In one study, participants who inhaled a peppermint scent throughout the day consumed fewer calories than those who didn’t.
Try sniffing peppermint essential oil a few times when you feel like grabbing an unhealthy snack.
Eat foods that have a high protein and fat content
Fat and protein from natural sources such as meat, avocados, cheese, and nuts are much more filling than high carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, and pastas. Replacing higher carb foods and snacks with options that have a higher protein and fat content will help fill you up quicker and keep you fuller for a longer period of time. Not to mention, your body typically feels more satisfied after eating these types of foods.
Use a table, plate and chair
When you eat, you should ideally have three things: a table, a plate and a chair. This means you’ll be sitting at a table, eating mindfully, rather than gulping down a fast-food meal in the car or mindlessly reaching into a bag of chips in front of the TV.
Eating in this way allows you to savor your meals more and makes you less likely to overeat.
Stop eating after dinner
Late-night snacking can derail your weight-loss plans, so try to eat dinner before 7 p.m. and then stop eating for the rest of the night. Clean up the kitchen and put up a mental “closed” sign.
It can also help to brush your teeth and floss after dinner, since the idea of having to repeat the whole process again before bedtime may make you reluctant to eat.
Losing weight doesn’t have to be disruptive! With these tips, you can easily add natural ways to lose weight into your everyday routine. For more tips on how to lose weight naturally, contact BMI of Texas.
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