Losing weight is not just about dieting, it’s about making little changes in your life that can make a big difference. That can take some time, especially if you never developed good habits in the first place, but the most important thing is to find an inner motivation that will push you towards your goal. Adopt these 5 weight loss habits and lose weight effortlessly!
Keep in mind it’s not all about weight, the most important thing is adopting a healthier lifestyle, based on balanced nutrition and activity. That’s the number one condition to live longer, active and satisfied.
The basic rule for slimming is: the amount of the calories you take in has to be less that the amount of the calories burned. The simplest equation in the world. Even though this rule might seem obvious, it’s not always easy to achieve it. Here are five habits that will improve your chances for successful weight loss.
1. Decrease Calorie Intake
First of all, you need to always remember that weight loss is absolutely impossible without cutting back on what you eat. But there’s no need for strict, exhausting and inefficient diets. The best way to decrease your calorie intake is to take smaller portions of food. Then, if you still feel hungry, go back for (a little) more. At the beginning, your stomach will grumble, but soon it will shrink and adapt to the smaller meals you are eating.
This is especially important while eating out. The meals at restaurants are often two or three times the calories you really need. A solution can be to get a salad and an appetizer and call it a meal, rather than a salad and an entrée. Also, don’t feel bad if you leave some food on the plate-you don’t have to eat your plate clean.
2. Don’t Skip Meals
Skipping meals might look like a solution, but it will actually slow down your metabolism, as your body won’t “feel sure” of when it can expect food, so it will start building body fat in an attempt to store the energy for later. It’s better to establish the time of your 3 meals and stick to the schedule every day. Never eat between the meals and after 8 pm.
Breakfast is essential-it will provide you with energy for the day and get your metabolism working. Try to eat it as soon after you get up as possible.
3. Eat Slowly, Enjoy Every Bite
Multiple studies confirm that just by eating slower, you’ll consume fewer calories. It takes your brain about 20 minutes to register that you’re full. If you eat fast, the chances are you’ll keep eating past the point where you’re full, without realizing it.
Eating slowly also allows you to enjoy your each bite, which is what really makes you happy, not the amount. Focusing on all the flavors will help you to fully enjoy the meal, not just “wolf it down” and later feel disappointed. Being unsatisfied with what and how you eat can easily lead to compulsive eating, and that’s exactly what you want to avoid.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Due to its multiple effects on our wellbeing, water is essential in the weight-loss process. Your body needs to be hydrated in order to remove toxins, which may otherwise poison the body and make slimming more difficult. Water is also an essential to many of your body’s function, such as metabolism. A lack of water tells your body it’s being starved, so your metabolism will start to slow down to ensure a long-term survival. Besides that, it will also fill you and help you trick the feeling of hunger.
The recommended amount of water you should drink is at least 8 glasses a day.
5. Exercise
Combined with a healthy diet, exercising won’t fail to make you fit and later maintain your weight.
Team sports, aerobics classes, swimming, cycling, running or walking – they are all good ways to increase your activity levels. Even small changes in your daily life will make a difference: take the stairs, walk short distances instead of driving, bike to work – anything works. Sure that the best exercises for fat burning are the cardiovascular ones (especially effective early in the morning, before breakfast), but remember – whatever you do, it’s better than sitting on the couch.
