We all know that losing weight (and keeping it off) can be difficult for some people.
Understanding why weight loss is difficult can help you get back on track when you experience a setback on your journey to becoming a healthier you. If you cut out too many calories too quickly, your metabolism will suffer.
Finding healthier ways to lose weight is essential for sustaining it.
Apart from increasing your physical activity and eating a balanced diet, there are a few additional things you can do to help you lose weight. Below are five surprising ways to help you shed those extra pounds:
Set Small Goals to Start
Instead of setting yourself an intimidating goal and ending up overwhelmed and eating cookies in the corner, set modest goals to start.
While your end game goal might be to lose 30 pounds in total, set smaller, achievable targets at the start of your journey.
Losing just 5 to 10% of your total body weight can significantly improve your health and lower your risk of developing illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and certain types of cancer.
Stop Counting Calories
Calories play a significant role in weight loss, especially for women, but they can be dangerous to fixate on.
Instead of focusing on calories alone, think of the nutritional value of the food you are about to eat. For example, a 100-calorie snack bar may seem like a great idea for a healthy bite between meals. However, that bar may offer nothing but sugars, preservatives, and other unwanted ingredients.
Do not focus on every calorie you eat – or each one you burn – your calculations are likely off anyway.
Include colorful produce, whole grains, and lean proteins – those will generally keep your calorie count in check without you having to track every meal.
Drink Tea Before Meals
Drinking the best teas for weight loss before meals can cut caloric intake by up to 25 percent, according to studies.
Many weight loss teas, including green tea, may increase thermogenesis (the energy you burn after eating) and stimulate fat burning.
They can also contain a type of flavonoid called catechins, which may boost your metabolism.
Eat Vegetables
There are seemingly endless diets, all promising varying results in extraordinary timeframes.
Ditch the nonsense or the diets that are bad for you and stick to eating loads of something we all know is good for you – vegetables! Most vegetables, barring the starchy ones, are low-calorie.
Choose non-starchy varieties, such as asparagus, cauliflower, celery, peppers, and spinach.
Vegetables will help fill you up and provide fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
Eat Off Small Plates
Portioning sizing is one of the worst culprits for impeding weight loss.
It takes vast amounts of self-control to stop eating if your plate gets loaded with delicious food – and, let’s face it, not all of us are great with that.
Instead of slapping your hand away whenever you reach for the fork, make your life easier and eat off small plates. You will be surprised by how much that simple change will reduce your risk of overeating.
To End
While there are no quick fixes for weight loss, following the above tips can help your body shed those extra pounds more happily and healthily.
The truth is that you need to find the right tips that work for your body. Every person is different, so find what works for you and stick with it.
