6 Effective Ways to Lose Weight without Any Diet or Exercise

By: Alice Mackenzie, Nutrition Inspector

Did you know that you can naturally lose weight without having to go through a strict diet or follow an intensive workout plan?

It does sound too good to be true, doesn’t it?

Here’s some good news though. You can certainly lose weight even if you don’t spend a few hours at the gym every day or literally say no to all foods that are high in calorie.

To those whose New Year’s resolution every year is to lose weight but does not seem to have the discipline to go on a diet or patience to stick to their workout plan, there is a safe yet effective alternative for you.

Follow these tips below on how to lose some unwanted pounds naturally.

1. Get sufficient sleep

A good night sleep would not only give you a refreshed and younger-looking skin, it would also help you lose some unwanted fats.

Just effortlessly going on an 8-hour sleep to lose weight?

Yes, as easy as it sounds, having a good quality amount of sleep will surely help you lose the extra pounds.

Here’s how sufficient sleep can help you lose weight:

• It stops midnight or late night snacking – The longer you stay up, the more likely you are to binge on unnecessary foods.
• It helps you in burning more calories – Those that have a longer amount of sleep burned 20 percent more calories than those that are sleep-deprived.
• It boosts fat loss
• It helps you pick healthier food – Sleep-deprived men tend to buy more food that is high in calories compared than well-rested men.

These reasons should be enough to turn off all the electronic gadgets, hit the sack early and dream of having a healthier body.

2. Chew your food and slow down

Why did our parents teach us to eat our food slowly and chew it carefully?

This habit of eating is not only important in social decorum but it is also necessary for weight management.

Take notice when your famished, you tend to shovel as much food as you can to your mouth. Before you know it, you have fully devoured the whole cheeseburger in less than 5 minutes. Eating quickly and unconsciously can lead to eating more than what your body needs.

On the other hand, eating slowly and enjoying every bite is recommended. Aside from savoring all the combination of flavors that explode in your mouth, chewing your food slowly will give enough time for your mind to signal your body that you are already full.  This eliminates overeating and unnecessary food cravings.

3. Eat fiber-rich foods

You would probably hear “fiber-rich foods” in most of the diet plan.

Fiber has always been associated with weight loss. Soluble fiber slows down digestion and helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, aids in waste disposal. Most of the plant-based foods contain these two types of fiber.

If you want to lose some pounds off, always have these best fiber foods in your diet:

• Split Peas – contains 16.3 grams of fiber per cup
• Lentils – contains 15.6 grams of fiber per cup
• Black beans – contains 15 grams of fiber per cup
• Lima beans – contains 13.2 grams of fiber per cup
• Artichokes – contains 10.3 grams of fiber per medium vegetable
• Peas – contains 8.8 grams of fiber per cup
• Broccoli – contains 5.1 grams of fiber per cup

These foods are not only healthy; they also keep you full for a longer period of time.

4. Use smaller dishes for unhealthy foods

Studies show that using smaller plates is an effective way of losing weight.

This practice is based on the concept of optical illusion. When we use a large plate, our brain would think that we put a small amount of food since there are still some spaces left, so we tend to add more food to our plate. Using smaller plates, on the other hand, would trick our mind into believing that we put plenty of food since our plate already looks full.

Next time you eat, especially in buffets, use smaller plates instead.

5. Pay attention to what you eat

Avoid distractions, such as television or mobile phones, when we eat as this could lead to weight gain.

Why is this so?

When we don’t pay attention when we eat, we tend to eat more since distractions hinder your body to recognize that you are already full.

Make sure that when you eat, remove all the distractions and focus solely on your food.

6. Drink plenty of water

There are times when we feel that we are hungry so we instantly reach out for some cookie or donuts.

Most of what you think is hunger is not really hunger at all, but thirst. Before you reach out for something to eat, try drinking a glass of water first. You would know that it wasn’t hungering at all when you’re already satisfied after a glass of water.

Make it a habit as well of drinking a glass of water after you wake up and before your meal. This eliminates overeating and food cravings.

Apply these tips every day, make them a habit, and in no time you would see that you can fit into your old pair of jeans again.