How to Lose Weight Without a Serious Sweat Session.
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If your goal is to lose weight, chances are you think about all the hours you’ll have to spend in the gym and immediately feel a sense of dread. However, sometimes a strenuous workout just isn’t possible. Maybe your schedule is jam-packed, you have health conditions that make it unsafe, or your age and mobility mean you can’t sweat it out like you used to. The good news is that you can lose the weight without the gym. Here’s how to get started.
Drink More Water
When those hunger pangs hit, you can’t wait to dig in, but try to drink a glass of water first. Water gives you a feeling of fullness, which equates to fewer calories for each meal. This handy trick works between meals, too. If you start to get hungry, drink a glass of water and see how you feel. If that doesn’t do the trick, reach for a healthy snack. In addition, drinking water with your meals can cut out empty calories that beverages like soda, tea, and juice provide.
Boost Your Gut
Your gut is full of healthy bacteria, but did you know it could impact your weight-loss success? In a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, fecal samples from overweight and obese patients were analyzed. According to the study, which was cited by Fortune, scientists discovered a correlation between “the prevalence of certain kinds of bacteria and the chances of success that various patients had in achieving their 5% weight loss goals.” To get your gut health back on track, consider adding xylooligosaccharide (XOS), a prebiotic fiber found in milk, rice bran, and bamboo shoots, to your diet to improve your overall gut microbiome. XOS helps to boost the growth of healthy bacteria while decreasing the prevalence of any unhealthy bacteria.
Keep a Food Journal
Keeping a list of everything you eat and drink might seem like a tough task at first, but doing it for a week or two may be all you need to realize what changes you should make. A food journal not only holds you accountable, but having to write every single thing down (including junk food) also means you are less likely to reach for unhealthy choices. Plus, a food journal can help you identify eating habits or patterns, such as craving salty snacks in the afternoon or eating sweets when you are feeling stressed. Whether you choose pen and paper or the digital route, log everything as you go rather than wait until the end of the day when your brain is tired and foggy.
Be Wary of Diet Foods
When you go to the grocery store, you are surrounded by foods claiming to be low-fat and low-carb, but in reality, they might be the source of your weight gain. The truth is, many of these diet foods are low in fat, but they make up for it in other areas with high amounts of sugar and salt that are hidden behind long names you can barely pronounce. This can cause your body to digest them too quickly, leading you to feel hungry sooner. In addition, eating a diet food might make you feel like it’s okay to eat more. Instead, reach for weight-loss-friendly foods such as leafy greens, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein such as tuna, lean beef, and chicken breast.
Watch Your Portion Size
When you’re hungry, it’s easy to fill your plate up, but you could be doing yourself a disservice. Portion sizes have changed so much that it is difficult to know just how much is enough. As a simple rule of thumb, fill half your plate with vegetables, one-fourth with protein, and one-fourth with starches. Before you sit down to eat, cut up your food. Doing so makes it appear as if there is more food on your plate, leading to psychological satiety. Another area to watch your portion size is with condiments. Dish out the butter, dressing, or other extras before you start cooking so that going overboard on the extras doesn’t ruin your healthy meal.
Exercise is an important part of losing weight. However, you aren’t out of luck if strenuous exercise isn’t possible. There are small ways to shed the pounds, all without breaking a sweat.
Article By,
Jennifer McGregor