For many people, their body weight is a cause of serious concern. Not only does being overweight affect your body’s health, but it can also make you look unappealing to others and might erode your confidence. This is the reason why weight loss programs are so successful — when you lose weight, it can completely turn around a person’s life.
6 ways to lose weight and keep it off
1. Hydration
Drinking about half a liter of water is said to increase calories burned by your body by 24 percent to 30 percent for up to an hour after consumption. For older people, drinking water before meals can also result in a lower calorie intake. Water can help you feel fuller in your stomach, thereby curbing the need to snack every now and then, reducing the chances of gaining weight.
However, all these benefits are only applicable to plain water. If you drink juices, sodas, and other stuff, you will inevitably be adding up calories to the body, nullifying any benefit of hydration.
2. Avoid refined carbs
Carbs that have the majority of their nutrient content stripped off are called refined carbs. As a result, the food will only have easily digestible carbs, increasing the chances that you might overeat. Refined carbs can be found in white bread, white flour, soda, snacks, breakfast cereals, pasta, pastries, and so on. You should also avoid processed foods since they are tailored to make you want to eat these things as much as possible.
3. Add more fruits and vegetables
At a nutritional level, fruits and veggies are extremely nourishing for the body. These items provide the fiber that makes digestion of food easier. They have a very low energy density, meaning that you can eat them in large quantities but still keep the calorie intake count on the lower side. One study found that overweight and obese people in the United States consume significantly fewer fruits and vegetables compared to people who have normal weight.
Eat lots of fruits and veggies. (Image: silviarita via Pixabay)
4. Intermittent fasting
In intermittent fasting, you eat at scheduled times while fasting at other times. This type of fasting is believed to make you want to eat fewer calories overall while not being forced to minimize calorie consumption significantly during eating schedules. For people who have the tendency to eat something every hour or so, intermittent fasting is a great way to avoid the calories that accumulate from this behavior and to lose weight.
5. Smaller portions
It might be difficult for some people to willingly avoid eating to their heart’s content. This is a problem that can be solved in a simple way — cook in small portions. You might have been eating 400 grams of meat earlier. If you see such a quantity of meat on your plate, you will naturally feel an urge to eat it.
So measure exactly how much you should eat and only cook this specific portion. If you decide 200 grams of meat is enough, only prepare a dish that uses 200 grams of meat rather than cooking whatever quantity is available. Following this habit will allow you to consistently avoid overeating and lose weight.
6. Keep track
Keep track of your weight. (Image: happyveganfit via Pixabay)
Keep constant track of your weight or else you might end up being complacent and gaining back all the weight you had lost. Numerically seeing the kilos on your body decline and then hover around the desired level will enable you to always watch out for any weight gain. As such, you can take immediate steps to shave off the extra weight. Without accurately tracking your weight, there is a risk that you won’t notice the extra fat until it’s too late.
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