To lose weight, you have to eat healthy and exercise regularly. It may not sound appealing, but science has proven that crash diets don’t work and diet pills are no substitute for nutritious food.
There are no shortcuts to losing weight and keeping it off, but a few tips can help you make healthier food choices, consume fewer calories, and train your brain to resist temptation.
What’s the best way to lose weight?
Here are nine ways to lose weight that really work:
1. Keep fresh fruits and vegetables on hand
When you’re craving something sweet or salty and you’re limited to the office vending machine or a pantry full of cookies, you’re likely to splurge on candy or starchy snacks. These will leave you with a lot of empty calories, spike your blood sugar, and not fill you up.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a better choice, an orange or apple is high in fiber and vitamins and will satisfy your sweet tooth and hunger pangs. Vegetables work similarly for salty cravings. Keep these foods within easy reach. Take baby carrots or celery sticks and nut butter to work, and keep a bowl of seasonal fruit on the counter or in a central location in the refrigerator.
2. Eat Mindfully
Many of us eat while working, watching TV, or running errands, so we don’t experience the elements of food. To avoid consuming hundreds of calories without even realizing it, focus on the meal and the people eating with you. Think about your senses of sight, smell, texture, and taste as you eat.
This is especially helpful for emotional eaters. Eating mindfully can help you stop and reflect on how you’re feeling, as well as whether the food is truly satisfying.
3. Chew your food thoroughly
If you’re wolfing down your food like the first plate of food will win a prize, you’re probably taking in more calories than your body actually needs. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you’re full, so focus on chewing slowly and thoroughly. Digestion starts in your mouth, and as you chew your food, digestive enzymes in your saliva begin to break down food to absorb important nutrients.
4. Spice it up
Add chili and other spices to your food. Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a natural compound that research shows can speed up your metabolism and help you feel full longer. Add it to marinades, your morning hard-boiled eggs, homemade soups, and salad dressings.
5. Avoid liquid calories
Coffee drinks, sodas, fruit juices, beer, and cocktails are all potential weight gainers due to empty calories. Plus, they digest quickly and lack the fiber and protein that keep you full, so you’re more likely to eat more. If alcohol lowers your inhibitions, opt for water, hot or iced tea, sparkling water, or plain coffee.
6. Drink water before meals
Drinking a few glasses of water about 20 to 30 minutes before you sit down to eat will help you feel full faster. Make to three times a day (specifically before breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and you could cut 225 to 270 calories from your daily diet.
7. Start with soup
Research shows that people who start a meal with a low-calorie, broth-based soup consume 20 percent fewer total calories. To avoid excess calories and fat, choose light dishes like white bean and kale soup or miso soup with mushrooms and scallions.
8. Use smaller plates, bowls, and glasses
Using giant plates and bowls can make you scoop and overeat. One study found that people given large bowls ate and consumed 16% more grains than those given small bowls. The same goes for wine: when given large, wide-bottomed glasses, people poured themselves and drank 12% more wine than when they used smaller, thinner glasses.
9. Brush and floss after dinner
Before you get ready for family time or post-dinner TV, make a quick trip to the bathroom to brush and floss. This will help you avoid mindless snacking before bed. White teeth and fresh breath can also make dessert less appealing.
