85 Weight Loss Tips That'll Help You Slim Down
Simple (and small!) changes to your daily routine can help you slim down without dieting. Making healthy choices, like eatingbreakfast and moving every day, is the first step to dropping thepounds and feeling energized. A little planning ahead can go alongway, as can stocking up on healthy foods so you don't fall into acomfort-food rut after a long day. The good news is you really don'thave to overhaul your entire eating routine or live at the gym. Hereare 85 evidence-based tips to help you lose weight and keep it offfor good. Plus, it might inspire the rest of your family to gethealthier alongside you.
Temptation-proof your kitchen.
Start by tossing the treats you simply cant resist overdoing whether thats cookies, ice cream, chips, or soda. You're morelikely to reach for unhealthy snacks if you have them, accordingto Rutgers . In the pantry, stash healthier fare you want to eat onlyin moderation (nut butters, crackers, popcorn, etc.).
Keep healthy foods in sight.
Put a big bowl of fruit on the counter, store fresh vegetables on refrigerator shelves instead of hidden in the crisper, and pourwhole grains and dried beans into clear jars.
Have good-for-you snacks handy. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a couple of dates stuffed with almonds,
or indulge a salt craving with a slice of turkey jerky. Nuts have
even been linked to weight loss and reducing the risk of heart disease .
Make breakfast easy.
Figure out one or two quick, nutritious choices you can grab everymorning, like homemade energy bars . Or try a protein smoothiewith frozen fruit, some fresh greens, 1 Tbsp of chia seeds, and asmall container of plain 2% Greek yogurt.
Concoct a backup plan.
We all have nights when were too tired to cook. Stock yourkitchen with ingredients you can transform into a fast meal, likevegetable fried rice, or whole-wheat pasta tossed with steamed frozen Brussels sprouts, walnuts, and a little olive oil.
Try dinner for breakfast.
Give your body the nutrients it needs to power through your dayin the morning instead of before you go to sleep. Stuff a wholewheat quesadilla with shredded chicken, avocado slices, and Monterey Jack cheese and top it with salsa. Or try cold wholegrain pasta: Not only is it a time saver, but its carbs are converted into appetite-suppressing fiber instead of sugars. Top leftoverpasta primavera or marinara with a fried egg. Then, downsizeyour dinner and serve yourself appetizer-size portions in theevening. Good picks include a small piece of vegetable lasagna ora couple of grilled-fish tacos.
Eat only when the sun is up.
Research suggests that allowing at least 12 hours between dinnerand the next days breakfast may help speed weight loss; it maylet you burn through unneeded fat stores faster or improve thebodys ability to use insulin. Have dinner earlier, or breakfast later or both!
Make vegetables the focus of your plate.
Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus,kale, artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, and eggplant. Then divide the remainder of the plate in half and filleach quarter with a serving of lean protein and fiber-rich complex carbs.
Work appetite-curbing protein into every meal.
Think salmon , shrimp , chicken breast, tofu , and eggs . And dontforget beans: For an instant protein fix, fold lentils into rice, blackbeans into quinoa, or chickpeas into veggie soup.
Choose carbs in their natural form.
Eat at least two daily servings of minimally processed fiber-rich carbohydrates such as whole-wheat bread or pasta, brown rice,quinoa, and steel-cut oats . Thats as easy as 1 cup of whole-grain cereal for an afternoon snack or a -cup scoop of brown rice with a dinnertime stir-fry.
Flip your dinnerware.
Use salad plates for dinner and dinner plates for salad. Research shows that you'll eat less off small plates because you'll keep your portions in check . For drinks, use your smallest glasses formilk and juice and your biggest ones for water. These strategies work by tricking your eyes.
Avoid eating from the bag.
Keep your portions under control by never eating straight fromthe box or bag. Unconscious eating from large bags or containers can lead to over-consuming. Research from Cornell found thatpeople ate 45% more popcorn from large containers than popcorn served in a medium-sized container. Serve popcorn in acoffee mug, cereal in a teacup, nuts in a shot glass, and granola in a 1/2-cup ramekin. That will help you make sure your snackdoesnt become a fourth (or fifth!) meal.
Be fastidious about fats.
Even healthy oils like olive oil contain 120 calories per tablespoon. Measure cooking oils by the teaspoon rather than pouring straightinto the pan. Also measure nut butters.
Hydrate right.
Whether you choose still or sparkling water, drinking more of itcan help you eat less. Research shows that drinking water canhelp you lose weight by helping you burn more calories and reducing your appetite when consumed before meals. For a flavorkick, spike yours with fruits and herbs like grapefruit and thyme,strawberry and basil, or blackberry and tarragon.
Add flavor with spices.
Use spices in place of sugar (which is linked to heart disease andweight gain) to add a sweet flavor to your food. For example,sprinkle pumpkin spice on top of plain yogurt, or put a dash ortwo of cinnamon on apple slices, oatmeal, or sweet potatoes.
What you'll need: Pumpkin spice ($5, amazon.com ) Watch that latte.
Sugar-filled syrups can add hundreds of hidden calories to an otherwise calorie-free cup of coffee. Instead of having a flavored latte, sprinkle cinnamon or cocoa (unsweetened) on a cappuccino. Youll save 120 calories and 22 grams of sugaror more.