Weight loss without suffering? When you're frantically trying to fit in exercises while avoiding your favourite high-calorie goodies, it can feel like there's no way out.
While eating better and getting some exercise may take some effort, it doesn't have to be a herculean endeavour. Making a few modest lifestyle modifications can result in significant weight loss over time.
We talked to weight loss professionals and regular people who have discovered a few simple techniques to lose weight and keep it off. Here are their best recommendations for losing weight without working too hard.
- Don't subtract, add
Instead of denying yourself certain foods, try adding them to your diet.
Include healthful ingredients that you enjoy, such as deep-red cherries, luscious grapes, or crisp snow peas. Add the vegetables to soups, stews, and sauces; slip the fruits into your bag lunch and breakfast cereal.
"Adding in works better than taking out," says registered dietitian David Grotto, RD, LDN, author of 101 Optimal Life Foods, but keep an eye on overall calories. Don't forget to do something athletic before supper, whether it's a few dancing steps, shooting hoops, or taking a quick walk.
- Forget About Exercising
Avoid the word "exercise" if it inspires you to avoid it creatively. Perhaps the key to enjoying an exercise is to never refer to it as such.
"There's some truth to that," Grotto says, adding that once you start your non-exercise regimen, "the way excellent health feels knocks down the walls that were preventing you from exercising in the first place."
So go beachcombing, riding bikes, lawn skiing, making snow angels, hiking, washing the car, playing Frisbee, chasing the dog around the yard, or even enjoying fantastic sex to burn calories and rejuvenate muscles. After all, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
- Take a walk
Walking is an easy method to stay fit when the weather is beautiful, according to Diane Virginias, a certified nursing assistant from New York. "I appreciate the seasons," she adds, adding that she will go outside for a few minutes even if she is pressed for time. "A five-minute stroll is a five-minute stroll."
Is your neighbourhood devoid of sidewalks? For extra steps, try these suggestions:
Swap your gas mower for a push mower.
Put your car in the far corner of the parking lot.
Enjoy walking meetings outside of the office building.
Instead of using a leaf blower, sweep the driveway or rake the leaves.
Get off a few stops earlier on the bus.
Hike through the mall, making sure to complete all of the levels.
Take the stairs whenever possible.
Participate in charity walks.
When you mop or vacuum, turn up the music and get your heart rate up.
Everything adds up. If you walk for 10 minutes twice a day and implement a couple of these suggestions, you may find yourself with a low-impact lifestyle.
- Lighten Up Your Favorite Foods
Switching to lower-calorie versions of the meals you crave is one of the easiest ways to cut back without feeling deprived. Reduced-fat mozzarella tastes just as amazing on pizza, and when you top low-fat ice cream with your favourite toppings, who cares about the calories?
In addition to cutting fat calories, registered dietitian Elaine Magee, RD, MPH, author of Tell Me What to Eat If I Suffer From Heart Disease and Food Synergy, recommends increasing fibre.
While lightening family favourites, you can simply boost the fibre by adding a cup of whole wheat flour to your pizza dough or sprinkling a handful of red bell peppers on top.
Don't forget to lighten up the drinks to accompany the dinner. Switch to diet Coke or light beer instead of high-calorie beverages, or add a spritz of seltzer to your wine.
Don't like low-calorie drinks? Mix a splash of the low-calorie choice into your favourite drinks, then gradually increase the ratio as your taste buds adjust. And, as Magee points out, don't forget to keep pouring the ultimate beverage: water!
- Because Hydration Really Does Help!
According to David Anthony, an Atlanta-based information technology expert, drinking some water before a meal will help you feel less hungry. "I find that drinking a glass of water before a meal helps me keep track of what I'm eating. I don't eat everything since I'm not hungry."
Are you going to a party? Grab a low-calorie beverage and hold it in one hand. You'll be less tempted to graze at the buffet, and you'll be less tempted to drink countless cocktails as well.
Finally, Anthony recommends that you maintain your body hydrated during your workout. "If I stay hydrated, I can exercise more and for longer periods of time than if I don't."
- Pay attention and tone up
The American Heart Association is well aware of our passion for television. They also understand the need of getting more exercise. So, they reason, why not combine the two?
When your favourite music show is on, try dancing to the music or doing some stress-relieving cardio boxing while your least favourite reality contestant is on camera.
Pedal your stationary bike, walk on the treadmill, or do some bicep curls with cans of your favourite fizzy beverage as weights during commercial breaks. Alternatively, get motivated to concentrate: Put on a high-intensity fitness DVD and be inspired by the professionals onscreen.
- Size Does Matter
It's as simple as changing your dinnerware to eat less without feeling deprived.
That's because, whereas a modest piece presented on a large dish may make you want more, a smaller plate offers the impression that you already have.
Smaller dishes, cups, and spoons should also be included. Try relishing a bowl of ice cream with a baby spoon, for example.
- Participate, or at the very least come to the table
Get yourself involved with anything else if your weight loss efforts become boring or self-centered. "When I'm bored," Virginias explains, "I eat more, especially if I'm eating in front of the TV."
So take a break from the tube's siren song and occupy yourself with something unrelated to food.
For some, this may entail getting engaged in local politics, learning yoga, or painting. Perhaps you'd want to assist a child with a scientific project, redecorate a room, or enrol in a class. The key is to have a life outside of dieting.
Are you already overworked? At the very least, eat at the table. "The TV is distracting me, and I'm not paying attention to what I'm eating," she says. "I'm much more mindful of what I'm eating once I'm at the table with a place setting."
- Get Rid of It Today and Keep It Off Tomorrow
Finally, use patience. While establishing that virtue isn't easy, it may be comforting to know that losing weight becomes simpler with time.
That's according to a study published in Obesity Research, which revealed that persons who dropped at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least two years needed less work to maintain their weight reduction as time went on.
So, if you want the same results as these successful "losers" — more self-confidence, a better mood, and greater health — practise patience. You might be able to achieve delicious (and almost painless) weight loss results.
Bonus Points
If those ten recommendations for painless weight loss (or maintenance) aren't enough, consider some of these suggestions from the weight loss community.
Every day, eat at the same hour (including snacks). Sure, you can't do it all of the time, but knowing when their next meal or snack is coming makes some people less prone to graze. From seasons to tides, our bodies seek rhythms, so why not give it what it wants?
Only prepare one meal. Instead of creating something high-calorie for the family and low-calorie for yourself, get the whole family on board with healthy eating. It's simpler to lose weight and keep it off when everyone eats the same thing and you're not tempted to try someone else's calorie-dense cuisine.
Keep in mind that the little things add up.
So continue to eat a little fruit here and there, and take 10-minute walks in between meetings. Weight loss is a journey driven by your own needs, so figure out what works best for you and go for it!