Losing weight is no easy task.
With all the temptations out there like fast food commercials, new product launches at your local grocery store, and your hunger cravings, it is really easy to get off track.
3500 Calories = 1 Pound
So, if you cut out 500 calories from your diet per day, then you should lose one pound per week.
That would equal to four pounds per month.
This is a healthy and achievable amount to lose.
It’s considered unhealthy if you lose too much weight too quickly.
Here are 21 weight loss tips that will help you get you on your way:
1. Eat Smaller Portions More Often
Most people when trying to lose weight will skip meals.
This can actually have the opposite effect, and cause you to gain weight or stay the same.
Skipping meals can cause your body go into starvation mode which can cause you to start storing fat instead of losing it.
The best option is to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but if hungry in between meals eat a small snack.
Good snack options include an apple, strawberries, carrots, celery, or blueberries.
Those are just a few of many options that can get you on the right track.
Not only does this help you lose weight, but it can speed up your metabolism.
2. Eat Your Meals Slower
When you eat, it takes time for your brain to tell yourself that you are full.
By eating slow, you give your brain time and you start feeling fool before you finish.
This makes you eat less calories, which results in losing weight.
3. Get a Fitness Partner
Exercising with another person helps keep you motivated and push each other to keep going.
Studies have shown that people who workout together lose more weight.
It’s really easy to stop your routine when you are doing it by yourself.
4. Mark Your Calendar Where You Want to Be
Before starting anything, it’s wise to realistically figure out how much weight you want to lose and when.
Once set, keep it your goal to get to that weight by that day.
Note that be realistic on your goal.
Don’t set that you want to lose like fifty pound in a month.
That is not realistic and dangerous.
5. Don’t Weigh Yourself Daily
If you weigh in, weigh yourself in the morning to get the most accurate reading.
On that note, don’t weigh yourself everyday.
Your body goes through changes and if you work hard and check your weight and don’t see drop in pounds, it can be disappointing and you increase your chances of quitting.
Weigh in every other day or a few days apart is ideal.
6. Drink a Glass of Water Before Meals
Drinking a glass of water helps you become full faster, which results in consuming less calories.
7. If Hungry, Grab for a Piece of Candy or a Fruit
We all get hungry between meals and if you find yourself in this situation, grab for piece of candy and suck it can help keep your mind off of eating.
Another great solution is to chew on some gum.
Nowadays, they have almost every flavor you crave for.
Not in the mood for gum or candy?
Eat an apple or grab for some berries.
8. Consume More Protein
Protein helps keep you feeling fuller longer.
Eating something with more protein for lunch can help you full until dinner.
9. Take the Stairs Instead of the Elevator
Taking the stairs at the mall or at work can help you lose weight.
By doing this, you will burn more calories than taking the easy way.
Feeling ambitious?
Go up and down the stairs a few times and burn even more calories.
Related reading: 5 Ways to Stay Active With a Busy Schedule
10. If You Are Bored, Go for a Walk
Are you bored?
Go for a brisk walk for thirty minutes.
A female who weighs 140 lbs can burn approximately 140 calories by walking 3 m.p.h. for thirty minutes.
11. Park Farther Away
Park farther away in the parking lot, so you have to walk further.
Don’t drive?
Get off the bus a few stops before your stop.
Little things like this can all help.
12. Get Plenty of Sleep
Our bodies need rest. This gives the body time to repair itself and get you ready for the next.
13. Eat Your Favorite Sweets, but Portion
You don’t have to give up your favorite dessert.
If you do, you usually begin to crave it more.
You still can eat a slice of cake, but consume smaller portions.
Enjoy your favorite foods while shedding off pounds.
14. Change of Lifestyle
While quick weight loss is achievable and works, changing certain aspects in your lifestyle is better for keeping the weight off long term.
It can take time, but teaching yourself to eat and exercise regularly is the best way to keep it off.
Changing how you go to the grocery store is also important.
Buy healthier snacks and meals.
These little changes can go a long way.
15. Build Muscle
Think about weight lifting once you notice weight loss.
Muscles burn more calories than fat, so it’s obvious that gaining muscle is important.
16. Keeping Track
While this might not work for everyone, keeping track of how many calories you’ve consume and how much exercises you have performed can really keep you on track and motivated.
There are several phone apps that really come in handy if you choose to do this.
17. Cheat One Day
You can never cut out junk food out of your diet completely.
I mean, come on! Pizza, hamburgers, and ice cream are just too good to not eat once in awhile.
So, it’s wise to have one day out of the week to eat whatever you want to get it out of your system.
Fridays and Saturdays are usually best to do this.
You’ve worked hard all week, why not enjoy some of your favorite foods.
Don’t go completely overboard, like eating a whole pizza and some ice cream.
Pick one food that you weren’t able to eat during the week and enjoy it.
18. Never Go to the Grocery Store Hungry
We’ve all been there.
You go to the grocery store starving and by the time you get to check out, your cart it packed to the top with foods you would never buy if you were full.
Everything looks good when you are hungry.
It’s best to go when you are full.
19. Use Smaller Plates
Research shows that if you eat on smaller plates, you put less food on it and it make you thin you ate more.
20. Plan Your Meals Weekly
It can help if you plan all your meals on Sunday for the upcoming week.
It can help you keep track of what you ate.
21. Try to Avoid Sugary Drinks
Try to limit yourself on sugary drinks like soda, fruit juice, and energy drinks.
Calories can really add up when you consume these drinks.
Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners, which can trigger hunger cravings, especially for sweets.
Green tea is a good drink to consume, because it can boost metabolism.
Tea for weight loss can be effective if you portion your food.
Bottom line
There you go with twenty-one effective weight loss tips that can help you get on your way to a skinnier body.
While you will have bad days where you slip and eat more than you wanted, never give up and just shake it off and start again.
