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Lifestyle Tweaks To Help You Lose Weight!
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items This is a list of little habit changes that you can easily build into your daily routine to help you with weight loss. Several of these are my ideas and some are ones that I've picked up from other people along the way. I truly believe that tiny tweaks are so much easier to ‘stomach’ than big fad diets and counting calories. These are tips and tricks that you can add into your life without too much discomfort and pain. Things that can become second nature to help you feel better about yourself and feel more comfortable in your body. Small steps add up to big results in the end. Some of these tips I've included a recommendation of a product you can buy to help you on this journey. These make awesome gift ideas for anyone else looking to lose weight!
Okay, hear me out. You are standing there in the kitchen making supper, and you are doing leg lifts or clenching your butt muscles. You are sitting on the couch binge watching Survivor and stretching out your arms, legs and back. Maybe have some weights tucked away and... My favorite… HIT training when I know I won't be interrupted. HIT training, as I understand it, is when you exercise your body with 100% effort.. For me, what this looks like is high knee running in place and pumping my arms in the air. 100% effort for as long as I can stand it, then rest. I look ridiculous, but it really gets the heart rate up, and is known to trigger fat burning. Doing some HIT sessions takes almost no time, and is actually kinda fun! Just think about little ways you can incorporate movement into your routine when no one is around to see!
Move. When No One Is Watching
I don't know about you, but food is my addiction. I eat when I'm hungry, when I'm bored, or when I'm feeling a little blue. Fidgeting with something can sometimes take my mind off of food, at least for a bit. My toy of choice was a poker chip. It was small enough to carry in a pocket, and I turned it in my hand while ‘clicking’ my thumbnail in the grooves along the edge. Some people will count beads on a string, squish a soft ball, shuffle cards or play with putty. There are loads of fidget toys to buy these days, so have your pick!
Fidget
At the next girl's brunch or work function, seat yourself next to the person who eats the way you want to eat. The person who orders a plate of chicken wings and poutine shouldn't be your table buddy if you are easily tempted by the sight and smell of the food you are trying to avoid. Set yourself up for success and ask your slightly more fit friend to join you for a walk some evening. They may push you a little to walk a bit faster or farther. Share your weight loss goals with them, and you might be surprised by the support you receive!
Spend More Time With People Who Share Your Values
Drinking a glass of water just before a meal can help you feel a bit fuller faster. It also helps with digestion and nutrient absorption.
Drink water before a meal
Unhealthy cooking oils include highly processed vegetable oils like soybean oil, corn oil, and canola oil. These oils are can become toxic when heated, leading to inflammation, increased cholesterol, and a higher risk for chronic diseases like heart ... They can reduce cholesterol and help you to feel fuller for longer. And you probably wouldn't notice the switch!
Use Different Cooking Oil
Do it. Just Do it. To every square inch of your skin. Trust me. You may feel like you are fighting against your body on this weight loss journey, but in actual fact, your body is doing exactly what it's supposed to do to protect you. It is reacting to unnatural chemicals in our food and environment, a deeply broken and horrifically unhealthy western diet, and a largely sedentary western lifestyle. Your body is not the enemy, and it is nice to spend some time doing something nice for it. Spread that lotion around, admire and show gratitude for the body that has gotten you this far in life and maybe even given you children. You will have this body the whole time you are alive, and you might as well look at it, touch it and appreciate it. For me, this habit of using lotion after a shower has slightly shifted my mindset, and made it a bit easier to make hard decisions about food. I've shared the link to my favorite daily body lotion here. It goes on silky smooth and disappears fairly quickly.
Apply Body Lotion After A Shower
Pick a soup or stew recipe loaded with meat and veg, and cook up a nice big batch for yourself and/or your family. My go-to meals are Sauerkraut Soup, Borscht and meat sauce for pasta. Portion it out and throw it all in the freezer. The next time you are too lazy or tired to cook, grab this from the freezer and have a balanced, home-cooked meal instead of ordering take-out! Another favorite of mine is enchilada stew, filled with veg and chicken. Garnished with sour cream, cilantro and some crunchy taco chips. I know this doesn't sound all that healthy, but it's better than a burger and fries!
Batch Cook
20 minutes of your day dedicated to treating yourself to a walk can add up to seem serious health benefits and possible weight loss. Bonus if you have a dog or a partner to join you! 2nd bonus if you can do it outside on a sunny day, you know, for that Vitamin D and fresh air! In Canada, winter is darned cold, so I would usually walk in the mall with my son. I work on my feet all day, and I find the most supportive and comfortable shoe to be from Asics. I've linked to my favorite one!
Walk 20 Minutes A Day
There is mounting evidence supporting taking up to 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar with 8 oz of water before a meal may help with weight loss. Some believe the acetic acid in the vinegar can slow digestion (making you feel fuller for longer), stabilize blood glucose levels (dampening cravings for sweet snacks), and assist in burning fat. The apple cider vinegar I linked here has several flavor options such as cranberry apple, citrus ginger and honey. This is nice if you find the taste of ...
Apple Cider Vinegar Before Supper
Put down the phone and grab a book or magazine! Just a few minutes (the more the better) of peaceful rest in your bed without a screen can help your body wind down for a nicer sleep. The harsh light of the screen can mess with your body's natural sleep-wake cycle because your brain gets tricked to think it's still daytime. Also, screen time (AKA social media) is addictive, and might cause you to stay up waaaay past bedtime!
Read Before Bed
Easier said than done. Pure math would suggest that the more time you spend in snooze-town, the less time you spend eating or thinking about food. Also, proper rest serves the brain, and a happy brain makes better decisions. An unhappy brain will produce stress hormones wh... Not enough sleep can obviously make you feel tired during the day, making it easier to skip the gym and order take-out for supper instead. Less than 7-9 hours of sleep a night can created a cascade of problems when it comes to weight loss and overall health. To improve the chances of having a great sleep you can cool down your bedroom, turn off all the lights, avoid food just before bed, avoid caffeine and alcohol for several hours before bed, and set a bedtime routine of activities you follow nightly. Your body will understand that bedtime is coming if you put away the screen, have a hot bath, and read a book every night before bed.
Get Better Sleep
Just a couple/few floors… I'm not suggesting working up a sweat at work! yuk! If you work on the 17th floor of an office building, take the stairs for 5 minutes and ride the elevator the rest of the way. At home or in the building you live, go walk the stairs for a bit. Up and down a couple times to get the juices flowing. I'm just suggesting finding those little moments and opportunities to slightly increase your physical activity during the day wit...
Take the Stairs
You've maybe heard this before… the plate is smaller than usual, but it is still ‘full’ of food. So you might actually trick yourself into eating less! Maybe I'm a simpleton, but this actually works for me. Just don't go back for seconds. or thirds. This hack just encourages you to eat less at every meal. Reduction in calories is the simplest way to lose weight. Easier said than done, right? On another note, I've heard that using blue dishes can help you with eating less food. The color blue is a know appetite supressant, so the food actually looks less delicious against a blue background. Maybe this works for some people, and that's great. But I've never tried this because I LOVE food, I enjoy my meals, and I want to keep it that way!
Use a Smaller Plate
Imagine this, a big steaming bowl of spaghetti with meat sauce, cheese and garlic bread. mmmmmmmmm This meal is okay once in a while, but it is a carb fest and not a great choice if you are looking to lose weight. Keep your carbs to ⅓ of your meal (or less), with veg and protein for the rest, and you are setting yourself up for success. You can st... A little thing I do all the time is to save the best for last. I eat the less exciting items on my plate first to get it over with, and save the best stuff to the end… where I can savor it, and it will be the last taste in my mouth when I'm done.
Adjust the Carb Ratio
I've done this. Not perfectly, but I corrected my posture for the most part, and it's true what they say! Proper posture has increased my confidence! Drop the shoulders, hold them back in line with your spine tuck your pelvis forward. Better confidence helps me with making better decisions about my body and the food I feed it. It also helps with proper digestion because you aren't squishing all your insides together all the time. It helps with overall health because you are lining up all your parts correctly and this makes movement a little easier. Fewer aches and pains. I used a simple posture correcting band sometimes at home, and it really helped to remind me to stand up straight. Not for long periods of time though, it could hurt you in the beginning if you aren't used to proper posture. I've linked the band I bought here if you want to see what I'm talking about.
Work On Your Posture
I keep a picture of myself on my phone that shows me at the weight that I felt the best. I sometimes look at it to motivate myself when I am tempted to make bad decisions. I am a person who loves a visual representation of my end goal. I know people who keep motivational quotes on their phones or on a sticky note on the fridge. It's perfect on the fridge (or the snack cabinet/drawer!) so you can have a last chance to change your mind before you grab the food you don't need. Whatever works for you, visual elements in your space that can re-direct your attention can work like a charm! I've linked this rec to a little collection of pretty fridge magnets with inspirational weight loss quotes on them.
Visual Motivation
Slow down, chew your food a bit more and take short breaks while you eat a meal. Give your body a chance to tell you it's had enough food! Stop eating when you feel satisfied… not full. There's no reason to finish every bite of food on your plate. Leave the rest for later, or scrape it into the garbage. There is really no difference in the long run if those extra three bites landed in the garbage instead of your stomach. You will only feel better, and over time, start to train yourself to cook smaller meals and possibly serve yourself smaller portion sizes.
Eat A Bit Slower
If your normal route to work or school takes you near fast food joints that will tempt you to visit the drive-thru, remove the temptation by changing things up. I've even driven through residential areas to avoid passing a McDonalds (my guilty pleasure!).
Change Your Route
Many people have a vitamin D deficiency. Correcting this by taking Vitamin D drops daily can support your weight loss efforts. Proper levels can boost metabolism and may inhibit fat storage. Overweight and obese people often suffer from chronic inflammation, which is caused and worsened by various stress hormones. Vitamin D can work to decrease your levels of stress hormones. Vitamin D can aid in weight loss and overall feelings of well-being. But maybe check to make sure you have a deficiency before starting to take the drops!
Take Vitamin D
I don't mean cold… just a bit cooler than normal! I don't know about you, but when I'm warm or hot, I feel lazy and lethargic. I don't want to do anything! A cooler living space might keep you more alert and active. Also, if you live with a romantic partner, you are more likely to have alone time in the bedroom if you aren't already feeling lazy and hot. If it's cooler in the bedroom, you might want to have a sexy workout to warm yourself up! And this is great for lowering stress hormones, maintaining a positive mindset and burning a few calories the old-fashioned way! The scientists will tell you that a cold environment will activate brown fat in your body to burn that pesky white fat. While this may be true, I would never recommend keeping your house COLD. I'm not really into torture.
Cool Your Living Space
This is a hard one, but I'll tell you my personal example of this suggestion. For whatever reason, I was in the habit of drinking a gingerale every day with supper. I don't know why, it was just a habit, and I didn't actually enjoy soda. I drank soda because I was raised that way. I switched it out for water (or sometimes a seltzer drink- if I wanted the bubbles), and this wasn't painful at all! I would just encourage you to think about your daily food habits and cut something out that actually doesn't bring you joy. You could have chicken breast instead of Skin-on Chicken thighs, or whole grain bread instead of white bread.
Give Up One Thing