1. Drink Plenty of Water
Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken as hunger pangs by your brain. So, to know, whether you are really hungry or not, try drinking a glass of water before you eat anything. Drinking enough water is extremely important for your health. Insufficient water intake could actually be influencing how much you weigh.
2. Eat More fiber
Fiber is of two types, soluble fiber, and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water and changes into a gel during digestion. Insoluble fiber remains undigested as it moves through your system. Both types of fiber slow down the process of digestion and help you feel satiated for longer. The best way to decrease calorie intake is by including more fiber into your diet. The recommended amount of fiber is about 30 grams a day, but most people don’t intake enough fiber.
Read More: Fiber-Rich Foods: 10 Super Healthy High Fiber Foods for Weight Loss
3. Incorporate a Workout Routine
Even if you can’t do a lot of workouts, a little exercise is better than no exercise. Regular exercise helps burn calories and increases metabolism. It also aids in maintaining your muscle mass, and since muscles need more calories than fat, you end up burning a large number of calories daily. Weight loss and exercise go hand in hand. While it may not be possible to start working out an hour a day overnight, you can start by doing small things at a time such as 15 minutes walk, or taking the stairs instead of the lift are good ways to start.
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4. Eat Healthy Fats
Most junk foods contain saturated or unhealthy fats. They are the ones responsible for a large number of diseases. But unsaturated fats, which is found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado can help reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart diseases when had in control. There is this common misconception that fats are not good for you. That isn’t completely true. There are healthy fats and there are unhealthy fats also. You need to understand the difference between the two and make sure that the fats you eat are good for your health.
5. Reduce Carbohydrate Intake
Filling yourself up with carbohydrates adds a lot of calories to your diet, which is why reducing carb intake can be a good step towards weight loss. Carbohydrates are a staple in the diet of many people. In fact, out of all the food groups, the consumption of carbs is the highest. This causes a problem because each gram of carbohydrate contains four calories. And most foods that are rich in carbs rarely have any other nutrients.
6. Eat Smaller Portions
The thought behind smaller portions comes from the fact that it takes your brain about 20 minutes to process what you eat. So, you might not understand that your stomach is full and you keep eating. It is important that you take breaks between servings to actually realize whether you are hungry anymore. When you see more food on your plate, you tend to eat more food. So it is better to serve yourself smaller portions. This way, you know you’re not eating extra. And it can aid in weight loss, and without you having to give up your favorite foods. One of the main cause we break from our diet plans is the fact that it is really hard to resist temptation. A few days of smoothies and salads, and you find yourself eating on every kind of junk possible. Most of us don’t have the willpower to keep eating something we dislike for a long period of time. Which is why deprivation with food doesn’t work. So, it is better to opt for small portions.
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7. Choose Better Snacks
The biggest offender that causes weight gain is our habit of unhealthy snacking. Sodas, fries and chips, ice creams, and cookies do nothing to fill us up, but add a lot of sugar, carbs, and fat. It is also hard to stop at one or two because we still feel so hungry. So choose snacks that are rich in fiber.
Read More: Weight Loss: 10 Low-Calorie Foods That Will Fill You Up!!
8. Cook Your Own Meals
The best way to ascertain if the meal you are eating is healthy for you is by making it yourself. That way, you get to explore what you like and what you don’t. You also get to try out low calorie alternatives for your favorite dishes. This helps you in controlling your portions as well.
9. Get Rid of Junk
The reason why we eat so much junk is that we buy it, and keep it available and accessible. Clearing your pantry and fridge of high-in-calories and low-in-nutrients food can help you cut back on unhealthy snacking.
10. Cut Out Empty Calories
It is difficult to keep a track of everything you eat. Some of us even eat without recording it. We tend to intake a lot of things that are high in calories, but don’t even count as food. Carbonated drinks, coffee, and junk like fries and chips are some examples. So it is necessary to record what you are eating, and keep track. You can cut back on a large number of calories just by avoiding foods that don’t fill you up.
11. Don’t Give Up
There are times when we can’t resist our temptations, and we end up binging on junk. Or when we go to a party, we end up eating way more than what we had planned. There will always be situations where we fall off the wagon. And it can seem all too simple to give up on the whole notion of losing weight. But even if you fail once or twice or a hundred times, go back to sticking to your diet.
Take Home Message
Hope these tips and tricks will certainly help you to acquire that beautiful and healthy body before the holidays.
Enjoy !!
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