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No one likes being on a diet, not to mention, most of the diets don’t work. While there are many of fad diets that may help you lose pounds, they also leave you feeling food-deprived and hungry. For all people who don’t have the time or inclination to undertake a crash diet or even go the gym, we have got some great ways of how to take control of your weight, energy, and happiness, without dieting.
1. Don’t skip breakfast
We have all heard before many times that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, it is not just talking…..When we wake up and starts moving around your body needs the energy to run, if it doesn’t get that energy, it doesn’t work properly.
No matter how late you are running at school or to work, don’t miss your breakfast. There is a good reason why it is called the most important meal of the day. Our body expects to be refueled a few times daily.
So when you skip breakfast, you start to feel so hungry that when lunch time comes, you eat too much or maybe choose foods items that are not the healthiest choices. Skipping breakfast slows down our metabolism. And even more important, always eat your breakfast, within 1 hour of waking up, as your body has been without food the entire night.
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2. Use a timer for meals
One effective way to lose weight is to slow down the rate at which you consume your food. If you are always busy, you will try to save time whenever it’s possible, and you may be forced to finish your meals as soon possible.
The habit of eating fast can cause you weight gain and other health issues, and you should try to make a decision to eat slower. Slowing down your eating time is a really good habit for those concerned about gaining weight.
Many people find that it is helpful to set a timer and stretch the meal out to accommodate a given amount of time, 20 – 30 minutes per meal. Doing this helps trigger the release of hormones that tell your body that you’re full.
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3. Concentrate on your food
How many times has your mother told you to not talk, read or watch TV while eating food? Not without a reason. When we are multitasking during meal times, our brain isn’t focusing on the amount of food that we eat and you are more prone to piling on pounds.
The University of Massachusetts found that people, who watched TV while eating, consumed 288 more calories on average than those people who didn’t. The reason: What we are seeing on TV distracts us, which keeps our brain from recognizing that we’re full. You must examine the food’s texture, taste the flavors in your mouth, and feel the swallowed food. This does not mean that you cannot enjoy a meal with our friends. You can do that, but you have to pay attention to what food you are putting in your mouth!
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4. Don’t overcook your meals
Everyone knows how it is important to of eat more healthy foods. But the way these foods are precede significantly affects their nutritional value.
Overcooking food kills or destroys the number of nutrients your food contains, and when you don’t consume enough nutrients, your body will not feel satisfied and soon start to get bad food cravings.
The longer the cooking time is spent in preparation, or the higher the temperature, no matter the method, removes the vitamins and minerals from even the healthiest foods. This happens because heat changes their very nature, making them not as easily absorbed by the body. To change this, try eating more raw foods like salads or sushi. Steam, bake blanch or grill veggies and grill or bake fish and meat.
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5. Fruits before meals 122
It is advisable to eat fruits at least 30 minutes before any heavy meal. Fruit contains simple sugars that require no digestion. Thus, they will not stay for a long time in the stomach.
This way, the fruits will digest quickly. Other foods, such as foods rich in fat, protein, and starch, will stay in your stomach for a longer period of time because these foods require more digestion.
So if you eat fruit right after your meal, the sugar from the fruit will stay too much time in our stomach and ferment. This is why people avoid digestive problems when eating fruit that way. Eating fruits on an empty stomach detoxifies our body and supply us with a lot of energy for losing weight.
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6. Have smaller meals, more often
There is a very simple way you can condition your body to lose weight, even when doing nothing. This is one of the most effective ways of how to do that. Make it a habit and you will succeed with your weight loss.
Don’t save up all your calories for one big meal. Instead, you should eat 5-6 times, daily, with a 2-3 hour break between every meal or snack. Eating more often gets your metabolism going and keeps it working at an elevated level constantly throughout the whole day.
But do not use this rule as an excuse to overeat. Eat regularly to help yourself feel full, to prevent drops in blood sugar, or a wish for snacking. Some people need the 3 meals per day, and others do better with 6 smaller meals. Figure out what works best for you.
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7. Avoid eating after 8 pm
It is a good idea to eat our last meal before 8 in the evening. You’ve probably heard that eating before bed isn’t a smart decision, especially if you are trying to lose some weight.
But are there other times of the day when eating may stop your weight loss goals? Could it be that when you eat may be just as important as foods you eat?
Science is gradually learning more about the connection between our body’s natural biorhythms and gaining weight. When we don’t sleep enough, for example, we trigger reactions in the brain that create confusion signals of tiredness and hunger and will increase our cravings for starchy foods or sugar. Messing with sleep and the body’s internal clock causes people to eat at the wrong times and gain weight.
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8. Think and drink
If you’re trying to lose weight, water can be a great helper. According to studies, drinking water before a meal can help you to lose weight, without making any other changes to your diet.
While everyone knows it is a must to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water daily, very few know when one should drink it. The time you drink is as important as what you drink.
If you drink water between meals, the liquid slows down your digestion, diluting the acid in your stomach, so all important nutrients from your meal are not well absorbed. To avoid this try drinking your water at least 15 minutes before or after a meal, and if you really need to drink while you eat, limit yourself to small amount only.
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9. More sleep helps weight loss
Research has shown that sleeping can be beneficial for your weight loss. Chronic lack of sleep can cause diabetes, hypertension, memory loss and obesity.
Lack of sleep increases blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. Sleep triggers or inhibits the production or release of different hormones. Your growth hormone is affected by sleep, so if you don’t get enough sleep, your body is not going to turn fat into muscle.
Leptin and ghrelin are 2 very important appetite-controlling hormones that are also linked to sleep. Ghrelin increases appetite and leptin suppresses it. When people are subjected to sleep loss, ghrelin levels rise and leptin levels fall. Even when they get plenty of nutrition, people that didn’t get adequate sleep were compelled to eat more. So, the sleep deprivation will increase your appetite and cause you to overeat.
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10. Eat more vegetables
Vegetables are a veritable powerhouse for those who want to lose weight, without being hungry. Veggies are low in calories but high in fiber, and not to mention vitamins and minerals.
Try eating a variety of vegetables rather than just one vegetable with a meal. Having a variety of choices on your plate means that you’re more likely to eat more foods, and eating more veggies is one step toward effective losing pounds.
Vegetables contain water and fiber that fill you up with fewer calories. Just make sure you prepare and serve them without added sources of fat like high-fat dressings or buttery sauces. Vegetarians usually weight less than those who eat meat products, and they are not hungry all the time. This may have to do with fiber intake from legume-based foods like lentil soup and bean burgers. Fiber fills you up with relatively few calories.
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11. Practice yoga or exercise, or both
A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showed that people who practice yoga mostly weigh less. Researchers say this is due to the level of self-awareness and mindfulness that develops in people who practice yoga.
Those who do yoga may pay more attention to their body’s signals, such as eating only enough to feel full. An exercise weight-loss program that works needs to be fun and keep you motivated. It helps to have a specific goal. You may have a hard time starting an exercise routine, but once you do, you will begin to notice other benefits.
Your goal might be improving your health condition, improving your stamina, reducing stress, or lose a few pounds. An active lifestyle and exercise routine, along with eating healthy foods, is the best way to lose weight.