When it comes to different ways to lose weight, painless is not a word most would use to describe the process. Instead of torturing your body by not eating whole meals, and squeezing in extra hours at the gym, there are simple lifestyle changes you can practice that can make weight loss easier. Our expert reviews these "painless" tips, and explains how you can incorporate them into your life.
1. Forget Subtraction
Instead of thinking that you need to subtract foods from your diet in order to lose weight, add more foods instead.
"It’s really easy to incorporate more healthy foods into your diet," says Tessa Prior-Pullins, one of the lead dietitians for BistroMD. "You can slip in a variety of different fruits and vegetables into your daily meals. Add juicy grapes as a snack to your lunch, and start incorporating more vegetables into your favorite soups, stews, and sauces."
Just be aware of overall calories. Also, make sure you fit in a little physical activity—whether this is a few dance moves while cooking dinner, or taking a quick stroll through the neighborhood.
2. Avoid the Typical "Work Out"
If the term "exercise" tends to make you want to hide in a corner, then perhaps the trick to overcoming your avoidance is not to refer to it as "working out" at all.
"Not giving ‘exercise’ a label, can actually make you appreciate the health benefits of feeling better," says Tessa. "The way it feels to actually feel good about your health outweighs the stumbling blocks that were preventing you from exercising to begin with."
You can even avoid "stereotypical" exercises and think outside the box. Go water skiing, wash your car, take your dog to the dog park, go for a hike in the woods. These are all activities that will burn calories, but will make the concept of exercise seem a little less painful.
3. Go for a Walk!
You take thousands of steps each day, so why not increase your stamina a little bit in the process?
"Walking is one of the most painless ways to lose weight," says Tessa. "Taking a stroll when the weather is nice can also really help you maintain your motivation. There are also things you can switch up in your everyday routine that will help you fit in more time for walking."
These include:
1. Park your car towards the back of the lot.
2. Take the stairs every chance you get.
3. Turn up your music to get the blood flowing as you clean your house.
4. When shopping, make sure you visit all levels of the mall.
All of these things will add up and eventually, you could have a 30 minute workout 5 days per week.
4. Lighten Up on Your Favorite Foods
One of the best ways to lose weight without feeling too much pain is to switch over to lower calorie versions of the foods you crave. When making some of your favorite meals, are you really going to notice if the cheese you are using is lower in fat?
"Most people can’t even taste the difference when they eat lower calorie foods," says Tessa. "This helps trim fat calories, and also makes more room to incorporate other nutrients into your diet, like fiber."
The main benefit of fiber is that it makes you feel satisfied longer. You can easily incorporate fiber into your diet by adding more vegetables into your meals. Make a stuffed chicken breast with spinach and feta cheese, or toss a handful of red peppers into one of your sizzling recipes.
Don’t forget about the ultimate beverage—water! Drink plenty of it.
5. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
"When you are trying to lose weight, it is crucial that you drink plenty of water," says Tessa. "Drinking a glass of water before each meal can actually help you watch what you eat."
Water is also a great source of natural energy to help you power through your next workout.
6. Share What’s On Your Plate
When eating out, you will notice that many restaurants love to serve you larger-than-life portions.
"If you choose to go out for a meal, you may want consider sharing your dish with your significant other, or with another family member," says Tessa. "This will help you monitor your portions, as well as your calorie count."
Keep a watchful eye on the menu, as many restaurants today list the total calories, carbohydrates, and fat included in each meal.
If you feel too tempted to overindulge when you eat out, bring a companion for support. This could be a special friend who is also trying to go down the path of maintaining a lighter, healthier self.
7. Tone Up with Your Telly
It isn’t hard to figure out that most Americans love television. Most Americans also know that they need to get more exercise, so why not utilize both?
"Tune into one of your favorite shows when you get out of work, and exercise throughout the program," says Tessa. "Hop on your treadmill, or pedal your bike while watching your favorites. You could use commercial breaks as an opportunity to take a rest, or to rehydrate."
During your show, aim to exercise for at least 15 minutes. Getting engrossed in your favorite show while exercising may make you push yourself even more.
8. Who Says Size Doesn’t Matter?
"If you want to make eating less even more painless, place your meal on a smaller plate," says Tessa. "This will give you a mental cue that you actually have more food than is actually on your plate."
You also tend to feel more satisfied when you eat food from a smaller plate. This also prevents you from over-stuffing yourself, and allows you to enjoy your food more. It also helps your body digest the food its taken in a little more efficiently.
9. Embrace Hobbies
"When it comes to losing weight, many people don’t achieve their goals because they become bored with the same routine every day," says Tessa. "Just by picking up a new hobby, you are taking less focus away from the pressures of dieting, and giving yourself a break from the mental stress."
Take away the focus from food by engaging in activities that have nothing to do with food. Volunteer at a local charity, get involved in a bowling league, redecorate your house, or just help your kids with their homework. Just remember: you can have a life outside of your weight loss bubble.
10. Remember: It Gets Easier
"Once you have achieved a portion of your weight loss goal, it will get much easier to maintain that motivation to conquer the rest of it," says Tessa. "Weight loss is definitely not easy, but knowing that it gets easier is a great way to push yourself to keep going."
You can also keep a list of benefits lying around your home or office. The results you crave such as improved self-confidence, a boost in your mood, and better health can definitely help you stay on the path for the long-term.
To read more healthy tips from BistroMD’s team of experts, visit our healthy facts section for more information.
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