Weight loss is never an easy task. Thankfully for you, we have compiled a list of ten commandments to help you lose weight:
Pick home cooked meals over eating out
The benefits of eating home cooked meals cannot be stressed enough. Research shows that people who eat home cooked meals for five or more days in a week tend to have longer, healthier lives than those who do not. While we are not suggesting completely eliminating your social life, saying NO to every second opportunity to eat out will bring about a 50% reduction in the consumption of processed foods, sugars and oil.
Start your day with a heavy breakfast
Data sourced from analyzing the eating patterns of people across the globe shows that people who have power breakfasts tend to lose weight faster. Eating a heavy meal first thing in the morning helps you stay full longer during the day and prevents binge eating at odd hours.
Up your physical activity with daily chores
Work on as many daily chores as possible. It can be as simple as watering plants or as intense as building your own tree house. The idea here is to use your hands and feet to engage in a physical activity that has a well-defined goal. Doing these chores will also release endorphins that boost your mood, apart from helping you burn calories.
Load up on healthy snacks before a party
The food you eat at parties, along with the alcohol you drink, can be a major cause for weight gain. The combination of oily food and alcoholic beverages is known to be unhealthy. Having a healthy salad before attending a party can help you feel full faster, preventing you from snacking on unhealthy food once you’re there.
Smaller plates lead to smaller meals
Psychologically, you feel like the food consumed is less if you have eaten from a large plate. Trick your mind into feeling full by eating from a smaller plate, and reduce the possibility of overeating.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator
While taking the elevator may seem a lot easier to do than the stairs, it is not healthier. Start with just one or two floors and then eventually move on to climbing the whole flight of stairs. This way you can burn calories on your way to office, or at home, on a daily basis.
Say ‘No’ to late night TV
Watching TV late at night delays your sleep and activates brain cells, thus, causing hunger pangs in the middle of the night. Cutting down on late night TV can help prevent this. In addition to that, lack of sleep can indirectly lead to further weight gain.
Stay hydrated
People tend to mistake their thirst for hunger, thus, making them eat a lot more than necessary. Staying hydrated throughout the day can help in this case. The next time you think you’re hungry, ask yourself if you are thirsty first, and then decide if you want to eat food or whether a glass of water will suffice.
Eat your meals slowly
It takes your stomach about 20 minutes to signal to the brain that it is full. If you gobble up your food faster than that, you may end up eating twice as much as your stomach’s capacity. Chewing your food slowly will help reduce the amount of food you eat, and ultimately result in weight loss.
Increase your protein intake
Look to include a good quality protein source in every meal. This will help in building stamina, strengthening your body, and boosting metabolism. The right amount of protein in your meals is known to aid in weight loss as well.
Following these ten commandments will help you in your quest for weight loss. What are you waiting for? Get started on your fitness journey now!
