17 Weight LossHacks That Have Nothing To Do With Diet Or Exercise
Diet and exercise are essential for maintaining ahealthy weight. You know this. What you might not know, however, are a bunch ofthese slick tricks that can help to do the same. They've got nothing todo with physical activity or lightened-up lattes though, you should considerthose, too and they can help you keep off the pounds. Check them out:
1. Surround yourself withpositive people...
Purging your life of toxic people is a great move for you happiness. Itcould also be good for your waistline, especially if these Negative Nancys arethe type to criticize your appearance. A study published in the socialpsychology journal Personal Relationships found that women who heard words ofacceptance toward their bodies were more likely to stabilize or lose theirweight. Those who were exposed to negative messages were more likely to gain.As New York Magazine’s Melissa Dahl puts it, "Never underestimate thepower of a kind word."
2. ...And the kind of peoplewho have self control.
Find the folks who accept your body for the way it looks in the present moment,and hold on to them tightly if they're the type to exert self-control when itcomes to food. This second trait is contagious. Research suggests thatdiners can be influenced by both the gluttonous and controlled eating habits oftheir peers. If you're trying to lose a few pounds, ask that friend who lovesgoing out for late-night French fry binges to join you in activities that don't include eating. Suggest a walk, aclass or anything where neither of you will be tempted to surrender to a gorgefest.
3. Skip the commercials.
Seeing food on TV will make you want food in your belly. Research published inHealth Psychology examinedthe effect food-based television advertisements had on viewers and concludedthe impact was great: exposure to food advertisements caused people watching TVto snack more. The snackers were not necessarily driven to eat the productbeing promoted, but snack food in general. Similarly, watching cooking showsfor recipe inspiration has been linked with a greater risk for obesity.Switch off the Paula Deen and DVR your favorite shows thereby gaining thepower to fast forward through ads to defeat the power of the almightyhunger-inducing commercial.
4. Chew your food.
This is a simple one: Make a point to chew your foodrather than slug it down. Chewing will make you eat your meal more slowly,which research shows will make you ingest fewer calories. Taking time to chewyour meal gives your body more time to register fullness, so you can stop whenyou feel "full" rather than when you're "stuffed."
5. Get some sleep.
When in doubt, sleep. Sleep appears to be a miracle solution forailments across the board: It can boost your mood, improve your performance atwork and even hamper headaches. Extensive research has shown that people whosleep fewer hours are more likely to be overweight. When you're running onempty, you feel hungrier than you would with quality rest.
6. Sit down.
No squats required. Instead of eating your food while standing over the kitchenｃounter, take a seat at the table. This tiny move will abate mindless eating,according to research published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,because you're more likely to eat at a slower pace.
7. Eat some produce before foodshopping.
A recent study conducted by food psychologists atCornell University found that eating something healthy beforehitting up the grocery store makes shoppers less inclined to purchase junkfood. If you chomp on a piece of fruit instead of a cookie before shopping,researchers say you'll be in a "healthier mindset" and more likely tomake smarter food choices.
8. Eat off of a plate, not outof the bag.
Seeing is believing, so it's important that you see how much of a snack you'reingesting before you dive in. Otherwise, you could consume way more than youintended. If you're truly devoted, you might divide a snack into individual portionseven before you get munching (store the rest for later in sealable plasticbags). This'll help you stick to one serving.
9. Make that plate a blue plate.
If blue doesn't fit in with your kitchen decor, fear not. This suggestion isbased off of a series of studies that found when a food's color contrasted withthe plate on which it was served, fewer calories were consumed. Experts oftenrecommend blue because not many foods are blue. In one experiment, researchersfound that people ate more of a spaghetti and marinara sauce dish when it wasserved on a red plate, matching the sauce, than when it was served on a whiteone. The contrast, according to the scientists, makes the portion appearlarger. To put this trick to work, just make sure your plate doesn't match thecolor of your dinner.
10. And a small plate.
This one's all about visual deception: A smaller dish will make yourportion look larger, which will trick you into thinking you're eating more.According the the Cornell Food and Brand Lab's Small Plate Movement, eatingfrom a 10-inch plate instead of 12-inch one could help you eat 22 percent lessof your meal.
11. And drink out of a tall,skinny glass.
Cocktails may lookfancy served on the rocks, but that short, wide glass may have provoked anover-pour of calories. One study found that people pour 30 percent more liquidinto short glasses compared totall skinny ones of the same volume, overestimating how much they're reallypouring.
12.Conceal your junk food.
Out of sight, out of mind. If seeing food on TV induces cravings, itmakes sense that not seeingfood could help to reduce these effects. One experiment, with results publishedin the International Journal of Obesity, found that office workers ate fewercandies from a bowl when the bowl was opaque or covered, compared towhen it was clear. You can implement this trick at home by putting your junkfood in colored containers or placing it behind healthier options in thepantry.
13.And put your healthy food in plain sight.
Organize your fridge like a mullet: Business in the front, party in the back.The office candy bowl study found that when food was more visible andaccessible, people tended to eat more of it. This discovery can be used to adieter's advantage by replacing the candy bowl with nutritious foods likefruit. In a separate study, researchers compared the consumption of apples andpopcorn based on proximity, finding that people ate more of whoever offeringwas closer.
14.Play Tetris.
If you've got a food craving, treat yourself to agood old-fashioned game of Tetris rather than attempting to "wait itout." A 2014 study revealed that visual-based tasks like playing gamesdecrease feelings of craving (Angry Birds will probably work,too). Researchers say much of a craving is image-based, so distracting yourmind with something else that is visual can minimize the strength of a craving.
15. Stop wearing sweats.
“ Wearing stylish clothing makes you feel attractive as opposed to comfy sweats and lounge wear that hide your body willencourage you to eat in a way that shows you care about your appearance andyour body,” clinical psychologist Katie Rickel told Grandparents.com. Dressingthe part can serve as a good reminder of your goals.
16. Quit drinking soda.
Stop drinking soda forever. Even the diet versions. Sodas contribute to a hostof health problems, including risk for obesity and diabetes. Swap your habitualsoda for a glass of calorie-free, risk-free water and you'll be healthier (andpossibly thinner) for it.
17. Take the proverbialchill pill.
Chronic stress can be a major cause of weight gain, so it's in your best interest to relax a little.Pinpoint the root of your stress and address it: Consider talking your problemsout with a friend or therapist, and be proactive about mitigating it. You mightconsider participating in some stress-reducing activities: Deep-breathing,yoga, listening to music and taking a nap have all been shown to help calmnerves.
Article Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/13/lose-weight-do-nothing-without-diet-exercise_n_7260710.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living
Image Source: https://jeddahblogdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/losing-weight-1.jpg
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Slick (adj.) ~ efficient or smooth
2. Purge(v.) ~ rid of an unwanted feeling, memory, or condition
3. Contagious(adj.) ~ likely to spread to and affect others
4. Runningon empty (idiom) ~ exhausted
5. Deception(n.) ~ the action of causing someone to believe something that is not true
6. Induce (v.) ~ succeed in persuading
7. Opaque (adj.) ~ not transparent
8. Proverbial adj.) ~ referred to in aproverb or idiom
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Whatdo you think is the best way to lose weight?
2. Whyis it that losing weight so difficult for most people?
3. Whichof the tips above do you believe could be really helpful? Discuss youranswer/answers?
4. Doyou have any tips or suggestions for people who are trying to lose weight? Whatare them?
