10 small tips for weight loss

I had a few requests to write about easy weight loss tips. It’s pretty well known that proper diet and exercise is the way to go when it comes to weight loss. But here are a few tips you can pair up with a proper diet and exercise routine to give you a little boost.

1. The power of the number 5.

Try eating five smaller meals a day rather then the typical breakfast, lunch and dinner. The increased number of meals will eliminate hunger/cravings during the day so you won’t snack on junk food. Also, by eating often it will increase your metabolism and will also maintain your blood sugar levels. In each meal try to have these five things: low fat quality protein (e.g. turkey), low to moderate glycemic index carbohydrate (e.g. Muesli), vegetables (e.g. Carrots), a healthy fat (e.g. Avacado), beverage without added sugar (e.g. buko juice). An example of a meal I would make is whole-wheat chicken fajitas with peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes and avocados with a glass of buko juice. Try to maintain this way of eating for five days a week as we all need a cheat day. I personally love food, so on a Wednesday and Sunday I’ll binge out. With out my cheat days I wouldn’t be able to do it.

2. Eat more spices

Eating spices are known boost your metabolism. But these two in particular can aid in weight loss.

Cayene peppers: they boost metabolism and also work as an effective appetite controller. They also help in smooth digestion.

Turmeric: It is considered the best spice for weight loss as there is a phenol found in tumeric that possess potent fat-burning properties. It is also high in iron, vitamin B-6 and dietary fibers.

3. Don’t rush eating and chew your food.

It takes our brain approximately 20 minutes to realize its full. So if we eat to fast we tend to over eat and those are extra calories. By eating slowly it gives our brain time to realize when we are full so we avoid overeating. Try chewing your food better. Digestion starts in our mouth when we chew. The chewing breaks down the food, which allows for it to be digested better. Chewing also slows down how fast we eat as it takes time to chew, which helps us avoid over eating.

4. Drink more water

Most people overeat and maybe it’s because they don’t like to chew their food or because they love to just eat. But drinking water may help. Research by the American Chemical Society showed that in a study participant who drank two glasses of water before each low calorie-diet plan lost an average of 15.5 pounds compared to the 11 pound average weight loss of those who just did the low calorie-diet plan. The theory is that by drinking two glasses of water before the meals, it fills our stomach, making us less hungry and less likely to over eat. Other research shows water is also needed to burn calories properly and that water also helps in digestion.

5. If you don’t like the gym, don’t go.

Gyms are not for everyone. If you are forcing yourself to go to the gym, you will eventually lose interest and will be unmotivated. Instead, find some activities that you enjoy and try to incorporate them into your daily routines. That way you will look forward to your healthy activities instead of dreading them. Experiment with different things to see what sparks your interest. For example, on my off-seasons I enjoy kayaking, biking, surfing, yoga and America flag football.

6. Do something while watching TV

Try not to be a total couch potato when watching TV. Try to do a few sit ups or push ups or even stretch. An interesting idea is to just be active during commercials. The average person watches three hours of TV a day. There is approximately 15 minutes of commercials for every hour. So if you are watching three hours of TV, that’s about 45 minutes where you could be exercising.

7. Plan your meals ahead of time

Most of the “bad calories” in your day come from eating junk when you get hungry and have no good food around you. Those extra calories do add up over time. So plan your meals ahead of time and even pack some healthy snacks to bring along with you over the day. That way, you’ll never be hungry and if you ever need a snack you’ll have good snacks with you so you don’t have to reach for that bag of chips.

8. Avoid alcohol

Alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, making it nearly twice as high in calories when compared to carbohydrates. It is very easy to drink many excess calories especially with girls and their super sugary drinks. But that’s not the worst part because alcohol is usually associated with fatty food. I bet if you read the menu at a bar you wouldn’t find much that’s healthy.

9. Eat out less

You don’t always know what’s going into your food when you eat out. Even things that sound healthy might not be. For example, a side of vegetables with any dish is usually smothered in butter and salt. The oils they use might not be what you use at home. Also the proportions when you eat out are usually a little bigger then normal and can make you over eat. When you or someone you know is cooking everything is controlled. Save eating out to your cheat days, those meals are always fun.

10. I read this the other day and thought it was funny so I included it as the last tip. “Turn your head to the left, then to the right and repeat when offered (BAD) food.”