Losing weight can be a tough task. You can try all the fad diets, get a gym membership, resolve yourself to eat better, but you still end up right where you began. It can be a tough commitment, especially when we have such constraints in our lives. There’s a job to tend to, kids to raise and shuttle around, spending time with your loved one – how do you work in the time to really be dedicated to weight loss goals?
I’m here to fill you in on a few secrets that I’ve come across over the years in my battle to lose weight. You CAN take a shortcut to weight goals. It doesn’t take an entire lifestyle change, just some habits you can pick up that will little-by-little add up to some real progress.
Shortcuts to Losing Weight
Ready to dig in? Here we go!
Get Rid of Your Sweet Tooth
I know, I know, sweets are very tempting. But they add up, and fast! While I’m not saying that you should quit snacking altogether, what I’m suggesting is to change what you’re snacking on. Sugars are a prime reason why there is such an obesity problem these days. Instead of reaching for a candy bar or bag of potato chips, reach for something more nutritious instead to fill your belly.
If you’re looking for ideas, we present options here: https://www.dietpillreviews.com/weight-loss-meal-plans/6-healthy-snacks-for-weight-loss
Eat Smaller Portions
This one is pretty self-explanatory and obvious. All you need to do is eat smaller portions. When you are consuming fewer calories than your burning, you’ll gain weight. This tip doesn’t require ay lifestyle change or an overhaul of your diet. Next time you prepare a meal, make yourself a smaller serving of it. That’s all there is to it! You may feel hungry at first, but your body will acclimate to the new norm when it comes to how much you eat per day. Soon enough you’ll feel full from your smaller portion sizes.
Change How You Eat
This goes hand in hand with the above-mentioned shortcut. You need to rewire your eating habits a bit. One tip is to eat slower. Enjoy your meal and relish the tastes. Studies have shown that taking your time when eating can lead to consuming fewer calories. When you eat something, it takes a bit of time to settle into your stomach and make you feel full. If you eat fast, you overeat because you are finishing your plate before your stomach has had a chance to send the signal that you are full.
Another method is to drink a couple of glasses of water before each meal. This will fill your belly and cause you to feel more full, preventing you from eating too much. We go into more detail on the science behind this here: https://www.dietpillreviews.com/weight-loss-tips/drinking-water-before-you-eat-for-weight-loss
Another thing you can change about how you eat is to keep a journal of your diet. Take a regular week and record everything that you eat and drink. There are a ton of apps that you can use for this, which have a searchable list of all kinds of foods and include their nutrition information. You may be shocked at how many calories you are consuming, how much sugar or sodium you are taking on, stuff like that. Once you have all the data in front of you, you can really pinpoint where your issues reside and make tweaks to your diet.
Increase the Speed During Exercise
The favorite pastime for those looking to get into shape and lose weight is to strap on some running shoes and hit the streets or treadmill. I’m not saying that this isn’t healthy for you, but when it comes to shedding pounds, a long steady jog is not an efficient use of your time. What you need to do is incorporate sprints and faster pace now and then to really get your heart rate going and get your body into a fat burning zone.
For information on high-intensity interval training, visit this page here: https://www.dietpillreviews.com/best-hiit-exercises
Add More Protein to Your Diet
This sounds a little counterintuitive since protein is the building block of muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. Then why am I including this is a shortcut to losing weight? There are a few reasons. Proteins can make you feel full faster. This all ties into what I described above about not overeating. It can help eliminate those hunger pangs and curb your sweet tooth (and hopefully if you snack, you’ll stick to healthy options as mentioned earlier).
Eating protein doesn’t necessarily eating a huge serving of high-calorie foods. There are a ton of lean ways to get your daily dose, as described on this page: https://www.dietpillreviews.com/list-of-lean-foods-packed-with-protein
Be Realistic
As they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day. One big thing to remember is the mental aspect of any weight loss journey. Don’t go too crazy over the success stories you see on the internet and social media with amazing transformations (like these on People.com) happening overnight. Manage your expectations. It won’t happen immediately. Setting a ridiculous goal is only going to lead to failure and disappointment and make you want to quit. Be realistic in your goals (in terms of pounds, inches, timeline) and stick to your plan with these shortcuts to losing weight and you will enjoy many more successes along the way.
About Shaun Hudson
Shaun Hudson loves sports, being outdoors, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. After many unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, he finally was able to drop 25 pounds and keep it off. The secret? He kept a journal of his activity, diet, and daily life. That journal changed his life, and has since evolved into this website. Read his full bio.