Weight loss is hard work. That's why most people give up. For some, it's too challenging, for others it might be their hectic schedule. Plus, with Americans spending lots of money searching for that miracle fat burner, we know that most of us are just lazy when it comes to weight loss. So, here are seven creative tricks to lose weight without even knowing it:
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This post was originally published April 28, 2014.
Image via Corbis
1. Belt it in!
For most of us, overeating is a problem. This means eating till the plate gets cleaned or till we hit the bottom of that popcorn bucket. The problem with that is we ingest a lot of excess calories that our body doesn't need. Solution? Tighten that belt around your waist. This tricks our brain into eating only till we are full, rather than gobbling up the entire dish. In a sense, the belt fences your stomach and acts as a guiding tool that creates a boundary for the food.
2. Brush those teeth after your meal
Not just after dinner, but try to brush your teeth after every meal. This will act as a psychological cue for you to stop eating. This will stop both your midday and midnight snacking urges.
3. Keep yourself busy while being a couch potato
There is something about sitting in front of the TV that automatically makes us want to eat. It's almost like turning on that TV leaves us vulnerable to be attacked by junk foods. But, we can suppress these urges of wanting to eat by keeping ourselves occupied with another task. For example, giving yourself a manicure, stretching, playing with your pets, folding laundry, or even trying to balance yourself on one foot for as long as possible.
4. Drink water throughout the day, especially before each meal
Sometimes your body mistakes thirst for hunger. So the next time you think you are hungry, have some water instead. Sometimes the key to satiety is just proper hydration. Also, drinking water before each meal will make you full faster. This will help keep your caloric intake from spiking up.
5. Sleep
You're going to love this, but research shows that people who sleep seven to eight hours a night are less likely to put on weight and overeat, than someone who only gest five to six hours of sleep a night. Not getting enough sleep can also mess up your hormonal balance and slow down your metabolism rate.
6. Restrict yourself to paying cash for food
Instead of reaching for plastic, get the cash. Research shows that we are more prone to impulsively buying unhealthy foods from the checkout stands when using credit/debit cards. Using cash will make you more conscious about the decision you make in regards to which items you spend your money; this is because cash is tangible, making the sense of loss seem even greater.
7. Keep your hands busy
Whenever you go out, carry a clutch, a wallet or even your cell phone in your hands. Keeping them free will make you want to hold that bag of unhealthy potato chips, or a large glass of toxic soda.
