By Heather • 5 Comments
As crazy as it may sound, you can actually lose weight without counting calories (or even carbs or fat grams), and it's not as hard as you might think. Losing weight is an uphill battle for many women, just like gaining weight can be for others. Because all of our bodies are uniquely different and have different metabolisms, the idea of all of us taking in the same set number of calories just doesn't make sense. While a magazine may tell you that you only need 1200 calories to lose weight, you may be much more active and need more than that to support your body and weight loss efforts. It's always best to eat depending on how active you are and eat healthy foods. If you're looking to lose weight in the midst of a busy lifestyle and you have a hearty appetite, no fear. It's completely possible with these 9 simple rules. Being hungry is no fun, so ditch all the mental math equations and stop counting those calories!
When you eat a lot of vegetables, you automatically limit the room in your diet for all the unhealthy stuff and can easily lose weight without counting calories. Think about it: if you fill up your plate with at least 50-60% produce then there's not much room left on your plate (or in your belly) for the bad stuff. Consume leafy greens, green veggies, root veggies, and lots of red, yellow, and orange veggies too.
If you don't have a hearty appetite when you wake up, that's okay. Just at least eat something light, like a piece of fruit or a small green or fruit-based smoothie. The important thing is to eat something healthy at least an hour after you get up. This jumpstarts your metabolism and prevents your body from eating muscle, which can lead to a slow metabolism. Remember, muscle burns fat so you don't want to skip meals and automatically sell yourself short.
Having coffee or even tea throughout the day? Great! The natural caffeine can give you a metabolic edge, but not if you add sugar and cream to your drink. Fat and sugar combined cause weight gain so be sure not to add refined sugar to anything. You should also avoid high-fat dairy cream. Go for some unsweetened almond or coconut milk and stevia instead.
Fruit is the perfect snack food, especially if you get tired of carrot sticks and celery (which most dieters usually eat). I like pears, apples, bananas, and oranges since they're high in fiber and very filling. Their natural sweetness also satisfies your sweet tooth and won't make you gain weight like a candy bar will.
Superfoods like goji, maqui, acai, mulberries, goldenberries, spirulina, coconut, cacao, hemp, maca, wheatgrass, kale, berries, chia seeds, and flax seeds are all fabulous for weight loss. They're full of antioxidants that protect the body and also aid in fighting off toxins that can lead to weight gain. Plus, flax, chia, hemp, acai, and spirulina are all filled with omega 3s and B vitamins that have been proven to aid in weight loss and improve mental health.
Making a green smoothie is a great way to automatically lose weight. Make one with leafy greens, some fruit, unsweetened nondairy milk, vegan protein powder, cinnamon and cocoa for taste and blood sugar control, several of the superfoods above, and lots of ice. Blend and you've got yourself a super metabolism-boosting meal, all in one smoothie. Take it with you or enjoy it right at home!
Water flushes out toxins and helps to fight fat naturally. Sometimes you might think you're hungry but in fact, you may just be thirsty. Have several cups a day and add a squeeze of lemon if you don't like it plain.
If you hate exercising, walking is the exercise for you! Walking does wonders for your weight and reduces stress, which may help weight loss goals even further. Walk for 30-45 minutes a day and see results within a couple weeks.
Getting 8 hours of sleep is non-negotiable when it comes to losing weight. I'm not kidding, ladies! If you want to drop serious pounds, just go to bed! This magical hormone called HGH (human growth hormone) actually burns fat in your body just by you getting into a deep sleep, but it doesn't work unless you're actually asleep for most of the night. What could be easier than sleeping away excess pounds?
If you're looking to lose weight and you're tired of all the diet books, I don't blame you. Just remember that weight loss is about more than calories- it's about your entire lifestyle. Manage stress the best you can and whatever you do, be sure to take care of yourself. How do you manage your weight without counting calories?
Sources: fitnessmagazine.com, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov