15 Small Tricks to Help You Lose Weight ...

1. Pack Your Lunch

Packing your lunch is one of my small tricks to lose weight that I follow everyday. Leaving yourself with no food for your long day at work makes for a lot of snacking and buying of food. Not only is it expensive, but 9 times out of 10 you will reach for the food that isn't good for you rather than eating a salad. Pack your lunch daily with healthy items and fruit for you to snack on when you get a little hungry.

2. Drink Water

Drinking water is my best kept secret. I know, everyone might drink water, but it is KEY to have a litre of water at hand at all times. When I feel a little peckish during the day, I drink water. If I find myself reaching for some chocolate or candy, I drink water. This will obviously keep you hydrated, but it also fills your stomach and tricks it into thinking you're full. I'm not saying don't eat, I'm just saying train yourself to know that you aren't always starving!

3. Sleep!

This really is one of the most important steps to losing weight and just getting back into shape. When I'm tired, I tend to gravitate towards the junk food all day to snack on. When you get a good night's sleep, you will wake up rejuvenated and ready for the day.

4. Skipping Meals

This is a very common mistake that all girls have made at one time. If you are thinking that skipping dinner or lunch will help you lose weight, you are very wrong! In fact, it will do the complete opposite. When you skip meals, your metabolism does not have to work to break down food and it begins to slow down. Then, the next time you do actually eat something, your metabolism is not able to break the food down as quickly, and as a result the food is stored as fat.

5. Have Mirrors in Your Dining Room

This sounds weird, but women are more likely to not over eat if they catch a glimpse of themselves in the mirror. This way, you are conscious of what you are eating and you will likely eat less, which is what your body probably needs anyways.

6. Have Dessert for Breakfast

You are supposed to kick start your metabolism with a big breakfast, but why not get your unhealthy snack out of the way right away? Have that cookie or that muffin with your coffee and make sure to mentally note that this is your one and only unhealthy snack for the day. This way your energy will be up and you will know that you have to be extra good that day due to that cookie!

7. The Ribbon Trick

I have to admit, I have tried this before and it actually works! If you have a dinner plan that you can't get out of but want to be conscious of what you eat, simply tie a ribbon around your waist. Make sure it is not too tight but tight enough that you can tell it's there. This way, when you're eating out you will be aware of what you are eating and this also works great for keeping your posture in check!

8. Chop up Unhealthy Foods

Sometimes, diet or no diet, we tend to indulge in high calorie foods and who wouldn't? It's often hard to strictly restrict yourself from your favorite junk foods, but eating everything in moderation can prevent you from going off the healthy rails. Therefore, next time you decide to treat yourself with a high calorie food, chop it in smaller pieces (if it is possible) to make it seem as if you are consuming a lot more than you actually are. That way you are staying satisfied without overeating on junk food!

9. Leave Remnants of Food on Your Plate

Another way to control your portions, other than literally putting less food on your plate, is to leave a couple of bites of your meal behind. That way you still feel satisfied and full without completing your entire meal. And you might feel like you are able to have control over your appetite, when you choose to stop eating yourself instead of letting the amount of food control how much you eat.

10. Brush Your Teeth

One of the ways to signal your mind and body that it is time to stop eating is by brushing your teeth after every meal or snack. The fresh minty feeling in your mouth will prevent you from further taking bites of unnecessary calories! And if you are always on the go you can bring a travel-sized toothbrush with you or substitute brushing with minty gum.

11. Don't Multitask when Eating

If you are one of those people who loves to enjoy their lunch in front of the TV, stop distracting yourself from your food! If you are always occupied with reading, watching or working, you won't be able to fully pay attention to what you are eating and therefore won't be able to enjoy your meal. So when it is time for your next meal, sit down and focus on your food, paying attention to the mix of flavors. Eating slowly and focusing on your food can make you aware of it more, making you eat less.

12. Eat before Grocery Shopping

How often do you go grocery shopping on an empty stomach and end up spending more money than you intended? Oftentimes we tend to act impulsively when hungry and buy anything that looks good. This can be dangerous to our goal of losing weight because it is more than likely we will gravitate toward unhealthy foods. Therefore, every time you go grocery shopping, make sure to eat beforehand to avoid any unintended chaos!

13. Put down That Fork

As many of you may already know, it takes your brain about 20 minutes to realize that you are full, which is why it is important to chew slowly during your meals. However, it is very difficult to break your life-long habit of chewing fast without giving up trying. One trick that can help to slow you down while you eat is to put your eating utensils down after every bite!

14. Eat on Smaller Dishes

Portioning of meals all depends on your visual perspective. What might seem like a small amount of food on a huge plate may in reality can be the size of two portions on a regular plate. Therefore it is important to downgrade the size of your dishes in order to avoid visual illusions. Eating on smaller plates can make it appear as if you are about to have a very satisfying meal when in reality it may be a smaller meal that can still fill you up.

15. Plan Meals Ahead

One of the most effective ways to avoid eating junk food is by planning your meals. Without planned meals, it is very common for people to go have lunch at the nearest food store, even if they have unhealthy food choices. It makes sense because if you don't plan you healthy meals in advance, you might go for whatever is the closest just to end your hunger suffering. So if you are dedicated to following a healthy meal plan, plan out your food regime ahead of time!

Now that we have some ideas to help keep our brain on track with our bodies, I sincerely hope you all use these! I honestly have tried these all and they all work in their own way. Main point though, eat healthy and stay active. If you do those two, you will be on your way to a hot bod! Which of these tips will you try first?