21 Tricks to Lose Weight for Girls Who Hate Dieting ...

1. Write Yourself an Inspiring Note

Take a piece of paper and write down your goal weight along with why you want to lose the weight. Stick it the refrigerator and you will be greeted by it every time you go to open the door to pick up an extra snack and undo some of the good work that you have been doing. My note is going to be “fridge pickers wear bigger knickers”.

2. Keep a Food Diary to Keep You on Track

Sometimes people don’t even know how much they are eating every single day. Keep a food journal and you will soon see the problems areas that you can work on without even getting close to being ‘on a diet’.

3. Add 10% to How Many Calories You Think You’re Consuming

It’s human nature to stay on the low side when estimating your calorie intake, so it’s a good tip to add 10% to that in your mind and then adjust your snacking preferences accordingly. That little adjustment can really make a difference long term.

4. Find an Online Weight Loss Buddy to Help Inspire You

No weight loss journey is easy, especially when you are trying to do it alone. Look online on different forums to try to find somebody who you can build a relationship with; somebody who can act as a motivator and you for them as you both try to make sensible food and health choices.

5. Find a Mantra That Suits Your Personality

There are plenty of weight loss quotes and mantras flying around. The trick is to find one that rings a personal bell with you, and get in the habit of repeating it every day in the mirror. The more you say it, the more you will start to believe it and feel its power.

6. Make Water Your Go-to Beverage during the Day

It’s great to have some orange juice with your breakfast, but after than an easy way to cut out some calories during the day is to stick to bottled water rather than sodas and sugary drinks. It won’t feel like a diet at all because it’s a straight swap.

7. Eat Three Fewer Bites of Each Meal

This might not be the right tip for those against food wastage, but on average, if you take three fewer bites of each meal during the day, you could save around 150-200 calories without even having to think about it. Also, not eating to the point of fullness is good for your metabolism.

8. Don’t Snack While Watching TV

It’s amazing how mindless we can be when watching TV. Take this mindless risk out of the equation by not allowing yourself to snack whilst watching your favorite shows. Think about it. I don’t know how many times I have only meant to eat a few cookies and ended up finishing the entire packet before an episode has finished?

9. Do Some Serious Spring-Cleaning Once a Week

Whether it’s the kitchen, your bedroom or your bathroom, doing a serious spot of spring-cleaning at least once a week can count towards a degree of exercise. You can burn calories whilst scrubbing away and it takes your mind off the potential for snacking.

10. Wait until You Are Actually Hungry to Eat

The true indicator of hunger is a rumbling stomach. Anything before that can be psychological hunger. Limit your eating to when you know for sure that your body needs it, rather than your body wanting. Those two things are incredibly different!

11. Try Sniffing Fruit Instead of Eating Junk!

It’s sounds crazy, but a recent study found significant weight loss occurring when people who were craving unnecessary foods felt a decrease in their cravings when they sniffed fruits like apples and bananas. Getting a temporary satisfaction from this that eased their psychological hunger.

12. Surround Yourself with the Color Blue

Have you ever noticed that practically no fast food chains have blue in their logos? That’s because the color has been proven to act as something of an appetite suppressant! Make your living areas blue and you won’t get as hungry as often.

13. Eat in Front of a Mirror

Recent studies have found that eating in front of a mirror can help you to be more aware of your actions, and perhaps persuade you not to indulge as much as you would have otherwise. It’s a good reminder that your main goal is to lose weight, no matter how tasty your meal is!

14. Take the Stairs Whenever There is a Choice

Whenever you are greeted with the option of the elevator or the stairs, commit to taking the stairs every time. It’s not an extra inconvenience in your day because it’s getting you to the place you wanted to go in the first place, and a few extra calories burned doesn’t hurt!

15. Introduce Walking Breaks in to Your Work

If you are stuck at a desk all day, then incorporate five or so minutes of each hour in to getting up and going for a walk around the office. It’s important that your body is given the opportunity to get moving and not be stationary for too long at any given time.

16. Add an Extra 15 Mins to the Traditional 30

For years, the tip has been to try to walk for 30 minutes a day, but more recent studies have proven that putting in an extra 15 and knocking it up to 45 has a much more significant effect for very little extra exercise.

17. Get into Looking at the Food Labels before Buying

You can make smart food choices just by looking at the ingredients list and avoiding anything that contains too much sugar, corn syrup and fructose. Those are the key ingredients to avoid, so the smarter you become in terms of label reading, the healthier your diet will be.

18. Eat Much More Slowly than You Normally do

Doing things like putting your cutlery down between bites and stopping to take sips of water can help your metabolism and digestion a lot, and it can also help your body to let you know you’re full before you have finished the entire plate.

19. Get Rid of Your Safe ‘Fat’ Clothes

If your comfortable ‘fat’ clothes are the things that are keeping you from making the final push in to serious weight loss, then it’s time to throw them out and remove your safety blanket. There is no turning back if you don’t have the cozy jeans or loose sweats to slip back in to!

20. ‘Close’ the Kitchen after Dinner

Be strict with yourself and act like the kitchen is closed for business after dinner, not opening again until tomorrow morning when breakfast is served. This will help to encourage you not to snack when you are bored in the evenings.

21. Take a Walk before Dinner

Going on a brief but brisk walk before dinner time helps in two ways: the first that it will help your body to digest the food and calories better, and the second that it will actually suppress your appetite do you will end up eating less than usual anyway.

I’m going to stop trying to think myself thin and make it happen instead. Wish me luck!