Saturday, December 3, 2016

13 Lifestyle Tips That Will Help You Lose Weight More Naturally

In order to lose weight more naturally, we’ve all got to change our mindsets—and our lifestyles.

The truth is that it’s easier to lose weight more naturally with specific lifestyle practices at your side. Calories aren’t the only factor when it comes to losing weight for the long haul. 

What we actually need for optimal weight loss isn’t a cut in our caloric intake; we need a lifestyle solution that supports our efforts more easily. 

Studies have shown that individuals who participate in specific lifestyle habits lose weight much easier and more naturally than others. 

So take a look at the 13 lifestyle tips below and begin implementing them into your daily routine. You’ll be shocked at how much easier it is for you to lose weight more naturally, not to mention you’ll also feel better too! 

1. Get Enough Sleep

enough sleep

You might imagine that the weight loss first tip would be something related to food or exercise, but guess what? It’s actually about your sleep health.

No matter how healthy you’re eating or how much you’re exercising each day, not getting enough quality sleep can automatically make it harder for you to lose weight more naturally. 

Sleep controls many of the vital hormones that regulate metabolism, appetite, and thyroid function. Sleep can also influence your blood sugar levels and even your heart health long-term.

A good night’s rest can even change your food cravings!

So aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night no matter what, and if you need some tips getting to bed more easily, check out these natural solutions to treat insomnia that might work well for you.

2. Drink More Water

drink more water

This tip probably sounds boring to many of you, but it’s so true. Water is crucial for weight loss, and you might need more than the standard recommended 8 cups per day. 

If you find it difficult to get enough water, start replacing more of your current beverage choices with water to make it easier.

Why does water work for weight loss?

Water not only flushes out toxins that are readily stored in fat more easily, but it also keeps your metabolism working optimally and can prevent eating out of thirst when we often think we’re hungry. Plus, hydration is crucial to all the cells in your body. Drink up!

3. Eat an Apple a Day

eat apples

Apples are a unique type of fruit because they contain high levels of pectin, a specific type of fiber that can help you lose weight more easily. Pectin makes you feel fuller more quickly even if you haven’t had many calories.

Pectin can also lower blood sugar levels, lower bad cholesterol, and it even aids in digestion.

This is one reason why many people eat an apple before a meal; it helps prevent them from overeating at the next meal and it can aid in regularity. Apples are also a great source of vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium so they’re even great for your immunity and blood pressure levels.

4. Eat More Greens

eat more greens

Leafy green veggies and dark green vegetables are quite possibly the best foods for weight loss you can eat. These foods are terrific for bulking up your meals with more nutrients for fewer calories.

And while calories don’t matter as much as quality, dark green foods are still crucial for optimal weight loss over the long terms due to how they affect your metabolism. Aim for 3 cups of greens and/or dark green vegetables per day as a great place to start.

5. Eat a Balanced Diet

eat a balanced diet

Believe it or not, trendy diets that cut out food groups aren’t the best way to keep the weight off. Your body needs a balance of carbs, fats, and proteins to function at an optimal metabolic level.

Choose fruits, vegetables, greens, and then find out what types of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats work for your body. Get tips on how to do that here.

6. Cut the Refined Sugar, ASAP

cut out refined sugar

While sugar might seem harmless, its effects on long-term health or weight loss are not promising. 

Refined sugar is completely deficient in nutrition and is an empty source of calories.  

So choose fruit as your choice of sweetness when possible, and stay away from all sources of refined sugar that are found in processed foods.

You’ll also want to be careful of foods that sound healthy, but are really just calorie bombs in disguise. Even a little raw honey is much better for weight loss than the refined, sugary sweet stuff found in processed foods.

7. Eat More Plant-Based Fare

eat more plants

Plant-based means eating real food, from plants—that’s it. It’s not only an easy way to cut out refined foods from your diet, but it’s also an excellent way to avoid eating too much cholesterol or hormones from animal-based foods.

Plus, plant-based diets have been shown to prevent the majority of all types of diseases associated with obesity. Learn more about how to start a plant-based diet here.

8. Choose Your Grains Carefully

choose grains wisely

You might have heard of grain-free diets and why they’re helpful for weight loss. But the truth is, some grains can actually make weight loss much easier. One of these grains is whole grain oats. Not the instant kind, but pure, rolled or steel-cut oats.

Try having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast in place of a bagel, toast, or a nutrition bar. You’ll be surprised just how easy oatmeal can keep you full, and it’s full of nutrients that boost your mood and energy levels too!

Certain grains can also help prevent hunger more quickly and can actually boost your metabolic function. Here are some tips on how to choose the best whole grains for weight loss.

9. Move Every Single Day

move every single day

Daily movement can help you lose weight more naturally, quickly, and effectively— even if that just means you walk or do moderately intense yoga for 30 minutes each day

So start your day with some form of movement or fit in an exercise session on your lunch break. Once you get in the habit of doing so, you’ll love how it makes you feel and how much easier it helps you lose weight.

10. Watch Your Fat Intake

choose fats wisely

Fat is an important source of nutrients that you need for optimal health, but it’s still important to watch how much fat you take in each day and it’s important to be selective about the types of fat you eat. Why? Fat doesn’t take up much room in our stomachs which can make it easier to overeat on.

Too much fat at a meal can also make it harder to eat enough fiber, and fiber is one of the most important nutrients for us to consume for optimal weight loss.

Generally speaking, 1-2 tablespoons of healthy fats at each meal is a good place to start if you’re not sure how much fat you should be eating. This includes nuts, seeds, ¼ of an avocado, coconut butter, another type of nut butter,or 4 ounces of wild fish.

Some people do better with even less fat in their diet, while others may actually need more. Experiment to see what works for you and be mindful of how much fat you consume.

11. Prep Your Meals

prep meals

Meal prep can help you lose weight more easily no matter what type of diet you’re eating. Individuals who pre-portion out their meals and have them readily available also make smarter food choices on a more regular basis. 

So even if you’re crunched for time, set aside 4 hours on a weekend day and prep your meals and snacks for the week. Portioning out your servings of vegetables, greens, fruit, fat, protein, and whole grains or root vegetables can also make it a little easier to eat proper serving sizes of each one.

12. Choose Smart Snacks

smart snacks

One common complaint among people is that they have no problem eating healthy meals; it’s the snacks that ruin their weight loss efforts.

So prepare ahead of time by choosing smart snacks. Keep 100-calories packs of almonds with you, an apple, and a square of dark chocolate in your bag or desk drawer. Celery and hummus, pear slices and almond butter, or carrots and tahini are also great options if you have access to a fridge.  

These snacks can help stall hunger until your next meal and they give you more nutrients that boost metabolic function much more than processed snacks will.

13. Make a Grocery List That Supports Your Efforts

make a grocery list

Putting knowledge into action is what weight loss really boils down to. And one of the most important places to put that knowledge into action is at the grocery store. If you don’t buy unhealthy foods, it’s much harder to get ahold of.

So make a grocery list that supports optimal weight loss. Get a free grocery list here and consider yourself that much closer to losing weight more naturally.

Remember that weight loss happens one smart choice at a time , so don’t wait any longer to make daily lifestyle choices that will help you lose weight more naturally. Good luck!

The post 13 Lifestyle Tips That Will Help You Lose Weight More Naturally appeared first on Nutrition Secrets.

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