12 Proven Ways to Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise Part 2

12 Proven Ways to Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise Part 2

7. Serve Yourself Smaller Portions

Portion sizes have increased during the last few decades, especially at restaurants.

Larger portions encourage people to eat more, and have been linked to an increase in weight gain and obesity .

One study in adults found that doubling the size of a dinner starter increased calorie intake by 30% .

Serving yourself just a little less might help you eat significantly less food. And you probably won’t even notice the difference.

NOTES: Larger portion sizes have been linked to the obesity epidemic, and may encourage both children and adults to eat more food.

8. Eat Without Electronic Distractions

 

Paying attention to what you eat may help you eat fewer calories.

People who eat while they’re watching TV or playing computer games may lose track of how much they have eaten. This, in turn, can cause overeating.

One review article looked at the results of 24 studies, finding that people who were distracted at a meal ate about 10% more in that sitting .

However, not paying attention during a meal actually has an even greater influence on your intake later in the day. People who were distracted at a meal ate 25% more calories at later meals than people who were not distracted.

If you regularly consume meals watching TV or using your computer or smartphone, these extra calories can add up and have a massive impact on your weight in the long-term.

Bottom Line: People who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat. Paying attention to your meals may help you eat less and lose weight.

9. Sleep Well and Avoid Stress

When it comes to health, sleep and stress are often neglected. But in fact, both can have powerful effects on your appetite and weight.

A lack of sleep may disrupt the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. Another hormone, called cortisol, becomes elevated when you’re stressed .

Having these hormones disrupted can increase your hunger and cravings for unhealthy food, leading to higher calorie intake .

What’s more, chronic sleep deprivation and stress may increase your risk of several diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity .

Bottom Line: Poor sleep and excess stress may disrupt the levels of several important appetite-regulating hormones, causing you to eat more.

10. Eliminate Sugary Drinks

Added sugar may very well be the single worst ingredient in the diet today.

Sugary beverages, like soda, have been associated with an increased risk of many Western diseases .

It’s very easy to take in massive amounts of excess calories from sugary drinks, because liquid calories don’t affect fullness like solid food does .

Staying away from these beverages entirely can provide enormous long-term health benefits. However, note that you should not replace soda with fruit juice, as it can be just as high in sugar .

Healthy beverages to drink instead include water,  and .

Bottom Line: Sugary drinks have been linked to an increased risk of weight gain and many diseases. The brain doesn’t register liquid calories like solid foods, making you eat more.

11. Serve Unhealthy Food on Red Plates

One weird trick is to use red plates to help you eat less. At least, this seems to work with unhealthy snack foods.

One study reported that volunteers ate fewer pretzels from red plates, compared to white or blue plates .

The explanation may be that we associate the color red with stop signals and other man-made warnings. 

Bottom Line: Red plates may help you eat less unhealthy snack foods. This may be because the color red triggers a stop reaction.

12. Anything Else?

There are many simple lifestyle habits that can help you lose weight, some of which have nothing to do with conventional diet or exercise plans.

You can use smaller plates, eat more slowly, drink water and avoid eating in front of the TV or computer. Prioritizing foods rich in protein and viscous fiber may also help.

However, I wouldn’t try all these things at once. Start to experiment with one tip for a while, and if that works well and is sustainable for you then try another one.

A few simple changes can have a massive impact over the long term.

12 Proven Ways to Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise Part 2

7. Serve Yourself Smaller Portions

Portion sizes have increased during the last few decades, especially at restaurants.

Larger portions encourage people to eat more, and have been linked to an increase in weight gain and obesity .

One study in adults found that doubling the size of a dinner starter increased calorie intake by 30% .

Serving yourself just a little less might help you eat significantly less food. And you probably won’t even notice the difference.

NOTES: Larger portion sizes have been linked to the obesity epidemic, and may encourage both children and adults to eat more food.

8. Eat Without Electronic Distractions

 

Paying attention to what you eat may help you eat fewer calories.

People who eat while they’re watching TV or playing computer games may lose track of how much they have eaten. This, in turn, can cause overeating.

One review article looked at the results of 24 studies, finding that people who were distracted at a meal ate about 10% more in that sitting .

However, not paying attention during a meal actually has an even greater influence on your intake later in the day. People who were distracted at a meal ate 25% more calories at later meals than people who were not distracted.

If you regularly consume meals watching TV or using your computer or smartphone, these extra calories can add up and have a massive impact on your weight in the long-term.

Bottom Line: People who eat while distracted are more likely to overeat. Paying attention to your meals may help you eat less and lose weight.

9. Sleep Well and Avoid Stress

When it comes to health, sleep and stress are often neglected. But in fact, both can have powerful effects on your appetite and weight.

A lack of sleep may disrupt the appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. Another hormone, called cortisol, becomes elevated when you’re stressed .

Having these hormones disrupted can increase your hunger and cravings for unhealthy food, leading to higher calorie intake .

What’s more, chronic sleep deprivation and stress may increase your risk of several diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity .

Bottom Line: Poor sleep and excess stress may disrupt the levels of several important appetite-regulating hormones, causing you to eat more.

10. Eliminate Sugary Drinks

Added sugar may very well be the single worst ingredient in the diet today.

Sugary beverages, like soda, have been associated with an increased risk of many Western diseases .

It’s very easy to take in massive amounts of excess calories from sugary drinks, because liquid calories don’t affect fullness like solid food does .

Staying away from these beverages entirely can provide enormous long-term health benefits. However, note that you should not replace soda with fruit juice, as it can be just as high in sugar .

Healthy beverages to drink instead include water,  and .

Bottom Line: Sugary drinks have been linked to an increased risk of weight gain and many diseases. The brain doesn’t register liquid calories like solid foods, making you eat more.

11. Serve Unhealthy Food on Red Plates

One weird trick is to use red plates to help you eat less. At least, this seems to work with unhealthy snack foods.

One study reported that volunteers ate fewer pretzels from red plates, compared to white or blue plates .

The explanation may be that we associate the color red with stop signals and other man-made warnings. 

Bottom Line: Red plates may help you eat less unhealthy snack foods. This may be because the color red triggers a stop reaction.

12. Anything Else?

There are many simple lifestyle habits that can help you lose weight, some of which have nothing to do with conventional diet or exercise plans.

You can use smaller plates, eat more slowly, drink water and avoid eating in front of the TV or computer. Prioritizing foods rich in protein and viscous fiber may also help.

However, I wouldn’t try all these things at once. Start to experiment with one tip for a while, and if that works well and is sustainable for you then try another one.

A few simple changes can have a massive impact over the long term.