Everyone wants to know how to lose weight in a week or how to lose 14 pounds in two weeks. It’s all nonsense. It’s completely doable but is it sustainable, that’s the bigger question.
Wouldn’t you want to maintain a healthy figure for a long time instead of participating in this get the skinny quick scheme?
I’ve been there and done that, I gained it all back the next month.
Because here’s the truth ladies and gentlemen:
I. LOVE. FOOD. There, I said it and I’m not ashamed.
Over the past years, I have spent so much time trying to find diets that work for me.
Guess what…
None of them worked.
Cutting out carbs, salts, sugars?
That’s a no, for me.
I only realized this when I was honest with myself.
My realistic self knows I love cheese, bread, and cake.
I may be able to resist eating it for a few months but eventually, I’ll relapse.
All my efforts of restraint will ultimately deem useless after a mere few months.
I finally decided to break this cycle. The cycle of succeeding only to later fail and gain even more weight than I had before.
Don’t worry, this is where the good part comes in.
I. STOPPED. DIETING.
Not only that, I started to gradually lose weight, without any of the stress!
How did I do it?
Well, that’s exactly what I would like to talk about in today’s post.
Like I said, I stopped dieting and still managed to lose weight.
How?
I did it by changing my lifestyle.
I no longer look for a quick fix to lose 20 pounds in thirty days. Instead, I developed habits that helped me lose the weight and continue to keep it off!
Read down below to see the habits that I picked up over the years. Related Articles: HOW TO BE ATTRACTIVE
DRINK A LOT OF WATER
And I mean a lot. Like a gallon a day.
Yup! A gallon a day.
Did you know, the majority of the time when we feel hungry that we’re really just thirsty?
It’s true.
Now, I don’t expect anyone to wake up with an elastic stomach and chug a gallon of water a day!
Build yourself up to it.
Start simple, try four glasses of water (one with each meal). From there you can gradually build your way up to eight cups, and so on.
Before you know it, you’ll be up to sixteen cups a day (a gallon) in no time.
You’ll notice the difference in your physic, appetite, and even your skin!
PRACTICE
MINDFULNESS
As you may know, I’m a Self-Love Advocate.
I’m all about awareness of oneself and practicing mindfulness.
This includes being mindful of what we eat.
Do you ever eat while you’re bored?
Or when you’re stressed?
You are not alone, don’t worry.
The first step of breaking a habit is being aware of it.
So, before you step foot into your kitchen, ask yourself are you really hungry? Or could you just be bored?
If you can’t seem to shack the urge to munch, try making a healthy smoothie to curb your craving.
Can’t go wrong there!
DON’T SKIP BREAKFAST
With intermediate fasting now so popular, and for other reasons, some people are now saying breakfast isn’t that important to have.
I will never change my mind about breakfast.
I have visibly seen the results on my physic by eating a hearty and healthy breakfast every morning.
Oatmeal, in particular, makes me lose weight like crazy.
My advice, don’t skip breakfast.
If you would like me to make a list of breakfast ideas for weight loss, make sure to leave a comment down below!
Tip: If you decide you want carbs that day, try eating it in the morning. This way you have all day to burn it off.
HAVE SOUP BEFORE A MEAL
I got this from my Mom, it’s genius.
Soup is a yummy and healthy alternative for meals.
My advice is to have a small amount of soup before lunch or dinner.
When you do this, you won’t feel the need to have a large lunch or dinner.
You’ll pretty much feel partially satisfied with your soup.
And since soups are already low on calories, you have the choice of replacing an entire meal with one large bowl of soup.
It’s best to have clean soups, like chicken broth, stews, or vegetable soups.
If you try this with fattening soups, like clam chowder or broccoli and cheddar soup, it may not have the same effect.
EAT MORE SNACKS
Sounds silly, right? To lose more weight eat more food?!
Believe it or not, it works.
Your body will hold onto fat when you skip meals, not knowing when you’re next meal is coming.
It’s smart like that. 😉
Eating snacks will eventually speed up your metabolism. And we all know the benefits of a fast metabolism.
Now, I’m not talking about Twizzlers, Doritos, or Skittles.
I’m referring to healthy snacks that contain lots of fiber and protein.
These can range from apple slices and peanut butter, mixed nuts, berries, and yogurt.
EAT SLOW
Why?
For one, you’ll enjoy your meal a lot more if you do.
Second, if you eat rapidly, your body does not have time to digest.
The more time your body has to process what it’s eaten, the more full you’ll feel.
Simple enough, right?
Enjoying the content so far?
WALK
Walk as much as possible!
Instead of taking the elevator try the stairs.
If that coffee shop or grocery store is only a twenty-minute walk from your home, walk there!
It makes such a difference in your day. It allows you to get the clarity you may need and burn the calories you’ve been wanting to.
Tip: when walking, stand up straight, and suck your stomach in. You don’t have to suck in too drastically but just enough so it’s tight. Remember to breathe through it and hold it on and off as much as you can. It may sound a bit silly, but your flat stomach will be thanking you later.
REPLACE LEMON WITH SALT
Salt retains water and can cause bloating.
I think we all hate that bloated feeling.
Now, don’t dowse your food with lemon juice, the lemon flavor will overpower your food.
Try sprinkling a bit of it onto your food. You’ll get the taste of salt without any of the lemon flavors.
When you’re eating out, you don’t have the option to alter your food this way.
This brings us to our next habit.
CLEAN EAT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
You can not imagine the difference in not only your weight but, your energy when you stop eating out.
Fast food can make us feel sluggish.
I’m not saying band it forever but definitely, try to eliminate how many times you eat out in a month.
For those of us with a busy lifestyle, it can be hard not to swing by Burger King after work.
The majority of us don’t like cooking, can’t cook, or just don’t have time.
My advice would be to meal prep.
Pick a day and time of the week to cook your meals. Package and freeze them for the week.
Find meals that last you a long while, such as casseroles.
RELATED ARTICLE: HEALTHY DINNER IDEAS
USE SMALL PLATES
Yeah, it’s a mental thing.
When using larger plates, our minds tend to want to fill up every spot on the plate.
Choosing plates that are small gives us the illusion of having more food than we may think.
This scientific conclusion was conducted by Wansink and Van Ittersum.
They called this illusion a Delboeuf Illusion.
This is especially useful for sweets. I told you earlier that I still eat cake.
This is because when I do have it, it’s only a slither. Also, I only have it maybe a few times a month.
It’s all about balance. 😉
REPLACE SUGAR WITH HONEY
Cutting back on processed sugar helps wonders.
It takes some time to get used to the taste, for some.
But, once you do get used to it, you will not be able to live without it. It tastes great in teas and some baking recipes.
It takes the guilt of eating something sweet away because in this case, honey is healthy!
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This completes our list!
What did you think?
Remember, don’t stress if you find yourself slipping, just be mindful, and do better for your next meal.
In life, there has to be a balance with everything.
This includes what we put in our bodies.
I hope you’ll be around next week, as I post every Monday. Feel free to leave a comment down below and subscribe!
As always: Stay you. Stay True. Stay Beautiful. ♥
Also, check out my self-love children’s book, now available on Amazon! Click Here! <3
Hello, I’m Classy Queeny and this is my website, welcome! As a Self-Love Advocate, I enjoy giving and receiving genuine love from those around me. I recognize that life is full of tests and bumpy roads. But, I wish to walk the path of peace and mutual understanding through growth, awareness, patience, and most importantly love. 🙂 I believe that the beauty in life is perception. My hope is that we can seek life’s beauty together! To learn more about me and ClassyQueenyProductions.com click here!