Losing weight can be difficult, especially if you like to eat. Sometimes diets are just too hard to stick to and all the will power in the world won’t keep you from reaching for the Doritos. Well the good news is there are ways to help you lose weight that don’t involve starving yourself. Here are a couple easy and painless ways to start cutting calories:
Time Your Meals
Set a timer for 20 minutes and savor every last bite of your dinner. This will cause you to eat slower, which is one of the best ways to help you slim down. This will trigger your body’s fullness hormones, so you will be satisfied with eating less.
Sleep More
Research shows that getting an extra hour of sleep a night could help you lose up to 14 pounds in a year. Sleep is an effortless way to cut calories by about 6%. Also, getting not getting enough sleep can increase your appetite, causing you to eat more.
Drink Green Tea
Green tea is said to temporarily boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories. It’s not a miracle potion that takes the weight off instantly, but it can help.
Use a Tall, Thin Glass
This one might sound a little strange, but it can help you cut calories. When you use a tall, thin glass instead of a short, wide one, you will drink 25-30% juice, soda, or any other beverage. Why? Visual cues can trick us into pouring more or less. The short glass looks smaller, so you pour more than you would into the tall glass.
Chew Sugarless Gum
When you’re reaching for a snack, chew on sugarless gum with a strong flavor to curb your craving. This will keep you from mindlessly snacking because your mouth will be occupied and the flavor of the gum will overpower the food so it won’t taste as good.
Use Smaller Dishes
People tend to serve and eat more when they use larger dishes. By shrinking the size of your dishes, you can cut 100-200 calories a day and still feel full.
Eat Smaller Portions
Smaller portions will help you to eat less, which will help you to cut calories. No brainer, easy way to help you lose weight. Just don’t go back for a second smaller portion.
Try the 80-20 Rule
Americans tend to eat until they’re stuffed, which can lead to overeating. Try eating until you’re 80% full, not about to explode. A good way to gauge it is by putting about 20% less food on your plate.
Remember, these tricks won’t do it all—you still need to exercise and eat healthy if you want to shed those extra pounds.
