A few
years ago, one of my friends at Men's Health stepped on the scale and was
horrified by the result. He'd somehow managed to pack 20 pounds of flab onto
his previously skinny frame. When he looked into the mirror, he saw a fat guy
staring back. He decided to make a change, quick. That day, he gave up his
beloved soda. He was only drinking two or three bottles a day, but over the
course of six months, he dropped those 20 pounds. It was a small change to his
lifestyle -- no big deal, really. And yet, it had a massive impact on his health
and his body. My point: Making small decisions each day can result in big-time
fat loss.
Below are dozens of simple ways to lose weight. Start with one --
today! -- and watch the weight begin to melt away. Trust me, this is going to
be easier than you think.
1. Have a clear goal. It should be one that anyone
in the world can measure and understand.
2. Drink tea. Research suggests that
those who drink tea -- black, green, or white, as long as it’s from real tea
versus herbal tea -- have lower BMIs and less body fat than those who don’t
consume tea.
3. Eat cayenne pepper. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed that
when compared to placebo, capsaicin -- the active ingredient in cayenne --
increased fat burning.
4. Decrease/eliminate processed carbs. They do nothing for you outside of creating a favorable
environment for gaining fat.
5. Eat more veggies. They fill you up, without
providing many calories. Just avoid the high-calorie dressings.
6. Eat more fruit. No one ever gained weight
from eating more fruit. And that includes the so-called "high sugar"
fruits like bananas and melons.
7. Lift weights. Heavy weights. Build more
muscle, burn more calories.
8. Cut down rest time between sets. This will keep your heart rate elevated
causing an increase in calories burned.
9. Do intervals. Study after study after
study continues to show intervals are more effective and time efficient than
longer activity performed at a lower intensity.
10. Eat more protein. Replacing refined
carbohydrates with lean protein will not only help satiate you, but will also
increase your metabolism -- through something called the thermic effect of
food.
11. Eat protein more frequently. It's important to also time your intake so you're eating protein
regularly throughout the day -- not just in one lump sum, like most do at
dinner. Every meal and snack should include some protein.
12. Supplement with fish oil. A study published in Lipids fed mice diets enhanced EPA and DHA --
a.k.a. fish oil. The researchers learned that the mice fed diets higher in
omega-3 fats had significantly less accumulation of body fat. Other studies
have shown similar results.
13. Do full body exercises. Think: Squats, dead lifts,
chin-ups, and push-ups. You'll get more bang for your buck out of each workout.
14. Cycle your carb intake based on your activity level. Sure, carbs are important. But on the days
you don't work out, you simply don't need as many compared to the days you
exercise hard. Rule of thumb: The more active you are, the more carbs you can
eat, and vice versa.
15.
Start your meals with a salad. Salad will provide some
bulk to help fill you up -- so that you eat less calories overall.
16. Don't forget the fiber. Think of fiber like a
sponge; it absorbs water and makes you feel full.
17. Drink water. Professor Dr. Brenda Davy
and her Team from Virginia Tech University found that giving people 2 cups of
water before each meal resulted in greater weight loss after 12 weeks. The
reason? It helps fill you up.
18. Add beans to your salads. It's a nice way to add some additional fiber, protein and healthy
carbs.
19. Replace one meal a day with a large salad and lean protein. This is a simple way to instantly improve
your diet.
20. Keep a food journal. There's no better way to
track what you're putting in your mouth.
21. Watch your portions. Avoid the buffet line and never supersize. Instead make sure
you’re following what the nutrition label recommends for a serving.
22. Switch to calorie-free drinks. All calories count, whether they're
liquid or solid. So unless it's low-fat milk, opt for tea or water. Or
something I was introduced to in the Netherlands -- large bunches of mint, lemon
and hot water.
23. Weigh yourself. Studies show daily
weigh-ins help enhance weight loss efforts. Don't live and die by the number.
And of course a scale doesn’t decipher between fat and lean body mass, but it
can still be of benefit to keep things "in check."
24. Eat whole eggs. Daily. A study published a
couple years ago showed that those who ate whole eggs versus a bagel for
breakfast ate less at the next meal. A similar study showed eating whole eggs
increases HDL (good) cholesterol.
25. Eat breakfast. A review published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that those who eat breakfast are
more successful with long-term weight maintenance. Other research has shown the
same for weight loss. Grab hardboiled eggs, scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt, a
piece of fruit and handful of nuts, or make a smoothie. It doesn't have to be
fancy.
26. Eat the bulk of your meals in the A.M. Then eat progressively less throughout the
day. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that eating most of
your calories earlier in the day positively influences weight changes.
27. To burn more calories, stay upright. This means not sitting in front of a computer, TV, phone, etc.,
all day. Stand and you'll burn more and be more productive. This could even save
your life.
28. Use the stairs. That's right: Skip the
escalator and elevator. This won't make or break success, but every little bit
helps. So get in all the movement you can.
29. Eat low-energy, dense foods. These are foods that are
high in water and lower in calories, such as fruit, veggies, soups, and salads.
Studies at Penn State University have showed that the inclusion of these foods
helps individuals eat less total calories overall.
30. Don't grocery shop hungry. If you do, you'll buy everything in the aisle -- instead of
sticking to your list. And most of the time, the foods you buy when hungry will
the kinds that sabotage your weight loss efforts.
31. Replace side dishes with steamed veggies. Restaurants will often allow you to substitute the fries or chips
with steamed veggies. All you have to do is ask.
32. Bake, don't fry.
33. Use the fat-burner in your backyard: Your grill. And make sure you have a copy of Grill This, Not That! --
the guide to grilling that can help you lose 10, 20, 30 or more pounds.
34. Order dressing on the side. But here's the bigger
secret: Dip your fork in dressing, and then in the salad. This saves a ton more
dressing than if one was to order it on the side, and the pour the entire cup
on the salad anyway. Fewer calories equal less weight.
35. In the airport: Carry your luggage, don't roll it. Again, not a deal breaker in terms of success
-- just another way to increase energy expenditure.
36. Skip the "Venti lattes" and opt for plain coffee. (Or better yet, tea.) Those extra large
"designer" coffees can pack a belly-inflating 500 or more calories
per serving!
37. Embrace oats. Plain rolled oats will
help fill you up more than the high sugar breakfast counterparts. Moreover, one
serving provides a lot less calories than the sugar coated alternatives.
38. Fidget. A study published in the
journal Science showed that those who fidgeted more often -- for example,
changed their posture frequently -- weighed less than those who didn't. This
extra movement was termed NEAT (non-exercise activity thermo-genesis).
39. Laugh often. A study presented at the
European Congress on Obesity found those who laughed hard for approximately 10
to 15 minutes each day burned an additional 10 to 40 calories/day. Multiply
that by 365 and those calories can add up!
40. Leave something on your plate at the end of the meal. Every little bit counts.
41. When out to eat, split a meal. The portions are usually big enough to feed a
family.
42. Skip dessert.
43. Don't socialize around the food tables at parties. You're more
likely to munch mindlessly, even though you may not be hungry.
44. Don't eat your kid's leftovers. Every little bit of food adds up, including
what we call "BLTs" (bites, licks and tastes).
45. Keep chips, dips, and other high fat junk foods out of the
house. It's not about willpower; it's about being
realistic.
46. If you have a dog, take him for a walk. It's better for both him and you than just
letting him out the back. (Bonus: He'll love you even more!)
47. If you don't have a pet, offer to walk a neighbor's dog. Make friends; lose weight.
48. Use smaller plates and bowls. There will be less room for you to fill up and
it makes less food seems like more.
49. Skip buffets. It's a foregone
conclusion: If you don't, you'll feel like you have to get your money's worth
and overeat..
50. Slow down. It takes approximately 15
to 20 minutes for your stomach to sense it's full. If you wolf down your food
like a starving dog, you'll likely out-eat your hunger.
51. Decrease your food intake by 100 calories per day. Theoretically this translates to losing nearly one pound per month
(1 lb = 3,500 calories) -- with hardly any effort.
52. Buy a pedometer and accumulate at least 10,000 steps each day.
53. When possible, walk or bike to do your errands.
54. Don't buy in bulk. The more that is there, the more that you'll eat.
55. Plan ahead. If you fail to plan, you
plan to fail.
56. Keep some healthy snacks -- like nuts -- in your glove compartment so you're prepared at
all times.
57. Take before pictures.
58. Get new friends. If your friends prefer
pizza, wings, nachos and beer on a regular basis, find one's who are
like-minded and want to be healthy. Research has suggested that friends enhance
(or can hurt) success.
59. Put yourself first. Many people (women in
particular) put everyone else ahead of themselves and let their health fall by
the side.
60. Remember: It's not all or nothing. If you fall off the bandwagon, jump right
back on. Don't let yourself continue to fall until all progress has been lost.
61. Wake up early to exercise. You're more likely to get
it done if you don’t wait until after work.
