15 Easy (and Healthy) Ways to Lose Pounds & Inches

Healthy weight loss = Lasting weight loss

Not all weight loss plans are created equally. Check out these 16 easy and healthy ways to lose pounds and inches.

It can be tempting to jump onto whatever fad diet bandwagon is being touted on talk shows and in magazines. Diets based on blood type. Diets based on a specific type of food. Diets based on the alignment of Mars and Jupiter. (Okay, we may have made up that last one.) It doesn’t matter what the “trick” is, those meal plans won’t help you maintain healthy, long-term weight loss.

When you want ways to lose weight that are easy, healthy, and don’t require an astronomy chart, it’s time to choose a lifestyle that balances nutritious clean eating with regular exercise. Clean eating is choosing to consume foods that are minimally processed or whole. Example: eat a fresh apple instead of store-bought applesauce loaded with refined sugar.

Exercise is another must-have strategy when you want healthy ways to lose pounds. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adult women get at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. It recommends additional muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days each week [1].

Ways to Lose Weight: Eating & Drinking Tips

1. Eat every three to four hours.
This helps boost metabolism and keep blood sugar steady, which in turn works to prevent overeating at meal time. Snack healthy with No-Bake Almond Cranberry Energy Balls.

2. Don’t skip meals — ever.
Skipping meals causes blood sugar, which helps fuel the body, to drop too low. Your body reacts by generating the kind of hunger that will have you diving toward the nearest bag of chips or sleeve of cookies.

3. Pare down portion sizes.
When you want healthy ways to lose pounds, this is a necessary step. Learn What is a Portion Size?, and then check out our 5-Day Menu Plan with Perfect Portions.

Pizza-Zucchini-Boats
Pizza Zucchini Boats

4. Crank up the green factor.
When you need easy weight loss tips, start packing more vegetables into your day. Women up to age 50 should eat at least 2.5 cups per day, and women age 51 and older should consume at least 2 cups of vegetables per day [2]. Spinach and Mango Smoothie and Pizza Zucchini Boats are delish dishes for your veggie menu.

5. Eat a small healthy snack before attending a party.
Curb the temptation to station yourself at the appetizer table by noshing on a healthy snack before get-togethers or other events. Enjoy 15 Weight Watchers Snack Recipes or 50 Clean Eating Snacks.

6. Swap out breadsticks and rolls for salad (at home and at restaurants).
From refined (bad carb) bread to cheesy/buttery toppings, breadsticks and rolls are a fast way to sink your weight loss goals. Instead treat your waistline to Skinny Ms. Salad Recipes and 11 Tasty Salad Toppings for Weight Loss.

7. Plan meals in advance.
It makes grocery shopping less of a hassle and destroys the temptation to cook a processed “convenience” meal or order unhealthy takeout. Begin planning for your weight loss success with Skinny Ms. Meal Planning Resources and Guide to Healthy Meal Planning.

8. Drink more water.
Drinking water takes the edge off of hunger and keeps muscles hydrated so they’re better able to power through workouts without cramping. Sip on plain H2O, our Lemon Ginger Detox Drink, or some super-refreshing Strawberry-Basil Water.

9. Drink more tea.
A substance in tea called EGCG boosts fat burn for more effective weight loss. Orange-Pomegranate Green Tea and Rosemary and Lemon Herbal Tea are delicious recipes that refresh the body while helping it shed pounds.

10. Eat breakfast.
A nutritious, filling breakfast satisfies your morning appetite so you’re less likely to overeat later in the day. A Strawberry Sunrise Smoothie and Open Face Scrambled Eggs and Avocado Toast are yummy, body-loving ways to wake up.

Ways to Lose Weight: Exercise Tips

 

5 Steps to Become a Morning Exerciser
Slim Down with the Walk/Run Plan

11. Set weekly workout goals.
Just like the ideal weight you’ve resolved to reach, it’s important to set fitness goals. Establish measurable objectives (Ex: I’ll do an additional set of push-ups during every workout this week). Post them somewhere you can see and be reminded of your goals.
Start your walk/run plan and slim down.

12. Switch workouts regularly to challenge muscles.
Working out the same way all the time accustoms the muscles to those specific movements, so the muscles become more efficient and burn fewer calories. Find fun new workouts for any fitness level at Skinny Ms. Fitness.

13. Make workouts a non-negotiable part of your routine.
You wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth (at least we hope not!), so don’t skip out on working out for weight loss and better health. Plan time for your workouts in advance, and then commit to doing the work.

Ways to Lose Weight: Lifestyle Tips

14. Make it a goal to take 10,000 steps every day.
In one study, Australians averaged 9,695 steps per day, while Americans took an average of only 5,117 steps. Another study found that women in an Amish farming community took more than 14,000 steps every day [4]. Invest in a simple pedometer or fitness tracker to get a handle on how much — or how little — you’re moving. When you need healthy ways to lose weight, learn How to Walk 10,000 Steps a Day- 5 Can-Do Tips.

15. Move that body whenever you’re stuck waiting.
Whether you’re waiting for the commercial break to end or waiting for your toddler to finish on the potty, use that time to your advantage. Get moving with simple exercises like our Commercial Break Workout or the One-Day Push-Up Challenge.

 

For more tasty recipes, healthy lifestyle tips, and whole body workouts, check out our Facebook page and follow us on Pinterest. Sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with the latest Skinny Ms. news.

Do you have a favorite Skinny Ms. recipe? We’d love to hear about it. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

 

Resources:

[1] CDC

[2] ChooseMyPlate.gov

[3] The New York Times

[4] The New York Times

This post may include affiliate links.

Amy Wagner

Amy is a writer specializing in health & wellness, business, and entrepreneurship. She's a long-time martial arts teacher who has earned a 4th degree black belt in tae kwon do. When Amy's not writing or kicking, she's wrangling sons, reading fiction, or crushing on BBC actors.

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