Think outside the box to optimize your weight loss!
Eat healthily and exercise often. We are all well aware that these two methods are the foundation to getting in shape. The hard part is actually figuring out how to implement eating right and working out into our daily lives. Sometimes, looking at the “big picture” can be overwhelming, leading us to put up the white flag. Luckily, you can use these five weight loss tips you haven’t heard to set yourself up with small, easy-to-accomplish goals! These tips will help you develop healthy habits that will make clean eating and exercising often a breeze!
Related: 25 Ways to Get Fit and Stay Motivated
5 Weight Loss Tips You Haven’t Heard
1. Strike the Same Pose Each Week
Okay, I’m going to assume that you’ve already heard about progress pictures. Taking photos along your journey is an excellent way to see how far you’ve come! That said, you may not know this: It is imperative that you take your weekly progress picture in the same location with the same lighting and background, all at the same angle each time. All four of these things will have a tremendous impact on seeing the noticeable changes in your body!
2. Plan Your Snacks
Planning your meals is a common tradition when it comes to dieting, but what about snacking? For many of us, snack time is our downfall. We put so much time and effort into prepping and planning our meals while snack-prep falls by the wayside.
Dieting requires you to eat fewer calories than you’re using every day. Mindless snacking can destroy that deficit within a matter of minutes if you’re not careful. It gets even worse when we eat in front of the television or a computer screen. For this reason, we highly recommend prepping and pre-portioning healthy snacks ahead of time, as well as scheduling when you’re going to eat them; just like you do for your meals!
Try: 30-Day High-Protein, Low-Carb Meal Plan with Shopping List
3. Post a Note (or Receipt)
This is one of my favorite weight-loss tips that I’ve learned along the way, and it’s also one of the simplest. Weight Watchers used to have this little monster magnet that you’d put on your refrigerator. Every time you saw it, you would ask yourself, “Am I really hungry, or am I just bored?” This tip is a lot like that!
You can post a note on your refrigerator, pantry, or both to keep yourself accountable. This is an excellent way to keep from overeating. Another method I’ve heard that I might like even more is posting a grocery receipt to the fridge. It not only reminds you to think about your eating habits, but it also cuts down on potential food waste. Every time you finish eating something, cross it off the grocery receipt. You’ll realize what’s left, and what—if anything—is going to go to waste. You’ll save calories and money!
4. Order from the Kids Menu
This isn’t a new tip, but it is worth reiterating. It’s not that kids’ meals have healthier ingredients, but the portions are smaller, drastically cutting down on calorie intake. Adult portions at restaurants have gotten out of control. It’s hard to find a meal on the menu these days that is less than a thousand calories!
Furthermore, kids meals have gotten much healthier within the last decade. Grilled chicken can be substituted for fried chicken fingers, fruit for french fries, and so on.
You don’t have to stick to the kids’ menu, but it can help you learn better portion control. Of course, if you want to order off the adult menu, a helpful tip is to ask for a take-out box and immediately box up half of your meal for later!
Related: How to Eat Healthy at a Restaurant
5. Choose Manual over Automatic
This isn’t a reference to driving, but doing things the “old fashioned” way. These days, we rely heavily on machines and technology, which can actually cut down on the number of calories we burn each day. A few examples of how choosing manual over automatic can help you shed some extra pounds include:
- Taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
- Walking to your destination instead of driving or riding the bus.
- Getting up from your desk to talk to a coworker instead of emailing them from across the building.
- Going to the grocery store instead of ordering online.
- Standing at the sink and washing the dishes by hand instead of putting them in the dishwasher and plopping down on the couch.
Read: 15 Ways to Increase Your Daily Step-Count
While each of these things may not seem like they’d burn tons of calories, they actually add up quite a bit! We strongly suggest giving each of these weight loss tips you haven’t heard a try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how helpful they can be!
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