It’s quite tempting to starve yourself to lose weight. No gimmicks, no apparatus to buy, no meal plan, and no hassle. Just skip meals. But there’s a downside and a big one to taking this route.
Cutting out meals makes your body think you’re trapped on a desert island with nothing to eat, and you have zero fishing skills. It goes into survival mode. Your metabolism slows down as your body conserves fuel to keep you alive. Slowing your metabolism is not a great idea, ladies.
What you want is to lose weight without severely cutting calories and making your body think you’re almost dead. Here are 10 ways to lost pounds that won’t be detrimental to your metabolism:
1) Eat. It’s a shocker, we know. But eating, especially breakfast, kick starts your metabolism for the day. You’re wasting hours of calorie-burning daylight by not eating until lunch.
2) At night, don’t eat. If you’re a bedtime snacker, cut it out. Your body is in rest and repair mode, not calorie-burning mode. All you’re doing is building giant storage silos of fat.
3) Drink smarter. Fewer cocktails and lattes, more water. It’s that simple.
4) Veggies, veggies, veggies. There’s a reason why granny was a broccoli-pusher. She knew that vegetables, especially leafy, green ones, are healthy and low in calories. Stock up on crunchy greens.
5) Go with the grain. The right grains can give you the healthy carbs you need without the chemicals and added junk your body can’t process. Skip white bread and rice and eat dark rye and brown rice or barley instead. You’ll end up eating less and feeling fuller.
6) Be your own food cop. Don’t stock your kitchen with no-no foods and expect to commit no crimes.
7) Shave off 20%. Whatever you’re eating, eat 20% less of it. You must eat, but keep the portions real. Not real big.
8) Move more. Instead of binge-watching Downton Abbey again go for a 10 block walk. In a couple of months, you’ll have effortlessly lost a few more pounds.
9) Punch up the protein. Protein snacks keep you feeling fuller longer and don’t add all those extra carbs you don’t really need. (Unless of course you’re plowing the back 40 and need that biscuits and gravy breakfast. Somehow we doubt it, hon.)
10) Switch it up. Get the lower-calorie, lower-fat versions of your favorite foods and condiments. It all reduces calorie intake which positively affects weight loss.
BONUS TIP: The best way to lose weight without cutting calories is to begin a regular workout regimen you enjoy. Contact us today and we’ll create the perfect power hour for your lifestyle!