7 Offbeat Ways To Lose Weight Without Dieting

By Emily Jacobson

Spring is here, and before you know it you’ll want to lie poolside, which means breaking out that dreaded swimsuit. Before you try out the latest fad diet to shed unwanted winter pounds, consider this: Most people who lose weight on diets end up gaining it all back sooner or later. Research has shown that it’s much more helpful to change your daily habits to be healthier over time than to make drastic changes in your diet. If you’re looking for some creative and alternative ways to lose weight, you’re in luck. Follow these seven tips to work effortless weight loss into your schedule:

Slow Down

You know how you often don’t know you’re overeating until it’s too late and you’re really feeling stuffed? Fast eaters tend to be heavier than those who really savor each bite of food. So chew each bite of food slowly, setting down your fork in between bites. You can even time yourself. It takes your body a full 20 minutes to send signals to your brain that it’s full, so pace your meal over half an hour, and don’t forget to listen to your body.

Add More Greens Notice we’re not saying to take out any food in particular, just to add in a wider variety of veggies. If you have two or three vegetable dishes to choose from, you’ll end up eating more of this fantastically healthy food group. Without even realizing it, you might end up eating less of the unhealthy stuff. Even if you don’t, chowing down on greens is a great way to lose weight because of their high fiber and water content.

Sneak In Some Whole Grains Switching from white rice to brown rice or from sourdough bread to whole wheat will allow you to consume fewer calories without even changing the type of food you’re eating. Whole grains are complex carbs that aid in weight loss and also improve your cholesterol, so go ahead and make the switch.

Get Enough Sleep According to a recent study, people who sleep less than six hour per night are over 30 percent as likely to gain weight as those who get eight hours. Also, sleeping too little can lead to you feeling more stressed out because your body produces more of the hormone cortisol, which can contribute to muffin top.

Brush Your Teeth The downfall for many overeaters is portion control. We know it’s hard to resist that second helping. Why not make it easier for yourself by committing to brushing your teeth after one serving of food? If you brush using mint toothpaste, your brain will know that eating time is over. Plus, food doesn’t taste as good with a minty-fresh mouth. It’s probably not reasonable to do this every time at a restaurant, but you can make it a habit at home.

Move Around More Often And we’re not talking exercise. Just fidgeting more can lead to weight loss. But you don’t have to become twitchy to get the benefit. Try standing or pacing while you’re talking on the phone, or stretching while you’re watching TV.

Breathe More and more people are turning to deep breathing and meditation to cure life’s ailments. It turns out that taking a deep breath in the face of stress causes physiological changes that calm you down. This applies to food cravings as well. There’s nothing uncommon about using food as a stress relief tool, but you can enjoy the taste of your food much more with a mindful attitude towards eating. According to one study, women who participated in a weekly meditation class lost about a pound per week. Next time you sit down to dinner, pause and spend a couple minutes taking some deep breaths before you begin eating. Do the same thing after you’ve finished your meal.