Weight loss is tricky. Every woman is different, which means every goal and approach is different. But everything else equal, losing weight shouldn’t take over your life or compromise your health. Here are 10 small changes that have stood out as a tried and true approach time and time again that will help you lose at least 20 pounds. Let’s get going.
1. Drink more water.
Plain water is the best weight loss superfood. It’s completely calorie-free, yet helps you feel full and prevents cravings. Additionally, water flushes toxins from your system, including those that cause bloating and constipation.
A study published in 2009 found that adults drinking water before a meal lost 44% more weight during a 12-week period. Drinking water before a meal is one of the best ways to prevent overeating.
2. Eat a protein-heavy breakfast.
A good breakfast includes healthy protein sources. Think of things like nonfat Greek yogurt, whole eggs or egg whites, or lean turkey.
Research suggests that replacing a grain-based breakfast with a meal of protein and healthy fats helps you eat less throughout the day. Simple carbs, such as those found in white bread and cereals, metabolize quickly, leaving you starving by lunch time. This makes it more likely that you will overeat or reach for the snack drawer. On the other hand, fats and proteins are harder to break down. They help you feel fuller for longer.
3. Carry around healthy snacks.
Snacks help keep your energy levels up and prevent blood sugar dips. Nevertheless, if you’re making frequent trips to the convenience store, you could be unknowingly (or knowingly) loading up the calories.
Keep healthy food around so that you don’t have to reach for the chips and candy. Before turning to a career in writing and working from home, I used to bring a bag of apples to work every Monday. By the time I leave work on Friday, I would have one left for my subway ride home.
4. Spend at least 15 minutes a day working out.
Give your metabolism a major boost with just 15 minutes a day—with interval-style training! Interval training is incredibly effective when it comes to weight loss. Incorporate two to three interval workouts in your week (or if you really gung-ho, everyday of the week) and you’ll lose 20 pounds before you even know it!
Interval training is an effective weight loss tool because it keeps your heart rate elevated. It’s great for burning stubborn belly fat. Additionally, research suggests that you continue to burn calories for up to 24 hours after the workout ends! Not bad at all!
Here’s a quick interval workout from The Body Coach you can start with right away – it doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner – work at your own pace and do as many reps as you. Trust me, you’ll work your way up to more doing more reps than what The Body Coach himself can muster.
5. Measure your food portions.
Whether you’re enjoying dinner or noshing mid-afternoon, get out that measuring spoon or cup and measure out the recommended serving size. When we eyeball portions, we tend to give ourselves extra food. In fact, a cup of popcorn or chips might be a whole lot smaller than you realize. Don’t be surprised if you’ve been accidentally eating two or three portions at a time.
Measuring your food adds an extra step to your meals, but it’s an easy change that has maximum impact on the waistline. It’s one of the best changes you can make to lose 20 pounds.
6. Choose whole foods instead of processed foods.
This one’s pretty self-explanatory. Give your body the nutrients it needs to lose weight. Ditch the processed foods! This includes boxed dinners, bagged snacks, and refined grains (I’m looking at you, Tony the Tiger). Instead, focus on clean foods filled with nutrients.
7. Don’t skip meals.
It’s common for people trying to lose weight to skip meals. The problem is that when your body starves, it starts craving sugary, fatty, calorie-packed foods. One skipped meal of whole grains and proteins means you might end up doubling the calories at dinner.
We often justify our bad choices, thinking that since we skipped lunch, we can get that milkshake and those extra large garlic fries guilt-free. When you actually do the math, it turns out your skipped lunch cost you progress.
To maximize weight loss, commit to eating three healthy meals and two nutrient-filled snacks daily. While this might vary from person to person, this general guideline is a good place to start.
8. Move around.
You don’t need to break a sweat with a workout to burn calories (but the sweaty workout does help). Take every chance you can to move your body. Crank out a few sit-ups during a TV commercial rather than staying on the couch, walk to a colleague’s office instead of sending a text, and take the stairs rather than the elevator.
There are several good ways to track your movement throughout the day. Fitness watches are some of the best known. Nevertheless, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to get moving. Most smart phones come with pedometers to track your steps. Aim to reach 10,000 steps each day. 10,000 steps really isn’t as many as it sounds.
9. Use weights.
Adding weight to exercise forces muscles to work harder. In turn, that burns more calories and raises the metabolism for more efficient fat burn.
Your body uses more calories to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat tissue. What this means is that two people weighing 150 lb. might not burn the same amount of calories throughout the day. The person with more muscle mass burns more calories.
Increase your muscle mass to raise the number of calories you burn while at rest. It’s the diet-free way to lose weight!
10. Start your meals with vegetables.
Vegetables offer a low-calorie way to fill your stomach before you hit the meal’s protein and carbohydrates. Similar to drinking water before a meal, starting with vegetables helps you eat fewer calories.
It can be as simple as eating a salad before each meal. Make it a rule to always have a tasty low-calorie vegetable dish on your dinner plate.
11. One last thing… you should try this 2-minute “after-dinner ritual” that
burns up to 2 pounds of belly fat per day…
“All
this by a 2-minute “after-dinner ritual?” I asked.
I
met an old friend for lunch last month and I was super impressed with how good
she looked.
She
said, “It’s not so much about the “after-dinner ritual”, but more about how it
gives you a regenerative form of deep sleep that is responsible for everything
we need to dramatically increase our fat burning metabolism and improve our
health and appearance.”
Even
though I was skeptical, I’ve been struggling with my weight over the last few
years, so I gave it a shot and watched the same video she did.
Well,
it’s only a couple weeks later and you know what they say about how “you can’t
transform your body overnight”…
They’re
right – it actually took me 16 days to lose 22 pounds.
Now
it’s my girlfriends asking ME what I’M doing differently 💅
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