When was the last time you were on a diet? Just about every diet has a theme, and it sounds something like this...eliminate sugar, carbohydrates, meat, fat, alcohol, etc. But, what if you approached your health goals with a non-diet theme? Think about it, every time you are told you can't have bread, a cocktail, pizza, or a cupcake, how much more tempting do all these foods become? What good are diets that leave you feeling hungry and deprived, losing weight in the short term, only to gain it back?
Now, I'm not suggesting you eat these foods with abandon, or if you have an autoimmune disease, like me, certain foods must be avoided. But, what I do suggest as a Nutrition and Wellness Coach is making simple tweaks to your nutrition and lifestyle that bring lasting results. So let's for a moment take the focus away from dieting as we know it, and instead talk about non-diet tips you can implement for weight loss that possibly you haven't thought of before.
4 "No-Diet" Tips to Try Now:
1: Drink water--The average adult human body is made up of about 60% water. We need to drink it!
Published in The Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism, "Drinking about 16 ounces of water temporarily spiked participants' metabolic rate by 30 percent. The researchers concluded that increasing water intake by 1.5 liters (about six eight-ounce glasses) per day would increase daily caloric burn by about 200 calories."
Water also helps you identify hunger levels. We often mistaken hunger for thirst. So drink up first. A good rule of thumb is 2 glasses first thing in the morning, and 1-2 glasses about 15 minutes prior to meals.
2: Eat your vegetables--Your mother was right when she told you to eat your vegetables! The fiber and water in vegetables fill you up without filling you out. Most vegetables are low in calories, yet packed with powerful vitamins, nutrients, and fiber that keep you healthy and feeling full longer. This helps you to eat fewer calories, feel satisfied, and lose weight. And don't forget to eat the rainbow, that means all the colors. A wide variety of vegetables provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals.
3: Chew your food--How many times do you chew each mouthful of food? Most people chew 5x or less before swallowing. The recommended amount is anywhere from 20-40x depending on what you're eating.
Why? Well, first, proper digestion begins with chewing. As you chew, you produce saliva which coats your food with the enzymes amylase and lipase. These enzymes start the digestion of fats and starches in your mouth.
Chewing food thoroughly also slows down the eating pace and reduces the number of calories you take in by cueing your body into feelings of satiety. Remember, it takes the brain about 20 minutes to register that it's being fed. So slow down, put your fork down between bites, breathe, and chew. Think of chewing your food until fully liquified before swallowing.
4: Change your plate--When it comes to eating less, could using a smaller plate be the answer to cutting calories?
"In an experiment conducted by Brian Wansink from Cornell University and Koert van Ittersum from the Georgia Institute of Technology, it was discovered that a shift from 12–inch plates to 10–inch plates resulted in a 22% decrease in calories. Assuming the average dinner is 800 calories, this simple change would result in an estimated weight loss of more than 10 pounds over the course of one year."
This is like an illusion that tricks the brain. The idea is that things appear smaller when compared to things that are larger. So small amounts of food on a larger plate appear small, and you continue to reach for more food to fill the plate. And most people tend to finish what is on their plate, resulting in more calorie consumption. That same amount of food on a smaller plate appears as though you are eating a larger portion and you will stop adding food.
So here are my four tips to weight loss that don't include dieting. Which one will you try today? I'd love to hear from you, what you think of these "non-diet" tips, and how any or all work for you.
To your health & happiness,
xoxo
Amy
© The Wellness Map