Losing weight can be a struggle, but there are so many little things you can do to make things easier. Here’s a super long list of tips for those of you trying to shift a bit of weight.
- Drink more water:: It helps you feel more satiated. Sometimes you think you’re hungry and you’re just thirsty. Here’s how to get into the habit of drinking more water.
- Drink more green tea::
Slightly raises your metabolism, but it’s just good for you in general. - Drink more dandelion tea:
It’s an acquired taste – and its therapeutic properties are dubious – but it does help you flush out water your body doesn’t need. - Don’t drink calories:
You don’t need to! Shakes and smoothies are exempt from this, but soft drinks or anything with a stupid amount of sugar. What’s the point? Oh wait! There’s one exception… - Drink hot water with a squirt of lemon when you first wake up:
I will accept this. - Eat more avocados:
High fat foods are going to make you feel more satisfied. Here’s how to pick a perfectly ripe avocado. - Eat a big breakfast:
People tend to skip breakfast. That’s a bad idea. - Eat more porridge:
Porridge is great, malleable and is low GI. If you eat porridge in the morning you’re gonna eat less the rest of the day. - Eat less bread:
But if you’re like me and love sandwiches, consider an open sandwich. Half the bread, half the carby calories. Also, eat wholemeal, good bread. - Sleep more:
Sleep is important. For weight loss, for general well being. - Walk more:
Find ways to add more steps to your daily routine. It all adds up. Walk up stairs instead of going up the elevator. Walk past one more station when getting the train. - Take up hiking:
Hiking is amazing. It can be as intense as you need it to be. Everyone in this office has taken up hiking and everyone swears by it. - Or take up a sport!:
Too many people equate exercise with pain. It doesn’t have to be that way. Join a basketball team, play soccer, get into gymnastics, go rock climbing. Here are some fun sports you can join as an adult. - Eat spicy food:
Spicy food is good. It also speeds up your metabolism. - Don’t eat chocolate:
I mean this goes without saying. You don’t need chocolate – even on Easter. - Eat watermelon instead:
As a sweet alternative watermelon works really well. Low calorie, but still incredibly sweet. Here’s how to pick the right watermelon by looking at its base. - Eat blueberries:
Blueberries are the greatest berries. I recommend them. They help you burn body fat and boost brain power and energy. Get on it. - Make your diet work long term:
Crash diets aren’t great. They mess with your body. Whatever you eat it has to be sustainable otherwise it’s pointless. - Eat cheese! (Really):
Cheese is okay (if you pick the right cheeses)! High fat foods are okay! I’m not saying you have to go Ketogenic, but society as a whole is too scared of fatty foods. Fat is good for you. - Eat smaller portions:
Portion control might be the most important suggestion on this list. Everyone eats too much food. Here’s one way to manage portions. - Eat using smaller plates:
So much of hunger is psychological. Stack a smaller plate. You’ll eat less and feel fuller. Weird. - Reduce your salt intake:
The more salt you consume the more water your body holds, the more you weigh. Here’s how to avoid hidden salt in your diet. - Do interval training:
It’s time efficient and it works. Better than 1 hour of jogging slowly in constant physical pain (unless you like that sort of thing). - Lift weights:
No, you’re not going to get too bulky. It’s actually insanely hard to add muscle to your frame. Here’s how to get started with a manageable daily routine. - Meditate or do Yoga:
Science proves you’re more likely to put on weight if you’re stressed. Find a way to become mindful in your day-to-day routine. Get started with this /”do anywhere” 10-minute yoga routine. - Get motivated:
This is broad, but give yourself a goal or a target. This goal doesn’t need to be a specific weight. It could be fitting into a pair of jeans, or running a marathon. Here be tips. - Tell others what your goal is:
This is a way of making yourself feel accountable. Chuck something up on Facebook! You’re less likely to quit or give in when you feel like everyone’s watching. (Just be wary of peer “concern”.) - Get a workout buddy:
Or even better, get a #squad. You can motivate each other and also hang out. - Break your habits one by one:
If you try and break one habit, you’re statistically likely to succeed. Try and break more than one at a time you will almost certainly fail. Science says you should break habits one-by-one - Eat eggs:
Eggs are awesome. Boiled eggs are so easy and operate amazingly as either a meal or as a snack. They make you feel full and are one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat. For an even healthier treat, try baking an egg in an avocado. - Don’t weigh yourself every day:
It’s tempting to do this, but ultimately damaging. Weight fluctuates on a day-to-day basis and it’s impossible to quantify the reasons why. Consider weighing yourself once a week instead – and do it correctly. - Or don’t weigh yourself at all?:
Unless you have a specific reason to lose actual weight, maybe you should be measuring success literally, with measuring tape? Or maybe you want to lose body fat. Either way, success here might be nothing to do with weight. - Play Pokemon GO:
Nah, just kidding. No-one plays Pokemon GO any more. - Rethink your carb intake:
I say this with caution. I think carbs are important, but you probably should eat less of them. That means less rice, less potatoes. Don’t eliminate them, but you’re probably eating too much. - Eat the right type of salad:
Obviously you want to eat vegetables, that goes without saying, but you want to be careful of the kind of salads you’re eating. You want to avoid sugary, creamy dressings and keep it relatively simple. Broccoli, capsicum, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini — these are the kinds of things you want in your salad. You can eat this stuff to your hearts content really. - Consider eating smaller meals, but more of them:
Everyone’s different, but I try and eat four meals a day. If I don’t, I’m more likely to snack. Your mileage may differ. - Be aware of your own habits:
And more importantly, learn to distinguish them from actual hunger. Sometimes you think you’re hungry, but you’re not. It’s just because you happen to be watching TV at 8pm and that’s when you usually grab that block of chocolate. We create habits like this easily, and are often tricked by them. - Chew more and chew slowly:
Honestly, do this! It works! You’ll eat less. Chewing for ages also makes highly processed and fatty foods taste really gross. - Use a calorie tracker:
MyFitnessPal is good! Honestly, you think you’re eating well, but the small things add up. Definitely worth tracking. - Don’t shop hungry:
Seriously, don’t. You’ll buy biscuits and chocolate. I guarantee it. Head to Woolies after dinner, not before. (As an added bonus, you’ll also spend less money.) - Get a dog:
Dogs are awesome. Also, you have to walk them. Walking is good. Get a dog. - Exercise on your lunch break:
I mean exercise is great any time, but particularly during your lunch break. Reduces stress, which is good. Helps you make healthier lunch choices as well. Even just a nice walk is good. Plus, it’s ideal if you don’t otherwise have the time to exercise. - Make food in bulk:
This can help. Unless you’re one of those people who need variety in their diet. - Cut down on alcohol:
Some people don’t want to hear this — but it’s bad for you and it’s bad for your waistline. Everything in moderation obviously. - Don’t overtrain:
Overtraining leads to injury, which leads to less exercise, which leads to you sitting on the couch feeling sorry for yourself and comfort eating. - Skip condiments and calorie rich sauces:
You don’t really need these things, do you? At the very least, try making your own so you can control sugar and sodium levels. - Eat more protein:
Wary about this, because research shows Australians actually eat too much protein. But protein helps you feel fuller. Eat too much an it metabolises as fat, so be careful! Protein also helps to build muscle. Here’s the ideal amount to eat after exercise. - Don’t reward yourself with food:
This is where bad habits kick in. Make your reward a nice bath or an hour in front of the TV. Or something that brings you closer to your goals. Retrain your brain! - Drink Coffee!:
Honestly, coffee is a good thing! It can boost your metabolism. Just stay clear of frothy, milky numbers with craploads of sugar. - Eat more nuts:
People who eat a handful of nuts each day are statistically less likely to die. Get on it. - Don’t be too hard on yourself:
You’re going to make mistakes, you’re going to fall off the wagon. Don’t punish yourself. The worst thing you can do is spiral. Just take the day and start all over again the next day!
You can do it!
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