Weight loss without even thinking about calories?? Yes please!
If you’ve ever dieted or tried to lose weight by obsessively counting calories, you may have had some decent results at first…but then for one reason or another, it stopped working.
Losing weight can feel like a daunting task, regardless of whether you have 5 pounds to shed or over 100. This is especially true if you lost weight in the past and are starting back at square one.
The good news is that despite what the diet industry says, you can lose weight without counting calories, feeling deprived, or forcing yourself into an intense exercise regimen.
There are a handful of simple, smart changes you can make starting today that will start to give you results almost immediately.
Commit to these 6 actions and watch the weight fall off with what feels like no effort at all.
1. Tune into what your body is really telling you
If you haven’t been fully tuned into your body’s natural hunger and satiety signals, you're missing the biggest opportunity to easily shed extra pounds.
The truth is that most people regularly overeat in a lot of different little ways that all add up. Oftentimes, it even happens without conscious realization.
Any time you eat outside of physical hunger - when you feel stressed or bored, when you take those few extra bites whilst cleaning up dinner, or just because it’s “time” for a meal - that’s a form of overeating. It may not be overeating in the traditional sense, but you are eating when your body doesn’t really need food.
For at least one week, pay special attention to your hunger signals and before you eat anything simple ask yourself, “am I actually hungry right now?” The key is to target moderate hunger. Do not wait to eat until you’re either hangry and tempted to eat your coworker’s left arm.
Similarly, take a moment about halfway through your meal to ask yourself, “have I eaten enough?” The goal is to stop eating before you’re full. If you feel like you can still take a walk, perfect.
If you’re a fast eater and have trouble slowing down, physically cut your meal in half and use the halfway point as a reminder to ask yourself that question.
Note: if you have a high BMI, your hunger and satiety hormones may be acting abnormally. Make sure to check out my article on weight loss drugs for more information.
2. Treat every meal as an opportunity to add or exchange, not subtract.
In weight loss, we often think about all the foods we need to take away…but from a mindset and sustainability perspective, that’s one of the worst approaches you can take.
Think about it - the second you tell yourself you can’t have something, you instantly want it more, right?
On the other hand, if you consider every meal and snack as an opportunity to add good quality foods into your day, that feels different, right? Way more positive and less restrictive.
And if you’re like most people, you don’t just want to lose weight, you also want to feel your best. In order for that to happen, you must shift your food focus towards the good quality fuel that will truly serve your body in more ways than one.
Filling your day with unprocessed foods that you genuinely enjoy - proteins that have been cooked well, fruits and well-seasoned vegetables, fiber-rich starches, and a variety of healthy fats (nuts, nut butters, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish) - will not only naturally result in weight loss, but will also boost your energy and make you feel amazing inside and out.
Genuine enjoyment is key. If you're not enjoying the healthy foods you're eating and are starting to feel deprived from "real food," time to rethink what "healthy food" means to you.
3. Drink water when you first wake up and before you eat anything.
Consider that every cell in your body needs water to run effectively.
We generally start the day off dehydrated, which feels like fatigue and a general lack of energy. Drinking 12-16 ounces of water first thing in the morning wakes up your organs, metabolism, digestive tract, and will feel as powerful as a hit of caffeine without the jitters.
Thirst and hunger also feel very similar. Throughout the day, you may think you’re hungry but really you’re just thirsty. Before you put any food in your mouth, first question whether you’re actually hungry. If you’re not sure, drink 8-10 oz of water and wait 10 minutes before checking in again.
Drinking water before meals can also help you feel full and eat less. Studies, including one done in 2018 (Jeong, 2018), have shown that people who drink water before a meal consume less food (and still feel just as satisfied) than those who do not drink water beforehand.
4. Make sleep non-negotiable.
Many people think of sleep as an afterthought in weight loss but it is one of the most important key basics in weight loss and health.
Lack of sleep leads to increased appetite, overeating, and cravings for sugary and calorie-dense foods. A sleep deprived brain naturally seeks foods that will give it a quick energy boost - namely sugar and processed carbs. And when you are sleep deprived, your inhibitions drop dramatically.
Although everyone is different, aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
5. Reduce stress throughout the day, not just at the end.
Physiologically, when your body is flooded with stress hormones, it’s hard for it to function properly, making weight loss that much harder.
Stress can also lead to cravings, overeating, and a need to self-soothe with food. But waiting until the end of a hectic day when you’re tired and over it all to relieve stress is a recipe for “screw it” eating.
Take a few minutes in the middle of each day for you - go for a short walk, stretch, do some deep breathing exercises, do a short meditation. Relieve the stress before it turns into insatiable snacking.
6. Stop "the spiral" immediately.
Have you ever broken your diet or eaten a bit too much and then said, “screw it, I’ll start over on Monday”?
Do not do that.
Here’s the thing…no one becomes overweight from the occasional overeat or from eating A cookie.
What gets most people into trouble is allowing one mistake to turn into another and another.
This is what I call the “What the Hell Effect.”
The absolute BEST advice I can give you for consistent weight loss is this: when (not if) you make a mistake, forgive yourself, treat it as a learning opportunity, and move on immediately.
Not next week…not next month...
Treat the very next meal or snack after a mistake as an opportunity to do something great for your body.
By simply asking yourself, “What’s my next great decision?” you will become consistent and unstoppable.
Final advice: Find support and accountability.
Here’s the truth about weight loss and human nature: without a plan to actively change old habits and engrain new ones, you will default back to what led to the weight gain in the first place.
That is exactly why if you are serious about losing weight, healing your body on the inside, and improving your performance in life, hiring an expert coach is a no-brainer.
A coach fast-tracks your success by not only fixing your diet and exercise habits, but more importantly, she or he gives you those final crucial pieces of the success puzzle…accountability and motivation.
At the end of the day, if you are human (and I assume you are if you’re reading this), there will be times when you know what to do…but just don’t feel motivated to do it.
Having a coach in your corner to provide guidance and ongoing support will ensure that you never fall off the bandwagon.
If you’re done trying to muscle and stumble your way through the weight loss process and are ready to work smarter, not harder for results, then schedule a complimentary consultation with me to determine if coaching is right for you. On this call, we’ll get clear on what’s currently stopping you and figure out a plan to get you feeling and looking your absolute best.
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