1. Sleep more, weigh less!
Studies link lack of sleep with feeling hungrier. And we can all relate to craving sugar after a bad night's sleep! Research suggests that those who sleep five hours or less weigh five pounds more than those getting at least seven hours of
shut eye per night. So aim for at least seven hours. Keep your room dark and keep your phone in the kitchen.
2. Workout Less
Research shows that if you sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 4-6 minutes, and then repeat that at least 4 times, you’ll lose more fat than if you jog or walk at a steady pace for an hour. I love the idea of a shorter-interval workouts instead of long, grueling runs. You can do intervals on a bike, the elliptical, or in the pool -- anywhere you can vary your pace and how hard you work.
3. Drink Water
Hunger is often confused with dehydration. Next time you feel like a snack, have a glass of water. Even mild dehydration can alter your body’s metabolism, so aim to drink eight glasses a day and limit pop, caffeine, and alcohol. Aim to drink a glass of water before meals. Studies show people who drink two glasses of water before meals feel fuller and eat less.
4. Don't fear the fat!
A common misconception is that fats should be completely eliminated. In reality, we couldn’t live without fat. The body utilizes dietary fat for energy, hair, skin and nail health, vitamin absorption, and every bodily function. "Good" fats protect against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression, reduce blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. What are those Good Fats? Choose nuts, seeds, fish, avocado, and extra virgin olive oil.
5. Eat Breakfast
This has been a controversial one over the years and you've probably tried skipping breakfast to save calories. When we skip breakfast, by mid-morning we’re
hungry and more likely to overeat. Studies repeatedly show eating breakfast is associated with maintaining a healthy weight. If you’re not ready for breakfast first thing in the morning, listen to your body and eat as soon as you can.
6. Cook for yourself
Cooking meals at home allows you to control portion sizes and quality of ingredients, and it cuts your intake of sodium, fat, and calories. You don't have to be a Cordon Bleu trained chef to do this - simple meals are often the healthiest without having to slave away in the kitchen. Blue Avocado provides meal plans within the Accountability Coaching, or you can simply purchase a 7 Day Meal Plan customized fully to you. Click here for Meal Plan
7. Read Labels
Be a food detective and investigate what you choose to put into your body. Check labels, and avoid ingredients like sugar, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and chemical ingredients that are hard to pronounce. The healthiest foods are those found just
as nature intended – whole and unprocessed. When was the last time you saw an ingredient list on a stalk of broccoli or a fresh fillet of salmon?
8. Keep a Food Diary
A food diary sounds simple, but it's a surprisingly effective tool when trying to eat healthier. It can help you understand your eating habits and patterns, and help you identify the foods — good and not-so-good — that you eat on a regular basis. Research shows that for people interested in losing weight, keeping a journal can be a very effective tool to help change behaviour. In one weight loss study of nearly 1,700 participants, those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records.
9. Clear your Kitchen Counter
Whatever you keep there, you’re probably going to eat it. So keep a bowl with fresh fruit or veggies highly visible and and put the sweet treats out of sight. In a study from Cornell University, women who keep a fresh fruit bowl out in the open weigh 13 pounds less than those don’t. The opposite is also true: The same research found that women who keep cereal boxes or soft drinks visible on their counters tend to weigh more.
10. Have Second Thoughts about Smoothies
You may see a lot of delicious-looking smoothies on your Instagram feed, but don’t be fooled: Juices and smoothies aren’t a dieter’s dream. Our bodies don’t register calories from liquid foods as well as those from solid foods, so you may slurp down way more than you realize through that metal straw. Plus, if you load them with coconut milk and almond butter, you’ll want to keep the serving size small, or you’ll get a lot more calories than you bargained for. Go for whole foods that require a fork or spoon.
Comments