Everyone knows it: losing weight can be difficult. Research says that it can take anywhere between 18 and 254 days to create a new habit, and many find that they just don’t have the patience to change.
But if you are looking to shed some pounds and land a new you without going to the store (except maybe for some new, smaller clothes,) and you feel determined, know that the techniques for the whole process aren’t that hard.
Do you need to carry around a calculator in order to keep count on all those calories and grams of fat throughout the day? Maybe- if you want to. But by trying a few tried and true new ways of doing things, you might find that at least a few pounds simply peel away.
As was stated, the trick isn’t finding the right method: it’s all about creating new habits-something which could take close to 9 months. And you need to stick to them. Think of it like birthing a new you.
Check out these 3 straightforward techniques for weight loss, as recommended by nutritional experts and the true experts: those who have lost weight:
1) Go Buy Some Dishes at the Used Goods Store and Eat off of Smaller Plates
We’re not talking Barbie-sized dishes here, but evidence shows that our mind likes to play tricks on us and apparently, we can play along. We can easily trick our psyche into thinking we are full from less food by putting our meal on a smaller plate. Hey, don’t knock it until you try it.
According to Cornell University’s food psychology page, Professors Brian Wansink and Koert van Ittersum conducted a study to see how the Delboeuf optical illusion- a trick which causes us to misjudge the size of identical smaller circles when they are surrounded by larger circles- can affect how we eat.
Results? We can be just as satisfied eating a smaller portion of food off a smaller plate. We just need enough blank space between the edge of the food and the encircling edge of the plate, to make us feel that we’ve had enough.
2) Don’t Believe Your Local Restaurant, They are Lying to You: Reduce Your Portion Size
If you judge how big your servings should be by relating your evening meal to the size of similar fare at your favorite restaurant, you’re in for a surprise.
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, food portion sizes in America have doubled or tripled in the last 20 years, heavily distorting what the public views as a normal size for a meal.
“Super-sized portions at restaurants have distorted what Americans consider a normal portion size, and that affects how much we eat at home as well,” said Dr. Elizabeth G. Nabel, director of NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. “One way to keep calories in check is to keep food portions no larger than the size of your fist.”
Sound like too little? Try filling a third of your plate with veggies or a salad. Don’t drown it in dressing.
You can also serve your food up on individual plates at the table, instead of putting the main dish there and having people serve themselves. This can avoid going in for seconds.
Do the same for snacks, instead of eating straight from the bag, in order to keep track of how much you’re really eating.
3) Start Walking and Keep Walking. For Real. That Easy.
Walking every day is a great way to start burning calories, and to motivate yourself to get off the couch. It’s easy, and you set the time and speed. Once you get used to it-start with 10 minutes and build from there-you might want to try speed walking.
Fast-paced walking helps stimulate your fat-burning hormones, to bring that weight off your waist. Try prevention.com’s 8 week walking plan and see what happens!
Good luck on your road to a whole new you.
Photo Credit: stockphoto-graf/Shutterstock
