While fad diets may offer quick results, they often leave you feeling deprived and hungry, and the weight tends to come back once you stop the extreme measures they require. To achieve permanent weight loss, it’s better to take a slower, more sustainable approach.
According to many experts, this can be done without going on a strict “diet.” Instead, it’s about making simple but effective changes to your daily habits.
By adopting one or more of these easy strategies, you can lose weight without feeling like you’re on a restrictive diet.
1. Eat Breakfast Every Day
One habit that’s common to many people who have lost weight and kept it off is eating breakfast every day.
Many people think skipping breakfast is a great way to cut calories, but they usually end up eating more throughout the day.
Studies show people who eat breakfast have lower BMIs than breakfast-skippers and perform better, whether at school or in the boardroom.
Try a bowl of whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and low-fat dairy for a quick and nutritious start to your day.
2. Close the Kitchen at Night
Set a time when you will stop eating so you won’t give in to the late-night munchies or mindless snacking while watching television.
Have a cup of tea, suck on a piece of hard candy or enjoy a small bowl of light ice cream or frozen yogurt if you want something sweet after dinner, but then brush your teeth so you will be less likely to eat or drink anything else.
3. Choose Liquid Calories Wisely
Sweetened drinks pile on the calories, but don’t reduce hunger like solid foods do.
Satisfy your thirst with water, sparkling water with lemon, skim or low-fat milk, or small portions of 100% fruit juice.
Try a glass of nutritious and low-calorie vegetable juice to hold you over if you get hungry between meals.
Be careful of alcohol calories, which add up quickly. If you tend to drink a glass or two of wine or a cocktail on most days, limiting alcohol to the weekends can be a huge calorie saver.
4. Eat More Produce
Eating lots of low-calorie, high-volume fruits and vegetables crowds out other foods that are higher in fat and calories.
Move the meat off the center of your plate and pile on the vegetables.
Stock your kitchen with plenty of fruits and vegetables and at every meal and snack, include a few servings.
Your diet will be enriched with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and if you fill up on super-nutritious produce, you won’t be reaching for the cookie jar.
5. Go for the Grain
By substituting whole grains for refined grains like white bread, cakes, cookies, and pretzels, you add much-needed fiber and will fill up faster so you’re more likely to eat a reasonable portion.
Choose whole-wheat breads and pastas, brown rice, bran flakes, popcorn, and whole-rye crackers.
6. Control Your Environments
Another simple strategy to help cut calories is to control your environment — everything from stocking your kitchen with lots of healthy options to choosing the right restaurants.
That means avoiding the temptation by staying away from all-you-can-eat restaurants.
And when it comes to parties, eat a healthy snack before so you won’t be starving, and be selective when you fill your plate at the buffet.
Before going back for more food, wait at least 15 minutes and have a big glass of water.
7. Trim Portions
If you did nothing else but reduce your portions by 10%-20%, you will lose weight.
Most of the portions served both in restaurants and at home are bigger than you need.
Pull out the measuring cups to get a handle on your usual portion sizes, and work on paring them down.
Get instant portion control by using small bowls, plates, and cups. You won’t feel deprived because the food will look plentiful on dainty dishware.