Lose Weight without Going on a Diet

10 Ways to Lose Weight without Going on a Diet
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated December 08, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

If you're ready to start losing weight, but you don't want to follow a diet, I have good news. You can make a few "painless" changes to your everyday diet that will help you eat less, eat smarter, and lose weight!

1. Don't drink your calories. Beverages are bottomless these days -- you can't order a soft drink or iced tea at a restaurant without being provided quick, free refills, or having the freedom to get them yourself. To keep from drinking a day's worth of calories, choose herbal tea, unsweetened iced tea with Splenda (or another artificial, no-cal sweetener), diet flavored-water, bottled or tap water with a spritz of lemon or lime, or diet soda. If none of those better choices suits you, allow yourself one glass of the "real thing" and drink only water thereafter. (Tip: Ask for extra ice in that first glass of soda and you will drink less.) By stopping at one glass, you will save yourself hundreds -- or even thousands -- of calories.

2. Always eat breakfast. Taking the time to eat could prevent costly mistakes as the day progresses; skipping this important morning meal can lead to an out of control afternoon appetite, oversized portions, poor food choices, and overeating, even later on into the night. Plus, going too long without eating may cause your metabolism to slow down. If you can't eat first thing in the morning, a healthful, mid-morning snack is a good idea. If you are not hungry in the morning, it could be a sign that you are eating too close to bedtime. Set a cut-off time for evening eating (such as 7 p.m.) and you will probably feel more like eating in the a.m.

3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. You hear it all the time, but you really do need to work in those recommended six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. Thirst can easily be mistaken for hunger, so you could be reaching for food when you are actually thirsty. Eating water-rich foods like fruit will help you stay well-hydrated, too. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink; try sipping water throughout the day and you may be surprised to find that your appetite seems much tamer.

4. Add at least one more serving of produce to as many meals as possible. Veggies and fruit are all nutrient-rich, low-cal and filling -- just be careful of creamy dips or dressings, butter, cheese sauce, and fried vegetables. Salsa, soups, and pasta sauce are easy ways to work in even more vegetable servings. Keep the skin on fresh produce, such as apples, whenever possible as it contains more fiber. Remember, fiber takes a while to digest so you feel fuller longer after eating it, which will help you eat less in the long run.

5. Make a salad your starter. Having a salad before your meal will almost certainly prevent you from overeating. Load up all the veggies you like, but just be careful about adding high-fat extras such as pasta salads, shredded cheese or cream-based dressings. (Tip: Spray dressings are excellent for cutting calories as most only have about 10 calories per spritz). Prepackaged, washed salads make it easy to add a salad to any meal without extra effort. Most fast food restaurants offer a reasonably-priced side salad, or some menus offer the option to substitute salad for another side item when purchasing a "combo" or "value" meal.

6. Be a better baker. Start baking immediately following a meal so you will be less likely to sample. Chew flavorful gum like peppermint or spearmint so your mouth will be otherwise occupied. Healthier baking ingredient substitutions help cut fat and calories.

7. Go for grains. Whole grains will help you feel full longer than refined carbohydrates. In the morning, fiber-rich cereal like Kellog's All-Bran, is a good choice, as is oatmeal. Brown rice, whole grain bread, and whole wheat crackers, are all good ways to include grains in your day: A slice of whole wheat bread goes well with a salad; microwavable, single-serving brown rice is easy to add to lunch at the office; keep wheat crackers stored in your desk drawer for when the afternoon munchies strike.

8. Always keep healthy frozen meals on hand. They will be a backup plan for nights when you don't have time to prepare and cook a healthy meal. Try to choose meals with around 300 to 350 calories. (Tip: Even some of the healthier frozen meal choices are skimpy on veggies, so be sure to add a packaged salad or a microwavable, single-serving frozen vegetable to your "instant meal" to better round it out.

9. Choose foods that will help you feel satisfied longer. While both protein and fat help you feel sated longer than simple carbohydrates, protein naturally contains fewer calories per ounce than fat. Eggs, lean meats, skinless poultry, and reduced-fat dairy products are ideal protein sources. A snack like yogurt, a boiled egg, string cheese or turkey slices will give you an energy boost and quell hunger pangs. Whole grains also contain protein, so you may find combining an animal or dairy protein with a complex carb such as whole wheat crackers or whole grain bread to be even more effective at keeping your energy up and hunger down. If you don't eat meat or dairy, there are also several other sources of protein, such as beans, legumes, and nuts.

10. Catch some "Zs." Did you know getting enough rest can have a direct impact on your ability to lose weight? Not getting enough sleep can cause you to eat more often or make poor choices (In an effort to compensate for feeling groggy, we tend to naturally reach for higher-calorie, high-fat foods.). Getting enough sleep also ensures that you feel energized enough to exercise and that you work out to your fullest capacity when you do. Even if you can't add additional sleeping hours, take some time to simply do nothing, practice deep breathing, read, or listen to some calming music every day. Making a point to relax more can keep emotional eating -- particularly stress-eating -- at bay.

MY THOUGHTS

i know they work. but why, why, why can't we just follow them? there's always an excuse- no time, no funds, too much work. start with 1 tip. then work on the next. worked before. will work again.

8 Easy Ways to Lose Weight

8 Easy Ways to Lose Weight
Lose weight without going on a diet!
By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com Guide
Updated July 13, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Lose weight without going on a diet? It's not too good to be true. You don't have to follow a strict diet to get the ball rolling; making these easy but effective changes really can help you lose weight.

1. Learn to Read Labels
To lose weight it is essential to pay attention to food labels. Counting calories is impossible without this skill. You should know how to find a food's caloric content and its serving size. Comparing labels among different foods and beverages is crucial for making the healthier choices required to lose weight.

2. Snack Smart
You can help prevent overeating and maintain blood sugar levels by eating something about every three hours. Getting too hungry will backfire on your efforts to eat healthy and practice portion control. Aim for a healthful, satisfying snack, such as an apple and some reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Eating more may seem counterintuitive, but smart snacking will help you lose weight.

3. Eat More Grains and Produce
Whole grains and fruits and veggies do more than provide nutrients that improve your health and reduce disease-risk; they can also help you lose weight. They're naturally low in calories, so you can eat more of them and have less room in your diet for less-than-healthful foods. Plus, the fiber in whole-grain foods and produce will help you feel fuller longer (which helps you control portions and avoid overeating) and as a result, lose weight.

4. Eat Enough, Often Enough
One of the worst ways to lose weight? Meal skipping. Many people think skipping meals is a great way to cut calories, but in the end, they fail to lose weight. You'll be more likely to overeat or even binge (when you finally do eat) if you do not eat regular meals. Plus your body may go into "starvation mode" if don't eat enough, causing you to maintain (or even gain) rather than lose weight!

5. Drink Plenty of Water
Water helps you lose weight in several ways: If you tend to have a problem with "water weight," drinking more water can help alleviate bloating. Replacing high-cal drinks such as soda with water cuts hundreds of calories. You shouldn't wait until you're feeling thirsty to drink water; thirst can be mistaken for hunger, causing you to overeat. Proper hydration improves your sense of well-being, which will keep up your motivation to lose weight.

6. Get Moving
It is virtually impossible to lose weight and keep it off without exercising regularly. Start out today by taking a brisk walk or riding a bike. Work your way up from 10 minutes to 30-40 minutes a day, most days a week, and you could reap health benefits and weight loss results in a matter of weeks. Plus, exercise boosts your metabolism, making it even easier to lose weight.

7. Practice Portion Control
Measuring food may seem like a drudgery, but it will prove invaluable in your efforts to lose weight. Start out by comparing a measured standard serving of foods to your typical helping. You may find you usually consume two or even three times the recommended serving. In time you will reprogram your brain to eyeball portion sizes, a key skill for losing weight.

8. Write it Down
What's the first thing I think anyone who wants to lose weight should do? Keep a food diary. All you have to do is jot down what, when, and how much you eat in a notebook, or you can do it online at a Web site like Calorie Count Plus. A food diary will give you a clear picture of your current eating habits so you can identify the changes you need to make to lose weight.

MY THOUGHTS

except for the food journal, i've tried all these before and they worked. just need to them over again. first, i should desire to lose weight. then find the time. even reading the labels on food requires more than just breezing through the supermarket.good luck to me.