Habits to Adopt for Successful Weight Loss
By Rachel Carver
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Fad diets promising quick fixes to your weight usually do not work. Quickly dropping weight can bring it back with a vengeance, negatively affecting your metabolism. Completely eliminating your favorite foods can lead to depressing cycles of yo-yo dieting.
You'll have better luck with weight loss if you view it as a journey and not a sprint. Gradually adopting small, sustainable habits can decrease your scale number and keep the weight off.
Read on for some new habits to add to your life.
Set a Fiber Goal
Tracking your food can help with weight loss. Start simple by focusing only on your fiber. Aim for 30 grams of daily fiber. High-fiber foods include:
- Whole grains
- Beans
- Oatmeal
- Leafy greens
Foods high in fiber can fill you up and reduce your calorie intake.
Enjoy Lunch
How many times do you eat at your desk? Research shows that practicing mindful eating can help you eat less. Slowing down to pay attention to your food can decrease your stress and fill you up faster, causing you to consume fewer calories.
Decrease Your Sugar
Drinking black coffee may be good for you, but maybe you're not quite there yet. Start by reducing the sugar you use. One sugar packet contains about 4 grams of sugar and 15 calories. Removing one daily sugar packet can save you 5,475 calories per year, which equals about 1.6 pounds. These saved calories increase as you remove more added sugar from your diet.
Hydrate
If you find yourself hungry before you want to eat, try drinking a glass of water. Consuming two cups of water before a meal can increase satisfaction and lower your calorie intake by about 13 percent. Drinking water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner could save you about 70 calories per meal. This adds up to 76,650 saved yearly calories, or about 22 pounds.
Walk After Eating
Walking after eating can increase your step count and help with weight loss. Walking five minutes after each meal can burn 70 extra daily calories. Turning this into a habit could help you lose about seven pounds per year.
The Bottom Line
Don't get overwhelmed by your weight loss journey. Incorporate new, sustainable habits into your life to keep you motivated and headed in the right direction. Small changes can go a long way in helping you achieve your goals.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Mt. Juliet, Tenn.