Easy Weight Loss Secrets Guide - Harry Kainth (read ebook pdf .TXT) 📗

Quick tip: some research has shown that if you make goals which seem almost a little too easy that it can be much more motivating because it feels more attainable. In addition, a recent study has found that when cravings come up if you focus on your short and long-term weight loss goals it activates the prefrontal cortex which dulls the craving; as an added bonus it also increases your ability to resist temptation.

70. Drink your coffee black, no sugar.

We love a good cup of joe, and there has been some talk about it being good for weight loss (but the jury is still out on whether it’s actually good for weight loss or bad for it). What we do know for certain though, is that loading your coffee up with sugar, milk and whipped cream is definitely bad for weight loss! So if you’re going to enjoy coffee (and we still do) stick to a shot of espresso or a cup of joe, black no sugar.

71. Team up.

Buddy up with someone who has the same goals as you and is serious about reaching them, then set a plan and stick to it. Hold each other accountable.

72. Eat at regular intervals.

Although the latest studies have shown that meal frequency is not related to weight loss, it can still be a good idea to eat at regular intervals. The reason? Recent studies have shown that skipping meals can cluster together with other behaviours (like lack of meal planning) with the result that you reach for unhealthy, high-calorie but convenient foods.

73. Beware of hidden calories!

Many of our everyday foods contain calories which add up quickly. Especially beware of calorie-dense foods which contain huge amounts of calories even though you get very little food.

74. Find an exercise you love.

Just because most people think about gym when they think about weight loss, doesn’t mean that’s what you need to do. There are lots of exercise options out there: from basketball to running to rock climbing. Find an exercise you love to do and you’ll have a lot more fun getting the weight off. Just make sure that it burns enough calories, golf is fun but you’re not going to burn a lot of calories playing it (well, unless you use two clubs at a time and run the course).

75. Pack healthy snacks.

If you pack healthy, you’ll eat healthy. For e.g. fruit can give you that sugar fix when you need it and it’s a totally guilt-free snack.

76. Rest your cutlery between bites.

Most of us eat way too fast, lots to do right? The problem with this is that it takes about 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to tell you you’re full. In other words, by eating too fast, your brain doesn’t have enough time to tell you: “Whoa stop, the tank is full”. By eating at a slower pace, you give it plenty of time to send the signals and help you avoid over-eating.

77. Steer clear of food porn.

We love looking at images of delicious sticky, sweet and savoury foods we know we shouldn’t be eating, as much as the next person. But… neuroscientists have discovered that spending hours pouring over these images provoke a real emotional and physical hunger – duh! To make matters worse, they have found that people who are overweight appear to be more sensitive to the effect of viewing delicious foods. Studies have also found that looking at images of delicious foods actually increases the level of ghrelin (the hormone which makes you feel hungry) and further to that, studies have shown that people looking at food porn were more likely to overeat later than those who were looking at the actual food on a plate in front of them! So, stay away from the food porn… or try the healthier options: images of healthy food and exercise.

78. Don’t eat standing up.

Research has shown that people tend to eat more food and faster when they eat standing up – i.e. away from the meal table. Psychologically, it’s much easier to discount those mini-meals we have away from set meal times, yet they all add up to a higher total calorie count – bad FOR WEIGHT LOSS. It’s good to eat when you’re hungry once you’ve reached your ideal healthy weight because you will have retrained your eating patterns to follow a more healthy schedule. Until that point, if you find yourself eating while standing, you’re probably snacking when you shouldn’t be (unless it’s a healthy snack), so save it for your scheduled meal time!

79. Do it slowly.

Like the saying goes: “You didn’t put it on in a day; don’t expect to get it off in a day.” Studies have repeatedly shown that the most successful approach to lose weight and keep it

off is slow and steady; aiming to lose about 1-2 pounds per week means that THE WEIGHT LOSS will primarily be fat as opposed to muscle.

80. Don’t food shop when you’re hungry.

We know what it’s like, when you buy food when you’re hungry you want to put everything in the basket, especially the sweet and salty stuff. There’s a reason for this, research has shown that when you’re hungry your brain sends signals to you to go for the high-calorie food choices – tasty, sure… good FOR WEIGHT LOSS, erm no. So to keep yourself on track with your new healthy lifestyle snack healthy before you shop, or fill up on a healthy meal and then go shopping.

81. Use olive oil.

You’ve probably already know how good the Mediterranean diet is because it’s packed with high-quality proteins, an abundance of vegetables and healthy fats. Well, it turns out that olive oil is also a big part in making this diet so healthy – it’s packed full of polyphenols (antioxidants) and vitamin E. In addition to the many benefits of olive oil, studies have shown that it also speeds up the rate of fat oxidation, in other words it helps you to burn fat faster! Olive oil is quite high in calories so moderation is key and if you can, go for extra-virgin olive oil, yes it’s more expensive, but it’s so worth it. Be careful though, olive-oil packs a serious calorie punch: 120 calories per tablespoon! So if you do use it, make sure it’s just a teaspoon, about 40 calories.

82. Put it in a bowl.

Don’t eat food directly from the bag: ration it out, put it in a bowl or on a plate and then pack the container safely away before you eat. This way you’ll be much less likely to go back for another handful (especially if you make it really difficult to reach the container again).

83. Be flexible.

Trying to stick to an overly regimented and disciplined diet is no fun at all – weight loss should be fun, when you think about it you get to be healthier and look better – those are good reasons to smile. You’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to have days when you wonder why you’re doing this at all, but when you see it through and you can see and feel the results of your efforts, you’ll know it was worth it. Rocky said it best: “It’s not about how many times you can hit, it’s about how many times you can get hit and get back up”. The most important thing is to stick to it every day, make it fun and you’ll be there sooner than you think!

84. Sack the sugar.

Refined sugars and many artificial sweeteners are the enemy of weight loss (and good health). The main problem is the amount of sugar the average person consumes is huge! Things like candies and cakes are almost devoid of nutritional value and displace your desire for healthy foods – you’re not going to snack on some snap peas after you’ve had a cake, are you? The American Heart Association recommends most women get no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day (24 grams). The problem is that it’s tucked away in places you’d never thing to look (until now) from condiments to crackers – so read the labels. The

healthy alternative is to treat yourself with fruits instead, and maybe try a healthier, weight-loss friendly sugar alternative like stevia.

85. Limit eating out.

When you eat out at a restaurant, you typically have less control over portion sizes, ingredients and cooking methods. If you eat out, find out the low-calorie, healthy food choices before you arrive, and if it means having to be a fussy eater, then so be it, after all you’ll never see the waiter again, but your health is with you your whole life.

86. Relax.

Stress is bad for our health in many ways, but it’s also an enemy of weight loss. Boo for stress! When you stress yourself out your body produces a shot of adrenaline and cortisol to deal with the perceived flight-or-fight situation. The adrenaline leaves your system pretty quickly, but it’s the cortisol which hangs around for longer stimulating insulin, which in turn can result in an increase in appetite. Not only that, a Swedish study has found that cortisol may also lead to increased fat storage around the abdomen. Lack of sleep has also been found to increase cortisol levels. Uh-oh. So make sure you take time to relax during your day, or make a little me-time in the evenings where you won’t be disturbed, do some yoga in the mornings or even try meditating. Not only will you be more mentally calm and able to deal with life, but you’ll look better while you do!

87. Fill your plate with vegetables first.

Veggies (especially the dark green leafy and cruciferous types) are nutritionally dense and will help fill you up – meaning less room for junk-food snacking! Also, since recent studies show that we need 7 (instead of 5) daily servings of fruits and veggies, the more vegetables the better. The only exception is potatoes – go easy on these, because they pack a hefty caloric punch.

88. Vanquish hunger with Volumetrics.

Volumetrics is a way of eating which is based on calories per bite: the less calories per bite, the bigger the portion size, but the less calories per meal. Volumetrics aims at making you feel satiated (i.e. not hungry) at each meal but with less caloric intake. The trick is to eat mainly high-volume foods: brothy soups, vegetables and fruit and limiting low-volume high-calorie foods.

89. Eat soup.

Food in a liquid form is absorbed slowly, and because of the water content, expands your stomach causing you to feel full.

90. Cut up your food.

As strange as it sounds, a study has shown that cutting up your food can help you feel more satisfied by your meal. The reason is that we judge food quantity by number (with larger numbers taken to mean more food), so the psychological effect is that you feel like you’ve eaten more. Try it out and let us know!

91. Don’t sneak bites!

If you sneak in little bites from other peoples plates (friends, kids, spouse) then stop it. All those calories add up, especially the sweet stuff, and if you’re taking a bite from here and there, pretty soon you’ll be looking at a big increase in calories for that meal… and one that’s often discounted because it wasn’t on your plate – but it still adds up! Not only that, most people don’t count these sneaky bites in their food journals. If you want to share a desert, cut your own slice so you can account for those calories.

92. Get active at work.

Let’s face it, most of us do a lot of sitting during work hours. So break it up as frequently as possible, get up from your desk for a standing break, talk to collegues face-to-face rather than email, take the stairs! And, if it seems like your