One of the biggest fitness goals for many people is shedding some of those extra pounds. Unless you have the luxury of a personal trainer or a lot of health knowledge, though, navigating the sea of (sometimes contradictory) advice [1] can be totally overwhelming. Here's the best-kept secret out there: you don't necessarily need fancy diets or custom-created workout plans to successfully meet your weight-loss goals. Instead, you can try some simple hacks and tricks [2] in your daily routine, making smaller changes [3] that don't require a huge commitment, but eventually add up to a big impact! Here are some of our favourite hacks for achieving weight loss, your way.
Take More Steps
If you're like many people, you probably spend a lot of the day sitting: going to and from work in your car or on the bus, sitting at a desk, and so on. Being so sedentary isn't great for your overall health or for weight loss [4] — so get up and get moving! Experts suggest that you try to get in 10,000 steps per day [5], or if that's not doable, at least increase your steps by around 10 percent. Brisk walking is better than a stroll, too.
Eat Whole Foods
Processed foods are everywhere, but when it comes to your diet, the added chemicals and sugars are likely to hurt more than help. Instead, add more unprocessed, whole, clean foods to your diet [7].
Choose Foods Wisely Within Your Diet
When you're on a diet, one of the food groups that many recommend is nuts. High in protein and good fats and packed with energy, nuts are a great healthy snack [8] that will keep you feeling satisfied and help you avoid craving bad-for-you snacks. However, be sure to choose wisely when you reach for a handful. Macadamia nuts, [9] in particular, are calorie-dense; substitute almonds or pistachios instead.
Cook at Home
Life can get busy, and ordering in or going out for meals is often the most convenient option, but it's not usually the best for your weight. By cooking at home [10], you can avoid the extra butter, salt, and oil that most restaurants use, and you can also control your own portion sizes.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Skipping breakfast is something most of us are guilty of doing at some point. If you're trying to lose weight, however, it actually is the most important meal of the day. Swap out unhealthy breakfast classics [11] for a filling, healthy meal that will give you energy to start your day feeling great.
Get Plenty of Sleep
You might not realise how important sleep is when it comes to your health. Not only is rest crucial for revitalizing your body, it turns out that a lack of rest can actually make you hungrier [12] and lead to cravings for unhealthy foods.
Eat Your Vegetables
Your mom was right: eating vegetables [13] is one of the most important things for a healthy lifestyle. Veggies are low in calories and high in filling fibre [14], making them ideal for your diet.
Do Cardio Workouts
Losing weight is all about burning those calories [15]. For these goals, the best kind of workout is a great cardio routine [16] to get your heart rate going and melt the fat away.
Portion Control
The old saying "everything in moderation" is more true than you might think. While some fatty, sugary foods are bad for you at all times, a general rule of thumb is to keep an eye on your portions at all your meals. By practicing portion control [18], you can reduce your calorie intake and emphasize eating more of the right foods.
Keep Track of Everything
Weight loss can feel pretty complicated sometimes: trying to remember to do the right exercises, eat foods in certain proportions [19], and keep up with changing needs and trends. If you need some organisation, there are plenty of tools to help you keep a log [20] of your food intake, calories, and exercise.
Drink More Water
Drinking plenty of water has a ton of health benefits, but did you know it can actually increase your body's fat-burning power [22]? Stay hydrated and be sure to drink eight to twelve glasses of water each day.
Use Substitutions When Cooking
Even when you're cooking at home, the calories can sneak up on you. The solution? Make some small substitutions [23] to old recipes to cut down on the fat and sugar without losing any of the flavour.
Find a Buddy
Dieting and working out doesn't have to be a huge chore, especially if you find a friend [24] to do it with. Not only will having a workout partner make it more fun, but your fitness buddy can be an accountability partner as well to help keep each other on track.
Watch For Calories in Drinks
With all the attention paid to exercise and food, it's easy to forget one other source of calories. The calories we drink [25] are just as important as the ones we eat, but they're easier to consume without thinking. Stick to low-calorie cocktails [26] and skip the sugary drinks altogether in favour of plain, sparkling, or flavoured water.
Avoid Fad Diets
It can be incredibly tempting to try something from the never-ending parade of fad diets that pop up everywhere. Don't do it! Fad diets [28] might give you quick results, but they're also likely to hurt your metabolism in the long run. It's much better to use simple, natural methods to lose weight.
Add Strength Training
Aerobic or cardio exercise [29] seems like the natural direction to go when you're trying to lose weight. While it's super important to get your heart rate going and burn off calories, incorporating strength training [30] can enhance your weight loss by boosting your metabolism and giving you toned muscles.
Plan Your Meals
Meal prep has become a common hack [32] for saving time and shopping savvy, but it can also benefit your diet goals. By planning your meals [33] ahead of time, you'll become more conscious of the choices you make and can have healthy options always at hand to avoid the temptation of reaching for an easy, unhealthy snack.
Increase Your Calorie Deficit
The basic concept of losing weight is that your body burns more calories than it takes in [34], resulting in your body burning existing fat to make up the deficit. Try combining more calorie-burning exercises with lower-calorie foods to reach that point. A deficit of 750 calories per day can lead to about a pound and a half of weight loss [35] in one week.