There is absolutely no reason to be ashamed of being overweight or unhappy with your physical well-being. In the high paced society we live in, it’s difficult to juggle a job, personal issues, and a social life, all while focusing on a strict diet and fitness routine. As a matter of fact, in 2013 over 150 million Americans were classified as either obese or overweight.
But what if a healthy and happier you wasn’t as far out of reach as you thought? What if there were ways to make strides towards fitness goalswithout having to dedicate yourself to a strict diet and military workout regime?
…There are!
If you’re ready to take that next step towards a fitter you – keep reading. This isn’t some scam looking to sell a product or service by playing on your gullibility. It’s a comprehensive set of tips for you to follow in order to lose weight without a strict diet – curated from the success stories of people that were in your shoes not too long ago.
-The Rule of Thumb-
Before we get into the seven commandments of losing weight, we have to stress this one rule. You might have heard it before but if you want to succeed always honor this equation: Faith+Patience=Results.
Too many people get discouraged when trying to lose weight and abandon all hope. The Wright Brothers didn’t fly on their first try, Edison failed more than a 1,000 times before he made the light bulb, and Michael Jordan was rejected from his high school basketball team before becoming a renowned legend. There’s no telling how long it may take you to reach your goals, but with the right attitude your life can and WILL change.
1. Get Learned!
Preparation is key in weight loss if you want to see real success. Lawyers don’t walk into their bar exams without studying first. Contractors don’t build houses before making blueprints. Why should you try to lose weight without preparing? Studies show that you are more likely to fail if you don’t approach your goals with structure and knowledge.
You might want to jump right in, but for now resist that urge. Knowledge is power. Figure out how your body works, read the details in successful weight loss stories and take your time to start this journey right. It might seem tedious to prepare but there is a ton of entertaining and valuable information on the web for you to absorb. Check out this list for some of the most popular weight loss blogs and get reading!
2. Detoxify Your Body
You don’t need to do a strict regime of fasting to lose weight. That will cause more harm than good. Start by flushing your body with lots of alkaline liquids, like water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, green juices and lots of salad greens and sprouts. Eating a diet that is low in fat, high in fiber and full of healthful, natural foods is healthy for anyone, and by improving your nutrition you increase your health and well-being. You can find more useful information in my e-book The Detox Guide. This guide will teach you how to use detox to cleanse and energize your body naturally and safely.
3. Forget Everything You Know About Diets
People have this common misconception of how to successfully diet and wonder why they never work. Many think that to diet you simply fill your cart with veggies and eat as little as possible. In the long term, most diets fail and leave you with nothing but unwanted weight and a heap of disappointment. If you’ve been eating a certain way your entire life, the worst thing you can do is completely switch up your dietary routine. It will confuse your body, make it hard to stay dedicated, and worst of all – you’ll probably be miserable.
If you’re on a diet of junk-food, try to supplement a few meals a day for ones rich in healthy fatty acids and essential proteins. Your body will slowly wean off junk-food cravings and gravitate towards healthy choices, making it easier for you to say no to that greasy pizza. It was the first step Jon Gabriel took before shedding 200 lbs. You simply can’t argue with results like that.
4. Catch Your Z’s
As simple as it sounds, a consistent and sufficient sleep schedule could provide you with the edge you need in weight loss. Dr. Sanjay Patel claims that over 24 different studies link a lack of sleep to excess weight gain. If you sleep for 5 hours or less every night, you’re actually ⅓ more likely to gain an excess of thirty pounds.
There is no definitive amount of sleep, but most experts recommend between 7-8 hours per night. Sleep is the time that your body and mind repair themselves for the next day and essential to a healthy lifestyle. Depriving yourself from sufficient rest can also encourage a hormonal and metabolic imbalance that leads to carbohydrate cravings, which is the last thing you need when you’re trying to shed unwanted body fat.
5. Master Your Liquid Intake
All this time you were trying so valiantly to lose weight, were you aware that your arch nemesis might have been liquid calories? We tend to overlook them since they seem so harmless, but juices, soda, and other bottled beverages can add a substantial amount of calories that pile on to your stomach. An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that people who simply cut 100 calories (less than a single soda) had more substantial weight loss than ones that cut 100 calories from solid food.
With a little bit of discipline it really isn’t difficult to make the switch to water. As a matter of fact, increasing your water intake will help:
Curb your appetite for excess calories
Reduce the size of your belly – also read my other post: Belly Fat Burning Foods – What To Eat To Get Rid of Belly Fat.
Speed up your metabolism – also read my articles The Top 10 Foods to Increase Your Metabolism and The Top 10 Factors That Affect Your Metabolic Rate
Encourage healthy circulation
Flush your body from toxins
If you have difficulty drinking plain water, try making flavored water with fresh fruits and mix it into your daily routine. Humans are more than 50% water, so it’s essential that you get as much as you can during the day for optimal health. The importance of water is featured in my e-book about superfoods and how they can improve your health, which is part of myNatural Health Revolution Program. This program will help you to achieve your health, nutrition and weight loss goals.
6. Join a Group
Don’t think that you have to embark on this journey by yourself, there are thousands of people out there that share the same goal as you! There are a ton of programs you can join that will help you reach your goals. Julia Gressick dropped an impressive 93 pounds after she began using Nutrisystem, a diet plan that has millions of satisfied customers. Other groups like Weight Watchers that hold both online and local meetings around the world.
Your companion could be a member of your personal life as well. Friends and family are great sources of motivation when trying to reach your weight loss goals. Jennifer Drummond found a workout buddy in her own dog and ended up dropping 33 lbs!
7. Breakfast!
I know you’ve probably heard it a thousand times – breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well that’s because it is! Don’t skimp out on a quality breakfast. You might think that by avoiding food in the morning you will be cutting on calories and benefit. In reality, it will starve your body of the fuel you need after fasting for 8 hours and encourage hunger binges throughout the day. Try to combine an even balance of protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs in your first meal.
8. Use Technology to Your Advantage
Think technology is your downfall when it comes to successful weight loss? It might seem that way, but you can actually use it to your advantage! The My Fitness Pal smartphone app is a great way to stay on track with your progress and people like Barbara Delamarter used it to guide herself in dropping 53 lbs.
You can even take your weight loss journey to the blogging community and immerse yourself in a world of people with encouraging and supportive input. After starting her blog, Jen West gained the motivation and support to drop 47lbs!
9. Meal Timing
There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the topic of meal timing. While there are no studies that can conclusively say that it speeds up your metabolism, doing it right can still help you with weight loss.
Eating once every 2-3 hours is a great way for you to balance your daily calories. Just make sure that you keep your meals a reasonable size and your overall input sticks within your daily caloric limit (here’s a calorie calculator if you aren’t sure what yours is). By doing this, you’ll feel full and satisfied for the duration of the day and eating will be the last thing on your mind.
With these rules in mind you’re ready to go out there and chase the new you! A happy and healthy life without the restrictions of a strict diet only need a bit of Faith+Patience!
You can also find how to lose stubborn belly fat for good without counting calories in my ultimate e-book guide Blast Your Belly Fat: