4 Ways to Lose Weight Without Really Trying

Being overweight could be a difficult thing to deal with. Aside from the social ramifications fraught with fat shaming and limited clothing choices, carrying around extra weight is undeniably a compromise to good health. However, losing weight can be a real challenge as withdrawal from foods, particularly junk foods, could be as difficult as kicking a drug habit. 

A study of highly processed food withdrawal by researchers at The University of Michigan, Department of Psychology, published in the journal Appetite (Vol 131, 12/1/18, Pages 148-154) stated that, 

“Food addiction posits that highly processed foods may be capable of triggering addictive-like symptoms in some individuals, including withdrawal.”

If you want to drop some unwanted pounds, these 4 ways to lose weight without trying may help jumpstart your attempt and keep you on track to getting where you want to go.

Shrink Your Plate 

Approaching your eating through the psychology of plate size is not new, but it can work. 

The journal BMC Obesity published a study that looked at how people were satiated (satisfied) after eating a healthy meal on a smaller plate reporting that,

“Portion control strategies are commonly recommended and were emphasized in the 2010 and 2015 USDA dietary guidelines.”

There is also data from a number of independent studies posted by the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research as reported by The University of Chicago which stated,

“This meta-analysis of 56 studies from 20 papers shows that varying the size of the container holding food (e.g., plate or bowl) has a substantial effect on amount self-served and/or consumed. More generally, we found a doubling of plate size increased the amount self-served or amount consumed by 41%.”

So get rid of your large plates and bowls to start eating less. Remember, after you consume your smaller plate of food, wait at least twenty minutes before eating more food. This is the approximate time it takes for satiation to reach your brain and shut off your appetite. 

Grab a Pre-Water or Two

Yes, hydration is important but if you consciously drink one or two glasses of water before you eat, chances are you’ll not only enhance hydration but you’ll reduce your food consumption. 

Research of water intake before meals out of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, Virginia Tech found that,

“We conclude that for overweight or obese middle-aged and older adults, consuming ~2 cups of water prior to each of the three main daily meals may increase weight loss when combined with a hypocaloric diet, as compared to a hypocaloric diet alone. This strategy may aid in increasing fullness, thereby promoting a reduction in meal EI [energy intake].” 

Drink a good size glass of water or two about half an hour before you eat. This will help fill some of your stomach which reduces food intake while stoking your metabolism at the same time. 

Stop the Lazy

Yes, it is convenient to not have to exert yourself when driving somewhere, taking an elevator, or having something delivered but did you ever think about this in terms of weight gain. It is estimated that approximately 10,000 steps per day is a good range to keep your blood flowing and, more importantly, your fat burning. 

It is essential to eat a healthy diet, especially when adhering to a weight loss protocol. However, just to show the highly beneficial effects of simply walking on a regular basis regardless of diet is reported in an archival study published in JAMA Internal Medicine which stated, 

“Our findings suggest that a modest amount of exercise can prevent weight gain with no changes in diet, and more exercise may lead to important weight loss in initially overweight individuals…The data imply that the minimal level may be as low as 6 miles (9.6 km) of walking (or other equivalent caloric expenditure) per week.”

Take the stairs, park your car further from an entrance, or simply walk to a nearby store to start losing wight without trying.

Eat Less Intermittently 

Sometimes, eating less food rebalances your body’s metabolism. This is referred to as intermittent fasting and is one of the simplest ways to lose weight. All it takes is an alarm on your phone and changing your mindset when it comes to food. 

In the Harvard School of Public Health paper, ‘Diet Review: Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss’ it was reported that, 

“A systematic review of 40 studies found that intermittent fasting was effective for weight loss, with a typical loss of 7-11 pounds over 10 weeks.”

Find the timeframe that works best for you and try intermittent fasting for one month. The Harvard paper recommended the following: 

• Alternate-day fasting – Alternating between days of no food restriction with days that consist of one meal that provides about 25% of daily calorie needs. Example: Mon-Wed-Fri consists of fasting, while alternate days have no food restrictions.
• Whole-day fasting – 1-2 days per week of complete fasting or up to 25% of daily calorie needs, with no food restriction on the other days. Example: The 5:2 diet approach advocates no food restriction five days of the week, cycled with a 400-500 calorie diet the other two days of the week.
• Time-restricted feeding—Following a meal plan each day with a designated time frame for fasting. Example: Meals are eaten from 8am-3pm, with fasting during the remaining hours of the day.

These 4 ways to lose weight without trying are examples of why you have no excuse when it comes to losing unwanted pounds. All it takes is some focus and determination and the rest is up to nature.