Weight loss is a massive industry, and research shows that it’s expected to grow at a rate of 19.1 percent per year until 2030. But despite its size, the massive industry boils down the complex weight loss process to diets and exercise.
Many people are sold the idea that weight loss is the product of maintaining a steady ratio between a diet and exercise, and that there’s not much else left to do. But that’s not necessarily true. A variety of other factors can impact your weight loss efforts. So when you work with a weight loss coach to make certain lifestyle changes, you lose weight easily, and keep it off as well.
Here’s what you can do besides dieting and exercise to improve your weight loss journey.
Get Enough Restful Sleep
While adults need about 8 hours of sleep at night, the average person in the UK is missing out at least one hour of sleep per night. That totals up to almost an entire night of sleep per week. This can have lasting consequences for the body, as well as the weight loss process.
When you’re not sleeping enough, your body gets tired easily, and so you turn to unhealthy snacking and ‘energy bars’ in an attempt to feel more alert. Such foods are loaded in calories, and not the good kind. And when you’re drowsy or tired, it’s not easy for your body to signal that you’re full, which leads to overeating.
To make matters worse, you might even decide to skip on exercising for the day before you feel tired, which lowers the overall calorie deficit.
Drink More Water
While drinking enough water can help you curb the risk of contracting various illnesses, drinking more of it can encourage weight loss. The first reason for this is that it acts as a natural appetite suppressant. The brain tends to mistake thirst for hunger, so drinking water can help reduce your appetite if your body is low on water.
And if you drink this water before you eat, that’s even better. In one 2016 study, participants who drank two glasses of water before meals ate 22 percent less than the participants who didn’t drink any.
Moreover, drinking water stimulates heat production, called thermogenesis, especially when it’s chilled. That’s because the body has to use more energy to bring the water to body temperature, which speeds up metabolism as well.
Learn How to Cook
Being mindful of what you’re putting in your body is a crucial part of feeling satisfied when you’re losing weight. Otherwise, you risk feeling unfulfilled, and your weight loss may not be sustainable. Learning to cook for yourself can help you become more mindful, and it’s also a great way to keep track of what you’re eating.
According to one research, participants who ate more home-cooked meals each week were 28 percent less likely to be overweight. Also, there was a 24 percent less likelihood of them having excess body fat. Not to mention, food at fast food restaurants usually have higher amounts of saturated fat and sodium, which contribute to weight gain.
De-stress
If stress isn’t causing you to gain weight, it will certainly keep you from losing it. Raised levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, can cause fat accumulation around the abdomen. One study shows that obese and overweight adults who went through a stress-management intervention showed a much larger reduction in BMI levels as opposed to the ones who didn’t.
Furthermore, food is a way for many people to cope with stress, but it’s only a temporary fix. Instead, stress-management techniques like muscle relaxation, deep breathing, and meditation are more effective.
Of course, you can also take walks, surround yourself with nature, and meet friends as a way to reduce stress. Adding all these activities to your lifestyle can help you deal with stress instead of using food as a coping mechanism.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
A major misconception is that skipping breakfast can help with weight loss, but that’s not necessarily true. Research shows that skipping on breakfast increased people’s risk of obesity by 48 percent. The biggest reason is that your body is already very hungry, so depriving it of food throughout the day causes it to crave foods loaded in fat and carbohydrates.
And if you’re having breakfast, steer clear of refined carbs like bagels or cereal. Rather, eating a breakfast with plenty of fibre and protein can help keep cravings at bay, so you’re not famished around lunch time.
Final Thoughts
Weight loss isn’t shouldn’t be the means to an end, but a lifelong journey to sustain a healthy weight. This means doing more than just going on a diet and exercising; it will involve making lifestyle changes that transform how you see yourself and your relationship with food. Getting enough sleep, reducing stress, and staying hydrated are more than just ways to help you lose weight; they can keep you happier while doing it.
