Lose weight without counting calories
It is wrong to think that the only reason people gain or lose weight is because of calories – our bodies are much more complex than that. Hormones and hunger are affected by different foods and not all calories are equal.
There are many small changes you can make to lose weight, without counting a single calorie. Here are a few ways to change your diet and ensure you are consuming quality calories:
1. Swap your grain-based breakfast with eggs or protein.
Several studies found that eating eggs in the morning instead of a breakfast high in carbohydrates (not all are equal though), can assist in eight-loss. Eating eggs or foods higher in protein for breakfast can make you eat fewer calories at lunch or even in the next 36 hours due to the fact that it makes you feel fuller for longer. Eggs contain 13 of the essential vitamins and minerals and are a good source of protein. If you think you don’t have time to cook a healthy breakfast, think again. Preparing a break- fast with some eggs and veggies doesn’t have to take any longer than 5-10 minutes.
2. Use smaller plates.
You can ‘trick’ your brain into thinking that it has eaten more food, by using smaller plates. It is the brain that ultimately determines whether we should or should not eat. It’s weird… but psychologists have been studying this and it seems to work.
3. Eating More Protein Can Reduce Appetite, Increase Fat Burning and Help You Gain Muscle.
There is a lot of evidence that protein can increase fat burning and reduce hunger, leading to automatic weight loss. Studies show that protein boosts metabolism more than any other macronutrient. Our bodies use more calories to digest and use protein when compared to carbs or fat – this is called the thermogenic effect of food. Protein also increases satiety, leading to significantly reduced hunger. In one study, increas- ing protein to 30% of calories leads to an automatic decrease in calorie intake of 441 calories per day – that can be a whole meal. Protein can also help you gain more muscle, especially if you also lift weights. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning that it burns a few calories, even at rest. The best way to get more protein is to eat more animal foods like meat, fish, and eggs… preferably at every meal. It is important to choose foods that do not contain a lot of visible fat as well as a cooking protein without the fat and bone. Lean protein options include chicken breast, steak, fillet, ostrich, game, eggs, fish and cottage cheese. Be careful of high-fat cuts as this causes energy dense meals.
4. Choose food with a low energy density, but high fiber conten
Another way to feel more satisfied with fewer calories is to eat foods that have a low energy density. This includes foods that have a high water content, such as vegetables and some fruits. People who eat less energy dense foods, lose more weight than those who eat foods with a high energy density. Vegetables are also rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to cause weight loss in some studies. Another benefit of soluble fiber which is also found in fruits, oats, and legumes, is that it gets broken down by bacteria in the digestive tract to produce a fatty acid called butyrate, which is believed to have significant anti-obesi- ty effects. Combining animals (high in protein) with a bunch of plants (low energy density) is a recipe for success.
5. Reducing Carbs Can Make You Lose Weight Fast While Eating Until Fullness.
Probably the best way to start losing weight without calorie counting or portion control is to reduce your carbohydrate intake and choose the correct type of carbs. Studies consistent- ly show that people who eat fewer carbohydrates, automatical- ly start to eat fewer calories and lose weight without any major effort. The best way to cut carbs is to reduce or eliminate major carb sources from your diet like sugars, sweets, sodas, as well as starchy foods like bread, pasta, potatoes, etc. Rather focus on more complex carbs like oats or –bran, some fruits, and vegeta- bles like butternut, sweet potato, corn. Another great benefit of reducing carbs… it lowers your insulin levels, which makes the kidneys start shedding excess sodium and water from the body, significantly reducing bloat and water weight.
6. Improved your quality of sleep and managing stress can optimize the function of important hormones.
Poor sleep can increase hunger and cravings and cause a biochemical tendency for weight gain by disrupting hunger hormones like ghrelin (which increases hunger) and leptin (which reduces hunger). Excess stress can increase your levels of the hormone cortisol, which is known to increase belly fat accumulation and the risk of chronic disease. Getting these hormones under control should reduce appetite and unnatural cravings. Sleep and stress are incredibly important for the optimal function of your body and hormones. Inadequate sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity – short sleep duration raising the risk by 89% in children and 55% in adults.Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is an ongoing process and therefore the changes you make needs to be some- thing that can be applied for a long period of time – only you can make the choice to adopt a healthy lifestyle. By making a few simple changes that optimize hormones, reduce hunger and boost metabolism, you can lose a lot of weight without ever counting a single calorie.
Leave a Comment