Have you ever tried to lose weight and had absolutely no idea of how to go about it? Chances are, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there. Maybe you’ve tried to diet but always seem to fall off the wagon. Maybe you joined a slimming club but never seemed to be able to stick with it. Or, perhaps, you’re even experiencing homelessness and are forced to make hasty dietary choices.
Regardless of your situation, you’ve undoubtedly encountered the issue of hunger. You might wake up day one of your diet and find yourself famished, so you breakfast hurriedly before jumping into your exercise regime. Or perhaps, you skip breakfast entirely and head straight for a full English. Regardless, eating when you’re feeling hungry is generally accepted as a good idea. But, for those seeking to lose weight, it’s a familiar problem: when you feel like you have nothing left to eat, it’s easy to give into the temptation of fast food or junk food. Moreover, when your body is starving, it has no choice but to go on a food intake rampage, so that it can store the necessary energy for later. This often leads to weight gain, as well as other health problems.
Fortunately, you don’t have to settle for less than your best. With a little bit of planning and forethought, you can ensure that your body gets the nutrition it needs and still manages to lose weight. Here’s how.
Eat When You’re Starving
When you’re seeking to shed off some weight, it’s a good idea to eliminate dieting. As we’ve established, this often leads to yo-yo dieting, which can severely damage your health. Instead, focus on eating when you’re actually hungry. This might mean that you have to change your regular eating habits and adjust how you look at food and the role it plays in your life. It’s a tough road, but you’ll be glad you went down it in the end.
Avoid Overeating
When you’re actually hungry, it’s natural to want to eat. After all, your body has been starving for hours, and it finally gets the opportunity to catch up with its long-awaited food. This is the impulse that leads you to pile your plate high with Chinese takeaway or fast food. Inevitably, the food arrives, and your hands are trembling slightly as you pour the pasta into your mouth. Without even thinking, you shovel the food into your mouth, never stopping to chew or think about what you’re actually doing. This is how most dieters find themselves in unnecessary health problems down the line. In fact, this might even be the root cause of many of their problems: they’re eating when they’re not actually hungry, causing blood sugar levels to rise and fall unnaturally, adversely affecting their health.
Eating when you’re not actually hungry is a bad idea. This is because, when you do it, your body has no way of knowing that it’s been deprived of food for so long. As a result, it will read the change in your body as an insult and rush to restore its normal weight by eating even more. The end result is yo-yo dieting, which can cause serious damage to your health.
Reduce Stressful Eating
Many people find that stressful situations cause them to eat. This could be due to any number of factors, such as anxiety or depression. When you’re faced with a stressful situation, your body experiences a surge in adrenaline. This is why, when you do finally sit down to eat, the food often seems to appear more appealing than ever. Suddenly, that bag of crisps looks like the most delicious carrot cake imaginable.
Whether you’re driven by anxiety or depression, the urge to eat as a way of coping is a common one. There are plenty of healthy ways of dealing with stress though, so finding a way to reduce your food intake when you’re experiencing this sort of situation is certainly an option. Instead of eating to deal with it, you could practice yoga, take a stroll, or go for a swim. You could also try reading a book or listening to some smooth jams.
Stay Hydrated
If there’s one thing that prevents most people from losing weight, it’s dehydration. Your body actually needs enough hydration to function properly. If you’re not drinking sufficient amounts of water, your body will begin to function on the lowest possible mode, resulting in you looking and feeling worse than ever. Luckily, drinking enough is often as easy as slipping into your shower, getting wet, and letting the water stream over you. Believe it or not, the warm water feels great running over your body, particularly when you’re feeling refreshed and relaxed after a long day. There are plenty of water-friendly weight loss supplements out there, so consider investing in some of these rather than drinking alcohol or using caffeine tablets to stay awake.
Your body needs enough hydration to function properly. If you’re not getting your daily drink, you might consider boosting your fluids by taking a short break from your daily routine. Whether it’s taking a stroll, riding a bike, or going to the shrink, anything that gets your body moving is good for you. And remember: you’re less likely to overdo it and end up in the sick bay if you exercise regularly. So, the next time you feel like you need a break, remind yourself that moving around will actually do you good.
Avoid Nighttime Eating
No, we don’t mean skip dinner and eat cake instead of lasagna. We mean avoiding foods with high glycemic indexes, such as desserts and fried foods. The reason being that these are the foods that cause your blood sugar levels to spike, resulting in you needing more insulin to bring them down. When you eat these types of foods at night, your body has to work harder to process them, so it uses more energy. This causes you to sleep less, which in turn makes it harder to lose weight.
Instead of a large serving of cheesy bangers and mash, opt for grilled chicken or fish. Or, if you really want to indulge yourself, have a small portion of chocolate cake or brownie. But, whatever you do, try to keep it off until after your workouts. Otherwise, you’ll experience that terrible crash that sends you right back to the refrigerator. So, instead of feeling guilty and overeating, try to keep off any type of food that causes your blood sugar levels to rise. This will help you lose weight without any problems.
We all want to lose weight, and it’s not always easy. As you’ve probably discovered, there are several different factors that can make it difficult for you to shed off that extra pound. Sometimes, it can even feel like an impossible task. But, as long as you keep trying, you’ll be able to achieve your goals. And remember: you’re better off aiming for a healthy weight loss than trying to attain a specific number. The main thing is that you keep trying. So, if you’re still thinking about how you’re going to lose weight after reading this, know that it’s not too late. You’re still able to make changes for the better. You just have to decide to do it.