Losing weight can seem like an overwhelming task. Sometimes we get so caught up in the thoughts around losing weight that we never even start our weight loss journey. However, you have the opportunity to make a variety of small changes in your day-to-day life that overall can have significant impacts on your weight loss journey.
You do not have to transform your entire life overnight to lose the weight you want. Instead, consider making some or all of these ten small changes. Even the smallest changes can keep you on your weight loss path and make a significant difference. Small changes also mean that you can get started – today!
It isn’t just about how many hours you lay in bed at night with your eyes closed when it comes to sleeping. You must be getting quality sleep that truly rests and resets the body. The average adult can benefit from a minimum of seven hours of quality sleep. What is keeping you up at night or causing you to lose restful sleep? Address these issues first so you can tackle each day with more energy and dedication to losing weight.
Use the Right Water Bottle
Drinking enough water each day is crucial to weight loss and overall wellness. Owning the right water bottle can encourage you to sip much more than usual. Find a water bottle that is easy to transport, holds plenty of water, and has features you enjoy like insulation or a straw. When you drink more water consistently, your metabolism gets a boost, your appetite can be suppressed, and your body more easily cleans itself of waste.
Avoid Buying Bad Foods
The easiest way to avoid eating bad food at home that hinders weight loss is to avoid buying them altogether. If there aren’t chips, cookies, and ice cream in your house, you won’t be tempted to eat them; you won’t even have the option. Instead, keep your kitchen stocked with fruits and veggies to enjoy as quick and easy healthy snacks.
Use Smaller Plates
This weight loss trick is more for your mind than your body – but it works! When you use a smaller plate to eat off, you create an optical illusion and eat smaller portions. Any portion of food looks a lot smaller and less satisfying on a big dinner plate. However, when you put the same amount on a smaller plate, it takes up more room and is more satisfying to the eyes and stomach.
Choose Healthier Activities
Every time you make plans with friends or family, you have the opportunity to choose a healthy activity as an alternative to dinner and drinks. A typical night out centered on drinking and eating can sabotage any attempts at healthy eating. Instead, plan for more physical activities like going bowling or hiking.
Don’t Eat on the Couch
It’s no surprise that we often pick the coziest place in the house to have our dinner. However, eating dinner or snacks on the couch often leads to overeating. While you watch TV, you may eat more than if you were sitting at a table without distraction. Make the switch from couch to table for a small change that makes a big difference.
Turn up the Lights
As you transition from eating on the couch to at the table, also consider adjusting your lighting. Dimmer lighting can increase how much you eat, while brighter lights can deter you from overeating. Ensure you have adequate lighting wherever you eat the most on any given day for a healthier experience without any effort!
Find an Exercise You Enjoy
You are much more likely to stick to an exercise routine if you genuinely enjoy it. You don’t have to spend an hour at the gym every day to achieve your weight loss goals. You can walk around the neighborhood with your family, take relaxing yoga classes, or dance the weight off with an activity like Zumba. When you enjoy a workout, you look forward to exercising! This will also help you stay motivated and dedicated to your workout routine.
Ditch Sugary Drinks
You may not even realize how many calories you’re consuming in just your drink choices. Coffee with cream and sugar, sodas, and juices can all provide your body with a lot of sugar and calories but no significant nutritional value. Simply cutting these drinks out of your diet, replaced with water and black coffee, can help you make substantial progress towards your weight loss goal.
Salad Dressing on the Side
Did you know that there is a way to make your salad even healthier? Order or make your salad with the dressing on the side. Use your fork to dip into the dressing and then grab your salad. Dipping into the dressing instead of pouring onto the entire salad is a great way to save calories with each bite.
Separately or together, these small changes can make a huge difference when it comes to weight loss. Some of them are so simple that you won’t even realize you are doing something different, but you will see the changes in the mirror.
While diet and exercise are the main components of weight loss, these ten small changes can also help your journey succeed. Take small steps in the right direction towards a big difference in your body and life!