Looking for the easiest possible way to lose weight? Grab your pajamas early and log some extra Zzzs! According to researchers in the journal Appetite, getting eight and a half hours of shut-eye each night can drop cravings for junk food a whopping 62 percent and decrease overall appetite by 14 percent! Mayo Clinic researchers note similar findings: In their study, adults who slept an hour and 20 minutes less than the control group consumed an average of 549 additional calories daily. That’s more calories than you’ll find in a Big Mac!
“There are so many amazing properties in tea and so many healthy foods that require hot water,” Emmy-award winning and author of The 7-Day Flat-Belly Tea Cleanse, Kelly Choi says. “But I’ll swap in hot green tea instead of water for things like oatmeal and quinoa. I’ve seen so many people benefit from my tea cleanse that it inspired me to keep the tea flowing whenever I can!”
Baked goods. For the entire week, avoid all sweet and savory baked goods. That means not eating any cakes, cookies, cupcakes, muffins, bread, or bagels. You should also pass up salty snack foods like pretzels, baked chips, or tortilla strips. Got a sweet tooth? Opt for a single serving of fresh fruit. When you're craving something crunchy, grab some raw veggies.
As far as sugar goes, high-fructose corn syrup is the worst of the lot. The man-made substance is a combination of corn syrup (which itself is 100 percent glucose) and pure fructose, making it a unique nightmare for your waistline. In one study, researchers fed subjects beverages sweetened with either glucose or fructose. Though both groups gained the same amount of weight over a two-month period, the fructose group gained its weight primarily as belly fat because of the way this type of sugar is processed in the liver. To avoid the belly-bloating HFCS trap, make sure you look at nutrition labels carefully and ditch the processed snacks and fruit drinks.
Trans fats, which are typically found in processed foods with partially hydrogenated oils, should be avoided when buying, cooking, or ordering food because of the role they play in weight gain. As noted in the journal Obesity, these unhealthy substances have been found to pack on the belly fat in monkeys. As it turns out, they’re not great for humans either. “Trans fats cause inflammation in the body leading to insulin resistance and impairing the body’s ability to use glucose properly, resulting in excess fat storage around the belly,” says Tina Marinaccio, MS RD CPT in 50 Ways to Shrink Your Belly. Trans fats, which are created by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils, are beloved by manufacturers because they increase the shelf life of processed foods, but they are no friend to your waistline. “Trans fats may be lurking in any processed or fried food such as chips, baked goods, and even butter spreads,”Marinaccio warns.”To avoid them, check the ingredients for hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.”
Meatless Monday is more than just an alliteration; it’s an easy way to drop a few pounds. Numerous studies have shown that those who eat the least amount of meat are less likely to be obese, have lower BMIs, and lower body fat levels. Though it’s perfectly fine to eat meat a few times a week, these high-protein foods tend to fill you up before you can work your way over to the veggies, which possess fat-fighting, waist-trimming powers. Try spotlighting just greens and healthy grains in your meals a few times a month.
You would have already come across this a number of times. Fruits and vegetables play a vital role in weight management and health maintenance. One major factor that can contribute to weight loss is consuming foods low in energy density (the amount of calories per gram of food). Fruits and vegetables, in their natural state, contain plenty of water and fiber (two essentials that result in a decrease in calories and energy density). Most importantly, the abundance of water and fiber can make you feel full, thereby discouraging overeating or binging on junk (4). In one American study, it was established that there was a link between the consumption of fruits and vegetables and increased weight and fat loss (5).
Sauces and spreads. Eat lean protein (like chicken, eggs, fish, pork, or lean beef) that is grilled without oil and free of any sauces and spreads. These items boost the calorie intake of your meal by hundreds of calories and often add a lot of salt, which could sabotage your weight-loss plans. Eating your meal without these extras is easier than you would imagine.
