5 unusual ways to lose weight this year

If you are tired of fad diets, consider these 5 unusual but effective ways to lose weight that are simple, easy and inexpensive.

Counting calories and cutting back on food portions can be difficult and often leaves us feeling hungry. Studies support there are a variety of diet and lifestyle changes that can help us lose weight and keep off the pounds that might be easier than adopting a specific diet plan.

Add these 5 foods to your diet

Oatmeal: Consider oatmeal for breakfast that is a high fiber food that also might help melt belly fat. Whole grains can also help prevent metabolic syndrome that can lead to diabetes. Eat your oatmeal without sugar and add some fruit and low-fat or non-fat milk. Whole grains in the morning can help prevent snacking in the morning that leads to higher calorie consumption.

Dark chocolate: For sweet cravings, eat a square of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is heart healthy, won't raise your blood sugar level and can help thwart a trip to the vending machine at work for a high calorie, high carb snack.

Apples: Take apple slices with a bit of cinnamon sprinkled in for a mid-afternoon work snack. Apples are high in fiber and help us feel full. Substituting an apple for a bag of chips or pretzels can help melt pounds. Apples health benefits have been touted to rival fish. Eating the fruit has a variety of other health benefits.

Nuts: Eating 1.5 ounces of nuts a day has been recently linked to lower rates of obesity. People who eat nuts have lower risk of metabolic syndrome that is brought about by abdominal obesity and causes a cluster of symptoms that put our health at risk. Nuts are high in protein and can be substituted for other foods to aid weight loss.

Soup: The next time you eat out, consider a cup of soup before your meal. Soup can help with weight loss by helping us eat smaller meals. Make sure your soup calories don't exceed 200 per meal. Lower calories choices include onion soup (minus the cheese and croutons), vegetable soup, gazpacho and chicken rice soup. Researchers found cutting lunch calories can aid weight loss up to 25 pounds a year.

Change your food environment

The next time you replace your dishes, buy smaller. Eating off 10 inch plates was found by Cornell researchers to lead to weight loss in a 2010 published study.

Other unusual tips for weight loss from the researchers included moving candy dishes out of sight, rearranging the cupboards and eating quietly without TV, cell phone or computers nearby helped people lose weight in the "Mindless Eating Challenge".

Start a Yoga program

In 2009 researchers found practicing yoga can lead to mindful eating. But what does that really mean for weight loss?

According to the research that was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, yoga can help us remain aware of why we are eating. Depression, anxiety and other factors can lead to overeating. People who practice yoga lost weight because they made healthier food choices.

Add seaweed supplements

Seaweed has shown much promise for weight loss. If you can't stomach the notion of eating seaweed salads or soup (though they really are delicious), you can take a daily supplement that preliminary studies show can help melt body fat.

Burn extra calories all day with less than 3 minutes of exercise

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