8 Weight Loss Habits That Can Make a Difference

1. Vitamin D is your friend
Start taking some Vit D if you aren’t already – this vitamin could help you lose weight. A study done at The University or Minnesota found that people involved in weight-loss programs lost more weight with this helpful vitamin than those who weren’t getting their daily dose of the nutrient. And unfortunately, this is one of those vitamins that’s difficult to get from your diet, so definitely opt for some of the supplements. Look for D3.

 

2. Try green tea
Green Tea is wildly popular in Asia, for good reason. The tea contains a compound called EGCG, known to reduce how much fat your body absorbs. But the tea can also increase the amount of fat your body eliminates as well! So try swapping your regular coffee for some green tea, as experts say 3 – 5 cups of this stuff on a daily basis could help you lose weight in a serious way. If you don’t like the taste, try adjusting it slightly until it suits you. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice to mine to kick – and for the tons of added benefits.

3. Be aware of “Licensing”
Licensing is our way of trying to balance things out – go on a workout, eat junk food. Eat a healthy meal, skip the workout. Stuff like that. It’s a broad mentality that applies to many aspects of our life, but it’s particularly detrimental when we’re trying to lose weight. The best way to combat this trick is to simply be aware of it, and choose to know better. Check out more about this phenomena and how it affects our lives here, if you’re interested.

4. Spend time outside

There’s a plethora of reasons to get outside, but it looks like having a connection to nature can help you lose weight and keep it off. People tend to be happier for a walk outside than they are indoors, and that massively impacts how much we want to work out. So get out there, find some nice spots and use them.

5. Chew more
My mother always used to tell me to slow down when I ate, and to chew my food more. It turns out that this sort of nagging is helpful applied to the goal of weight-loss as well. When we chew our food 40 times instead of around 15, we eat less, some studies claiming this statistic to be as high as 12% less. As well as eating less, chewing more helps our bodies breakdown the food for it’s nutrients!

6. Take breaks from sitting
Sitting down exerts pressure on your cells that encourages them to sort of ‘spread out’ and might actually increase your body’s production of fat. This especially applies to those of you who work at a computer all day. I recommend getting up at least once an hour and taking a short walk, or doing a couple jumping jacks, anything really. This also applies to lounging around at home, watching TV or browsing the net, try to get up and do something every now and then. Your body will thank you!

7. Don’t give in to genetic destiny
Wither you believe in “big boned” or not, there is some truth to genetic disposition when it comes to weight, but it’s something you can definitely fight. Regular diet and exercise can make a difference in just about anybody’s life, you don’t need to shoot for the stars to feel better, and see results. The general recommended goal is five hours of exercise every week – three sessions of cardio, two training strength, and this format is also designed to help you lose weight.

8. Don’t worry, be happy
This one is simple but so, so important: stay motivated. Find ways to still inspired to lose weight. Find what makes you excited to lose and get fit, and focus on it. Try to find lots of reasons – it shouldn’t be too hard when you’re in a good mood and it’s something you want to do. What sort of thing works for you?

 

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