Bored of the usual advice given by doctors on how to lose weight? We all know the same old grind of eating less of unhealthy food and doing more exercise. But how does these work under the grand scheme of things and the complexity of human behavior? We want practical weight loss solutions which are evidence based, applicable in our daily lives and easy to follow. Let us explore 7 effective weight loss tips together in this blog post.
Drink more water and eat more fibre
Tip 1: Drink water before a meal
You may know that drinking more water is good for your body. But do you know that drinking water before a meal aids in effective weight loss? This study has shown that drinking 500 ml of water at least 30 min before a meal makes you feel less hungry and consume less calories. In addition, our resting metabolic rate is shown to increase by 24-30% within 60 minutes of water intake. And more significantly, drinking cold water produces more effective weight loss as our body burns more calories in the process of warming up the water. Remember it is plain water. Not beer or coke or soda, ok? Roger that? Can’t wait to try this out at your next meal?
Tip 2: Eat more fibre for effective weight loss
You might have known or heard about this. Eating more fibre is recommended for weight loss as it makes you feel less hungry. However, you can’t just pick any fruit or vegetable off the supermarket stores. In case you do not know, fruits or vegetables have different calorie content. A medium size apple has approximately 72 calories compared to 110 calories in a medium size banana.
Love black coffee?
Tip 3: Drink black coffee
In a society where coffee is everywhere, you can’t avoid caffeine. Coffee is not an unhealthy drink as it is packed with lots of antioxidants. Many studies on coffee and its correlation with obesity has given mixed results. As a matter of fact, caffeine may protect us against certain diseases and also boost our metabolism. The risks of obesity with drinking coffee may be related to the effects of adding sugar and milk. So the next time you must have coffee, remember to have it black. Kopi kosong!
Eat from a smaller plate
Tip 4: Eat from a smaller plate
Does portion size affect the amount we eat on a daily basis? Would you be more likely to eat more if given a larger plate than a smaller one? Many studies over the years have shown this was true under many circumstances. Of special interest, this study concluded that cinema goers consumed 61% more popcorn when randomly given a larger size than a smaller one. And the same group were more likely to eat a greater amount in the company of the opposite sex. It goes to show that they are less able to moderate their eating habits on a date. No surprise?
Monitoring your food intake by taking photos
Tip 5: Take pictures before you eat
This is a controversial piece here. Many of us are guilty of taking pictures of our instagram-worthy meals to post on social media. How useful is taking pictures in making us eat less? This study shows that photographic diaries are more effective than written ones in altering attitudes and behaviour with regards to food choices. By taking a photo of our glorious meal, we may be more mindful of our food intake and to eat less for our next meal. This may not apply to everyone of course. But taking time to snap our food photos may not be such a bad idea after all!
Sharing your food
Tip 6: Share your food for effective weight loss
This is a great habit to pick up if you are setting yourself up for effective weight loss for the long haul. People who share their food are more successful in weight loss maintenance than those who do not. And it is a lovely gesture to share yummy food (especially desserts!) with a good friend at a meal. If you are particular about food hygiene, split your uneaten portion into different clean plates, using clean utensils. The food gets distributed, and so does your calories!
Tip 7: Chew your food slowly
During a meal, our brain releases hormones to signal to our body that we are full. It takes time for these hormones to peak in our system. Chewing more slowly increases our satiety hormones and makes us eat less. For every bite into our food, we should chew about 50 times to see positive results. So do not rush through a meal by taking big bites and skip the chewing. You might unknowingly eat more during a rushed meal.
Conclusion
Do you find these 7 effective weight loss tips useful and motivating? I hope you did. The age old advice of watching your diet and increasing your physical activity has always been true. But such well meaning advice often fell on deaf ears. Its akin to telling a child it is important to study hard but without going into the specifics of how to study hard. Therefore, we tell you specific actions you can take to have an effective weight loss journey.
You have won half of the battle by reducing your daily calorie intake. Then, you should work harder to burn more calories through regular exercise. Do you know that standing in a queue for 30 minutes help us burn calories just as well?
