Having trouble getting rid of those last few pounds? Frustrated with wondering what’s holding you back? Check out these 5 weight-controlling tips that you may not have heard of before!
- Have a V8 While You Cook
I’ve had clients come in complaining that they can’t lose weight, but then I find out that they’re taking in hundreds of calories while preparing dinner. Every little ‘taste’ counts! Try this – sip a Low Sodium V8 juice. It’s only 50 calories per serving, but it will keep you feeling satisfied and stave off hunger pains so you’re less inclined to snack. - Eat Warm
When food is warm, its molecules move around faster, which means it will have a stronger smell. The result: The aroma affects the satiety center in your brain, leading you to think that you’ve eaten more than you have, so you feel full faster. In addition, if your food is hot, you’ll be forced to eat it more slowly, which will give your stomach time to signal to your brain that it’s full. - Outsmart Grhelin
Our bodies secrete a hormone called ghrelin, which controls hunger and drives our appetite. If we don’t understand, monitor, and control our ghrelin, we can forget about losing weight. Science tells us that the best way to control ghrelin is to eat small, balanced meals about every 3 hours or so. That’s because ghrelin will spike after about 3 to 4 hours of fasting, so eating with regularity helps keep this eating trigger at bay. Ghrelin will also spike if we’re deprived of carbs, so it’s important to give our bodies and brains the carb fuel they need. When we skip meals or avoid carbs, we’re inviting ghrelin to spike, which increases and makes us feel emotionally hungry - Take 10 Minutes to Eat a Treat
Portion out one serving of your favorite treat, taking a minute to smell it, look at it, and think about it. Take one small bite. Chew slowly, moving it around your mouth and focusing on the texture and taste, then swallow. Ask yourself whether you want another bite or if that one satisfied you. If you still want more, repeat, this time chewing the food 20 times. Continue this eating exercise for as long as you want or until you finish the serving (it should take about 10 minutes). When you take the time to slow down and be more mindful of what something really tastes like, you’ll feel more satisfied. - Indulge in Sleep
How long you sleep directly affects your body mass. One study found that dieters who got 8 1/2 hours of sleep nightly lost 56 percent more body fat than they did when eating the same diet but got just 51/2 hours of sleep a night. Other Columbia University research revealed that people may eat 300 extra calories a day when they get a few hours less sleep than usual.
Why is this?
Sleep deprivation interferes with the hormones leptin and ghrelin that regulate appetite. That means you’ll feel hungrier and are more likely to indulge in poorer eating behaviors. Also, you may look for more energy in the form of unhealthy snacks!