Weight loss is often a pretty challenging task, and not without a reason. A lot of people struggle with it while trying to become more fit or get rid of excess fat that negatively affects their health. Of course, genetics and hormones play a huge role in how we all look, but lifestyle is another vital factor that can significantly influence your body.
Sadly, various preconceptions and false beliefs are sometimes so deeply ingrained in our minds that we can’t understand the reason why our weight loss goals seem unreachable no matter which diet or workout regime we try. Sometimes even a small change in our everyday behavior can lead to huge results: so let’s review the most widespread habits that cause you to gain weight and see how we can improve the situation!
Not drinking enough water
Dehydration is a surprisingly common problem, especially on hot summer days. This problem can also unexpectedly contribute to your weight gain since the feeling of thirst can easily be mistaken for hunger. The solution is pretty simple – pour yourself a cup of water before breakfast and don’t forget to stay hydrated throughout the whole day.
Drinking sweet and sugary beverages
However, if instead of water you want to open a bottle of soda, you better stall your hand. Usually, our brain registers calories from drinks differently than those received from solid foods, so you’ll likely eat more later (and sugar that beverages contain is also known for increasing appetite). However, if you think that a glass of apple or orange juice sounds better, you might be mistaken – usually, they contain all the calories from the fruit without the healthy fiber. Various herbal teas or plain and sparkling water with lemon and mint will make an excellent and calorie-free substitute for a sweet drink.
Using big tableware
Visual plays a huge role in our perception of food: and when you eat from a big plate or bowl, your portion of food looks smaller than it is. Hence, you’ll eat more without even registering that you’ve surpassed your usual calorie norm. All you need to avoid overeating, in this case, are smaller plates – an investment that will quickly pay off.
Consuming your food too quickly
Time is a precious commodity, and often we try to eat as fast as possible to move on to our next task of the day. However, this might easily lead to overeating, as our bodies need time to register that we’re full. Chewing slowly and consciously taking smaller pieces of food is the best strategy to avoid feeling hungry after your meals.
Eating while you are distracted
The modern world offers you a lot of fun activities and new information – but you might want to avoid them until you finish your meal. When you are distracted by TV, internet news, or a fascinating book, you don’t realize how much food you consume. Try to concentrate on your meal without distractions – it will help you appreciate the taste and eat no more calories than you need.
Not sleeping enough
Lack of sleep is a dangerous problem that affects our health on all levels, including hormonal. It can also be a reason for weight gain – especially increasing the risk of carrying more visceral fat, which contributes to many diseases. Dedicating enough time to sleep and treating sleep disorders in time can make you more fit by improving your overall health, balancing hormones, and increasing your motivation for exercise.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle
Many of us spend a lot of time sitting both during work hours and resting time. However, far from everyone compensates with the necessary amount of exercise. Such a sedentary lifestyle can be a reason for weight gain as well as many other health problems and diseases. Improve your well-being by adding more movement to your life. It’s possible even if you have no opportunity to go to the gym regularly: for example, take the stairs instead of the elevator, do some exercise during your lunch break, and walk home instead of taking transport.
Eating at irregular times
Eating randomly throughout the day can bring a lot of problems. For example, if you skip a meal, you might compensate for it by eating a high-calorie snack late at night or bingeing food. However, even if you have a busy lifestyle, by creating an eating schedule and a meal plan you can significantly improve your wellbeing. This approach will help you control the amount of food you eat and improve your internal clock.
Stressing too much
Overworking, having no time to relax, and various other problems can be a cause of chronic stress, which in turn leads us to gain weight. When we are stressed, we prefer unhealthy high-calorie foods that make us feel better for some time but don’t reflect well on our health. Meditation can be a good way to decrease the level of stress. You can also cut on caffeine-rich tea and coffee, or turn to a mental health professional if you feel like you cannot deal with stress by yourself.
Overall, our everyday habits are one of the leading forces that determine our well-being and the state of our bodies. By adjusting your routine and making it more healthy, you can lose weight much more easily than when you were following some of the aforementioned habits.