Lose weight without dieting 1260x542
31 May 2011

Lose weight without dieting

2 mins to read
Are you tired of being told what you can’t eat? Online personal trainer Andrew Cate looks at some easy ways you can lose weight without going on a diet.


Get more sleep
There is a very important relationship between sleep and body fat. A lack of sleep is thought to slow down your metabolic rate and reduce your body’s capacity to burn kilojoules. Sleep deprivation leaves you feeling tired and fatigued, making it even harder to motivate yourself to exercise or prepare healthy meals.

In addition, people who are tired may experience more hunger, and could eat more in an attempt to boost their energy levels. Sleeping less increases the amount of time you are awake, which also gives you more time to eat. On the other hand, good sleep is an important way to recharge your body and mind, and help your body function at its best.

Watch less television
While weight gain is not a direct result of watching television, there are a number of behaviours and associations which can increase stored body fat. It can increase your kilojoule intake because of the convenience of nibbling and snacking while viewing.

Portion sizes may be higher because the program you are watching acts as a distraction, while the quality of food may also be poor (possibly due to the influence of junk food advertising). It also decreases the amount time you have available for planned physical activity.

When you consider that a lack of time is a common excuse people use to explain their inactivity, sacrificing a little television time could be a good weight loss strategy.

Drink water before your meals
Here’s a great way to "trick" your body into eating less kilojoules without feeling hungry. It’s based on the fact that the amount of food you eat is linked to how full you feel. By drinking water before eating, you will reduce the amount of kilojoules you eat afterwards.

A recent US study compared a group of people who drank 500 milliliters of water just prior to each of their three main daily meals with a group who followed a similar diet, but who had no pre-meal water consumption. After 12 weeks, the water group experienced a 44% greater rate of weight loss compared to non-water participants.

According to the researchers, this was the result of a reduced energy (kilojoule) intake following the increased sensations of fullness following water ingestion. So it’s not just about drinking water, but also when you drink your water that can make a difference to your weight.

Eat more fish and seafood
Not all fat deserves a bad reputation. In fact, some types of fat are vital for your health and wellbeing.

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid, and it is an important building block in every cell of the human body. The richest dietary source of omega-3 fat comes from cold water fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines, but it can be found to a lesser extent in all fish and seafood. It also may play a role in weight control.

When prepared in a healthy manner, fish and other seafood are lean sources of protein, and can be a tasty, low kilojoule addition to any weight loss eating plan. Research has suggested that people who have a higher level of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood are more likely to have a healthy BMI, a smaller waist, and a lower hip size.

Try to include fish and seafood in your diet at least once or twice a week.

References available on request



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