Lose weight without going on a diet

 

Tips to lose weight without going on a diet (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Making small lifestyle changes can help you lose weight faster without feeling deprived of the food that you love...
Often dieting does not work and later hampers our system when we get back to our normal eating routine. We share some easy tips to help you lose those excess pounds without haunting over the strict diet charts.
Use a smaller plate
A study from the University of Cornell found out that a fixed portion of food when eaten from a larger plate, diners felt hungrier and ate more. While, the same portion of food, when eaten from a smaller plate, the meal seemed substantial and thus eaten less.
Use a bigger fork
It is established from an Italian study that there is a relationship between the fork size and the level of consumption. The research found that diners who used smaller forks ate more than those with larger ones.
Drink water before meals
Drinking water before meals cuts down the level of consumption. It is believed that those who drink two to three glasses of water before each meal lose weight faster than those who drink water after the meal is over.
Eat with men
According to psychologists, women eat less if they are around men! Strange, but quite true. It is possible that small food portions signal attractiveness.
Hide unhealthy snacks
Keeping unhealthy snacks out of sight can benefit loads. Chocolates, crunches when out of reach reduce binge eating.
Avoid peer pressure
Be careful about your friends. Even if they insist you on indulging on those fat-filled snacks and heavy meals, refrain. Remember, at the end you will be the only person to suffer if you give into their pressures.
Don't forget to read labels
Remember to read the food labels before you pick up something. Nutrition labels on food packages eat around 5 per cent less fat than those who do not bother to read them.
Avoid snacking at night
Snacking at night often tends to increase your weight. Since there is no form of exercise done at night, this habit will land you in serious problem if you do not put an end to it instantly.
Beware of skinny friends
Thin people have large appetites. Be careful. Since you do not figure on the same chart, you should be cautious about what you eat so that you don't tend to put on more weight.

Lose weight without going on a diet - The Times of India

Say no to water between meals

 

Say no to water between meals (Thinkstock photos/Getty Images)

Glugging water during meals severely hampers your stomach's digestive powers and causes insulin levels to fluctuate significantly, warns Microboitic counsellor Shonali Sabherwal

To know if you're drinking enough water, it is often said, just check if you are feeling thirsty. If you aren't, your fluid intake is likely to be just about right. But downing glasses of water along with your meals may not be the best time to quench your thirst.

Macrobiotic counsellor Shonali Sabherwal explains why you should not drink water during your meal. "Most Indians have water along with their meals. The usual theory is washing down the food while eating. People have no idea how wrong this practice is and how difficult this can be for their digestion. For those suffering with digestion problems, the ramifications are manifold. Our stomachs have a knack of knowing when you will eat and starts releasing digestive juices immediately. If you start drinking water at the same time, what you are actually doing is diluting the digestive juices being released to digest your food, thereby hindering them from breaking down food."

Research shows that sipping a little water during meals isn't a cause for concern but drinking a glass or two may interfere with digestion. It is best to drink fluids before and two hours after meals as this helps in absorption of nutrients, researchers have found.

Elaborating on what exactly happens inside you when you glug water during meals, Sabherwal says that it gets absorbed by the intestinal walls of the stomach. "This absorption continues till it becomes concentrated enough for the digestive juices to begin digesting your food. However, due to it getting mixed with water, this concentrated substance is now thicker than the food contents present in your stomach. So less gastric juice will be secreted to digest your food. The result is, undigested food leaks into your system as it gets absorbed through the stomach walls. This will also lead to acid reflux and heart burn." Drinking water with meals can also cause a surge in your insulin levels, almost like the way high glycemic food would affect you, Sabherwal cautions. "The more insulin is released in to your blood stream, the higher the chances of you storing fat in your body."

To avoid watering down your meals, Sabherwal suggests a few don'ts. "Make sure your food is not too salty as that would aggravate your thirst and trigger your need to down more water. Besides, eating in a hurry will cause you to gulp your food down. Most likely, you would feel the need to wash it down with water while you are at it. Instead, chew, chew and then chew some more. We secrete a lot of digestive juices (enzymes) while chewing, which makes our stomach's job easier."

Say no to water between meals - The Times of India