We’re willing to bet this isn’t your first weight-loss rodeo. If that’s correct, then we’d also bet that you’ve had more than your fair share of disappointments in trying to lose weight. Disappointments brought on when the promise of a new diet or weight loss program to give you results you’ve always wanted never materializes.
The basic principle of weight loss is that it happens by creating a calorie deficit. That is when you burn more calories than you consume. But, as easy as that sounds, the reality of creating a calorie deficit, at least a healthy deficit that results in sustained weight loss, takes careful planning and execution.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make it easier.
Try These Calorie Deficit Hacks
Cutting calories might be the worst way to create a safe, healthy, enduring calorie deficit. Instead, creating an environment where you make a number of smaller, easier shifts in your eating habits can, together, help you realize your weight loss goals.
Try these hacks that can lower your calorie intake without you even noticing.
- Stop Having Meetings in the Kitchen – Whether it’s your work-from-home office, or it’s where your family tends to gather to chat, try to relocate away from the kitchen. The smells and sight of food in the kitchen make it easier to grab something to eat while you’re there. The less you’re in the kitchen, the less temptation you’ll face.
- Hide the Snack Foods – Similarly, even when you’re not in the kitchen often, if snack foods are front and centre in the fridge or cupboard, you’ll be more likely to grab them. Instead, place snacks at the back of the fridge and on high shelves in the cupboard. And take them out of their attractive packaging and place them in plastic containers.
- Use Smaller Plates – Big dinner plates give you more room to have a larger first helping. If you eat quickly, you run the risk of eating that larger helping before your body realizes it’s full. Use a smaller plate to control your portion sizes. And, if you feel like a second helping, take a few minutes before restocking the plate.
- Drink a Glass of Water Before Your Meal – This one’s simple, the water will take up space in your stomach, which reduces the chances of overeating. For something tastier than water, a piece of fruit works in the same way.
- Look Out for the Hidden Diet Killers – We’re always amazed at how many people feel they are sticking to a healthy, balanced diet plan, but they still can’t shed the pounds. Hidden habits and temptations, those that we don’t fully realize we’re doing, are often the culprit. Things like mindlessly snacking in front of the TV, or pouring too much dressing on your salad, can turn your calorie deficit into a surplus.
If you need help to healthily lower your calorie intake, visit your nearest Herbal One Location. A nutrition counsellor is ready to create a Herbal One diet plan just for you.
To learn more about losing weight healthily, check out our article, “This is Where Healthy Weight Loss Begins”.