We continue on with the next 25 strategies from a roundup of 75 research-backed strategies to try on your health journey, from shifting your mindset to priming your environment for weight-loss success :Losing weight takes hard work and dedication, which is why it’s important to create healthy habits that stick as part of a bigger picture lifestyle. Learning to make the process easier with research-backed tips helps you set the stage for long-term success.
As you go, keep in mind what works for someone else might not work for you, which is where being open to switching things up is essential.
26 SHOP THE PERIMETER
While it’s not a foolproof plan (and sometimes you need to peruse the aisles), circle the perimeter of your grocery store before hitting the aisles. This way, you’ll stock up on healthy, fresh foods first including produce, meat and fish before you head for packaged, more processed foods.
27 CONTROL YOUR PORTIONS
While portion-size mistakes are easy to make at first (especially when it comes to avocados and cooking oil), portion control is an indispensable weight-loss tool. The trick is to start with measuring tools and then learn how to eyeball healthy portions on your plate. A simple guide for lunch and dinner: Fill half of your plate with non-starchy veggies or leafy greens, a quarter with lean protein like chicken or tofu, and another quarter with starchy veggies like sweet potatoes or whole grains.
28 PORTION YOUR SNACKS
Rather than eating straight out of a large chips bag (and overeating in no time), pre-portion your snacks in snack-size bags or buy them pre-packaged in healthy portion sizes.
29 DON’T SKIP SNACKS
Avoiding snacktime for weight-loss doesn’t always pay off: Getting too few calories in can slow your metabolism and drive up your hunger for a feeding frenzy later in the day. Instead of skipping snacks and meals in the name of cutting calories, make sure you’re satiated and energized throughout the day with small, nutrient-dense snacks.
30 SLOW DOWN
Set a timer for 20 minutes and challenge yourself to savor your meal until the alarm sounds. Eating slowly has been tied to weight loss, a lower body mass index (BMI) and a smaller waist circumference, as your body has the chance to realize you’re full, per research published in the British Medical Journal.
31 FUEL WITH PROTEIN AND FIBER AT BREAKFAST
Skipping breakfast to “save your appetite” for later might lead to binge-eating, especially if you’re feeling super hungry and deprived for hours. Instead, opt for a breakfast high in protein and fiber (both help fill you up and keep your blood sugar steady). Think: Greek yogurt with berries or eggs and whole-grain toast.
32 PACK SOUP FOR LUNCH
Low-calorie soups (Read: broth-based soups, not creamy soups or chowders) might help you eat about 20% fewer calories than usual, research shows. This could give your weight-loss efforts a boost over time. The aroma and taste alone are satisfying, plus the volume of soup inside your stomach helps make you feel full by releasing satiety hormones.
33 HAVE A MINI-SNACK BEFORE YOU EAT OUT
Research shows an afternoon snack of Greek yogurt can quiet hunger bells, make you feel full, and set you up to eat less at dinner. Next time you’re dining out with friends or family, have a small cup of yogurt before you leave to avoid overdoing it on a sizable entrée.
34 ASK FOR A TO-GO BOX EARLY
Restaurant portions tend to be much bigger than what you prepare for yourself at home (and they’re often on larger plates, too). An easy strategy: Ask for a to-go box to pack up part of your meal before you even lift your fork. This way, you won’t be tempted to overeat — and you’ll have leftovers to look forward to later.
35 EAT MORE VEGGIES
You don’t have to make vegetables the main feature of your meal to boost your intake of vitamins, minerals and filling fiber. What to do: Mix them into omelets, pasta dishes, casseroles, smoothies, chili and more.
36 GET ENOUGH PROTEIN
High-protein diets help make you feel full and satisfied, so make sure to include healthy protein sources at every meal and snack. These can include sources like Greek yogurt, tofu, chicken breast, fish, quinoa, tempeh, black beans and lentils.
37 FILL UP WITH FIBER
Like protein, fiber helps keep you full longer, too, and in turn, slim down without feeling deprived. When you read labels, look for at least 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Some good sources of fiber include oats, chia seeds, flaxseeds, chickpeas and edamame.
38 CUT BACK ON SIMPLE CARBS …
White bread, the majority of pastries and refined sugars found in candy and soda provide loads of energy but lack the nutrients you find in complex carbs (like vitamins, minerals and fiber). They also break down super fast in your body, cueing a blood sugar spike followed by an energy crash.
39 … AND CHOOSE WHOLE GRAINS INSTEAD
Whether you’re at the bagel shop or checking out the cereal and pasta aisles, when you can, opt for 100% whole-grain foods. Unlike simple carbs, they help fill you up and digest slowly, keeping your blood sugar in check.
40 AVOID ADDED SUGAR
Added sugar found in highly-processed food may be linked to an increased risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease alike. Instead, stick with naturally-occurring sugar found in fruits, veggies and whole grains.
41 FEED YOUR GUT
Emerging research shows probiotic supplementation might help lower body weight and fat percentage. To support healthy digestion and give your weight-loss efforts a potential boost, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian about supplementing or eating more probiotic-rich foods.
42 LEAN ON HEALTHY FATS
Cutting down on excess butter and oil in your diet makes sense when you’re trying to lose weight, as fats are highly calorie-dense. However, you do need some fat in your diet for energy and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Plus, fats help fill you up. Aim for healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats from olive oil, nuts, seeds and fatty fish.
43 MAKE SIMPLE SWAPS
Many substitutions cut calories and sugar without surrendering good taste. A few examples to test: Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, applesauce instead of butter in baked goods, or zucchini noodles instead of traditional white flour pasta.
44 FRY LESS
It’s OK to have fried foods from time to time, but they dial up the fat and calories in your diet, which isn’t so helpful for weight loss. Instead of dropping chicken or potatoes into a fryer, opt for pan-fried or oven-cooked foods instead.
45 CHOOSE WHOLE FRUIT OVER JUICE
While juices do contain vitamins, they lack the filling fiber and phytonutrients you’ll find in a piece of fruit with the skin still on. A simple fix: Have fresh fruit instead.
46 CHEW GUM
While it’s by no means a weight-loss fix, chewing gum might help you cut down on sugary snacks and mindless eating throughout the day. In fact, some research shows it may help lower cravings for sweet and salty snacks and reduce hunger between meals.
47 ADD SPICE
Spices are a great way to add flavor to foods without upping the salt, sugar and fat content. In particular, cayenne pepper could boost your metabolism and cut cravings for high-fat, sugary and salty foods.
48 GIVE INTO YOUR CRAVINGS (SOMETIMES)
Cravings are sure to come when you start cutting calories. Rather than depriving yourself (and overeating when you give in at last), it’s OK to let yourself enjoy less-than-healthy foods from time to time. Just enjoy your favorite foods in moderation (an easy rule to remember: Eat healthier foods 80% of the time, and less-healthy foods 20% of the time).
49 SAY HELLO TO MORE H2O
Staying hydrated can help boost your energy and make you feel full and, in turn, stick with your calorie deficit to lose weight. For this reason, a quality water bottle makes for a smart purchase when you’re first getting started.
50 DRINK BEFORE YOU EAT
It’s simple: Starting your meal with a glass of water can help fill you up so you don’t confuse thirst with hunger.
Watch for more strategies in future blogs.