Maintaining a healthy and strong body without dieting sounds impossible. After all, it seems that our bodies have a tendency to go off the grid every time a lapse in our attention occurs. With that in mind, adopting some healthy habits can perhaps be effective in allowing you to watch your weight without dieting.

1. Indulge appropriately

It is easy to come up with excuses to eat something unhealthy. It may be a buffet for a friend’s birthday or even a raucous night at the pub to celebrate a work achievement. However, your diet at large should be healthy. Choose how you want to spend your calories at wisely. If you’ve just had a buffet the day before, then you may want to take it easy with the cocktails for tomorrow’s party or avoid them altogether.

2. Talk during meals

Socialise and catch up while filling up your stomach is a pastime of many; just don’t do it with your mouth full! Did you know that engaging in conversation can slow your eating speed, which allows your brain more time to process satiety? Of course, you still need to exercise self-discipline and not go overboard with the food nonetheless!

3. Avoid eating diet foods

Having low-fat or low-calorie food sounds healthy. However, they are unfortunately often heavily processed, high in salt, or high in carbohydrates. They might also not be as nutrient-dense as whole foods. While a consistent surplus of calories will invariable lead to fat-gain, nutrient deficiency can hamper a healthy metabolism, making you less efficient when it comes to utilising calories for energy.

4. Do not be tricked by diet sodas

Often a controversial topic, artificial sweeteners can potentially lead to weight-gain by stimulating hunger. Your brain may end up continuing to crave for sugar. Diet sodas may not be very effective when it comes to helping individuals kick a sugar habit either, as the body’s impulse to indulge in something sweet isn’t being addressed as effectively. On a psychological level, you may also be tempted to get a side of fries since you feel that you are saving calories by ordering a diet soda.

5. Eat sugar smartly

Having a zero-sugar diet isn’t wholly necessary but by eating lesser sugar, your body will feel less tired and bloated. Start cutting down by decreasing the number of sweet drinks and snacks on a daily basis. Skip the whipped cream and minimise your soda intake, or substitute it with something like kombucha. All this is often easier than you imagine as you may be partaking in sweet treats out of sheer habit. Over time, your taste buds will adapt and you’ll discover that you never needed that much sugar to begin with!

Keeping to a nutritious lifestyle is not the same as being on a diet – the former is much more sustainable and less miserable! To be frank, none of these tips are really “secrets” – it all boils down to good habits and common sense!

References

https://www.redbookmag.com/body/health-fitness/g19575578/ways-to-stay-skinny/