7 Tips to Lose Weight Without Counting Calories

While I firmly believe that counting calories & macros are the easiest way to lose weight, I am still convinced that the mass majority of the population doesn’t want to do this. I understand why; it seems like a hassle… and sometimes, it is. While I will always continue to count calories, I thought I would write a post with seven useful tips that people who don’t want to count calories can use to drop weight still and burn fat. Just realize these are helpful tips you can use to accelerate fat loss… if you plan on getting into the single-digit body fat percentage, you will most likely need to learn how to count calories and macros, but until then, check out these seven tips. 

Fibre: Keeps You Full With Fewer Calories!

One of the ways to feel full and satisfied with fewer calories, again, without having to ‘count’ them, is to eat low-energy-density foods. These are those foods with high water content. Fruits and vegetables are in this group, to name a few. Many studies have shown people who eat these low-energy-density foods lose bulk at rates above those who eat mostly high-energy-density items.

Fruits & Veggies

An example of this is a study conducted on women consuming soup, which is a low-energy-density food. It was found they shed pounds at a rate 50% higher than those who ate higher energy-density snacks.Not only low energy density, vegetables are also rich in soluble fibre. This is shown, in several studies, to help cause this loss. This type of fibre is broken down by the bacteria in the digestive tract to become a fatty acid. This is called butyrate, which has the effect of being anti-obesity in nature. This means combining these high protein and plant-based foods, or low energy density foods means success in a more controlled way.

 

Don’t Count Calories, Cut Back On Carbs!

Simply reducing your carbohydrate intake can jump-start your program loss without counting anything, much fewer calories. People who cut down on carbs, as shown in many studies, will inevitably eat fewer calories, and there is no counting involved!

One study alone showed 53 women who were overweight or obese divided into a low-carb and a restricted calorie diet, low-fat subset for six months. The following results were recorded: The women in the low-carb group shed twice as much (18.7 lbs.) than the low-fat one (8.6 lbs.)

Cutting carbohydrates is as simple as eliminating, for the most part, the negative carbs from your diet. These would include sugars, sweets, and starchy foods like bread, potatoes and pasta. Yes, sodas would be included in this as well. Even simply reducing these would be beneficial.

cut back on carbs

Another benefit of reducing your carb intake is that, by doing this, you lower your insulin levels. That, in turn, helps your kidneys to start getting rid of excess sodium and, along with that, the water from the body. This reduces water retention and the bloat you get from too much water present. 100 to 150 grams of carbs daily is very effective for weight loss.

 

Protein Breakfasts Rock

When faced with two studies dealing with breakfast and the carb versus protein debate, researchers found that eggs, instead of bagels, helped the participants lose pounds without effort: 30 obese/overweight women ate either eggs or bagels; the egg set discovered the eggs filled them to the point that they ate fewer calories throughout the rest of the day.

eggs for breakfast

In still another study, 152 weighty women and men were split into egg or bagel groups. Eight weeks later, the egg group enjoyed bigger losses than the bagel one. Some interesting notes were recorded:

  • 16% had a larger reduction in body fat (Egg Vs Bagel)
  • Greater reduction (34%) in waist measurement
  • The reduction in BMI (body mass index): 61%, and, of course,
  • The larger pounds loss (2 lbs Vs 1.3 lbs.)

Protein Means Reduced Appetite And Increased Fat Burn

There is a large amount of evidence that protein increases the burning of fat, which leads to weight loss. The protein boosts the metabolism, actually, more than most other macronutrients. One of those very common sense reasons is that it takes longer to digest, burning more calories to do so. Protein also increases your feelings of satiety, which leads to reduced feelings of being hungry.

protein rich diet

In another study, a 30% increase in protein will lead to a decrease in calorie intake of as much as 441 calories per day. This can, of course, lead to automatic inch loss, even if you fill up, another concept many people say not to do when thinking about pounds loss.

An added benefit of adding more protein to your diet is the tendency of this ingredient to add muscle. This is especially true if you are lifting weights to add muscle mass. The great thing about this is that muscles burn calories even at rest. Enjoying fish, meats, eggs and other proteins in every meal are recommended.

 

Quality Sleep And Minimal Stress Should Be Goals For Health Management

These two are often overlooked or ignored when talking about a healthy lifestyle. They are very important for the optimal functioning of hormones and the body. Not getting enough sleep and dealing with much stress keeps you off balance and not performing adequately. Not getting the sleep you need raises the risk by 89% and 55%, respectively (children versus adults)

quality sleep

Hunger and cravings can be caused by poor sleep, which, in turn, causes the biochemical penchant for causing pound gains. This is simply because the hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin, are disrupted.

The excess stress you experience will increase the level of the cortisol hormone. This increases belly fat accumulation and can even increase the risk of chronic diseases. It is critical, for all of these reasons, to get plenty of sleep and avoidance of the stressors in your life should definitely be made study for you.

 

Coconut Oil Will Reduce Appetite & Boost Metabolism

Coconut oil has a large number of fats that are called Medium Chain triglycerides. These are some of the unique qualities of this oil that help reduce appetite and burn fat with increased metabolism. These fatty acids metabolize in such a way that they go right to the liver. There, they either get used for fuel for the body or turned into ketone bodies.

A few small studies have shown that these medium-chain fats will cause people to eat fewer calories; one showed a consumption reduction of 256 calories per day. Another indicated an additional 5% energy expenditure in fat burning

coconut oil

A one-ounce serving of coconut oil can cause a very significant BMI reduction, as well as a noticeable waist measurement drop. This is not a suggestion to eat a lot of coconut oil, however, making it your regular cooking oil will benefit you in your bulk loss efforts.

 

Trick Your Brain With Smaller Plates And Bowls

Understanding that the brain is a complex thing and works in fairly mysterious ways

 will allow you to know that controlling your eating behaviours is also complex. The brain decides whether it is time to eat and how much we should eat. ‘Tricking’ your brain into thinking it is actually consuming more can be accomplished by using smaller plates and bowls.

smaller portions

Think about it: The large plates make your brain believe you have eaten less than you may have. Replace those large dishes with smaller ones, one that makes the portions seem large is the best bet for tricking your brain into being fuller.

That’s it; those are my top 7 tips and tricks that you can use to lose weight without counting calories. If you have any questions, make sure to reach out to me at Krush Fitness Personal Training, and I will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

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