How to Lose Weight Without Changing WHAT You Eat

Losing weight is more than just what you eat! Here are some tips on how to lose weight without actually changing your diet.

Lean protein. Macros. Eat more salad.

When it comes to weight loss, we tend to focus only on WHAT we eat. We jump on the Weight Watchers train head-on, cleaning out our kitchen and filling our fridge with a plethora of fresh fruits and veggies. But after the first week, we tend to fizzle out of that newness.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t eat healthier! That’s a huge part of weight loss. But sometimes changing HOW we eat first will lead to better choices with food.

I’ve come up with 6 easy habit changes you can make in the next few weeks. Here are some ways you can lose weight without changing WHAT you eat:

Use a smaller plate

How many of you have HUGE dinner plates at home? Our family is no exception! When you use a plate like that, you’re likely to fill it completely because, hey- no one likes empty space.

The problem is, you tend to eat more with a bigger plate. And you don’t even realize it.

I once experimented by putting the same meal on two different-sized plates. Do you see how it looks like you’re getting much more on the smaller plate?

I’m not saying that’s ALL you have to eat. If you finish the food and you’re still truly hungry, go get more! But having that smaller plate gives you a good starting point and you’re much likely to eat less- even though it looks like you’re eating more.

Eat with no distractions

Oh boy, I’m so guilty of this too. Who else eats breakfast while staring at their phone? Or watching TV? And then you look down and realize, wait… my meal’s gone already? Where did it go?

When you’re distracted, no matter what the distraction is, that thing takes away from your enjoyment of food. You don’t really taste it or even notice you’re eating. And when your food is suddenly gone, you don’t feel full and get up to grab more.

The next time you sit down for breakfast, keep your phone in the other room. Sit at the dining room table and just focus on your food. I guarantee you’ll get a lot more enjoyment out of it and actually feel satisfied!

Drink more water

I know people joke about this one a lot. “If you feel hungry, drink a glass of water!” Will that really fix your hunger?

Well, drinking plenty of water throughout the day actually helps with weight loss because it increases satiety. And there’s even a little evidence that suggests it increases your metabolism, which increases your calorie burn. (Source)

But seriously- sometimes that weird feeling of “hunger” in your stomach is actually thirst- especially if you just ate an hour or so ago. Try drinking some water when that happens and the feeling should go away.

A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces every day, more if you’re active. So if you weigh 150 pounds, aim for 75 ounces a day!

Set a timer when you eat

Some of us tend to eat WAY too fast. And it’s very similar to eating while distracted- you don’t really notice what you’re eating until it’s gone. Our bodies need time to digest and process what you just ate; and if you finish your food in 5 minutes, chances are you may still feel hungry because your stomach hasn’t had time to notice it’s full.

If you’re a chronically fast eater, set a timer for 15 minutes and purposefully eat more slowly. Yes, it might feel like a snail’s pace. But you’re going to feel fuller when that timer goes off.

Use your hands

Did you know your hands are an excellent measuring tool? They’re portable, and they’re just the right size for figuring out portion sizes. Here are some examples:

• Protein (Meat, eggs, beans): The diameter and thickness of your palm
• Vegetables: The size of your closed fist
• Carbs: One cupped handful
• Fat: The size of your entire thumb

A good rule of thumb- literally- is to add 1-2 portions of each category to your meal, and add or subtract as necessary. In general, men need about 2 of each serving per meal (If eating 4 meals per day), and women need about 1 of each. But every body is different and may need more or less depending on how active you are.

Need a quick cheat sheet? Sign up above to get a FREE PDF of Hand-Sized Portions!

Get more sleep

Sleep definitely impacts weight loss! In general, we’re not getting enough sleep and that can actually increase our hunger. It messes up our hunger hormones and causes us to eat more.

I know this is easier said than done- but on average, we need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you absolutely can’t get there, at least take some steps toward a better nighttime routine. Take away electronics at least 30 minutes before bed, and do something to help your brain wind down and get ready for sleep.

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These 6 things can help with weight loss- and as you can see, none of them involve changing what you eat. Healthy habits can lead to weight loss, and could eventually guide you to making healthier food choices.

Does all of this sound overwhelming? It doesn’t need to be! As a Nutrition Coach, my job is to take that overwhelm and break it down into bite-sized steps for you to work on each week. I love helping women lose weight in a safe and healthy way.

Want more information? Click here to see what I can do for you and schedule a FREE Weight Loss Discovery Call!