3 things that will help you lose weight that DON'T involve food changes

For most of us, losing weight will mean having to change our diet to some degree. But what if you’re not ready to change your diet?  Or what if you’ve already changed your diet, but aren’t seeing the results you should? Check out these 3 things that can transform your results, but don’t involve changing food!

1. Clean up your environment.  Does your desk have a candy jar?  Do you keep sugary cereal on top of the fridge or chips/snacks on your counters?  Seeing food often triggers a desire to eat that food, whether you are actually hungry or even like that food!  Move less healthy foods out of your line of sight.

2. Eat only when hungry and stop before you are overly full.  It’s a simple concept, but hard to employ.  However, when utilized, this is one of the single best things you can do to eat the appropriate amount of food for a healthy body! This counts whether you are eating Big Macs or broccoli!  Before you put any food in your mouth, stop and ask yourself “am I hungry?” If not, notice the emotion you are feeling and take note...no judgments here! Regardless if you continue to eat the food, stop before you are overly full.  If your pants become uncomfortable or you feel extra sleepy after eating, chances are you ate too much.

3. Know which loved ones will be attached to any less-than-healthy habits you currently have. (These people can unwittingly sabotage your success, even when they don’t mean to).  Do you currently bond with your girlfriends over wine and cheese? Do you and your favorite coworker grab a caramel latte with whip or hit the vending machine at 3 o’clock?  Do you and your partner snuggle up on the couch to watch TV with a favorite dessert or snack? While those same people can absolutely be your support system, they are also attached to the “special thing” you do together!  They will often still want to find a way to have that habit with you because they aren’t the ones making the change. Knowing this, and having a good substitution planned, will help you avoid feeling guilty about “making” the other person miss their snack and will still give you quality time with the person you love.

For more on cleaning up your environment, grab my Kitchen Reboot! It’s a free guide to help you organize your kitchen to set you up for weight loss success.