8 Weight Loss Tips for Busy People
1) Carbs Before Fat
A 2015 study suggests that a higher-carb diet is better than a lower-carb diet in terms of weight loss. That said, when it comes to fat content, don’t cut out all carbs—otherwise, you may miss out on beneficial dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in whole grains. Plus, fiber helps you feel full and can help prevent overeating.
2) Don’t Skip Breakfast
Not only is breakfast a great way to start your day, but it’s also been shown to contribute to weight loss by managing blood sugar levels and boosting metabolism. If you’re pressed for time in the morning, set an alarm 15 minutes earlier and jump right into prepping a quick and healthy breakfast.
3) Eat Healthy Fats
A lot of weight-loss advice suggests that you should cut back on fat, particularly saturated fat. If your goal is to lose weight fast, avoiding fats altogether may be a good way to go. But if you’re in it for the long haul, eating healthy fats may help keep you feeling full longer and prevent cravings and overeating down the road.
4) Keep Track of Your Calories
You’re busy, so you probably don’t have time to count calories every day. It’s okay—weight-loss experts agree that it’s pretty hard to lose weight without tracking them (even if you keep it simple). Keep a food journal and write down what you eat at each meal. If you count calories regularly and honestly, your progress toward reaching your goals will be much faster than if you didn’t track calories.
5) Exercise Daily
With a busy schedule, getting exercise can seem impossible. However, you don’t have to make time for a whole hour-long workout session every day to reap weight-loss benefits. Even if you can only squeeze in five minutes of exercise, it’s better than nothing. Every bit counts! If you find yourself struggling to fit exercise into your schedule, try these tricks: Exercise at home: You don’t need a gym membership or even a personal trainer to get in shape.
6) Drink Enough Water
Drinking water regularly helps you feel full, so you’re less likely to overeat. It also flushes out toxins in your body and helps to speed up your metabolism—helping you lose weight. Drink one glass of water a half-hour before every meal, and make sure it’s at least half-full. If that seems like too much work, keep a water bottle at your desk and sip on it while working.
7) Cut Out Bad Foods
One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to just not eat foods that are bad for you. A study from UC Berkeley found that a Mediterranean-style diet (which emphasizes fruits, veggies, fish, and olive oil) helps people lose more weight than low-fat diets and could help you keep that weight off over time. In fact, those following a Mediterranean diet lost about twice as much weight after three years than people on a low-fat diet.
8) Get Sufficient Sleep
Getting enough sleep is another habit that seems like a no-brainer, but it actually impacts your weight in big ways. Not getting enough sleep can lead to an increase in hunger hormones (leptin) and a decrease in satiety hormones (ghrelin), which together tell your brain when you’re full. Getting enough sleep results in higher levels of leptin and lower levels of ghrelin, helping you stick to your nighttime eating schedule so you don’t overeat.
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