11 Weight loss ideas without exercising

Diet and exercise are vital components of any weight loss program. The best way to lose weight is to burn more calories than you consume. For this purpose you have to consume fewer calories in your diet and burn calories through exercise. Read also 6 Weight loss mistakes and how to avoid them

So, regular exercise is essential, but you already know that, don’t you? Exercising is definitely a tedious task and is not everyone’s cup of tea. Most of us cannot devote enough time for a full-fledged workout regimen. And then there are others who have been diagnosed with certain health conditions that prohibit exercising.

So what is the solution? How to lose weight without exercise or diet? And moreover look toned? Believe it or not, there are some exercise alternatives which can enable you to shed those extra pounds! All you need to do is follow these tips with commitment and discipline.

Below are 11 Weight Loss Ideas Without Exercise

1. Be Active:

You don’t have to indulge in strenuous workouts to improve your body’s metabolism. The daily chores that we do at home also play an important role in giving our body a good workout! So stop being lazy and do everything that you can do such as cleaning the house, taking your dog for a walk or playing outdoor games. You can organize social gatherings that encourage sports activities like frisbee, golf, swimming or simple outdoors picnic. Dancing and paint balling are other fun ways of losing weight.

2. Count Your Caloric Intake:

Calorie counting is extremely important while following a diet for weight loss. In order to cut down your calories, you need to figure the calories in the food items that you eat regularly and add them up at the end of the day to know your caloric consumption. You also need to figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) because even without exercising, you are burning calories everyday by just being alive!

You can aim to lose one pound in a week which is extremely safe. One pound of weight is equivalent to 3500 calories. Thus, to lose one pound in a week you need to reduce your daily caloric intake by 500 calories. This is quite doable as it will not force you to starve to lose weight.

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3. Avoid Junk Food:

As far as possible, avoid the consumption of junk foods and go for a natural diet. Processed foods like cakes, cookies, sodas, chips and fast foods are not good for our health. Since these synthetic foods are in a packaged form, they are usually in storage for long periods of time and hence, are extremely unhealthy. Excess consumption of these foods often leads to weight gain. So cut them out of your diet and look for healthier alternatives.

4. Drink Water Or Herbal Tea Before Each Meal:

Water detoxifies your system and promotes speedy digestion. It also fills you up and ensures that you eat less. According to a recent study, drinking 17 ounces of water can substantially raise your metabolism in 10 minutes. This is equivalent to 174000 calories burnt or 5 pounds lost in a year.

If you are habituated to sugary drinks, you can add a slice of lemon or lime in your water bottle to impart flavor. Men are required to drink 3 liters of water while women need to drink 2.2 liters of water in a day. If you find it difficult to have a full glass of water before a meal, you can take small sips in between each bite. Drinking a cup of green tea can also greatly help in losing weight.

5. Avoid Late Night Snacking:

Your body does not burn a lot of calories while you are asleep. So whatever you eat at night gets converted to fat. Avoid eating anything at least 2 hours before going to sleep. It is advisable to finish your dinner and snack by 8 at night. If you feel hunger pangs at night, you can have a cup of unsweetened herbal tea before going to bed to keep your stomach full.

6. Have Proper Sleep:

Certain studies have observed that when you feel sleepy, you tend to eat more. This is because sleep deprivation can cause increased production of ghrelin in the body. Ghrelin is a hormone that stimulates appetite. Lack of sleep is also associated with changes in the hormone levels in the body, particularly insulin and cortisol. Inadequate sleep can lead to increased levels of insulin, thus making weight loss more difficult.

Similarly, sleeping less can trigger cortisol production. Cortisol is a hormone which regulates sugar, protein, fat, mineral and water metabolism in the body. Physical or emotional stress can also cause cortisol to react by pumping up its levels. So it is advisable to have a good night’s sleep.

7. Laughter Therapy:

Laughter is considered the best medicine as it calms the nerves and improves the immune system. But it can help burn calories as well. This is because a good giggle provides a natural cardiovascular workout from the inside, thus increasing your heart rate and blood circulation, as well as toning your abdominal muscles. A solid 10 to 15 minutes of laughter can burn around 50 calories which adds up to 4.4 pounds of weight lost in a year. That is no laughing matter!

8. Skimmed Milk

Being rich in calcium, milk and dairy products keep your bones strong. If you wish to lose weight, choose skimmed milk, low fat cheese or yoghurt as these products help break down fat cells.

9. Whole Grains

Increase your consumption of complex carbs as they release glucose slowly during digestion. Whole grains like jowar, bajra and ragi are good sources of complex carbs as well as fiber and vitamins. They also help in maintaining blood sugar levels in the body.

10. Proteins

Foods that are full of fiber and protein can keep you full for a very long time and hence, decrease your appetite. Protein has a high satiety index without causing weight gain and so you should increase your protein intake. Sources of protein include beans, eggs, almonds, lean meat and poultry.

11. Nuts

It is advisable to consume nuts instead of unhealthy processed snacks. In fact, you should avoid fried and salted nuts, and munch on raw, unsalted ones, such as almonds and walnuts. They are good sources of essential roughage, protein, fat and minerals. A handful of nuts can curb hunger and provide you with additional energy.

Fruits and Vegetables: Besides being low in calories and fat, fruits and vegetables are dense and can keep hunger at bay. Not only are they ideal for weight loss but they also load your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber and numerous other nutrients for long term health. Consider having a medium apple or banana, blueberries, grapes and vegetables like carrots, broccoli, bell peppers etc. every day.

Do you know that changing the way you eat can change the way you look. So, if you want to shed some weight, you need to remove some of those tasty but fattening items from your diet. But healthy eating does not equal boring! On the contrary, with a little research you can dig up hundreds of healthy recipes that will not only tickle your taste buds, but will also give you health in return. This is how to lose weight without exercise.

As far as exercising is concerned, you don’t need to hit the gym to lose weight. Start by turning off the TV and dusting around the house a little. You can then try and take the stairs instead of the lift and if you feel up to it, start walking to the nearest market for your minor shopping needs. Drop that car key, grab your mp3 player and walk.