“Can I lose weight without cardio?” – I thought to myself, as I gulp down the last bite of my scrumptious whopper from Burger King.
The whopper didn’t taste the same anymore. I could sense guilt pouring out each time I dig my teeth into the patty. I was determined to lose weight for REAL this time.
Do you also find cardio to be monotonous and boring? Does even thinking about exercise makes you ditch the idea for weight loss? Would you like to know how to lose weight without cardio or exercise?
Exercise is no doubt a great way to achieve a healthy mind and body. But when it comes to weight loss, spending hours on the treadmill simply isn’t required.
There are much better strategies to lose belly fat without cardio and keep it off for good.
Read along to find out the top 11 ways to lose weight without working out.
Mindful Eating
Mindfulness is an ancient art of being completely present in the moment. It has been proven to provide numerous health benefits ranging from better immune system to higher levels of mental clarity and happiness.
Applying mindfulness to every day eating means enjoying each and every bite of food like a new born child. You try to soak in all the flavors like an empty sponge.
“Ummm.. Okay, but how does it make me lose weight without working out?”
Well, mindful eating is an excellent weight loss strategy because of the following reasons:
1. Our brain needs time to process whether we have had enough food. If you are eating slowly, you will feel “full” at the right time, as opposed to your usual routine – where we tend to overeat in a hurry.
2. Eating slowly will significantly improve your relationship with food. You will soon start realizing that there is nothing magically great about that burger you’ve been dying to eat.
3. Mindful eating can tremendously reduce your unnecessary cravings for junk food. You will feel a higher sense of mental clarity and less stress because this habit of mindfulness will also trickle down to your everyday activities.
A great way to ensure mindful eating is to count the times you chew a bite. For example, you can make it a habit to chew each bite up to 21 times before gulping it down.
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Drink Ample Water
Proper hydration can help you eat less and lose weight, especially if you drink it prior to meals.
A study in adults found that drinking half a liter (17 ounces) of water just before meals reduced hunger significantly and lead to a drop in calorie intake.
Did you know that you can burn more calories by simply sipping water throughout the day? According to many studies, drinking water increases your resting energy expenditure by up to 30% right after consumption. It makes you keep burning higher calories for the next 60 minutes.
Health experts recommend drinking minimum 2 liters of water per day. However the required intake greatly varies from person to person. For example, if you are someone who exercises or sweats regularly, then you need to drink more water.
You can also derive proper hydration naturally from your diets such as coffee, tea, meat, fish, dairy products, and especially fruits and vegetables. You’ll be amazed to know that cucumber has up to 96% water content!
Always follow your body’s thirst cues and keep a water bottle handy to sip throughout the day.
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Simply replace your unnecessary high-sugar drinks like soda or juice with water as an effective weight loss measure.
Get More Fiber
Diets high in processed foods will accumulate fat, while diets high in fiber and protein will trim down your belly fat.
Fiber expands your gut like a soft sponge, and that’s why it is known as a natural appetite suppressant. Latest findings claim that fiber produces hormones in the gut that tell your brain you’ve had enough to eat.
In a recent study, increasing the consumption of soluble fiber by just 10 grams per day for five years lead to an average loss of 3.7% of visceral fat. It is a type of belly fat that is quite harmful to your body.
Aim for at least 25 grams of dietary fiber a day from a variety of foods such as whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.
Some of the excellent sources of fiber to be included in your diet: Black beans, Avocados, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli, Turnips, Pears & Kidney Beans.
Get Unhealthy Food Out of Sight
While it is okay to snack here and there, mindless binging on crisps and other packaged food can be detrimental to your weight loss journey.
When it comes to losing weight without cardio, this is one of the most reputed ancient sayings: “Out of sight, out of mind”
A study found that people who keep unhealthy food in visible areas are more prone to gain weight.
Replace those bag of chips with healthy snacks like dry fruits, multi-grain chips, muesli, etc.
If you wonder how to lose belly fat without cardio, then getting rid of unhealthy and processed fast food from your kitchen shelf will ensure success in the long term.
High Protein Diet Accelerates Weight Loss
Similar to fiber, protein also makes you feel full as it promotes the production of satiating hormones. Hence, you are less likely to order that extra cheesy fries after having your favorite burger.
Having meals high in protein will curb your appetite and your belly won’t growl for more food immediately after a meal.
Experts claim that protein also requires more energy to be broken down and digested by our bodies, thereby burning more calories in the process.
If you wonder how to lose weight without cardio, then eating high protein foods will take you closer to your goals.
Ideally you should aim for 20 grams of protein per meal from lean sources like fish, chicken, eggs, and low fat dairy.
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Cut Down Those Carbs
A low carb diet can work wonders for your weight loss if all else has failed in the past.
Low carb diet aka ketogenic diet is a modern invention that causes rapid weight loss and improves health significantly when compared to the traditional calorie-restricted diets. There are plenty of studies to back up this claim.
This is how a ketogenic or keto diet works:
Research has found that low carb diets lowers a person’s appetite, leading to fewer calories intake, and helping them to lose weight without cardio in the best possible manner.
Documented benefits of low carb diets go beyond just weight loss. They can lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and harmful triglycerides. They also help to raise good cholesterol (HDL) and lower the impact of bad cholesterol (LDL).
Switch to More Whole Foods
We are living in the age of digital media where every brand is trying to sell you packaged and processed foods online.
Those TV Dinners are full of artificial taste enhancers and lack proper nutrition required in a healthy meal.
They are just calories giving you maximum taste but minimum essential nutrients. It is difficult to lead a healthy life and lose weight if you are eating processed foods in every meal.
“So what is the solution?” you may ask.
Well, shifting your focus to real whole foods can help you regain health and lose weight effectively. If you know EXACTLY what you are eating, you can control the portions and ingredients precisely, which is not possible in packaged foods.
Do you experience energy crashes and increased cravings when eating packaged foods? The reason for this is highly processed carbs.
When you start eating nutrient-rich whole foods, you feel a shift in your energy levels. You wake up happy and energized in the morning and feel positive about life in general.
Sufficient Rest
When it comes to losing weight, people usually tend to ignore the two important “S” words: Stress & Sleep.
These two common yet important factors have major impact on our appetite and weight management.
Leptin and Ghrelin are the weight loss friendly hormones that regulate your appetite. Not getting sufficient sleep disturbs the production of these hormones in your body.
Fluctuation in these hormones can turn you into a hungry bear and sky rocket your cravings, leading to a higher calorie intake.
Aim for at least 7 hours of proper sleep and incorporate yoga, meditation, or breathing exercises to help keep your stress levels in check.
Poor sleeping patterns and excess stress can wreak havoc on your weight loss plans, whereas finding your bliss can help you slim down.
Cut Down on Alcohol
So you think you have finally figured out the weight loss game. You load up your plate with lots of veggies, fruits, lean proteins and fiber packed nutritious foods.
But there is a high chance that you are ignoring a major calorie blunder: The bar
While giving importance to the food you eat, it is also vital to consider what you drink. A seemingly simple alcoholic beverage can turn out to be an 800-calorie cocktail which can set you back by a whole week!
There are plenty of science-backed reasons to cut down your booze. It boosts your health, improves your relationships, and sky rockets your productivity.
And yes, reducing alcohol will help you in your quest to lose weight without cardio.
Minimize Sugar Intake
Added sugar is one of the worst diet components in modern society.
Do you know the sneaky pattern of sugar? It is usually found in calorie-dense foods that can quickly send you in a huge caloric surplus for the day.
Cutting sugar from your diet helps you consume fewer calories, thus promoting weight loss. As per American Heart Association, a doughnut contains 74.2 calories just from added sugar and a can of soda contains 132.5 calories just from added sugar.
It’s very easy to consume a lot of excess calories from sugary drinks like soda or juice.
Your brain takes around 30 minutes to sense whether you have eaten enough. But in case of liquids, you can gulp down 5 cans of soda and still not feel “full” because of the delayed response.
You can ditch sugar and use natural sweeteners like Stevia in milk, desserts, bakery, and homemade chocolates for a healthier alternative. Replace those commercial sugary drinks with coffee, iced tea, lemonade, or water to stay hydrated without the extra calories.
Conclusion
Exercise can promote a long and healthy life, but SUCCESSFUL weight loss can be achieved without spending HOURS at the gym.
Even if you run 10 miles every day but don’t have a proper nutrition plan, you will simply fail in your quest to burn belly fat. Minimizing sugar intake, staying well hydrated, eating mindfully, sleeping right are some of the ways to lose weight without cardio.