Statistics show that 71.6% of American adults are overweight or obese. Whether you fall into that category or just want to lose a few pounds, weight loss can seem tedious, boring, and challenging.
You know you need to consume fewer calories and move more, but who wants to run 10 miles or eat kale salad for every meal? The good news is you don’t have to go to extremes to lose weight. Small changes can add up to big movement on the scale.
Finding fun ways to lose weight makes the process easier. It feels less like a chore and more like something you want to do. Check out these lazy weight loss methods that can help you fit into your skinny jeans faster.
1. Cut Down Your Portions
Giving up all your favorite unhealthy foods makes losing weight less enjoyable. That deprivation mindset can also cause you to eventually binge on those foods you’ve been avoiding and undo your weight loss.
Instead of banning yourself from those less healthy choices, cut back on the portion sizes or the frequency of those indulgences. Instead of having a cookie every night, choose one or two nights a week to indulge. Try eating just one slice of pizza instead of the usual three.
2. Watch Your Drinks
When cutting calories, you probably focus on your food. But beverages can add a lot of calories, especially sugary drinks such as soda, sweet coffee drinks, and juice. Alcoholic beverages can also have a lot of calories.
Drink more water to replace some of those higher calorie, sugary drinks. Add slices of lemon or other fruit for flavor without a lot of calories.
When you indulge in your favorite sweet drinks, try lower-calorie options, such as diet soda or a coffee drink made with sugar-free sweeteners.
3. Focus on Steps
If you’re a couch potato, getting up a little more helps you work in exercise. A step counter, fitness watch, or health app on your phone tracks your steps. Turn it into a game to up your steps quickly.
Check how many steps you take on a normal day. The next day, challenge yourself to bump up your steps by a certain number. Keeping bumping up your goal to see if you can outdo yourself.
Look for little ways to walk more throughout your day, such as taking the long way to the bathroom at work or walking up a few flights of stairs on your breaks. At home, take your dog on an extra-long walk, go around the block a few times, walk to a neighbor’s house to chat, or run around in the backyard with your kids.
4. Exercise Without Exercising
Are you the one in five people who get the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity each week? Or do you avoid breaking a sweat at all costs?
If you’re looking for the lazy way to lose weight, you’re probably not the gym type. And you don’t have to grind it out on the treadmill for an hour a day to lose weight.
Explore physical activity that doesn’t feel like work. Some ideas include dancing, playing at the park, geocaching, swimming, or playing a sport on a rec league with friends.
5. Lose Weight With Friends
Gather a group of like-minded friends to lose weight with you. The camaraderie makes losing weight more fun. You also have the support, encouragement, and sometimes pressure to make healthier choices.
You can also turn it into a friendly competition within the group. Set up mini-challenges to see who can lose the most weight, shrink the most inches, take the most steps, or eat the healthiest foods.
6. Replace Old Habits
Changing little habits can help you shed pounds. Instead of taking the elevator, walk up the stairs at work. Instead of driving a few blocks to the store, walk or ride your bike.
Save calories by swapping out healthier versions of your favorite foods. Add more vegetables and cut back on the cheese when you make homemade pizza. Buy a skinny cocktail mix instead of your usual.
Being mindful while eating can help you eat fewer calories and stop eating when you’re full. Shut off the TV and stay away from your phone while you eat so you’re in tune with your body. Slow down your eating pace to give your brain time to recognize when you’re full.
7. Use Mint
A minty taste in your mouth makes most foods and drinks unappealing. Have you ever drank orange juice after brushing your teeth? It’s not a pleasant flavor.
Use that trick to your advantage by brushing your teeth after you eat. You’re less likely to keep munching throughout the evening.
When you’re away from home, use gum to achieve the same results. The gum keeps your mouth busy so you can’t eat anything else.
Plus, the minty flavor makes food unappealing. If you start feeling the urge to snack when you know you’re not hungry, pop a piece of gum in your mouth instead.
8. Sleep More
Sleeping more fits perfectly into the lazy weight-loss philosophy, and it’s backed by research. Adults who don’t get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night may see an increase in cortisol production, which conserves energy and causes your body to hold onto fat. People who got less sleep over 14 days saw a 55% decrease in weight loss.
In addition to extra cortisol, lack of sleep can affect how your body processes insulin. That can also cause your body to hold onto fat.
When you’re groggy from sleep deprivation, you’re also more likely to make poor food choices. You might reach for sugary caffeine drinks to keep you awake. You might eat fast, easy foods, which are often less healthy.
9. Reward Yourself
Losing weight can feel easy for a short period, but sticking with it long term is more challenging. Rewarding yourself along the way can help you stay motivated and makes the process more fun.
Avoid treating yourself with bad-for-you foods. That can set back your weight loss and sends the wrong message.
Instead, pamper yourself or do something fun. That might mean a new outfit to fit your changing body or a manicure to match your overall improved physique.
Set small rewards for reaching mini-goals and larger rewards for hitting bigger weight-loss goals. As you get close to your goal weight, you might treat yourself to CoolSculpting, a medical procedure that freezes fat cells and gives your body a tighter, toned look.
Giving yourself these benefits of CoolSculpting can help you feel even more confident in your new body.
Try Fun Ways to Lose Weight
Finding fun ways to lose weight makes it easier to stick with the plan even if you’re feeling lazy. It’s all about making the process seem less like work so it’s something you can endure long-term.
Check out more health articles to find other ways to make your body healthier and stronger.
