8 Ways to Lose Weight That Doesn’t Involve Dieting
People come to me all the time and tell me they want to lose weight. I’ve been around for a long time (I’m not quite a dinosaur…but, close. Haha). I’ve been around long enough to understand people. I mean REALLY understand what they MEAN, not just what they SAY. And when people say they want to lose weight, usually they mean: I want to be smaller. I want to be more fit. I want to feel good about myself. I want to look better in my clothes. I want to feel sexy, hot, confident, strong. Right? Well…Diet is important but not for the reason you may think. And dieting is usually associated with deprivation and disappointment, right? Well, luckily there IS something YOU can do!
Here’s a list of 8 ways to lose weight – and we all know it’s NOT about that – that doesn’t involve dieting.
- Guzzle the H20.
When your body is dehydrated it can store as much as 5 lbs of water. That’s A LOT of water!! Drinking more water will make you look younger, help your joints move more easily, relieve pain and swelling, ease headaches and food cravings. Believe it or not, the body is smart. If you’re even a little dehydrated it will give you hunger pangs because food has water. - Sleep more.
Sleep is an important part of fitness and weight loss that is often overlooked. Studies show that those that get less than 8 hours of sleep consistently tend to weigh more. Not getting enough sleep also can put the body into fight or flight mode, which causes a stress response, and can mess your hormones up. - Rest more.
This can mean a few things…Many people that come to me tend to be overachievers at work and super person in their off time. Slow down. Take 10 min a day to just sit. Meditate. Or just to be quiet. Listen more. If you workout consistently, make sure you take rest days. Take time for a massage? Or just sit on the beach. Allow your body to recover. It works hard for you. It deserves a break. - Stress less.
I know. Easier said than done, right? Many of our lifestyles push the go go go mentality. Do things deliberately to reduce your stress or to release it. This could come in the form of a hard and heavy workout or a long hot bath. It could be a hike out in nature somewhere. It could be just lighting candles, setting a relaxing atmosphere. It could be just breathing (you’d be surprised how simple and how fast this works). - Get outside more.
There is a connection with those that get outside and lower stress levels. Take some time to connect with nature…even if it’s just taking off your shoes and putting your toes in the sand or grass. Breathe in the sunshine. Feel the wind on your face. - Be positive.
Check in with your self talk. Believe it or not, your body always hears you. It’s ALWAYS listening. And it responds on a cellular level. Over time being harsh or self critical will start to stress your immune system causing your body to protect itself and store more fat. Start to notice the positive. Make a list of the things that you love about your body, your life. And focus on those things. If you are not happy with how your body looks right now, instead of bagging on yourself notice what you like. Maybe it feels good to feel strong? Tell yourself THAT. Maybe it feels good to exercise. Focus on THAT. With practice, this will get easier. - Complain less.
This goes right along with number 6. Go on a complain-free detox. Start noticing and talking about solutions or what’s right with your life, your job, your relationships, your body. This alone will make THE BIGGEST difference. - Set goals.
Believe it or not, if this is done correctly, it can make all the difference in the world. Decide what you want. What you really, really want. And make your choices from there. Maybe you have decided you want to lose weight. Why? To feel more attractive and to feel good about yourself. Ok..so, the goal ISN’T to lose weight. It’s actually to FEEL GOOD. So, make your choices from there. When you’re at the coffee shop and ready to order your sugary drink with your donut…or whatever, ask yourself “Will this make me feel good about myself?” If the answer is “No” than pick something else. If you want to feel good and you pick a cupcake and you spend the afternoon berating yourself because you can’t even eat healthy…that’s not feeling good. Workout because it feels good. Because YOU feel GOOD when you’re done. Not because you hate your body and want it to change. That may be true (or not) but don’t allow that to be your focus or your motivation.
I know many of these ideas may seem strange, but this is what I teach my clients. They come to me to lose weight and they think they come to me just to sweat and workout. But, really, I teach them how to enjoy their bodies and love who they are and where they are. And they find that all of sudden their lives are more fun, more fluid. And their relationships are easier. And, yes. They lose weight. Oh, and they sweat a lot too!! Remember, EVERY step of the journey IS the journey. It’s a process. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s about learning what works and, sometimes more importantly, it’s about listening to your body & how you feel so you can see what ISN’T working.
Love you every step of the way. Yep, you got this.
~ Cyndi ♥