25 Proven Ways To Lose Weight Without Diet Or Exercise
You don't have to cut down on your favorite food to shed those extra pounds!
Dr. Jess (Dr.Jessica Peatross) is a western trained medical doctor for 6 years who began her journey into healing in 2009 when she graduated from the University of Louisville internal medicine residency program. She is passionate about teaching people how to be their own best doctor by educating themselves and listening to their body.
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Experience: 6 yearsCharushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information.
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Experience: 10 yearsRavi Teja Tadimalla is a Co-Editor-in-Chief and a published author. He has been in the digital media field for over a decade. He graduated from SRM University, Chennai, and has a Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition & Research from Wageningen University.
Read full bio of Ravi Teja Tadimalla
Experience: 2.5 yearsPayal Karnik is a senior health and wellness writer and a Certified Health and Nutrition Life Coach. She is a biotechnology graduate from the University of Mumbai with a keen interest in writing and a natural curiosity for science.
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Imagine eating whatever you want and not gaining an ounce of fat. It is everyone’s fantasy to lose weight without dieting. But, if you are one of the majority that has to wake up to a dull “diet” and struggle to keep it up, you are going to be pleasantly surprised to know that you don’t need to diet to lose weight. Yes, you heard that right! Here are the 25 techniques to lose weight without dieting that have been clinically proven. These tips are the best-kept weight-loss secrets since they work for everyone. So, don’t just read this article; put the advice to use to achieve the long-term results.
In This Article
1. Why Follow A Diet?
We all are on a diet, healthy or not. The word “diet” has been misconstrued for years. You must understand why you need to lose weight and if you really need to do so. If the answer is yes, think of the weight loss diet as a positive change in your daily diet, requiring only a few little tweaks. Don’t judge if someone wants to lose weight, or if someone doesn’t. Weight loss diet is not about restriction – it is about changing the way you eat, live, and treat your body and mind.
2. Make Your Own Way
So, some XYZ diet worked for your friend, and now, you are also motivated to lose weight. Good! But do you really know that the diet plan that worked for your friend will work for you? Yes, you will lose the water weight, but the impact of quick weight loss is not equal to the positive outcomes of slow weight loss. You may not see immediate results, but that’s because habits take time to develop. Strive to better your lifestyle, and you will not require any diets to lose weight.
3. Eat
Starving yourself to lose weight? Well, you might lose the initial water weight but will soon regain it. The best and the only way to lose weight is to eat healthily. Apart from including fresh produce, whole grains, lean meat, and healthy fats in your diet, you must have 5-6 meals per day, eat in portion control plates, and practice mindful eating techniques.
4. Kitchen Makeover Before Yours
If you want to learn how to lose 20 pounds in a week, the first thing you need to do is pay attention to your kitchen. Chances are your kitchen is in dire need of a makeover. Unless you do that, you will not be able to give yourself a makeover. Toss out or donate all the junk food, high-sodium foods, refined sugar, milk chocolate, and highly refined carb foods. Stock your kitchen and fridge with low-calorie meals and foods such as veggies, fruits, whole grains, whole wheat bread, and lean protein.
5. Drink This In The Morning
No, not the regular warm water with honey and lime juice or just cold water. Soak two teaspoons of fenugreek seeds in a cup of water overnight. Strain the seeds and drink it first thing in the morning. Fenugreek seeds boost carbohydrate metabolism (1) and keep you active throughout the day, and the water helps flush the toxins out of your body.
6. Break The Fast
It is a misconception that skipping breakfast is a way to cut calories and lose weight. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should not be ignored. Refueling your body a few times a day is very important. When you skip your breakfast, you start feeling extremely hungry by lunchtime and end up overeating and choosing unhealthy food items. Therefore, always have your breakfast within an hour of waking up. A bowl of whole-grain cereal and low full-fat dairy can give a nutritious start to your day.
7. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is a great metabolism booster. It contains EGCG, an antioxidant that helps flush out toxins and improves overall health(2). Therefore, drinking green tea may help lose weight.
8. Chew Slow
Studies have proven that if you spend time chewing food, you are likely to consume fewer calories. Chewing slowly prevents overeating because it gives the brain extra time to receive signals from the stomach that it is full. This also facilitates proper digestion and limits your portion size. Therefore, it is recommended that you chew your food about 35 to 50 times per mouthful.
Did You Know?9. Have Balanced Meals
Every meal that you have should contain proteins, good carbs (veggies/ fruits/ grains), whole foods, and healthy fats. The trick is to strike a balance between the food groups so that your body is able to process it, provide energy, flush out toxins, boost immunity, and improve overall health.
10. Consume Fruits, Veggies, And Whole Grains
Low-calorie fruits and vegetables should be consumed more than foods that are high in fat and calories. Consume five different veggies and three different fruits every day as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber. You must also include whole grains like whole brown rice, bran flakes, popcorn, barley, and sorghum in your diet as they provide the much-needed fiber, thus keeping you full for a long time so that you can burn your belly fat (4).
A blogger recalls her personal weight loss experience and shares an entire walkthrough of her diligent experiment. She talks about the different weight fluctuations throughout her journey and the food choices she made for an easy yet effective transformation. She adds, “My personal weight loss experiment began with a 5-day juice fast; every morning I juiced a variety of fruits and vegetables to drink throughout the day. For the next five days I continued on with the juice but added an avocado and/or boiled egg, a small portion of meat and vegetables and some dairy in the form of cheese or plain yogurt (i).”
Quick Tip11. Enjoy A Cheat Day
Well, call it an “I earned it” day, not a cheat day. If you are mostly or fully successful in following a better lifestyle, you have earned a cheat day. On this day, you can consume an extra 500 calories and have any food you like. But you must not exceed the extra 500 calories mark. Cheat days help you lose weight by preventing your metabolism from plateauing. By having a cheat day, you will keep your body guessing, which will keep the cells and metabolism active.
12. Eat Protein With Every Meal
Foods containing lean protein should form a part of every meal or snack as they provide a feeling of fullness for long periods, thus keeping you from overeating. Consume a high-protein diet to lose weight naturally. You can include yogurt, a small portion of nuts and peanut butter, eggs, beans, and lean meats in every meal to get the required amount of protein.
13. Careful With The Packaged Drinks
Drinking packaged fruit and vegetable juices, energy drinks, soda, and zero-cal soda not only prevents you from losing weight but also puts your health at risk. Though marketed as zero-cal, these sodas have other tastemakers and additives that make them worse than the normal ones. However, the amount of refined sugar in regular soda is too high, and drinking it too much can make you prone to diabetes. Drink freshly pressed or cold pressed fruit or vegetable juices. Also, if you use a centrifugal blender to make your juice, consume it immediately.
Esther Avant, Sports Nutritionist, says, “Focusing on primarily zero-calorie drinks is an easy way to reduce calories without eating less or otherwise changing your eating habits. Depending on your current drinks of choice, swapping for water, tea, or other zero-calorie drinks could save several hundred calories per day!”
14. Stay Hydrated
Most of us drink less water than we are actually supposed to. Ideally, for weight loss, you must drink 3 liters of water per day. If you work out and sweat a lot, you must drink 4-5 liters of water. Inadequate water intake can make you eat more and feel fatigued and tired. This ultimately halts the metabolism, which, in turn, prevents fat loss. Drinking adequate water is the key to a healthy lifestyle. So, set reminders on your phone or download a health app that will help keep a count of the number of glasses of water you drank in a day.
15. Avoid Overcooking
Overcooking your food results in a considerable reduction of nutrients. If you are deprived of nutrients, you will not feel satisfied and may crave junk food. To prevent this, you can either increase the consumption of raw foods like salads or avoid overcooking your food. Have steamed, baked, blanched, or grilled vegetables and grilled or baked meat and fish. Spice up your salad with a good low-calorie dressing. Use different ingredients to make the dressing yummy. Make sure you use colorful veggies to make your food look visually interesting.
16. Have Your Dinner Before 7:30 PM
Late-night eating should be avoided as you are more likely to pile on extra pounds. In fact, you should have your last meal before 7:30 p.m. to avoid binging on a snack before dinner time. Herbal tea is a good option to satisfy your hunger after dinner. Brush your teeth to divert your mind from the idea of eating.
17. Pay Attention To Your Food
We have often heard (and even ignored) our elders advising us not to talk, read or watch TV while eating food. When you are multitasking during your meals, you are likely to consume more food and pile on extra pounds. Hence, paying attention to what you are eating is very important.
Also, avoid the intake of alcohol. According to Esther Avant, Sports Nutritionist, “Reducing or eliminating alcohol, specifically, can also have a big positive impact. While alcohol doesn’t inherently cause weight gain, it does contain empty (nutrient-void) calories and a whole cascade of negative consequences. One thing to keep in mind is that metabolizing alcohol becomes priority number one, which means that fat loss is essentially paused anytime there is alcohol in your body. In addition, alcohol can reduce inhibitions, which can make you more likely to drink and eat more. Lastly, alcohol negatively impacts sleep quality, which can have a negative impact on your energy, cardio workouts, and food choices the next day.”
18. Sleep
The importance of sleep cannot be ignored when it comes to triggering weight loss. While you are asleep, your body works to regulate your systems and heal any damage done by wear and tear. Even the digestive system pumps hard to process your food, metabolize the carbohydrates, and break down fats. Sleep deprivation results in changes in the hormone levels, particularly cortisol and insulin. Cortisol regulates sugar, fat, protein, mineral, and water metabolism, and insulin is responsible for blood sugar and fat storage. Sleep deprivation triggers cortisol production and leads to increased levels of insulin (6), which makes weight loss even more challenging. Thus, having a good night’s sleep can help a lot in reducing weight.
19. Count Your Steps
Ever thought of the fact that whether we are at work or home, we sit almost 24/7? And did you know that just by walking 15-20 minutes, you can improve your health tenfold? Engage in daily movement, whether at the office, school, or home, you must walk. Get up and take a walk every hour. Walk to your nearest grocery store, walk or bike to and from the office, walk alone, with your date or your pet, walk around your home, and take the stairs instead of the elevator. You can also keep a daily count of your steps through a fitness tracker to measure your progress.
20. Do Your Favorite Workout
Want to know how to lose weight fast at home? Combine the tips above with a good workout. If you hate going to the gym, high five! Gymming is not my thing, but dancing is. I am sure there is a form of exercise that makes you feel better instead of weighing you down. You can also opt for home workouts to reduce weight at your own pace. What about brisk walking, walking your dog, jogging, swimming, or cycling? The basic point is to get one hour of exercise every day. Start slow, learn the correct technique, prepare your body and mind, and then give your 100% to the 60 minutes that you are going to spend on your body. You will enjoy these 60 minutes of your day and look forward to working out.
21. Laugh A Lot
Laughter is considered to be the best way to lose weight without dieting. A giggle increases your heart rate and blood circulation and tones your abdominal muscles. This way, it also improves your cardiovascular health and provides a natural cardio workout. Laughing heartily five times a day has the same benefits as 10 minutes on a rowing machine (7). And 10-15 minutes of solid laughter can burn 50 calories, which can result in burning 4.4 pounds in a year.
22. Meditate
Stress may contribute to the accumulation of fat in the body. Worrying, stress, depression, and other negative emotions lead to an increase in cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which in turn can contribute to the accumulation of fat in the body (8). So, it is best to tune out and meditate for at least 10 minutes a day. Of course, it will be difficult in the beginning, but practicing it every day will fill you with positivity, good vibes and help in stress management.
We all love to snack, and we should. But not on junk food that has zero nutritional value. You may snack on baby carrots, beetroot, cucumber, a handful of peanuts or pistachios, fruits, popcorn, etc. These are low-calorie and highly nutritious – the combo that is best suited for people trying to lose weight. Follow it with careful meal prepping to reap greater benefits.
24. Stick Motivational Quotes
It is difficult to stay motivated to lose weight without dieting, especially if you are a foodie. Regular healthy foods can be boring, and following a workout routine, every day can feel tiring. This is precisely where your grit and motivation come into play. To stay focused, write motivational quotes on post-it notes and stick them on various corners of your house and office. If you do it for two to three weeks straight, you will not need the help of the post-its anymore. They will become habits to lead a healthy life.
25. Take Care Because You Love Your Body
People confuse the two. Love your body and lose weight. No one is saying that you need to lose weight to love your body. What we are saying is, you love your body and therefore, must take care of it. If you feel healthy and are fit and active, you don’t need to lose weight. But if your physical and mental health is getting affected, you should consider losing the extra body fat – without attaching “lose weight” to any negative emotion. You should take care of your body the way it takes care of you.
Lastly, while you can learn how to lose weight in 10 days, understand that you cannot burn a lot of calories in such a short time without causing health issues. Think about how to make sustainable lifestyle changes that will benefit your health in the long term. Focus on small, manageable steps to develop habits that lead to lasting results. After all, losing weight is not about quick fixes but creating a healthier, more balanced life.
Infographic: 6 Necessary Steps To Lose Weight Without A Dietary Plan
It might be tough for some people to reduce their excess weight with regular intensive exercises or a healthy dietary plan. There are other clinically proven techniques you can try to aid in weight management.
Check out the infographic below to know how you can enjoy your days while preventing weight gain at the same time. Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
You can certainly lose weight without dieting by just eating right and leading an active lifestyle. In fact, weight-loss diets are only effective in the short term, so it is better to look for sustainable alternatives. More importantly, starving yourself and skipping breakfast is the first thing you must avoid, as doing so can actually contribute to weight gain. Besides, your meals should have balanced nutrition and exclude all junk foods, excess oils, and trans fats. Practice clean eating and you can consume sugar-free foods to satisfy your cravings. More importantly, going on walks, meditating for at least 10 minutes a day, and leading a stress-free life also can lead to healthy and sustainable weight loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I burn 1000 calories a day without exercise?
Your body already burns a certain amount of calories while doing nothing simply to keep up its functioning. The amount you burn by doing nothing depends on your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Any calories you want to burn above and beyond that will need to be achieved through light to strenuous exercise.
How should I sleep to lose weight?
Sleep in a sideways position, preferably on your left side. This may aid digestion and prevent the accumulation of belly fat.
How many steps burn 500 calories?
You need to walk approximately 10000 steps to burn 500 calories. The number may vary slightly, depending on your age, weight, and walking pace.
Which fruits should be avoided for weight loss?
Fruits very high in carbohydrates (such as mango, banana, and dry fruits) or fruits high in fats (such as coconut meat and avocado) should be avoided, depending on the kind of diet you are on.
What vegetables should I avoid to lose weight?
You may want to avoid sweet corn, potatoes, and eggplant if you are trying to lose weight. Sweet corn and potatoes are high in carbs and pack a lot of calories. Eggplant has a lot of sugar as well and tends to soak up a lot of salt and fat during the cooking process.
Key Takeaways
- Drinking soaked fenugreek seeds water, and green tea may help detox your body and improve overall health.
- You may lose weight by walking for 15-20 minutes daily.
- Proper sleep and practicing meditation may help lower stress and the deposition of fats in the body.
- Add protein foods such as eggs, yogurt, and lean meat to your diet as they make you feel full for a long time.
- Avoid drinking packaged fruits and vegetable juices as they may contain additives.
It might be possible to lose weight without going on an extremely challenging diet. Watch this video on some smart lifestyle tips that will keep you healthy and fit.
Personal Experience: Source
StyleCraze's articles are interwoven with authentic personal narratives that provide depth and resonance to our content. Below are the sources of the personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. My Personal Weight Loss Experimenthttps://behindthebarr.blogspot.com/2016/03/my-personal-weight-loss-experiment.htmlReferences
Articles on StyleCraze are backed by verified information from peer-reviewed and academic research papers, reputed organizations, research institutions, and medical associations to ensure accuracy and relevance. Read our editorial policy to learn more.
- Effects of fenugreek seed powder on stress-induced hyperglycemia and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients: A randomized clinical trial
http://bmrat.org/index.php/BMRAT/article/view/476 - The effects of green tea on lipid metabolism and its potential applications for obesity and related metabolic disorders – An existing update
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331797096_The_effects_of_green_tea_on_lipid_metabolism_and_its_potential_applications_for_obesity_and_related_metabolic_disorders_-_An_existing_update - The Relationship of Eating Rate and Degree of Chewing to Body Weight Status among Preschool Children in Japan: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356605/ - Dietary Fibre from Whole Grains and Their Benefits on Metabolic Health
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346031411_Dietary_Fibre_from_Whole_Grains_and_Their_Benefits_on_Metabolic_Health - Whole grain consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease cancer and all cause and cause specific mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies
https://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i2716 - Sleep deprivation as a neurobiologic and physiologic stressor: allostasis and allostatic load
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0026049506002289 - Energy expenditure of genuine laughter
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16652129/ - Stress-Induced Cortisol Response and Fat Distribution in Women
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.1550-8528.1994.tb00055.x
Read full bio of Dr. Jessica Peatross
Esther Avant, BS, CISSN, CPT, PN2, has 17 years of experience in coaching people towards sustainable weight loss and habit changes. She and her team of online health and wellness accountability coaches help their clients achieve happiness with their bodies and confidence to take on the world.Esther Avant, BS, CISSN, CPT, PN2, has 17 years of experience in coaching people towards sustainable weight loss and habit changes. She and her team of online health and wellness accountability coaches help their clients achieve happiness with their bodies and confidence to take on the world.
Read full bio of Charushila Biswas
Read full bio of Ravi Teja Tadimalla
Read full bio of Payal Karnik
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