Weight loss seems to be a thing most women over the age of 25 are obsessed with. Yes, this is partially due to society’s increased (though delusional) demands of what a woman’s body should look like, but it’s also due to the slowing down of our metabolism and an ever-increasing sedentary lifestyle. We hate to say it, but the older we get, the lazier we seem to get.
So if you’re not a gym bunny and hate kale juice but are dying to lose a few kilos – or even just stay in shape during winter – then follow these simple, lazy-proof tips.
1 Write it down
There are hundreds of apps and websites you can use to count your kilojoules, but sometimes the simplest thing to do is to write down what you eat in a notebook. Be honest with yourself about how often and how much you eat and drink. There’s no better way to kick your A into G than by seeing the truth of how much you eat.
2 Portion control
Eating large portions is often just a habit and simply cutting down your serving sizes can help you get into shape. Order two starters instead of a starter and a main course when you’re out for dinner or serve your food on a side plate instead of a dinner plate. This will trick your mind into thinking you’ve had a plateful of food, even though you’ve had half the usual serving.
3 Bottoms up!
If you’re often hungry and struggling with smaller portion sizes, then you might benefit from drinking more. No, this doesn’t mean downing a bottle of wine with dinner! Cut all sugary drinks and as much alcohol as you can from your diet. Instead, drink a glass of water about half an hour before every meal, and make it a mission to drink more water and tea. Have six to eight cups of rooibos or green tea a day to help keep the kilos off – but don’t add sugar!
4 Walk it off
If you dread going to the gym, try to add just five to ten minutes of extra movement into your day. A few minutes more is better than none at all. Even just a little more walking than usual will help. Try taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, park a little further away, walk around while brushing your teeth… Use every opportunity to get a little movement in!
5 Catch those ZZZs
Who knew that sleeping is actually beneficial to losing weight? Sleeping increases your metabolism and regulates the hormones that control appetite, so aim to get your eight hours of sleep in every night, no matter what, and sleep yourself skinny!
Benike is a Namibian desert girl, actress, model, all-round foodie lover, and editor of I Love Foodies.
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