Small Changes for Easy Weight Loss without Going to the Gym

Losing weight is hard work. Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to lose weight without going on a diet or going to the gym? There is! All it really takes is making some small changes in your life, nothing radical. These small changes are much easier to implement because you hardly notice them, especially if you make them one at a time until each becomes a new habit. If you change what you eat, drink and snack on as well as portion sizes and the amount of walking you do, you can be sure to drop pounds without the stress of counting calories or the expense of a weight loss program. So don't go to the gym. Instead, give these small changes for easy weight loss a try and lose the weight.

1. Don't drink your calories: If you want to lose weight, stop drinking beverages that contain calories. Drink diet soda instead of regular, black coffee instead of adding milk or cream, and water instead of fruit juice. If you currently drink one glass of fruit juice and one regular soda each day and you swap these for no calorie options, you can save 200-400 calories per day.
2. Have a high protein breakfast: Eating protein for breakfast will satisfy hunger for a longer period of time than will eating a high carbohydrate breakfast. Research conducted by Purdue University and the University of Kansas Medical Center confirmed that eating protein for breakfast curbs hunger throughout the day. This will set the stage for eating less throughout the remainder of the day. Instead of having a slice of toast, a bowl of cereal, or nothing at all, go for eggs and bacon or an egg white omelet.
3. Use salsa, mustard or vinegar to add flavor to foods: Salsa, mustard, and vinegar are very low in calories compared to traditional options such as mayonnaise, ketchup, and salad dressing. And, they add a ton of flavor to your foods. Try using mustard on burgers and sandwiches instead of mayo or ketchup. Add salsa to eggs or a baked potato instead of butter. Hundreds of calories can be saved each week just by making these tasty switches.
4. Snack wisely: Changing how you snack can have a profound impact on the number of calories you consume. If you reach for chips, cookies, cakes, crackers, or other high sugar and high calorie snacks, this will surely sabotage your calorie intake. Instead, stock up on tasty, low calorie snacks that will fill you up without filling you out. Try hard boiled eggs, carrot sticks dipped in hummus, popcorn, a Zone bar, a piece of fruit, a handful of nuts, or a small protein shake. You'll still have a snack but you'll consume far fewer calories.
5. Portion control: How much you eat is just as important as making good choices. You can still gain weight if you eat too many calories of healthy foods. It's very helpful to actually measure your food, at least for awhile until you know what a portion actually looks like. If you're having cereal, measure out one serving with a measuring cup. Count out the number of almonds in a serving. Look at the package of meat to see how much it weighs and then estimate the weight per serving. If you eat out, eat half the meal and save the other half for the next day. Most people realize when they start measuring their food that they're eating two or even three servings at a time.
6. Planned walking: An easy change to make is to walk more. When you park your car at work or when doing errands, purposefully park a distance away so that you can walk more. Even better, walk or bike to work or to your errands, if possible. You need to go do these things anyway and there's no reason not to get some exercise while doing them. You can also take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Walk over to talk to someone at work instead of emailing them. These small things all add up.

Try implementing one of these changes at a time. Follow it for a week or until it becomes a habit for you and then add another one while still maintaining the earlier habits implemented. After awhile, eating this way will become second nature and the pounds will come off. There is no dieting involved, no counting calories or stressing, just small changes that anyone can do.