Share |

5 Non Diet Tricks to Drop Pounds Fast

By Diane Hanson

You and I both know that dieting is not fun. No one likes to huff and puff on the treadmill or resist the inviting aroma of pesto chicken pizza. You want to lose weight in the shortest time possible, and will try almost anything to shed a few pounds.

Unfortunately, most fad diets make you feel uncontrollably hungry and deprived, often creating strong cravings for food – usually sugar laden and fat drenched – that you are trying so hard to avoid.

What I am about to share with you may sound a bit farfetched but these simple weight loss techniques will help you put the right strategies in place and play the dieting game much better. Therefore you lose weight easily and quickly while enjoying the food you love. And, the good news is you can eat pasta!

How to Lose Weight Without Starving

1. Chew Slowly to Lose It

If you lead a very busy life and always in a hurry to finish your meals, watch out. According to a study from the University of Rhode Island, women who rushed through a pasta lunch in 9 minutes flat ate a whopping 646 calories. Those who took a longer time, about 30 minutes, consumed almost 70 fewer calories. And not only did they eat less at a relaxing pace, they also felt fuller and satisfied.

Another reason for eating slowly is it helps digestion. When you eat your food slowly and chew more, the enzymes in saliva help break down the food so that it can be fully digested. This means the less strain on your gut and no more belly bloat.

Try to chew each mouthful of food at least 20-30 times and savor every bite before swallowing.

2. Drink Hot Liquids to Melt Pounds

Sipping on hot liquids like unsweetened herbal tea, ginger tea or green tea is another simple no-diet trick that helps you stop hunger in a flash. They fill your stomach up quickly without adding calories so you are less likely to overeat or binge on on unhealthy snacks between meals.

In addition, ginger tea and green tea also provide some weight loss benefits by increasing metabolism. Green tea catechin polyphenols are said to alter the body's use of norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter) to increase the rate of calorie burning while the essential oils in ginger stimulate blood circulation and intensify the metabolic process in the body. Great for beating winter weight gain.

3. Indulge in Pasta Without Gaining Weight

You are told to avoid white carbs as they will kill your best intentions to lose weight. But what if you hate brown carbs and can't stand the thought of sitting down to a dinner without a nice plate of spaghetti bolognese?

The solution is very simple; try cooking your pasta al dente so it's firm to the bite. The longer you cook starchy foods such as noodles, potato and rice, the more the starch breaks down, which increase their glycemic index value. Studies have indicated that when spaghetti are boiled for 5 minutes, its glycemic index is 38. After 20 minutes, it escalates to 61.

How does this affect your weight loss plan? High glycemic foods can cause a spike in your blood sugar levels (more insulin and hence stop body from burning fat for energy), and may trigger junk food cravings too.

4. Snooze to Lose More

If you are sleep-deprived woman getting less than 5 hours of rest every night, you have 32% greater chance of putting on more than 30lbs over a 16-year period than those who snooze 7 hours, according to a Harvard study.

And because you don't get enough sleep, you will probably eat more or snack throughout the day to stay awake at work. More often than not, you end up eating unhealthy vending machine snacks – cheese crackers, cookies, candy bars – that offers very little or no nutrition at all.

To win big results in weight loss, aim for 8 hours of restful sleep each night. If you have trouble falling asleep at night, take a warm bath to help your body unwind after a long hard day. Keeping your bedroom dark, cool and quiet also works for most people.

5. Laugh Off Calories

I am not kidding, laughing is the best medicine for weight loss as it burn calories. If you laugh 15 minutes a day, you will burn 10 to 40 calories and stand to lose 4.4lbs a year (depending your weight and the intensity of the laughter), says a study from Vanderbilt University.

Watch a hilarious movie like "Get Him to The Greek" or "The Other Guys", or read jokes that tickle your funny bone. Watching my 3 year old twin toddlers wiggle and giggle usually does the trick for me!

5 Big Rules to Start Losing Weight

Being overweight and obese destroys your energy and confidence, and robs you of the life you deserve. Find diet advice on how to start losing weight safely and take charge of your health now!

4 Surprising Reasons Why You Can’t Lose Weight

Losing weight involves a lot of hard work. Find out what you can do to kick-start your weight loss, including easy ways to raise metabolism.

5 Best Tips to Stop Eating Junk Food

Need help to resist fast food cravings and make yourself stop eating so much junk food? Learn what you can do to take control of your relationship with food and stick to your weight loss goals.

Does Eating Nuts Make You Fat?

Will nuts sabotage your diet with its high fat and calorie contents? Find out why eating nuts can actually help you lose weight and keep your hard-earned weight loss off for good.

5 Killer Ways to Control Appetite at Night

Having a big problem with out-of-control appetite at night? Learn no-fail strategies to suppress your appetite naturally without pills and stop your urge to eat unhealthy junk foods.

What Are the Best Negative Calorie Foods for Weight Loss?

What food items fall under the negative calorie foods list to burn calories and fat, and help you lose more weight? Find out how to stay thin while munching away nutrient-packed negative calorie fruits and vegetables.

5 After Holiday Diet Secrets

Expert-endorsed weight loss tips to help your body bounce back quickly and lose the post-holiday weight fast. You're sure to regain back your slim silhouette in a matter of weeks.