13 Ways to Lose Weight Without Exercise

If you don't like going to the gym, starting a weight loss journey might seem impossible. While engaging in physical activity has numerous health benefits, it is only one component of weight loss. Luckily, if you cannot make it to the gym, there are many other ways to lose weight within a realistic timeline that don’t involve lifting dumbbells or jogging on the treadmill.  No matter what reason you have for starting a weight loss journey, implementing a few changes in your daily routine can help you on the path to better health, primarily if you’ve found it challenging to lose weight in the past.

 1) Include protein in your first meal.

 It has been demonstrated that breaking your overnight fast with a source of high-quality protein aids in satiety and blood sugar management. In obese individuals, it may even improve diet quality. Pairing carbohydrates with protein can also help to curb glucose spikes when eating, which is especially important after a fast since the protein helps slow the release of glucose from the carbohydrates into your bloodstream. 

 Keeping your glucose regulated may be helpful for weight management since insulin resistance may lead to weight gain over time.  Focus on including high-quality protein sources in your diet, such as poultry, fatty fish, plain Greek yogurt, grass-fed meats, tofu, and tempeh for optimal blood sugar response.

 Numerous studies demonstrate the link between high-protein diets and weight loss, in addition to preventing glucose spikes after a fast. Protein is necessary for building muscle, makes you feel fuller for the rest of the day, and it may help cut down on snacking too much. 

2) Maintain a Portion Control Plan a bowl of soup in a good portion

 If you’ve struggled with your weight while eating a nutritious, whole foods-based diet, your portion sizes might be why you haven’t seen the number on the scale decrease.  Nutritional information on products can sometimes be misleading or difficult to understand, despite the fact that this may seem obvious. Studies have shown that exposure to large portions can lead to weight gain, so focusing on portion control and how much food is on your plate is essential.

 When trying to lose weight, people who struggle with obesity can benefit from learning how to independently determine portion sizes. Using smaller plates is one simple way to make portion control a little easier.

 

3) Stay Hydrated

 Drinking enough water to support adequate hydration has been associated with weight loss through a few mechanisms.  Some studies show that drinking water can help reduce calorie intake, making weight management that much easier.

 Remember that staying hydrated isn’t only beneficial for weight loss.  Additionally, it may assist in lowering your risk of developing numerous chronic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's. For tips to help you get adequate fluids throughout the day, check out our article on the importance of proper hydration.

 4) Reduce Added Sugar

 coconut balls to reduce added sugar

 If you have tried dieting to lose weight, you may have heard it more than once, and for good reason. Excess sugar intake is one of the leading causes of obesity in the United States.  Although eating junk food and sweets can be enjoyable, these foods are often high in calories, added sugar, and trans fat, meaning that cutting them out of your diet can significantly impact weight loss and overall health.

 Fortunately, limiting extra sugars and processed foods with saturated fats has many other benefits besides weight loss.  These dietary changes may support healthier skin and better triglyceride and cholesterol levels as well as help prevent other chronic conditions.

 

5) Consider Testing Your Caffeine Tolerance

 Studies on the metabolic impacts of caffeine or coffee are conflicting.  While some studies suggest that regular caffeine intake may be harmless or even helpful for some people, other studies show that it may cause elevations in cortisol and perhaps contribute to some other hormonal imbalances for certain people.

 For those with diabetes, caffeine may make glucose control more difficult.  However, it may slightly lower the risk for diabetes in those who aren’t diabetic.  Caffeine has a dose-dependent effect, which means that how it affects you may depend on the dose.  Consider testing out different amounts or even taking a more extended break to assess how your body might respond to these different elements. 

 6) Create a Symptom and Food Log

 a girl feeling sick after eating

 Sometimes difficulty losing weight can be tied to underlying health imbalances and concerns.  Tuning into how you feel is every bit as important, if not more important, than a number on a scale.  Being able to identify symptoms of concern may help increase your awareness of how daily habits might be impacting how you’re feeling.

 Symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, digestive upset, and poor sleep can sometimes offer added clues to metabolic imbalances.  Tracking your personal symptom patterns over time, especially as you try new and different dietary approaches, can be an incredibly powerful tool to support you on your wellness journey. 

 Putting your attention on mindful eating and even using one of the many available apps for weight loss can also help you set a schedule for your eating and become more adept at recognizing patterns. If you want more individualized support in this area, you might want to think about working with a personal nutritionist one-on-one. 

7) Avoid Sugary Drinks Like Soda or Juice

 We've already talked about how important it is to cut back on added sugar, but this one needs to be said again. “Don’t drink your calories” is a classic expression repeated in the weight loss space, and unfortunately, this includes soda, juice, alcohol, and most sugary drinks.

 If you’re cutting out some extra calories to help with your weight loss, these drinks do not provide much (if any) nutritional value and can be high in calories, which is why they are commonly referred to as “empty calories.”  By replacing these drinks with water, you’ll not only be able to reap the health benefits of being adequately hydrated, but you’ll also cut out some extra sugar and decrease the amount of empty calories you may be used to consuming.

 8) Get Plenty of Sleep

 a sleepy man lying on the couch Sleep is vital for many aspects of your health, including blood pressure, immune health, cognitive function, diabetes risk, cardiovascular disease, and more.  That’s why it’s no surprise that insufficient sleep can have a negative impact on individuals with obesity. 

 Chronic sleep deprivation can also make other weight-loss tactics less effective over time, which is why getting plenty of rest is one of the crucial foundations of healthy weight loss.  Prioritizing sleep by heading to bed 30 minutes to an hour earlier each night is a great way to get started.

 

9) Eat More Non-Starchy Vegetables

 As long as you can tolerate them, including a lot of non-starchy vegetables in your diet is rarely harmful and has been shown to be especially beneficial for weight loss. In healthy individuals, studies have demonstrated that increasing vegetable consumption reduced the risk of weight gain and led to measurable weight loss. Since vegetables are generally low in calories and packed with healthy vitamins, minerals, and fiber, they make excellent healthy snacks for people trying to lose weight. For a quick and filling snack, try pairing hummus with slices of carrot or bell pepper. 

10) Limit Alcohol Consumption

 a person enjoying a glass of wine Alcohol can lead to inflammation in the body and is another common source of empty calories.  It has also been linked to overeating, so it’s only natural that limiting your intake of beer, wine, and spirits can be beneficial for weight loss. 

 Studies have shown that reducing alcohol consumption was linked to weight loss in overweight individuals.  In addition, excessive alcohol consumption may also increase obesity risk, so if you're working toward weight loss, it's best to limit your consumption. 

11) Use Healthier Cooking Ingredients 

 Swapping out unhealthier fat options for healthier cooking alternatives like olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil can be helpful for weight loss and have a range of other positive health effects.  While all cooking oils are high in calories and fat, olive oil and coconut oil may have healthier effects on cholesterol levels and have no significant associations with increased mortality, unlike options like margarine.

 One study among women with breast cancer found that a diet enriched with olive oil brought about more weight loss than a standard low-fat diet, showing the positive association of this type of oil on health.

 

12) Eat Without Distractions

 a man eating a salad

 If you’re someone who is always watching TV with dinner or looking at your phone while you eat lunch, you may want to try putting your devices down during meals.  Research shows that distracted eating may lead to overeating, which is linked to weight gain.

 That’s why mindful eating, or eating slowly can be beneficial when it comes to weight loss.  Studies suggest that eating your food slowly can lead to increased satiety, or make you feel full faster.  Aim to chew your food thoroughly and pace yourself while eating to support your weight loss journey.

 13) Reduce Stress from Emotions 

Many of the items in our list so far have to do with limiting stress of many kinds.  Stress can come in the form of nutrient imbalances, poor sleep, and even alcohol consumption.  However, psychosocial or what some people call "emotional" forms of stress can also occur. When you experience high-stress levels or chronic stress of any kind, you may notice that you feel physically sick.  Chronic stress is a risk factor for obesity and type 2 diabetes, among many other health concerns - which is why practicing relaxation techniques can be beneficial.

 Your glucose levels can be directly affected by stress, and over time, stress can even cause insulin resistance. Taking steps to reduce stress can benefit more than just weight management.  It can also help your mental health, support better sleep, and reduce your risk for chronic health conditions.