12 Science-Supported Ways To Lose Weight Without Strict Dieting

Jun 01, 2018

There are plenty of diets that restrict your calories and help you lose weight, but what good are they if you are starving and end up putting the weight right back on? Losing weight and keeping it off involves many factors, and you will be relieved to discover that not all of them are related to dieting.

Here are a few simple and painless things you can start doing today!
 

Research has proven that eating certain spices like chili pepper, ginger, and curry increase your metabolic rate. This increase raises your body temperature and helps to burn more calories. Having a spicy bowl of chili can boost your metabolism by 8 percent.

Another way these foods help you burn calories is that many of them contain a chemical called capsaicin, which is an appetite suppressant. It is easy to incorporate spices into your life by adding a pinch of them to eggs, pasta, or rice dishes. 
 

One secret to losing some unwanted pounds might just be your hairdryer. Heat makes you sweat, which can help you lose weight from excess water retention. This is why saunas and steam rooms help reduce inches. You can get a similar effect by applying a hot compress with ginger to help melt away subcutaneous fat. 
 

Studies have proven that the color blue creates chemicals in the body that are soothing to humans. It has also been proven to be an unappetizing color. Researchers point out that blue decreases appetite because it is a color that is rarely found in nature and that means that we don't have an automatic appetite response to it.

Weight loss gurus often recommend using blue plates at mealtime. Give it a try by getting some blue dinnerware and see how it works. You might be surprised! 
 

Cinnamon contains the chemical compound cinnamaldehyde which may possibly help fat cells burn energy. A review article in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology summarized a study in which healthy volunteers had slower emptying of their stomach when they had cinnamon with their food.

Slower emptying of the stomach obviously will help you feel fuller after you eat. So bring on the cinnamon. 
 

If you like to eat out, you may have noticed that restaurants create an atmosphere to have a direct effect on your appetite with soft lighting and background music. Soft lighting and music causes people to relax, slow down, and want to eat more. (Ever notice how much longer it takes you to eat in a restaurant?) If soft lights and music cause more of an appetite, you will want to do the exact opposite of this at home.

Try to organize your dining environment in a different way: Brighten the lights and turn off any noise or music. This will have the added benefit of being more mindful of what you are eating and focusing solely on enjoying your meal. 
 

Weight loss entails burning more calories than you consume and to that end, exercise is still a gold standard when it comes to weight loss. Countless studies show that aerobic activities like running, jogging, and swimming help to burn fat and lose weight.

But what about working with weights?

Recent research suggests that you don’t have to be a bodybuilder to benefit from weight resistance training. Any type of weight training can help you build muscle, and muscle helps your body burn calories. Combining aerobic exercise with strength building exercise is the perfect combination for ongoing weight loss. 
 

It appears that the company we keep affects our eating habits. Research has shown that people tend to have the same meals as their companions when they eat together. This is a great thing if your friend is a healthy eater, but if your friend regularly makes unhealthy dietary choices you might find yourself tempted to do the same.

Since most of us would like to continue dining with the people we care about, the best solution here would to be mindful of the choices we make when we are eating with other people.

Who knows, you might even get your dining partners to start eating better too! 
 

Sleeping is responsible for proper regulation of a whole group of hormones that control appetite. When you do not get enough sleep, your body makes too many of these hormones and that can cause weight gain and increase your appetite.

In addition, poor sleep can lower your resting metabolism and make you too tired to exercise. Getting 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep is essential for weight loss and overall health. 
 

For reasons that are unclear, there is compelling evidence proving that dairy products can help you lose weight. Michael Zemel, a professor of nutrition and medicine at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, concluded that people who eat dairy products 3 times a day, lose weight faster than those who don’t consume them. 

 

Dr. Russell de Souza proved that just by consuming 130 gr (5 oz) of beans reduces your appetite and can help you lose 0.3 kg (11 oz) in 6 weeks. Moreover, beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils contain a high amount of protein and fiber. Beans are complex carbohydrates which are carbohydrates that don’t increase your blood sugar levels as quickly as processed carbs.

People who aren’t used to this habit should start with small amounts as they can cause gas and intestinal discomfort at first. Add beans to your soup or eat them instead of rice and potatoes. You may also add cooked chickpeas to salads. 
 

Eating low-calorie soups before meals can help you get rid of a few pounds as well. Eating soup before the main course reduces the amount of calories that you consume. There are many great recipes for light soups to be used as meal starters.

A good rule of thumb is to aim for a soup that has 100-150 calories a portion. Rich, cream-laden soups are obviously not going to be helpful, so stick with clear broth based soups filled with vegetables and herbs. 
 

Experts have found that thermogenesis (the production of heat in the human body) burns a large amount of energy. According to one study, It can account for up to 30 percent of your body’s energy expenditure. This means that lowering the heat and allowing your body to naturally regulate your temperature through thermogenesis can really affect the number of calories you burn. So don't’ be afraid to be a little chilly. It might help you to melt away the pounds. 


Make sure you show this article to your friends and family and let us know what your weight loss tips are! We’d love to hear from you. 

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!