While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, the classic advice never changes: To lose fat and gain muscle, you need to eat less and move your body more.
Eating the right foods and finding a workout plan that you can stick to will give you great results. But amidst all the advice, you’ll find some rather unorthodox suggestions. And believe it or not, plenty of those unconventional weight loss tips actually work.
Unconventional does not mean unhealthy
Unconventional weight loss tips are simply things you may not have otherwise considered, such as eating off a dark blue plate. If any suggestion involves starving yourself, over-exercising, or things that could cause a heart attack, it’s definitely not something you should be doing. Healthy weight loss methods are not only better for your body and mind, but they’ll deliver real results.
- Talk yourself slim
This may seem like advice from a New Age guru, but studies have shown that what you say to yourself really matters. And we’re not just talking about positive mantras, although those certainly don’t hurt. Hypnotherapist John Richardson believes that what you say to yourself can help you sabotage bad behaviors.
For example, if you’re about to eat chips or cookies out of boredom, say out loud to yourself, “I’m really full, but I’m going to eat this anyway.” You may end up talking yourself out of the unhealthy snacking after all. Try it!
- Switch to a standing desk at work
If you work in an office, you may already know that standing desks have become common for health reasons. But other than being great for your posture, standing up instead of sitting can help you burn up to 50 additional calories per hour. If you stand for four hours a day every day, that really adds up.
- Light a vanilla candle after dinner
If you’re used to indulging in dessert after dinner, cutting it out is a great way to lose a few pounds — but it isn’t easy. Believe it or not, the mere scent of vanilla has been shown to curb dessert cravings. A group of 160 volunteers once lost an average of 4.5 pounds each, just by wearing vanilla-scented patches.
- Create a ‘diet’ playlist
If you have Spotify or Pandora, you probably have a workout playlist. Try creating a diet playlist as well. Studies have shown that pleasant background music can actually enhance our perception of flavors, and when you take the time to fully taste and savor your food, you’ll eat less of it. If nothing else, this will definitely make your dinner feel more pleasant.
- Eat three fewer bites of your meal
Stopping a mere three bites before you think you’re done with each meal can save you 100 calories a day, which can prevent you from gaining two pounds in a year. Since most of us eat until we’re full, this is a great way to slow down and check in with our bodies. If you’re truly still hungry a few minutes after you’ve stopped, go ahead and eat those last bites