Many people want to lose weight in the new year – preferably very quickly. You can read here why this is not a good intention. We have tips for losing weight naturally without frustration.
Getting rid of a few pounds – the classic New Year’s resolution. In surveys, the majority of respondents state that they want to pay more attention to their health; Losing weight comes first.
Losing weight can be good for health and self-esteem, provided, of course, that you are actually overweight – and not just because of (bogus) societal norms that only present certain body images as desirable. And even then, natural weight loss makes a lot more sense than all the quick weight loss instructions.
Our advice: spare yourself the obsessive desire to lose weight – especially not in a hurry. We’ll tell you 1. why this doesn’t work – and 2. what you should do better instead.
It’s just a stupid idea to lose weight fast. Where does this desire actually come from? Do your knees and feet really hurt? Are you restricted in your everyday life or in your performance because of your weight? Or do you just want to look like the people in the ads? Whose appearance is not only polished with many tricks, but whose job it is to sell us (often quite superfluous) things and services with their appearance?
Yes, many Germans are overweight. And dieting is so easy. say the media. But is that the whole truth? no
Losing weight makes you unhappy
Against losing weight as a resolution speaks: A diet makes you unhappy. There are as many diets as there are promises of effortlessly losing weight: 24-hour diet, oatmeal diet, no-carb diet and low-carb diet, paleo diet, cinnamon diet, food combining, Glyx Diet and dozens of others.
They all have one thing in common: a diet has little to do with natural weight loss, because it almost always works with more or less radical renunciation. And renunciation means dissatisfaction. Eating is one of the most beautiful and important things in life. If we can no longer or are not allowed to enjoy that, then this is also reflected in our state of mind. And not only there.
Losing weight quickly makes you fat
If you want to lose weight quickly, you often look for a diet. And the idea of losing a few kilos quickly and specifically with a diet is naturally tempting.
Unfortunately, the big end often follows: the yo-yo effect. If you limit yourself for only a limited time, you will continue to eat as before after the diet and will quickly regain the pounds. “Lightning diets have no lasting success,” agrees the German Society for Nutrition (DGE).
US scientists found out in 2016 that participants in the popular weight loss show “The Biggest Loser” were not only fatter six years after the show than they were shortly after the show, but their bodies were actually resisting the weight loss: it was the case for all participants the basal metabolic rate – the energy that the body uses independently of movement and sport – fell during the show and is still significantly lower six years later.
The – certainly somewhat sobering – state of the art is therefore: Most diets neither seem to work in the long term nor are they particularly healthy for our bodies.
Even if you are overweight and your health is suffering because of your weight, there are better and healthier ways to lose weight naturally than a fast diet.
Losing weight is healthy and natural – with mindful enjoyment
Natural weight loss through a general change in diet is better than any restrictive diet. You don’t have to change your diet overnight. Instead, you can gradually change a few small things. You will see: It is very easy to make your life and your diet a little bit healthier, more mindful and more sustainable.
Here are 10 steps to living a healthier life without losing weight or dieting.
1. Listen to your body
Don’t let diets or nutrition trends dictate what you should eat. Listen carefully to your body’s signals: it tells you when you’re hungry, when you’re thirsty, when you’re full or when it needs which food.
Just because your friends are cutting out wheat, lactose, or carbs doesn’t mean you have to do the same. Everyone has their own individual diet.
However, if you want to lose weight naturally, it is important to observe yourself: When are you really hungry and when do you just snack out of boredom or habit? The latter does not have to be.
2. Take your time
Take your time eating. Your body will thank you more for a mindful meal than for a quick sandwich on the way from the subway to work. Eating more slowly makes you feel fuller – and of course helps you lose weight. We often only eat so much because the feeling of satiety has not set in. Because that doesn’t come from the gut, but from the head. And we have to give him time.
It also tastes better when you take the time to enjoy the food. If you enjoy cooking, then give yourself enough time for it. That makes you happy and proud. It increases the appreciation for your meal – and you are in control of what’s in it.
3. You are what you eat
Conscious enjoyment is not only about being mindful of your body when eating, you can also approach the selection of food mindfully (and sustainably). Because the food you choose not only affects you, but also the environment. Organic quality, regional and seasonal fruit and vegetables, fair trade products and little meat and other foods of animal origin are good for you and your conscience, but also for the environment.
4. Lose weight naturally: Don’t eat anything your grandma didn’t eat
What is known as the Clean Eating nutritional trend is actually little more than a completely natural, healthy whole food diet – just with an English name and expensive cookbooks on top.
A nice phrase from this trend: “Don’t eat anything your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food”. Microwave lasagne, frozen pizza or dumplings from the Alu-Assiette – they have little to do with a healthy, balanced diet.
Eating as fresh, unprocessed food as possible without additives and if possible in organic quality and cooking it yourself: This helps with natural weight loss. It’s not always easy, but it’s not always difficult to do either.
5. Don’t let yourself get stressed!
Your best friend gives up sugar? Your brother follows clean eating principles? You’re trying to stick to the 5-a-day rule of eating five servings of fruit and veg – but haven’t made it two days in a row?
Half as wild. Surely you already have enough other stress in your everyday life. So don’t let other people’s plans or your own ideals stress you out. Even if you only ate an apple and a carrot, that’s (significantly!) better than no fruit and veg at all.
6. If you want to lose weight naturally: get moving!
Of course, in addition to good nutrition, a healthy lifestyle also includes sufficient exercise. It sounds trite, but it is extremely important if you want to lose weight naturally: try to integrate a little more exercise into your everyday life.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Don’t take the bus, subway or car – rather walk a bit or ride a bike. Go for a walk on the weekends instead of watching TV. Or jogging. Or cycling. Or cross-country skiing. Or (snowshoe) hiking. Even if it’s still cold at the moment, the fresh air is good for your body – and exercise anyway.
If you are still looking for the sport that suits you: Do sport: This is how you find the right sport
7. “Eat the rainbow”: Eat nice and colorful
You probably already know this tip: Eat as varied a diet as possible. That sounds nice, but what does it actually mean?
A good rule of thumb: as colorful as possible! When shopping, try to pay attention to the colors of your groceries. Does everything look rather monotonous? Then take a look at the (seasonal) range of fruit and vegetables: you will definitely discover a few more colorful varieties. For example green lamb’s lettuce, red-purple red cabbage and – when peeled – white salsify. Add some yellow or maybe even purple potatoes and a red apple and you’ve got quite a few colors covered. If you want to lose weight naturally, it helps if you focus your diet on lots of vegetables.
Tip: You can see which fruits and vegetables are in season when in our seasonal calendar. You will also find great recipe ideas in the large Utopia seasonal calendar.
You can also combine this rule of thumb with the 5-a-day rule: Five portions of fruit and vegetables per day – three vegetables and two fruits – and the whole thing as colorful as possible. By the way, a serving is about a handful. And: juices, smoothies, dried fruit and nuts (unsalted and unroasted) are also part of the 5-a-day rule.
By the way: If you shop seasonally, your food may not always be colorful – but your diet is automatically more varied.
8. Treat yourself to something
It’s not fun to do without all the delicious things in life – so if you feel like chocolate, treat yourself to it. Of course not every day a whole bar. But a little bit now and then won’t do you any harm. An advantage of the more expensive organic and fair trade chocolate: Due to the higher price and better quality, you are more careful when eating and enjoy the chocolate more consciously. Plus, you (hopefully) eat less of it than cheap chocolate.
9. Relax regularly
In the stressful everyday life there is often little time for relaxation. But short, conscious rest periods are enough to feel less stressed. Deceleration, calm and serenity are extremely helpful for natural weight loss and for your general well-being.
Try to build five to ten minutes of relaxation and rest into your day: in the morning just after getting up, during your lunch break, after work, or just before bed. In this short time, try to really consciously pause, calm down and recharge your batteries.
Read more: Relaxation Techniques: These 4 Exercises Decelerate
10. Drink enough water
You’ve probably heard this tip far too often – but it can’t be said often enough: drink enough! On the one hand, your body needs it to function, on the other hand, it fills you up and helps you lose weight naturally. It is best to always have a full glass or bottle nearby – this will always remind you to drink. Of course, (tap) water is particularly good and you can take it with you everywhere – thanks to these recommended drinking bottles.
By the way: If you want to change something in your life – why always wait until the turn of the year? You can always start with this! For example with these 10 resolutions that anyone can achieve.
Read more on utopia.de:
- Plant milk as a milk substitute: Alternatives to cow’s milk
- Become a non-smoker: That’s why you should stop smoking now
- Everything okay? There is better & more sustainable sports fashion here
German version available: How to Lose Weight Naturally: 10 Healthy Ways to Lose Weight