Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting can be practiced in a number of ways to best fit your schedule, but the concept boils down to fasting for a certain window of time, with another, smaller window dedicated to eating all your calories for the day. “Intermittent fasting reduces the individual's eating window to 8 hours or more depending on what type of method they are using. This allows the body to enter a moderate state of fasting where it begins to burn fat at a faster rate as well as improve cellular health,” explains Best. Of course it’s still important to exercise good judgement during your eating window and prioritize healthy ingredients in order to actually continue to lose weight.
Cutting Sugary Coffee
While black coffee can provide a boost of energy and even help to improve your metabolic rate, sugary coffee drinks may be the downfall of your weight loss goals. “Coffee filled with sugar and high calorie creamers can quickly add up and manifest in weight gain,” warns Best. “By making some small changes to your morning coffee you can reduce a major habit that could be causing your weight loss issues.” Swapping artificially sweetened creamers for a natural sweetener or plant based creamer are both great options, but Best notes that working to make the permanent switch to black coffee or green tea can make a significant difference in reaching your goals.
Reduce Alcohol Intake
It’s a well known fact that alcohol does very little to help with healthy weight loss, so cutting down on your drinking is one of the best ways to work towards your goals without limiting your food consumption. “Alcohol can easily lead to weight gain and stalling weight loss attempts,” says Best. “It is best to reduce your alcohol intake to the recommended servings, 1 drink or less for women and 2 drinks or less for men a day, and opt for low calorie or sugar varieties.” Alcohol can also leave you more likely to make negative food choices, so reducing your drinking will do well for your eating habits.
Stay Hydrated
Not only will drinking water allow you to feel better in your body, but it can also help in the effort to lose weight as well. “The body is made of 60% water and this fluctuates rapidly throughout the day. Poor hydration or being dehydrated can impact your weight loss efforts by slowing your metabolism and causing you to overeat,” explains Best. If you aren’t staying hydrated you may experience increased cravings or hunger that can often be solved by a glass of water. That’s not to say you should ignore your hunger cues in favor of water, but when in doubt, pairing your snack or meal with water can help to limit overeating, making it easier to achieve a calorie deficit without restricting or heavily monitoring your food intake.