Do you want to lose weight? Great, are you motivated enough to do this? I know so many people who badly want to lose weight, but they face just one problem. They cannot follow a strict diet, and when they are expected to be on one, they feel hungrier and end up eating more. Obviously, if you want to lose weight, you still have to control your diet, but it does not mean that you start depriving yourself of food and feeling hungry most of the day. How is this possible? Here are a few suggestions:

Be happy

Sounds easy? It is. How does this affect your diet? New research has shown that when your spirits are high and your emotions are positive, you prefer to eat nutritious food. On the other hand, if you are down, you gobble unhealthy food.

If a person is happy, they can see the bigger picture and figure out all things that are good for them in the long run. In contrast to this, when a person is in a bad mood, they just want immediate gratification and will welcome all the doughnuts and bad food offered to them.

So cheer up! Happiness just might be the key to weight loss and keeping that weight off this year.

Eat slowly

How fast do you eat? If your answer is too fast, then learn to slow your pace. There are so many nutritional experts who advise against gobbling down your food quickly – myself included.  Why? Because your brain needs some time before it can notify you that you are full.

Have you ever tried eating slowly? If you have and haven’t had much luck at it, there is fork with an electronic sensor in it called HAPIfork. If you try eating too fast, the device will light up and vibrate. Sound a little extreme? Maybe but if it helps to slow your eating habits down, it might be worth it.

Consume more fruits

Fruits are sweet (controls your sweet tooth) and provide nutritional benefits as well. Include them in plentiful quantities in your diet and you may be able to shed some of those calories. Lingonberries, which have been known for preventing weight gain can also regulate your blood sugar levels.

Track your progress with a text message

I know this part is difficult; no one likes to keep a journal but people who are actively trying to lose weight need accountability. One fun way of keeping track is by simply reporting – through a text message – some basic info, such as the number of steps you walked daily and whether or not you consumed fast food.  Ask a friend, family member or even your trainer to text you a daily question about your diet or exercise goals. It’s amazing how helpful having that accountability can be.

Sleep!

There are more and more studies that show a profound connection between insufficient sleep and obesity and studies now show that lack of sleep can have a serious effect on your waistline. Not getting enough shut eye interferes with your metabolism which prompts you to eat more. It becomes a vicious cycle as we sit mindlessly in front of the TV or computer screen long after we should be in bed.

The takeaway here is this; don’t dread starting a “diet.” Just make healthier choices and watch the weight come off without depriving yourself.

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