15 Weight Loss Habits to Know and Inculcate in Daily Life

With the help of these five weight loss techniques, you can discover the way to a happier, healthier you. Learn practical tactics & schedule.
Kanchan Dulhani
12 Jan, 2024
15 min read

All of us have once struggled to come in the perfect shape we always dreamt of. We must have tried endless recipes, tips, and numerous advice for that. Moreover, you must have also searched Google multiple times to find that one thing that can become the game changer.

But starting a healthier lifestyle doesn’t require drastic changes; instead, it involves developing conscious habits that fit easily into your everyday schedule. When it comes to losing weight, the most important outcomes are frequently obtained by taking tiny, regular measures.

You can consider this your invitation to a revolution in your way of life. Here, we are presenting a manual on five weight-loss practices that will empower you and naturally become a part of your daily life.

These behaviours are the keys to becoming a more resilient, healthier version of yourself; they are not just guidelines. Come along as we explore the realm of life-changing routines. Prepare yourself for a wellness journey that starts with the easy, doable, and ultimately life-changing.

15 Weight Loss Habits to Adopt!

The key to controlling your weight is to make tiny, long-lasting adjustments. You’ll start to understand how these small lifestyle changes can build up to significant calorie savings and weight loss as you implement them. The following are the top five habits to assist you in achieving your weight loss goals:

#1 Check the Posture While Eating

It may not seem like much, and you may even wonder why you should be conscious of your eating posture. But you’ll be shocked to find out why. To your surprise, digestion is directly linked to your way of eating food [1].

It would help if you refrained from watching TV while eating or eating while standing. Standing up during a meal may hinder normal digestion while sitting down increases the likelihood of mindfully consuming more food. Moreover, when you watch TV and eat food, you can unintentionally eat more than you are hungry.

In addition, check the digestive quotient test by Aashirvaad to keep track of your digestive health. You can figure out your digestion score by taking a simple test and know whether your tummy is a happy tummy or not.

15 Weight Loss Habits to Know and Inculcate in Daily Life

#2 Plan Your Meals for Effective Weight Loss

When you rush late for work and in the daily hustle, you forget to eat food. You’ll likely lose interest in eating healthily because you’ll skip breakfast or lunch. However, one of the finest things you can do to reduce weight is to plan your meals.      

Making a daily timetable will, therefore, assist you in remembering when to work out and what to eat. Achieving long-term weight loss requires some planning to adhere to a regular exercise schedule and diet.

#3 Eat Slowly

It’s not a race to see who can complete their meal first. Hence, you must ensure you adequately chew your food and give your stomach room to expand. It may take time for your brain to register fullness, so you could unintentionally overeat [2].

Therefore, when you eat slowly, you eat what is actually required by your body and do not overeat.

#4 Prepare Healthy Meals

Home-cooked food often has fewer calories, fat, salt, and sugar. However, selecting recipes, making grocery lists, and cooking all need time and work. Hence, it is essential to scrutinize your weekly routine and see if you can set aside time for meal planning and grocery shopping.

You can opt for pre-cut veggies and cooked whole grains like brown rice. Additionally, stock up on healthy, simple snacks like low-fat cheese sticks, apples, and nuts.

#5 Drink Plenty of Water as a Weight Loss Remedy

You’ll lose weight faster if you have a glass or two of water first thing in the morning. You can burn more calories overall by drinking water. This is known as energy expenditure. Additionally, some people may find drinking water decreases their appetite and food intake.

Drinking water first thing in the morning and maintaining adequate hydration throughout the day are two excellent, low-effort ways to accelerate weight reduction [3].

#6 Avoid Distracted Eating

Eating mindfully in the real world does not mean that you are distraction-free. In today’s technological era, there are many distractions impacting healthy eating.

A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health on eating attentively shows that reducing attention via distraction during eating may increase immediate intake, affecting the size of the meal [4]. On the other hand, by enhancing memory for food, the consumption decreases with a medium size intake.

So, it can be tough to focus only on eating initially, but by regularly doing so, you can convert it into a healthy weight loss habit.

#7 Smart Snacking

Unplanned snacking between meals can impact your fully planned schedule toward weight loss.

 Be a smart snacker and start pre-portioning your snacks according to their type and size. Choose fruits, vegetables, protein-rich foods, and portion control mix.

Unsalted nuts and seeds make great snacks. Moreover, a yogurt bowl with a hearty muesli full of nuts, oats, and dry fruits with a drizzle of honey can be a good option.

#8 Take Enough Hours of Sleep Every Night

Poor sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce weight by altering the levels of appetite-regulating hormones [5].

It is recommended to take an average of 7-8 hours or more hours of sleep a night for healthy weight loss. If you are not getting enough, then try to make a routine that works for you the best.

You can listen to an audiobook, read a book, or even take a relaxing bath before going to bed to get a good night’s sleep.

#9 Maintain a Food Journal for Weight Loss

If you are trying to lose weight, then a food journal can be your best friend.

It may sound too good to be true, but studies show that by keeping a food journal and tracking your meals, you can lose more weight as it encourages you to eat fewer calories [6].

Start with a blank notebook and write down what you intend to eat or what you ate during the entire day. Observe and record!

Tips for Successful Food Journaling

  • Write down your meal/snack/beverage as soon as you consume it. Do not wait until the end of the day to jog your mind and write entire thing altogether.
  • Be specific in what you eat. If it is poha, write poha! Note the portions.
  • Use fitness applications to track the number of calories and write them down in your journal.
  • Include all kinds of food in your journal. Do not hide anything!

#10 Do Not Eat After Dinner for Weight Loss

Nighttime eating impacts the overall weight loss journey, resulting in metabolic risks [7].

Adding extra calories post-dinner to your weight loss plan can lead to physiological changes that could lead to weight gain.

If you are feeling hungry, try satisfying the urge with a non-alcoholic beverage or a piece of candy.

#11 Manage Your Stress Levels

Break the cycle of stress by mindfulness and exercises as it helps you manage weight. Numerous studies are showing that stress can play a large role in managing your weight [8].

It can disrupt hormones involved in hunger and satiety. All these factors result in weight gain. So, by learning to reduce stress through exercise and meditation can help you in lowering down those harmful hormonal levels.

#12 Add Physical Activity Every Day for Weight Loss

Studies suggest that up to 6min/day of any physical exercise can effectively help in reducing weight [9].

If you can dedicate longer hours, then it can greatly contribute to weight loss. Cardio, skipping a rope, taking a 60-minute walk, jogging, running, and playing a sport are some exercises considered best for a healthy weight loss journey.

#13 Focus on Portion Control

Portion control is important when you are trying to lose weight. Larger portions of food and beverages lead to a substantial increase in energy intake [10].

You can use pre-portioned foods and meal plates to add structure to your food intake. This will help in minimizing the amount of food to eat and control the portion that is essential for weight management.

#14 Eat a Solid Breakfast

Studies show that those who tend to eat a solid breakfast weigh less than people who skip meals or burn more calories throughout the day [11].

Breakfast is associated with lower body weight and aids in burning more calories. You can add oatmeal with raspberries, peanut butter, and eggs to your breakfast meals.

Healthy Indian Breakfast Options to Help You Lose Weight

  • Idli/Dosa with vegetable chutney
  • Vegetable loaded poha
  • Vegetable parantha with curd
  • Pongal with vegetable chutney
  • Vegetable loaded upma
  • Paneer Parantha
  • Besan Chilla with coriander chutney
  • Oats porridge with fruits
  • Sprouts with mixed vegetables and lime
  • Lentil dosas
  • Eggs with whole wheat bread

#15 Weigh Yourself Often

Get a digital scale and weigh yourself weekly to monitor the weight loss journey. Doing so will help in staying motivated and head in the right direction.

Why wait? Just get that digital scale today.

Conclusion

These five weight reduction practices aren’t just suggestions in the larger scheme of healthy living; they’re the threads that weave a transforming and long-lasting journey. Keep in mind that transformation is a daily practice rather than an event.

You’re not just forming new habits when you embrace mindful eating, exercise, sleep hygiene, stress management, and hydration—you’re building a stronger, healthier version of yourself. Use these routines as a compass to lead you to a happier, healthier everyday life where happiness is a journey rather than a goal. Let’s toast to the transformative journey and the habits that give!

FAQs

1. What does the 30-30-30 guideline for weight loss mean?

The 30/30/30 weight loss strategy calls for 30 minutes of light exercise followed by 30 grams of protein consumed in the first half of the day. It has a solid scientific basis and could be a valuable tactic to increase fat burning while preserving lean muscle mass.

2. How to lose belly fat effectively?

The best approach is to plan everything. You can concentrate on eating the proper foods at the correct times if you plan. There are more things you can do with it.  

3. Which foods should be a part of a diet plan to lose weight?

Dietary items that increase metabolism include broccoli, lentils, oatmeal, berries, fish, chilli peppers, lean meats, low-fat milk, etc.

4. Which guideline is the most effective for weight loss?

Food equals calories. Thus, the only ways to lose weight are to either eat less, exercise more to burn off calories through movement or do both.

5. Can lemon water help in weight loss?

Belly fat won’t go down just by drinking lemon water. Maintaining a calorie deficit, changing your diet, and getting physical exercise are usually necessary to lose weight.

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