10 Easy Ways To Lose Weight Without Exercising

March 10, 2022 • By Benjamin Wilson
The estimated reading time is 11 minutes
lose weight without exercising

The first thought that pops into your mind when you think of shedding pounds is that you should exercise more and go on a strict diet. Well, as great as that may sound, sticking to regular exercising and restricted diet plans can be quite challenging. Not everyone has the ability or determination to take this approach to lose weight.

Now, you’re probably wondering if it is possible to lose weight and get a flat tummy without exercising or dieting. Well, read on to find out …

Can You Lose Weight Without Exercising?

The answer might surprise you, but YES, it is possible to shed pounds without regularly visiting the gym or going on a strict slimming diet. Of course, no one can deny the health benefits of exercising or how helpful being on a diet can be during your weight loss journey, but, as we already said, sticking to an exercise and restricted diet plan can be hard. Moreover, the number of overweight people and those struggling with obesity is continually increasing, while more and more people declare sticking to a “diet” and going to the gym than ever.

So, speaking of health, if you’ve decided to embark on a weight loss journey, know that to shed pounds in a healthy way as well as to make sure you don’t gain weight in the future, you’ll need to make certain changes to your lifestyle.

10 Proven Ways You Can Lose Weight Without Exercising Or Dieting

1. Don’t Keep High-Calorie Foods Visible

Keeping unhealthy, high-calorie foods where you can easily see them can make you feel hungry and have a craving for them, leading you to consume more food unnecessarily. One study has indicated that less healthy food was visible in homes of obese people than in homes of non-obese people, with unhealthy food stored in many visible locations. Obese participants were found to be more reliant on fast food and less able to manage to eat in different situations, and they showed higher food insecurity (1).

Moreover, another study has found that people who kept soft drinks, candies, dried fruit, and cereal visible on their kitchen counters had higher body mass index than those who kept a bowl of fruit (2). So, if you want to shed some pounds, you now know what foods you should keep on your kitchen counter. And when it comes to unhealthy foods, make sure you keep them in cupboards or anywhere where they won’t temp you to eat them when you are hungry.

2. Drink a Good Amount of Water

Drinking water, particularly before a meal, can make you consume less food, thereby helping you shed pounds. One study has shown that consuming 500 milliliters of water before every main meal results in weight loss in middle-aged and older people. Participants who drank water before a meal demonstrated a 44 percent greater decrease in weight during a period of 12 weeks compared with participants who didn’t drink water before a meal (3).

Moreover, another study has found that water, compared with beverages containing added sugars, plays an essential role in lowering calorie intake. As a result, it may prevent obesity (4).

3. Serve Unhealthy Foods on Smaller Plates

Eating food on a smaller plate makes a serving appear larger and as a result, it may help you reduce the amount of food you eat, whereas a big plate may make portions appear tinier, thereby leading you to fill the plate with more food. One study has shown that using the size of a bowl and/or serving spoon can help you manage how much you eat. Those who want to shed pounds should eat in smaller plates and use smaller serving spoons, whereas those who need to gain more weight should use bigger ones (5).

So, if you’re trying to lose weight, you can benefit a lot from this piece of information. You can eat healthy food in larger plates and serve processed or junk food on smaller plates.

4. Eat Attentively

Focusing on what you eat can cause you to eat less. When you’re eating and playing a game on your mobile or watching your favorite movie or show on Netflix, you stop paying attention to how much food you’ve eaten. This habit can lead to overeating.

A review of 24 studies has indicated that eating while distracted leads to a moderate increase in food intake, and moreover, it causes a greater food intake at a meal later in the same day (6).

So, if you want to lose weight, make sure you’re completely aware of the food when you’re eating. Turn off your cell phone or refrain from constantly looking at it, and yes, turn off your TV too.

5. Chew Your Food Completely without Rushing

Studies have shown that chewing your food slowly and thoroughly is related to eating smaller bites and this can lower later meal intake as well as energy intake (7, 8). So, how big your bites are and how quickly you chew them can have an effect on your weight. One study has shown that eating quickly leads to excess body weight (9).

To develop a habit of chewing slowly and thoroughly, it would be helpful if you try counting how many times you chew a bite.

6. Consume a Lot of Protein

Consuming food which is rich in protein can help you shed pounds as it promotes satiety. One study has revealed that increased protein intake makes you feel full to a larger extent than foods packed with fats or carbohydrates (10). The reason for this may be that protein intake is related to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and ghrelin hormones which regulate appetite. One study has demonstrated that a diet high in protein, compared to a diet that has an adequate amount of protein, increases satiety and this is related to concentrations of GLP-1 and ghrelin (11).

Then, another study has shown that increased protein intake from 15-30 percent of energy helped participants consume 441 fewer calories, reduce fat mass, and lose 4.9 +/- 0.5 kilograms for 12 weeks (12).

So, if you enjoy eating cereal for breakfast, you might want to consider replacing this with a meal which is packed with protein, such as lentils, eggs, white and black beans, chicken breasts, and almonds. For example, one study revealed that obese and overweight women who had eggs for breakfast felt more satiated and consumed fewer calories than women who had a bagel. Additionally, their calorie intake stayed lower for the whole day and over the next 36 hours (13).

7. Avoid Drinking Sugary Drinks

Studies have demonstrated that consuming drinks that are sugar-sweetened was associated with a higher rate of type 2 diabetes and a higher rate of coronary heart disease in women (14,15 ). Moreover, another study has revealed that decreased consumption of sugar sweetened drinks makes obesity less common (16).

So, if you’re someone who enjoys drinking soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks, you might want to consider replacing these beverages with healthy ones, such as plain water and green tea.

8. Eat Foods Packed with Fiber

Consuming foods which are a rich source of fiber promotes feelings of fullness as it makes you feel satiated for a longer period of time. Studies have found that some soluble fiber might help lower energy intake and regulate appetite. Viscous soluble fiber plays an essential role in promoting satiety. Namely increased viscosity postpones gastric emptying and lowers nutrient absorption (17,18 ).

9. Develop Healthy Sleep Habits and Reduce Your Stress Levels

Stress and sleep are often undermined factors that affect your body weight and appetite. One study has revealed that lack of sleep affects the two hormones which regulate appetite, leptin, and ghrelin. Participants who were included in the study and who slept less than 8 hours a night had increased ghrelin, decreased leptin, and an increased body mass index. Those differences in the hormones were likely to lead to increased appetite. In Western countries, where food is greatly accessible and sleep deprivation is common, changes in leptin and ghrelin hormones with reduction in sleep can lead to obesity (19).

Moreover, lack of sleep is related to increased hunger and it can increase the risk of developing diabetes (20).

When it comes to stress, when you’re dealing with it, your body releases the hormone cortisol. A study that included 59 healthy women has demonstrated that after being exposed to stress, participants ate more food and they preferred to consume sweet foods. The study concluded that psychophysiological reactions to stress can affect consuming food after stress. With time, these changes could affect health and body weight (21).

10. Consume Homemade Foods

One study has indicated that often eating dinner prepared at home is related to having a healthier diet regardless of whether someone is trying to shed pounds or not (22). The reason for this might be that when you cook food at home, you are more likely to include fresh, pesticide-free fruits and vegetables as well as other natural foods in your diet.

And now, let’s see …

How To Reduce Belly Fat Without Exercise

If exercising isn’t your cup of tea, and you want to get a flat tummy, you can make this a reality in the following 10 ways:

  • Consume more vitamin C. This vitamin is known for its ability to help improve digestion.
  • Consume foods packed with protein. Protein promotes feelings of satiety and reduces cravings.
  • Cut down on foods containing added sugars.
  • Avoid consuming starchy foods. Foods, such as pasta, white bread, potato, noodle, and cornflour have a good amount of starch. When starch is consumed in large quantities, it gets stored as fat in your body.
  • Drink plenty of water. Drinking water prevents bloating and helps eliminate toxins from your body.
  • Cleanse your body. The best way to do that is by drinking plain water, lemon water, and detox drinks.
  • Walking can be a wonderful substitute for an hour of exercising in the gym. This activity helps you burn calories and improves your metabolism.
  • Lower your stress levels. Dealing with stress for a longer period of time can result in weight gain because when you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, which slows down your metabolism, increases your appetite, and causes you to have a craving for fatty and sweet foods.

So, no matter what a busy life you’re leading, make sure you squeeze some relaxing activities into your hectic schedule. Meditating, listening to music, reading books, watching movies, spending time with your friends are all activities that can lower your stress levels and help you relax.

  • Include probiotics in your daily menu. Probiotics improve your digestive system by balancing good bacteria in the gut. They may also help prevent diarrhea and alleviate symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and mild ulcerative colitis.
  • Cut down on processed and fast food.

How To Lose Thigh Fat Without Exercise

  • Lower the number of carbs you consume. This will help your body get rid of excess water.
  • Lower your salt intake. Increased salt intake prevents your body from eliminating excess water, which in turn can lead to bloating and change the way your thighs appear.
  • Drink a lot of water. Besides having zero calories, water helps your body get rid of toxins and it has a positive effect on your muscles.
  • Consume foods that are high in fiber. This makes you feel satiated for longer, which means you’ll consume less calories and you won’t have a craving for unhealthy food.
  • Consume more fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and whole - grain foods.

But, if you’re someone who is a big fan of dieting and exercising, know that when it comes to shedding pounds in the long run, they play an equally important role in it. Cutting calories is as important as burning off calories.

Losing Weight With The Help Of Exercise VS Diet

To make sure you lose weight healthily and that those skinny jeans fit you for longer, you must come up with a diet plan with which you can live and stick for all your life, not just a short-term plan that regularly leads to weight regain. Similarly, whether you’re a beginner when it comes to exercising or someone who likes to visit the gym several times a week, you need to design an exercise plan that you can always stick to, not just when you’re trying to shed some pounds or preparing to go on holiday and doing everything in your power to show that slim, toned body on the beach.

What you need to remember is that you should give your body the things that nourish it and keep it healthy, not things that harm your physical and mental health.

Conclusion:

  • Losing weight without exercising or dieting is possible.
  • To shed pounds in a healthy manner, you need to make certain changes to your lifestyle.
  • It is possible, too, to get rid of belly fat and lose thigh fat without doing physical exercises.
  • Both diet and exercising play an equally significant role in shedding pounds.

Benjamin Wilson

He is a fitness trainer and part-time blogger interested in nutrition and in leading a healthy lifestyle. He writes smart and inspirational articles on nutrition supported by scientific research and his own personal experience in the healthcare industry.
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