7 Life Hacks For Maintaining Your Weight
Everyone loves life hacks right?..
Once you reach your transformation goals, it can be tricky to maintain, especially in the summer. There’s so much social activity that it can be hard not to be swept up in the moment. It’s easy to indulge just a little too much. So to give you a bit of support throughout the sunny season, we’ve come up with 7 life hacks for maintaining your weight. And for those of you who are still on your weight loss journey, these hacks can work for you too!
Water When You Wake
As soon as you wake up, grab a quick glass of water. In fact, have it ready on your bedside table the night before. Not only will this take away any early hunger pangs you might have (leading to snacking) it will also help with the smooth running of your metabolism. A slick working metabolism is essential for weight loss and maintenance.
Bring Zing To Your H2O
When it comes to hydration, you can’t get any better than water, but there is something you can add to make it more interesting. Pop in a slice of lemon. Not only will it add colour and flair to your beverage but citrus encourages weight loss. In fact, 1 lemon contains your recommended daily amount of vitamin C. Vitamin C blocks the stress hormone cortisol that’s responsible for fat storage and hunger. As an added bonus, this brightly coloured fruit is packed with polyphenols which science suggests discourages weight gain.
Dress For Success
Did you know that ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ is a thing? Yes, we can trick ourselves into all sorts of ideas. And psychologists have discovered that if you put effort into how you look before eating a meal, you’re more likely to make healthier choices. This is because you have reminded yourself that you care about your appearance and have put your goals into the front of your mind. Clever, ‘ey?
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall.
Ever notice your reflection in shop windows as you walk by? Depending on where you are in your transformation, you might love seeing it or you might hate it. You are either reminded of how far you’ve come or how far you’ve got to go. Right then and there you have your goals at the front of your mind. Your reflection is a powerful thing, so put it to use in the kitchen. Yes, we are suggesting you hang a mirror in the kitchen to make you second guess that chocolate cake. And it does work. Studies have been carried out and results show that when faced with a mirror in the room, people choose fruit over cake every time.
Make It Insta’ Worthy
We’re sure that some of you over a certain age have happily let the trend of taking pictures of your food, (and sharing it) pass you by. And we get it, but maybe you should reconsider. Research suggests that people who can recall how satisfied they were with their last meal will eat considerably less at their next one. So taking a picture of your food before you chow down will give you a great reminder of what you ate. It’s especially helpful if you can’t remember what you ate from one day to the next and it all becomes a blur!
Sleeping Beauty
You’ve probably heard us mention this before, but good quality sleep is so important for your health and can aid weight loss or management. In the summer it can be harder to fall asleep because of the heat, but we encourage you to try and make it happen. The reason is that research has proved that those who didn’t achieve at least 7 hours of sleep were more at risk of weight gain than those who did. So keep your bedroom curtains closed during the day to prevent the heat from getting in. Or invest in a fan, and turn off those devices. Then you can bunk down for some quality zzz’s! This is one of our favourite life hacks!
Catch Some Morning Rays
We all know that getting some sunshine will give us a boost of vitamin D, but did you know that it can also help you lose weight? According to several studies, people who make the most of the morning sun, (between 8 am and noon) had lower BMIs and higher fat-burning abilities than those that didn’t. This was irrespective of fitness levels, age, sleep quality and calorie intake. So as soon as you get up make sure you bask in that glorious sunshine before you head out to work.
Well there you have it, 7 life hacks to help you maintain or lose weight. We hope you found them interesting and are up for giving some of them a go. We’d love to know what you chose and how it worked out for you. Even if you don’t try any, you’ve learned something new, right? And that’s never a bad thing. Either way, we hope you’re having a glorious summer!
