5 Easy ways to trick your body into losing weight

Struggling to lose weight but can’t stand another diet? Join the club! Wouldn't it be great if losing weight could be effortless?

It might sound like wishful thinking but, after doing some research, I found five surprising ways to lose weight without dieting.

If you want to fool your body into shedding those extra kilos without feeling deprived, give these tips a try…

1. Eat more for breakfast

It’s common to start the day with a light breakfast and end off with a large dinner. However, if you simply swop breakfast and dinner you’ll lose weight without changing anything else!

It might sound too good to be true, but a study by the Tel Aviv University found that even when research participants consumed the same number of calories per day, big breakfast eaters lost eight kilograms, while big dinner eaters lost only three kilograms during the 12 week study period.

2. Turn daily chores into fat burners

Instead of dreading daily chores, rush to get done and you’ll turn those to-do list activities into fat-burners!

A study by the University of Utah found that even brief physical activity exceeding a certain level of intensity, like brisk walking down the supermarket aisles instead of strolling, could help you slim down.

The researchers found that for women, each daily minute spent moving at a higher-intensity, related to a decrease of .07 Body Mass Index (BMI). This means that when comparing two women that are 1.67 metres tall, the woman who regularly adds a minute of brisk activity to her day will weigh 230 grams less.

3. Have a snack… seriously!

Why starve yourself when you could enjoy snacks and still lose weight?!

That’s right - you can snack and lose weight! According to a presentation at the 2013 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo® in Chicago, some snacks actually help us eat less!

For example, one study found that people who regularly consumed almonds as a mid-morning snack reported increased feelings of satiety "resulting in a reduced energy intake at lunch and dinner with no increase in overall" calorie intake.

In another study, participants' overall daily intake was lowered, after they received a regular portion of cereal as a snack each day for six weeks.

So the next time you feel peckish, snack on healthy high-fibre cereal, raw and unsalted nuts or fruit.

4. Cut food into small pieces

You don’t have to stop enjoying your food to lose weight, simply cut it into smaller pieces.

According to research from the Arizona State University, this trick will not only ensure that you enjoy your meal even more, it could help curb your appetite!

Researchers found participants who ate a bagel that had been cut into bite-sized pieces ate less later on than participants who were presented with a whole bagel.

5. Sleep your way slim

If you want to lose weight, turn in a little earlier every evening and the scale will thank you, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvania.

Researchers found that when healthy adults go to bed too late, they’re more susceptible to weight gain, because they tended to eat more calories at night.

And there you have it – five of the easiest ways to lose weight without dieting! For more great weight loss tips, click here.

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