To promote a lean physique, focus on five essential practices.
While some people may maintain their weight more quickly than others, this is only sometimes the case, mainly because you never know what is going on with someone’s health. Being “lean” does not always imply being healthy, and being “fat” does not mean being sick. However, if your objective is to lose weight and get to a healthy weight, a few dietary habits might help you acquire a leaner physique.
Weight reduction and leaning out look different for everyone, and each person must discover their strategy or way of doing things that are healthy and sustainable for them. Still, several dietitian-approved tricks can benefit everyone. Focused on these simple tactics that most people can incorporate into their daily lives will lead you to your goals far more sustainably than focusing on fast solutions or fad diets.
There is no “get lean quick” shortcut to success. A slim body for life takes time, and certain behaviors require time and effort to implement before they become a part of your existence. But, on the other hand, taking the time to work on them pays off in the long run! So, what are some of the dietary habits that can assist you in achieving a lean physique over time? Continue reading to discover—and for more healthy eating recommendations to help you keep your slim physique in the long run.
1. Don’t skip meals.
You may believe that you must eat a lot less to lose weight, which can lead to missing meals and not getting enough calories. On the other hand, those that are thinner do not skip meals and eat only when hungry.
When we eat regularly, we provide our bodies with a consistent supply of fuel. Skipping meals makes us more likely to arrive at the following meal starving. Then it’s even more difficult to moderate portions or eat consciously, making remaining thin even more difficult. If you overeat at night, you may need to improve your nutrition game earlier in the day!
This guideline also applies to skipping dinner, which you may be tempted to do to save calories and avoid weight gain by eating before bed. However, it can, unfortunately, prevent you from attaining your objectives.
2. Have a mindful eating practice.
Instead of restricting yourself, try eating consciously, which includes engaging your senses while eating without distractions. Eating consciously makes you much more likely to focus on not eating past your fullness cues. This helps to reduce overeating, excessive calorie consumption, and eating out of boredom.
Mindful eating might help you avoid feeling hungry or stuffed. Mindfulness helps you maintain a healthy weight and connection with food by making the eating experience more neutral and less charged. Those who ate thoughtfully could slow their eating, resulting in them feeling fuller sooner. As a result, fewer calories were consumed.
If you struggle to be present when eating, start simply by eliminating dinnertime distractions, such as having the TV on or staring at your phone the entire meal, to allow greater concentration on what you’re putting into your mouth. Though it may feel unusual or even uncomfortable at first, the more you practice mindful eating, the more natural it will become over time, and the better you will get at it.
3. Eat balanced meals instead of only aiming for low-calorie ones.
Eating balanced meals that keep you full and content for longer is an eating habit that can help you acquire a leaner body. A balanced meal includes all three macronutrients, protein, carbs, fat, and a range of food groups.
Meals with various nutrients enhance leanness over time by keeping calories under control. A balanced meal, for example, would frequently include fruits or vegetables, which are high in fiber and low in calories, allowing you to feel full while maintaining a healthy weight.
4. Have small moments of indulgences.
Yes, eating properly is vital, but so is occasionally indulging in some delectable pleasures. Here’s why: We frequently believe that to lose weight, we must eliminate all of our favorite junk foods, but this rigorous approach can leave us feeling disheartened or even depressed even before our weight loss journey has begun. However, when it comes to achieving a slimmer build in ways that are more likely to stick, indulging yourself sometimes can be a better setting for long-term success. Though you don’t want these delights to derail your weight loss efforts, allowing yourself the occasional less-than-healthy snack might also help you avoid burning out on your general healthy eating plan too soon.
5. Find other ways to handle stress.
If you notice that your appetite increases when you’re anxious, angry, upset, or experiencing other extreme emotions, and you tend to keep eating even after you’ve had your fill and no longer feel hungry, you may be what’s known as an emotional eater.
Food is a popular way to cope with negative emotions but can lead to weight gain. In addition, emotional eating is linked to weight growth and abdominal fat gain, and this link is exacerbated if there is a loss of quality sleep as well.
Instead of instantly turning to food for comfort, the first step to eliminating emotional eating is to develop and practice healthy emotional coping skills to assist in effectively addressing your body’s response to particular circumstances. If you need assistance in this area, chat with a nutritionist or an MD about effective strategies to work on regulating these complicated emotions without relying on food as a crutch.
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