In the United States alone, nearly two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese. It’s a serious problem leading to dangerous, chronic health conditions that can turn fatal.
Many of these people are trying to fix their weight issue, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. We all know that consistent exercise and eating right are the keys to preventing obesity. Once you’ve already passed that level, though, you may need some extra help.
It’s hard to exercise when you’re tired from being overweight. It’s challenging to eat healthy when the price of nutritious food is double or more the cost of its unhealthy counterpart.
The vicious circle may make you feel like you’re stuck in the obesity cycle for life, but that doesn’t have to be true. These three clever approaches to losing weight don’t include exercise and can help you get healthier.
1. Start With Cutting the Condiments
Did you know that condiments alone can be adding hundreds of calories to your diet each day?
Sure, they taste good, but are they absolutely necessary for your meal? Once you learn how many calories are in each condiment, you might not think so.
Some of the most unhealthy condiments include:
- Mayonnaise with 10 grams of fat, 100 calories, and 90 milligrams of sodium per serving
- Whipped salad dressings, such as ranch, with as little as 4 grams of fat, 40 calories, and 105 milligrams of sodium per serving
- Tartar sauce with 8 grams of fat, 75 calories, and 115 milligrams of sodium per serving
Even condiments that don’t have a lot of fat or calories can still be unhealthy. Soy sauce, for instance, has nearly 1000 milligrams of sodium per serving. Dietary guidelines suggest we have less than 2,300 milligrams per day. One meal with soy sauce more than covers that.
If you love condiments for added flavor, get to know which ones are safe and which ones you should avoid. You can easily knock out thousands of calories per week with this tiny substitution.
2. Consider Weight Loss Strains of Cannabis
You might be wondering how marijuana can help you lose weight, and that’s a common question.
Marijuana has had the stereotypical reputation of giving users “the munchies” and adding weight. But now that more independent research has been done on this herbal product, we know that specific strains of cannabis can be used as appetite suppressants.
Not all cannabis is the same. There are hundreds of plants in this category. The strains that contain Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) are the plants that impact your appetite and metabolism.
THC stimulates your appetite and is the cannabinoid that is responsible for “the munchies.” It’s also responsible for the intoxicating effects of marijuana. If you’re trying to lose weight, you’d avoid cannabis with THC in it.
THCV, on the other hand, doesn’t have the psychoactive compounds that THC does. It’s an appetite suppressant that, in small doses, decreases your CB1 receptor. Research shows that people with a decreased CB1 receptor are more likely to have a healthier weight.
When your goal is weight loss, cannabis with THCV could be the solution.
3. Substitute Where You Can
As with swapping out condiments, there are other choices you can make to cut major calories without sacrificing meals.
Sugary drinks are a big source of empty calories. It’s easy to consume your maximum daily calories in your beverages alone!
If your diet includes soda, sweet tea, hot chocolate, or flavored coffees, start substituting at least one drink a day with water. If you don’t enjoy the taste of water, there are lots of low-calorie flavored waters and powders you can buy.
Swap out butter or white bread with whole or multi-grained varieties. These can take some time to get used to, but the benefits are immense.
As you start making simple substitutions, your body will begin to show you its appreciation. You’ll have more energy, better restful sleep, and a gradual, healthy weight loss.
Conclusion
Radical diet changes and exercise aren’t necessary to fight the obesity epidemic. What is necessary is to learn about how your body works and find ways to trick your mind into changing its habits willingly.
With a few clever and simple changes to your lifestyle, you’ll have more energy, and you’ll lose weight naturally!
