Can You Lose Weight Without Exercising?

can you lose weight without exercising lady relaxing in chair

Written by Maxine Wright

Adv Dip Health Science Naturopathy, Nutrition         After many decades as a practicing Naturopath, Herbalist, Nutritionist and weight loss coach in South East Queensland, Maxine recently sold her clinic and is now enjoying retirement.

October 18, 2016

Can you lose weight without exercising? You bet. And it’s easier than you think.

For many, the resolve to shed a few extra kilos is often overtaken by the horror of having to endure long, sweaty cardio sessions; or the dread of attending gym classes run by intimidating personal trainers with biceps bigger than your torso!

It can be the idea of the pain that this exercise will cause, both mentally and physically, that keeps people glued to their lifestyle and unwilling to take the first step to making a change.

Well, we’ve got some good news for you, and that is that exercise is such a minimal part of successfully reaching a weight loss goal that it isn’t always necessary. There are some things you can put in place today that will help you shrink your waistline without you having to move a muscle.

It’s important to remember when starting a weight loss journey, in addition to losing fat, your body is also healing. On our program for instance, we don’t advise people to do strenuous exercise because the body is already “exercising internally”. It is working hard to access & utilise the stored fat, clean cells, detoxify and improve overall health.

Here are six proven tips that show you CAN lose weight without exercising.

Eat slower.

When you eat, your stomach sends messages to the brain to tell it when it’s full, but this message takes a few minutes to communicate. When you eat quickly, this message is sent long after the moment has passed and you’ve often eaten more than enough by this point, resulting in that full, sluggish feeling that we all know so well. Eating slower and chewing food thoroughly gives your stomach enough time to tell your brain exactly when you need to stop eating. This is a simple trick to eating less by avoiding the extra mouthfuls of food that your body doesn’t need.

Eat more protein

Protein helps you feel fuller for longer. Try to have protein with every meal and swap your morning tea biscuits for a boiled egg or a small tin of tuna to get you through to your next mealtime.

Drink lots of water

Staying hydrated is crucial for weight loss. Hunger and thirst are often interchangeable in the body and are presented in the same way – a rumbling tummy. If you experience hunger pangs, have a big drink of water before reaching for a snack and wait a few minutes to see if hydrating your body takes away the feeling of hunger.

Avoid stress

When you’re stressed, your body releases a chemical called cortisol. Your body is now in fight or flight mode designed to keep you safe, but too much cortisol causes weight gain. Avoiding stress will reduce cortisol which will lead to weight loss without you having to change a single thing to your diet. It’s also another guaranteed way to lose weight without exercise.

Sleep well

When you sleep, hormones called leptin and ghrelin regulate your appetite. A lack of sleep stunts the production of leptin which tells your body when it’s full. Lack of sleep also encourages ghrelin which makes you feel hungry. While these chemicals have opposite effects on your body, the production of both are thrown into disarray when you lack sleep.

Avoid sugar

Sugar turns to fat. Eating it in the form of chocolate, cakes, chips and doughnuts increases your waistline unnecessarily. Cut sugar products out of your diet and replace them with healthier food choices.

If you’ve been wondering how to lose weight without exercise, I hope these tips help. By adopting some simple changes into your lifestyle, you might quickly shift a kilo or two without having to step one foot closer to the lycra!

If you feel like you could benefit from a structured approach to weight loss without exercise, with the added benefits of professional support and products backed by naturopaths all around Australia, our 23 day diet drops are a great place to start.

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