5 Easy (like really easy) Nutrition Hacks for Weight Loss
“If nothing changes, then nothing changes.” You’ve heard this one before, right? Well, the same holds trues when it comes to weight loss. Adding exercise to your routine is great, like really, really great. But if your nutrition remains the same, then your results will be sub-par at best. It’s like filling a luxury vehicle up with regular gas. I mean sure it will run, but it will run much better (especially in the long run) with premium gas.
In order to change, you must create change. See what I did there? Cheesy, I know. Anyway, changing your habits is not an easy task at all. I mean if you’re used to eating a certain way for your entire life, it’s just not that simple to change everything over night. And that’s ok because overhauling your entire lifestyle and choices overnight isn’t a recipe for lasting results. Small changes over time will lead you to succeed.
Enter, nutrition hacks. Usually articles written with nutrition hacks or eat this, not that are pretty obvious. Choose water over soda, choose grilled not fried, fruit over dessert, cut your portions in half, blah, blah, blah. While these are all great suggestions that will most likely lead to weight loss, they can be drastic dependent on how polar opposite your diet is currently. They can also take some time to work towards and that’s ok.
So while you are working up to making some larger changes to your diet over time, or baby-stepping it, below are 5 easy (like really easy) nutrition hacks that you can make today, without disrupting you entire lifestyle. And the best part is, they will make a difference. Now go ahead and make some changes today!
Fruit Over Fruit Juice
This is a great one and one that’s so easy to swap without substituting your love for fruit. If you drink juice in the morning with your breakfast, next time grab a piece of fruit to enjoy instead of the juice. An orange for orange juice, an apple for apple juice, so on and so forth.
The great thing about making this swap is the sugar content is WAY LOWER. For example one orange has 9g of sugar where one small glass of orange juice has 21g of sugar. Cutting the sugar in your diet will positively impact your weight loss and your overall health. Additionally, the fiber in the fruit will help slow down the digestion and process of sugar in your body.
Open Up Your Sandwich
The is another great hack and one that’s really easy to make while still getting to enjoy bread. Next time you make (or order) a sandwich, opt for an open face one with just one piece of bread. Cutting out an entire piece of bread will save you many excess calories and starchy carbs, which you want to limit anyway when trying to lose weight. Any you can still enjoy your bread, just less of it 🙂
Greek Yogurt for Cooking
If you love to cook and/or bake, this one is totally for you. You may have heard of swapping out heavy oils, butter and cream for a lesser offender and been skeptical about it…with good reason. Having tired some of these swaps before (applesauce for butter) and not been very successful, I get the hesitation. BUT, let me tell you, greek yogurt is a great substitution and one that actually works. Check out the below chart for some yogurt substations you can make next time you cook..or bake.
Plain Oatmeal Over Flavored Oatmeal
If you’re an oatmeal lover, this is a swap you must make. Pre-packaged flavored oatmeal is LOADED with sugar. What starts out looking like a healthy breakfast, easily gets turned into a sugar-bomb one. A breakfast that may as well be compared to sugar cereal.
The good news is that if you prefer flavored oatmeal, you can still prepare unflavored oatmeal and then add some of your favorite topping afterwards – fruit, nuts, peanut butter, etc. Doing so will cut a ton of sugar out of your diet, which is imperative for weight loss (and your health).
Zucchini Noodles Over Pasta
Now this one you can totally take it or leave it as I understand zucchini noodles do not taste exactly like fresh pasta. However, if you’re trying to lose weight and cut back on your starchy carbohydrates (which is important for weight loss), it’s a great alternative to pasta AND I assure you, it is quite delicious with some marinara sauce, fresh parmesan and some meatballs for a little protein. Yummm!
Written by Sophie DeHenzel
5 Easy (like really easy) Nutrition Hacks for Weight Loss
Photos Courtesy of (top to bottom): gunnar3000/bigstockphoto.com, gorilla/bigstockphoto.com, Chobani, jenny foto/bigstockphoto.com
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Hi, I’m Sophie. I’m Co-Owner of DeHenzel Training Systems, Precision Nutrition Level 1 ProCoach, Certified Personal Trainer and Pre/Post Natal Specialist. I’m also a wife, mom, tennis beginner and ice cream lover.
Most importantly, I love helping people just like you gain control of their health for good. If you’re tired, frustrated and still struggling to rein in your diet and get moving, check out our nutrition and personal training services and take the first step today.
About DeHenzel Training Systems: DeHenzel Training Systems offers In Home Personal Training services throughout Northern Virginia and Washington DC. Aside from in home, personal training is also available at the office gym or outdoors at a local park. We also offer Nutrition Coaching and Online Personal Training services worldwide.
Within Northern Virginia, we service Arlington, Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William Counties including: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Falls Church, Gainesville, Great Falls, Haymarket, Herndon, Lansdowne, Leesburg, Lorton, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Tyson’s Corner, Vienna and Woodbridge.
