How To Lose Weight Without Really Trying

Losing weight doesn’t have to be hard. We’ve put together easy tips and tricks that will help you trim up quickly and easily …

5 ways to lose weight without really trying 2

It’s a great post filled with information and insights so be sure to read all the way to the end. We’ve included lots of great Infographics for you to Pin too.

There are so many fad diets and exercises out there that by the time we’re two days into trying them, we’re burnt out.

All of the motivation we felt after our New Years resolution to lose weight has dissipated and those chocolate doughnuts are starting to look really good right about now.

But there are ways you can lose weight without stretching yourself to the limit. There’s no need to eat boring meals and exhaust your body from gym classes. You can find ways to take things at your pace, oh and did I mention?

You can eat real food that tastes really good. We put together some helpful tips on ways to lose weight through simple methods as well as a seven day meal plan that gives you “cheat days.” That’s right, your cravings aren’t completely cut out.

You can still indulge while watching your waistline shrink. Sometimes when we’re trying to lose weight, we’ll wish that there was someone with us helping us to meal plan. Someone that could show us dishes that tasted good and helped us lose weight (without having to pay them money).

But Woman’s Day has done just this! They’ve created a seven day meal plan that gives a great variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also include snacks and sweets so you aren’t going without.

We picked and chose some of their recipes that we thought you’d like, and added a few bonus recipes from us too!

Breakfast

Calories for Each Meal: 300

1. Greek yogurt parfait: 8 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt + 1 diced nectarine + 1 tsp honey + 3 Tbsp sliced almonds

2. Maple almond oatmeal: 1 cup cooked oatmeal + 1 Tbsp almond butter + 2 tsp maple syrup

3. Sunflower pear waffle: 1 whole-grain frozen waffle + 1 Tbsp sunflower butter (tastes like sunflower seeds—loaded with protein) or any nut butter + 1 sliced pear

4. Huevos rancheros: 6″ corn tortilla + 3 egg whites fried in 1 tsp olive oil + ½ cup black beans + ¼ cup fresh salsa + ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

5. Egg sandwich: 1 whole-wheat English muffin + 1 egg fried in 1 tsp olive oil + 1 oz Canadian bacon (about 2 slices) + 1-2 slices tomato

6. Pancakes and bacon: 2 frozen pancakes + 1 tsp honey + ½ sliced banana; 2 slices turkey bacon

7. Strawberry French toast: 1 slice whole-wheat bread dipped in 1 beaten egg and cooked in 1 tsp butter + 1 cup sliced strawberries

8. Simple Delicious bowl of 1 cup toasted oat cereal + 1 cup 1% milk or soy milk + 2 Tbsp tart dried cherries + 1 Tbsp chopped walnuts

Bonus WHOot Recipes!

9. Poached Eggs and Toast: 2 slices of toasted whole-wheat bread and 2 poached (or fried) eggs + optional mashed and salted avocado spread on toast

10. Egg White Scramble: 2 egg whites scrambled + 1/4 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes + 1/4 cup of diced avocado

Lunch

foodiesfeed.com_green-salad-in-a-wooden-bowl

Calories for Each Meal: 400

1. Turkey-bacon-avocado pita: 2 oz deli turkey + 2 pieces of thinly sliced avocado + 1 slice bacon + 1 Tbsp honey mustard + lettuce and tomato + 6″ whole-wheat pita; 1 nectarine

2. Turkey Swiss burger: 4 oz lean ground turkey patty + 1 thin slice Swiss cheese + 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce + lettuce, tomato and onion slices + whole-wheat hamburger bun; 1 cup cantaloupe cubes

3. Grilled shrimp Caesar: 3 cups romaine lettuce + 10 large grilled shrimp + 2 Tbsp Caesar dressing + 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan; 12 whole-wheat pita chips

4. Pasta salad: 2 oz* whole-wheat penne pasta, cooked, then cooled and refrigerated + 5 halved cherry tomatoes + 1 oz part-skim mozzarella, diced + ¼ diced yellow pepper + 2 Tbsp Italian vinaigrette dressing + 2 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

5. Takeout! 1 slice cheese pizza; 2 cups tossed salad + 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette

6. Couscous with chickpeas: ⅓ cup* whole-wheat couscous, cooked + ¾ cup chickpeas + ½ cup diced tomato + ½ cup diced cucumber + 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil + 2 Tbsp crumbled feta

7. Cheese quesadilla: two 8″ whole-wheat tortillas + ¼ cup reduced-fat shredded Cheddar, cooked in nonfat cooking spray; ¼ cup salsa; 2 Tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt; 5 grape tomatoes

8. Asian spinach salad: 3 cups baby spinach + ½ cup skinless rotisserie chicken breast + ½ chopped apple + ¼ cup shelled edamame + ½ cup grated carrots + 2 Tbsp Asian vinaigrette

Bonus WHOot Recipes!

9. Lettuce Tacos: 2-3 whole lettuce leaves + 1 cup of lean ground beef or turkey + 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (chickpeas) + 1 tsp. salt + 1 tsp. garlic powder + any other spice you want to add

10. Avocado Chicken Salad: 1 avocado mashed and salted mixed with 1 diced chicken breast

Dinner

Calories for Each Meal: 500

1. 4 oz lean sirloin steak; ½ baked potato with 2 Tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt; 2 cups mushrooms sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil

2. Mexican burrito bowl: ⅓ cup* brown rice, cooked + ½ cup pinto beans + ½ cup grilled vegetables cooked with 2 spritzes of olive oil cooking spray + ½ cup shredded lettuce + ¼ cup corn salsa + ¼ cup guacamole

3. Takeout! 3 oz ginger chicken with broccoli + 6 oz brown rice

4. Italian tilapia: 6 oz tilapia baked with 1 cup canned diced tomatoes + 4 chopped green olives + 1 tsp olive oil + pinch Italian seasoning; ⅓ cup whole-wheat couscous, cooked

5. Chicken stir-fry: 4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast strips + 2 cups broccoli florets + 1 sliced scallion + 2 tsp peanut oil; ½ cup brown rice, cooked

6. Pasta with cannellini and feta: 2 oz whole-wheat pasta, cooked + ¾ cup cannellini beans + 1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes + 2 tsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil + 1 Tbsp crumbled feta

7. Spaghetti and meatballs: 2 oz whole-wheat spaghetti, cooked + 3 turkey meatballs (1 oz each) + ½ cup marinara sauce; 2 cups tossed salad + 1 Tbsp Italian vinaigrette

8. Portobello burger parmigiana: 1 portobello mushroom cap, misted lightly with olive oil spray and broiled or grilled + ¼ cup marinara sauce + 1-oz slice part-skim mozzarella + fresh basil + whole-wheat hamburger bun; ½ romaine lettuce heart + 1 large sliced tomato + 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette

9. 1 cup summer chili: ¼ cup chopped onion + 2 oz lean ground turkey breast sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil + ½ cup canned white beans + ½ cup corn niblets + ½ cup canned diced tomatoes + hot sauce to taste; ½ cup brown rice, cooked

10. Pasta with chicken and spinach: 2 oz whole-wheat pasta (or mix 1 oz whole-wheat pasta with 1 oz regular), cooked + ½ cup shredded skinless rotisserie chicken breast + 1 cup baby spinach + 1 clove garlic, sliced and sautéed in 1 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp Parmesan

11. BBQ! Grill 4 oz skinless chicken breast, then baste with 1 Tbsp barbecue sauce; 1 ear corn; ½ cup potato salad

Bonus WHOot Recipes!

12. Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar Bacon: 1 or both acorn squash halves + 2 tbs. of butter halved + 2 tbs. of brown sugar halved + 3 bacon strips cooked and diced.

13. Flat Bread Pizza: 1 pre-made whole grain pita/flat bread + 1/4 cup of pasta sauce + 1/4 cup of skim milk mozerella cheese + 1/4 cup of spinach leaves

It’s great to have meals planned out for you when you’re trying to lose weight. But what’s even better is knowing the better cooking and baking substitutes for when you start to create healthier meals for yourself. There are plenty of ways to take out unhealthy ingredients for things that will benefit your weight and your health overall. And you probably won’t even notice the difference when you try out these great options!

First off, we’ll start with baking! When you go to the bakery or look in a cookbook, many of the ingredients aren’t healthy at all. A lot of baked goods are filled with processed ingredients that will ruin your weight and health. But thankfully there are experts out there who have found great substitutes for when you bake your favorite goodies!

Healthy Baking Substitutions — via Real House Moms Report

This beautifully done infographic was done by Real HouseMoms who goes into detail as to why these ingredients are so much better than what the cookbooks call for. She also tells readers how much you need when subbing out the unhealthy ingredients.

An example of one of her substitutions are the eggs for water and flax seed. Eggs can raise your cholesterol, that’s why she suggests that you combine 1 tbs. of ground flax seeds with 2 tbs. of water for every egg you need. Then you’ll let it sit for around 10-15 minutes, or until its become gelatinous.

Another example of one of her healthy substitutes would be the coconut oil for the vegetable oil. Coconut oil melts down quickly in the microwave and can be used in equal amount to the suggested oil. It’s a much healthier option when you bake because vegetable oils are processes and when heated to a certain temperature, anything that’s beneficial in them, gets damaged.

Coconut oil can stand the heat and keeps all of its amazing beneficial vitamins and minerals. And if you’re not a coconut fan, then there’s no need to worry. Coconut oil tastes nothing like artificial coconut and you can even buy unflavored coconut oil at the store.

And of course when you cook dinner, the recipes aren’t always that much better. A lot of the time, the directions call for a high amount of simple carbs that will make you gain instead of lose weight. But this handy infographic, that was created by Skinny Mom and shows the different ingredients you can sub simple carbs out for.

14 Clean Eating Ingredient Swaps — via Skinny Mom Report

Sometimes it can be hard to eat healthy, even when we have all the right ingredients for cooking. But knowing what you’re craving and why you’re craving can help you think about healthier alternatives.

15 Amazing Fruits For Weight Loss — via Fitness Republic Report

This infographic that highlights 15 fruits that you might like to incorporate in your daily menu. These will assist with your weight loss. There are a number of stone fruits, dry fruits and even bananas and avocado’s have made the list.

How To Curb Your Cravings — via Booktable Report

Now one thing you should really look out for are drinks when trying to lose weight. Why? Well, a lot of the things we like to drink are high in sugar and calories. And because they’re basically liquid sugar, you end taking in more of it because it’s easier to drink than eat your calories.

But there are plenty of healthy and tasty drinks out there that you can make yourself. It’s so much better when you can see what’s going into it and know that the ingredients are benefiting your body, not destroying it.

We found a list of delicious smoothies you could make to help you lose weight and stay healthy.

The Ultimate Guide To 3 Ingredient Smoothies

There are also easier and healthier drinks that will detox your system and help you lose weight. I’ve created quite a few detox drinks before and had them first thing in the morning. When I did this regularly, I could definitely see and feel the difference.

A couple of my favorites are green tea + mint + lime, and the cucumber + lemon + lime. Both are rich in antioxidants which help fight against aging and speed up your metabolism. Be sure to view our post on Fruit Infused Water

Now many of us don’t always have the time to lose weight or we don’t always have the drive. But there are easier and smaller ways to drop a few pounds without exhausting ourselves at the gym or sticking to a strict diet regiment.

It’s so important to remember that it only takes a few small steps to see progress, and when you see progress, you’ll want to take it a step further and do more for your health and weight.

So for instance, you could cut just one thing out of your diet or daily habits. Because we all know that if we start a diet and cut out everything, we’ll be miserable and quit. Or if we join some intense fitness class at the very beginning of our weight loss journey, we’ll give up once we’re burned out (which usually happens the very next morning).

So sub out that doughnut or chips or that triple shot mocha latte from Starbucks, that you have every day, for something healthier. Instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs.

This 10 Minute Metabolism Work Out will really help to get your body pumping! Do this every day and watch your body shape change dramatically.

10 Secrets About Speeding Up Your Metabolism

Urbane Women have put together 10 ways to get your metabolism working correctly.

20 Metabolism Boosting Foods — Infographic via Health Beckon Report

Find just one thing that will get you started on a healthier lifestyle and help you lose weight – Metabolism Booster

the amazing ways to lose weight — via Chasing Foxes Report

Now if you are someone who plans on creating a workout regiment and setting bit (or small) weight loss goals, then there are some awesome ways to optimize the time you spend working out. One of them would be pre and post workout meals and snacks. Because if you eat the right thing before working out, it will give you more energy to burn even more calories. Seriously a great way to lose weight!

And if you eat after, your body will burn more calories (from the food) and you won’t gain a thing. Also, it’s just good to replenish your body with nutritious (protein packed) foods after working so hard.

pre-post-workout snacks — Infographic Health You Beauty Report

If you’re looking for an easy workout to do every day to get in shape, then try this simple morning exercise routine. You will feel some burn, but it won’t be intense enough to discourage you from doing it again.

The Everyday Wakeup Workout — – Exercise Ideas via ‘Diary of a Fit Mommy’ Report

We all know that we shouldn’t eat chips or drink that soda; they make us gain instead of lose weight and destroy our health. But there are foods that are packaged as a healthy (or healthier) option, that we shouldn’t be eating at all.

Strange to say, but foods like granola and rice cakes are snacks and meals we should stay away from. Granola is seen to be a healthy option for breakfast, but it turns out that granola (unless you make it yourself) is filled with sugars and fats, making it quite the opposite.

And rice cakes, the snack that’s suppose to be low on calorie and no fat? Yeah, that’s high on the glycemic index. The glycemic index measures how much a food impacts your blood sugar. Sugar is rated as 100 with rice cakes being 82. Definitely not something you want to take in if you want to blood sugar down.

Worst Foods For Weight Loss — source — Skinny Mom Report

If you’re overweight for your height and looking to lose weight quickly, then this diet is for you. Called the “Shock Diet,” it will help you lose pounds in a healthy way, detox your body, and reduce our cholesterol fast. In just 15 days, you can lose 30 pounds; now that’s incredible!

The diet includes a meal plan for 5 days that will get you to your weight loss goal. All you have to do is repeat it two more time until you reach 15 days. So if you want to get ready for summer or start off the New Year in a healthy way, then try the Shock Diet.

It’s easy to follow; nothing complex. Just simple meals and snacks meant to help your body shed the pounds. So for instance, on Day 1, they’ll have you eating 1 orange, 1 toast, and 1 cup of tea or coffee without sugar. Then for lunch you’ll eat 1 orange, 1 boiled egg, and 1 yogurt. Finally, for dinner you’ll have 2 tomatoes, 2 boiled eggs, and 1 bowl of green salad.

Throughout the days, they vary it, but usually keep it the same and very simple. Nothing too hard to follow and no expensive ingredients that will make you go over your grocery budget.

Lose 30 Pounds In 15 Days - Shock Diet — Source — Shock Diet Report

If you’re looking to find more ways to lose weight, then you’re in luck. There are plenty of ways to motivate yourself and get on track to meet your goal weight.

So for instance, you need to develop healthy habits. One of the only ways you’re going to stay consistent with your weight loss is to do this. So to keep off the pounds, you need to gradually change any bad habits (such as eating and sedentary habits), then set a small and concise rule for keeping the new good habits. Then build a ritual around your new habit and stick to it for at least 30 days. The reason for this? Well habits are usually formed after a month.

For example, if you want to eat healthier, then sub out half of the carbs in your meals for three pieces of veggies or fruits (or a healthier complex carb).

Another way to lose weight is to lift weights. You can lose weight fast if you start doing three lift weight sessions (you can start small) a week. It helps to build muscle and muscle burns body fat. And it’s easy, all you have to do is start lifting dumbbells while you watch your favorite show on Netflix.

Or if you want to do something a bit more intense, then look into taking burpee classes or throwing in some deadlifts and squats into your weight lifting regiment.

Now if you want to lose weight faster, then you need to exercise in the morning. Apparently, people who exercise in the morning are more consistent with their workout routine and workout harder than those who chose to do it later in the day. This helps them to lose even more weight in the long run and stay fit.

So set up a time to wake up in the morning and do a simple or more intense workout routine to get your metabolism going for the day

Next, you want to set realistic goals. If you set goals that are high, such as losing ten pounds in a week, and then only lose two, you’re going to feel defeated. Instead, set a low goal such as losing two pounds, and if you lose four, you’ll feel encouraged and continue in your weight loss.