I’m no newbie when it comes to weight loss. I lost 100 pounds on my own when I was 14 and have maintained a healthy weight for the past 18 years. 

But maintaining weight and getting into shape is a lifestyle. It’s easy to gain weight if you revert back to old eating patterns and bad lifestyle habits. 

Over the years I’ve experimented with different ways of eating to find what works best for both maintaining my weight or losing some when I have some extra pounds to shed. 

These 5 practical diet tips are tried and true methods I personally swear by to make weight loss an easier and less painless process. 

1. 1. Focus on What You Should be Eating, Not What You Shouldn’t
2. 2. Protein and Veggies Are Your Friend and Help Curb Hunger
3. 3. Stay Busy to Keep Your Mind off Food
4. 4. Go to Bed Early to Avoid Mindless Snacking
5. 5. Flavored Sparkling Water is Better Than Drinking Soda and Helps Curb Cravings
6. Diet Tips for Natural Weight Loss

1. Focus on What You Should be Eating, Not What You Shouldn’t

One of the most common mistakes people make when they start a diet is obsessing over what they shouldn’t be eating instead of what they should be eating. When you are always thinking about what you cannot have, you start to feel deprived and develop cravings for those foods. 

Instead, focus on the healthy things you should be eating. Think about how you can make your next meal healthier or look up tasty, healthy recipes that align with your diet plan. 

Get excited about eating healthy instead of constantly reminding yourself that you can’t eat sugar or aren’t allowed to go through the drive-through after work. You get what you focus on, whether that be good or bad. 

Focusing on the things you can’t have will keep you constantly focused on what you don’t want to happen (binge eating) instead of what you do want to happen (weight loss). 

2. Protein and Veggies Are Your Friend and Help Curb Hunger

When trying to lose weight, being hungry is the worst thing you can do. The hungrier you are, the more likely you will reach for quick and easy options, which are usually not the best choice. 

Amping up your protein and veggie intake will help keep you satisfied for longer, making cheating on your diet less tempting. Plus, both veggies and protein are low in carbs and relatively lower in calories compared to starchy carbs like breads and pastas. 

Meaning, you can eat more of these foods without going over your daily weight loss calorie limit. Try to incorporate both protein and vegetables in every meal and snack. 

3. Stay Busy to Keep Your Mind off Food

When life gets busy, it can be harder to focus on food, and thus, sometimes easier to ignore it altogether. When your mind is preoccupied with work, hobbies or activities, you will naturally eat less and feel less hungry. 

Sitting around idly is a weight loss diet’s worst enemy. The more time you have to yourself, the more time you have to think about food and snacking. 

If you find yourself with nothing to do and the temptation to dive into a bag of chips occurs, find something to do quickly. Go for a walk around your block, clean your kitchen, re-organize your closet, or even call a friend. 

Find something to do with your free time that doesn’t involve eating or drinking. 

4. Go to Bed Early to Avoid Mindless Snacking

When we do not get enough sleep, our bodies produce more of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for hunger. And when we’re tired, we tend to make poor food choices. 

Understand how many hours of sleep your body requires, and make sure that you are getting enough rest every night. 

Aim to be in bed for at least seven hours each night. Going to bed earlier and waking up earlier will help you start your day with more energy and will help you avoid the temptation of reaching out for a snack when you feel tired.

Plus, for many people, snacking late at night while watching TV or a movie is a bad habit. By going to bed earlier, you get out of the habit of mindless snacking in front of your TV. 

Instead, you settle in for a night of restful sleep that will help you gain more energy sticking to your diet the next day. 

5. Flavored Sparkling Water is Better Than Drinking Soda and Helps Curb Cravings

One thing I’ve found challenging when dieting is getting bored with drinking just water. Sometimes I crave something different or carbonated, but don’t want to reach for a sugary soda.

Flavored sparkling water is my go-to for curbing cravings and satisfying my desire for something other than water. Plus, the bubbles in the sparkling water help fill up your stomach without adding calories, while the flavor satisfies your cravings for sweet tastes.

If you need a little more kick than plain sparkling water, you could also add a splash of your favorite juice for a slightly more flavorful drink. It’s more satisfying than plain water yet a lot healthier than drinking soda. 

Diet Tips for Natural Weight Loss

Losing weight isn’t always a fun process but following these tips should make your experience a little less difficult. 

Eating plenty of protein, getting enough sleep, staying busy, focusing on the right goals, and favoring sparkling water over sodas are my tried and true tips for staying on track. 

Have you tried any of these tips before for yourself? What are your go-to tips for weight loss? Let me know in the comments!

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Thanks for reading! If you’d like to hear more about my weight loss story, check out my book 1 Year 100 Pounds. 

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube for weight loss tips and workout motivation!

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