16 May,2014 10:33 AM IST | | Swapnal Tilekar
You have read and tested almost every available diet regime and followed all fitness routines, but there’s not much change in your body weight. Perhaps, it’s not your diet or exercise regime but certain lifestyle habits that would be causing the weight gain. Swapnal Tilekar has prepared a list of few handy tricks that can help you lose that wobbly shape faster
Eat your breakfast within an hour of waking up
Go for light carbohydrates, fruits and a fistful of nuts for your breakfast. It boosts your metabolic rate.
Move as much as you can in the office
Instead of pinging your colleague sitting a few seats away on online messenger, get up and walk up to them to talk. These little movements count a lot in the long-term especially if the nature of your job restricts any movement.
Keep five minutes from your lunch break for walk
If you get a 30 minutes break, keep at least five minutes to take a small walk post lunch. Do not use lift to get out of the office. The more you are active, the more your body gets recharged.
Replace sweets with dark chocolate
Satiate your post-lunch sweet cravings with a few cubes of dark chocolate. It contains fewer calories, and is said to improve metabolic rate. Fruits and sweetened yogurt are also good options.
Sip green tea instead of that cup of tea/coffee when tired
Sitting for long hours without much activity may tire your brain and body, creating a regular need for tea or coffee, and in some cases cigarettes. Make a habit to replace that mug of tea/coffee with a cup of green tea. It's healthy, calorie-free and revitalising.
Go shopping
Yes you read it right. You may not need to actually spend your money and buy things, but go for a fun weekender window-shopping experience with your pals. By the end of it, you would have already walked for two hours that too without getting tired.
Eat with a smaller spoon
Eating with a small spoon is a great way to control your portion sizes. Surveys suggest that people eating smaller spoonfuls, eat 30% less than those compared to larger spoonfuls. While portion controlling, make sure you control the right food items like rice and chapatti. Do not cut down on necessary nutrients by reducing intake of chicken, curd or vegetables.
Eat a mini-dinner before 7 pm
Your body needs a few hours to digest the food before you crash. So, make it a habit to have your dinner before 7 pm.
If necessary, divide your meals into six small meals, but close your kitchen by 7 pm, and go to sleep by 9 pm to 9.30 pm. Ideally, a 12-hour difference between your breakfast and dinner works well.
Late night cravings
If you have a tendency to sleep late, it's natural to get late night cravings. If that's the case, avoid eating biscuits, cookies or even a brown bread sandwich. Instead, opt for a warm glass of milk, natural juices, nuts or dates.
Understand hunger over thirst
If you feel hungry shortly after a proper lunch, have a glass of water and wait for 15-20 minutes. If you still feel hungry, then go for a bowl of salad or fruit as a quick bite.
