6 Nutrition Hacks to Implement for Weight Loss

With so many different diets trending today, it’s honestly hard to keep up with everything as well as weed through all the BS. You shouldn’t need to follow any diet so long as you work your nutrition around your lifestyle and make better choices when it comes to food options. Weight loss isn’t difficult as long as you know how to structure your daily calories and macronutrients. In an effort to ease the blow of putting yourself in a caloric deficit in order to lose weight, I have some nutrition hacks that you can implement to improve your weight loss results.

1. Eat Slowly

If you’re the type of person who eats their meals super-fast, I’m willing to bet you might be holding onto some extra body weight that you’d love to get rid of. One of the best nutrition hacks out there is to eat your meals slower. It’s that simple. Slow things down. Enjoy your food. And more importantly, chew your food to help break it down.

So many people inhale their meals and do it at such a fast pace that their stomach doesn’t have enough time to send a signal to the brain saying it’s full and to stop eating. Due to this delay, many people find themselves looking for something else to eat or going back up for seconds or thirds because they still feel the sensation of hunger. Next time you sit down in front of your plate, take your time and enjoy the flavor of your food so you can prevent overeating. After you finish your plate, sit there an allow the food to settle which can help relay that signal telling you it’s time to step away from the table.

2. Chew Gum

Do you tend to crave something sweet throughout the day? Do you give in to that temptation? Or do you snack on foods between meals but unfortunately those snack options aren’t the healthiest? You’re not alone. In order to effectively combat the sensation to want to eat something between meals or to satisfy your sweet-tooth, simply toss a stick of sugar-free gum in your mouth. The flavor will satisfy your snacking urge while saving you potentially hundreds of calories in the process which makes this one of the best nutrition hacks.

3. Drink Water Before Meals

This sounds so easy as if there’s no way it should work, but it does and for that reason, it made my list of nutrition hacks you can implement for weight loss. Before each of your meals, drink a glass of water. Not only will drinking more water throughout the day increase your metabolism, but it will help you achieve the sensation of satiety to help prevent you from overeating.

The temperature of water you use can also be advantageous. If you use cold water you will find it better hydrates you as well as being effective at enhancing your metabolism since your body wants to regulate that coldness to more of a normal core body temperature. On the flipside, if you use warm water, you may find that it improves blood flow and can also aid in proper digestion.

4. Reheat Your Starchy Pasta Dishe

This is probably one of the unique nutrition hacks you’ve never heard of. Did you know that reheating that leftover spaghetti (using this as an example) is actually better than eating it fresh? It’s actually true. By going through the process of preparing your starchy pasta dishes, allowing them to then cool in the refrigerator, and finally reheating them to be consumed, you can reduce the insulin spike you experience with your blood sugar by as much as 50%. This can help manage and regulate your energy levels so you don’t experience crashes by creating resistant starches through this precise process.

5. Ripeness Affects Nutrition

When you eat something like bananas, do you think about how ripe it is? Do you know the differences between a green and a yellow banana (using bananas as a placeholder)? Did you ever think that you could eat a green banana or did you just assume that when it’s yellow that means it’s ripe and ready to eat? This difference can change the whole profile of your banana. If you have ever consumed both colors (based on ripeness), you’ll notice a drastic difference.

Yellow bananas are riper than green bananas and have a sweeter taste. This is due to the development of the sugar as it ripens. If you were looking for some quick energy before a workout, a yellow banana would be a solid choice thanks to the sugar content. However, if you consume a green banana, you may find that the taste is less sweet due to the sugars not developing like they do once it turns yellow. The green banana has less sugar and more fiber than yellow bananas and would be a great choice as a snack between meals. You can even combine a green banana with the next of our nutrition hacks to have a great snack option.

6. Utilize Protein Between Meals

I don’t think I need to go in depth as to why protein is so important. So, I’ll just cut to the chase. Protein helps with satiety and between meals is the perfect time to squeeze in some added protein to help you reach your daily requirements. You can utilize options such as protein bars, protein shakes, nuts, seeds, or natural nut butters to name a few. Keeping these items at work or in your bag is a great way to ensure you always have a healthy snack nearby that you can consume rather than hitting the vending machine or a fast food restaurant.