You can lose weight without trying by incorporating 5 simple things into your daily life. These are small mindset shifts and actual food choices that will support your weight loss journey or health goals. So, whether or not you’re staying in or unable to work out for whatever reason, you can still make an impact and have results.

This article shares a few daily habits I’ve done for years to lose weight without trying or mostly have done to maintain my weight (because I’m burnt out on exercise).

I believe genetics plays a role in weight, but changing your diet can shift your body. What you eat can support your body’s natural function of burning fat and converting it to energy instead of holding on to it. These tips are what I typically recommend for anyone just getting started with healthy and clean eating. These suggestions are perfect if you’ve been trying a lot of diets and nothing is sticking, or you’ve been working out like a madwoman and you’re tired. Let’s get to it!

1. Upgrade your morning beverage

Your morning beverage is essentially your breakfast as you’re “breaking your fast” after a night of sleep. I recommend starting with a glass of water and then proceeding with your normal routine. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, I have some tips on how you can make those drinks much more healthy. If you’re a regular breakfast eater and want something with more sustenance, I recommend a protein shake or super healthy breakfast containing healthy fat, good carb, and protein. I’ll cover that later in the article.

Coffee

Drinking coffee tends to come with a healthy dose of creamer. The thing about conventional coffee creamers is they’re filled with sugar, and I mean filled. Check the back of your coffee creamer and see how much sugar it has per serving. Keep in mind, that a typical serving is 2 tablespoons. If the coffee creamer says 15g per serving and you put about 10 tbs of creamer that’s 15g of sugar x 5!

Two health coffee recipes that are SO good: 

• Vanilla Latte 
• 1/2 cup of coffee or double espresso shot
• 1/2 cup of steamed vanilla oat milk
• 2 tablespoons of real Maple Syrup 
• Mocha
• 1/2 cup of coffee or double espresso shot
• 1/2 cup of steamed vanilla oat milk
• 2 tablespoons of real Maple Syrup 
• 1 teaspoon of raw Cacao 
  
  

Tea

Like coffee, you can do something similar with tea. Drinking tea with hot water or drinking it will milk and a sweetener. I recommend green tea, matcha, or a black tea like Earl Grey that’s very flavorful. To make your tea drinking experience more robust you can add a splash of non-dairy milk and a tablespoon of real maple syrup. 

Protein shake

Drinking a protein shake first thing in the morning is a great way to kick start fat burning. If you usually have breakfast but are on the go, you can opt for a healthy protein shake instead made with greens, dairy-free milk, and a vegan protein powder. One of my favorite protein powders is by a company called Clean, they have a daily shake that will help curb cravings and add in weight loss energizing your morning. 

2. Add in greens with every meal, and eat them first

This one is simple when you add in more green vegetables and eat them first, you automatically “crowd out” other foods. Usually, after a full plate of greens, you’re fuller faster and eat less of the high carb and low-quality fats. You can eat your greens steamed or fresh and I encourage you to eat plenty of them before each meal and each snack. If you go for a bag of potato chips, eat a bowl of spinach or a serving of celery first. 

Greens are packed with vitamins and minerals. They are energizing and also detoxifying which will continue to help you on your journey of weight loss and wellness if you’re unable to exercise. And the good thing is you can eat an endless amount of greens! Eat as many as you want and choose non-GMO or organic whenever feasible. 

3. Reducing sugar is a sure-fire way to lose weight without trying

Sugar is hidden in everything from pasta sauces to toothpaste. Since your body needs glucose, you must feed it the right kind to lose weight without trying. One of the best things you can do is be diligent about checking your foods for sugar content. Be ruthless, seriously! Check for hidden sugars by the names of corn syrup, fructose, barley malt, sugar cane, brown rice syrup, etc.

Additionally, check the nutrition facts for how many grams, and try to choose things with the lowest amount of sugar possible or no sugar at all. This article on Low GI tells you what happens with sugar in the body and why it leads to weight gain.

4. Focus on healthy fats, good carbs, and protein

Keep your diet as low glycemic as possible by focusing on healthy fats, good carbs, and protein. If you’re ever in doubt about what to eat when you’re at a restaurant, go low carb. Choose lean protein and vegetables every single time you’re unsure and you’ll be supporting your goal of losing weight by doing much. If you’re eating at home, you can dress up any meal by adding a healthy condiment or sauce, and again, be mindful of the sugar content. Remember protein and veggies when in doubt.

5. Be kind to yourself 

Losing weight and maintaining it is not just about the food you put in your body, but it’s also about how you feed your mind. Something I like to remind myself is that food is not the enemy, and eating the right foods will support me in good health and happiness within.

There will be times when you “fall off the wagon” and that feeling sucks. Whenever this happens to me, I make a quick detox drink to rebalance myself. I keep a few detox powders on hand at all times, so I can reset my body when it’s needed. Give your body love with a nourishing drink and then get back on the wagon. 

One last thing that can help you lose weight without trying is by ensuring the following:

Refresh your kitchen, honestly. Don’t bring the culprits into your home. Change the options and you change the foods you reach for. Flooding your kitchen with healthy options will make a world of difference in what you cook and snack on. A healthy kitchen will make your journey that much more effortless.

Finding ways to make healthy living effortless will help you lose weight without trying. We have a kitchen checklist to help out with simplifying things: Download Eat Better, Feel Better Kitchen Checklist here.

With these changes, the idea that you can lose weight without trying will become a reality. The changes are simple habits that can be life-changing if you stick with them long enough to become your new normal. Get started with one habit and then add another; replace your coffee creamer with the recipe above or start adding more greens to every meal and snack.