On a weight loss journey and hit a bit of a plateau? If you’ve got all your basics down and are looking for a few extra tips and tricks to keep moving in the right direction, then you’re in the right place.
We’ve rounded up 23 diet hacks you need to know to help you shake things up, rev up your metabolism, and drop those lbs.
23 Diet Hacks You Need To Know
1. Track your macros
Make sure you’re hitting all your macro targets with our free macro calculator. It’ll tell you exactly how much protein, carbohydrates, and fat you need to eat to reach your weight-loss goals.
2. Swap fruit juice for whole pieces of fruit
Whole fruit has more fibre and fewer calories than juice, so swapping a few glasses of juice each week for pieces of whole fruit can help with weight loss.
3. Up your water intake
Drinking around 2 litres of water a day can help you eat less and make your workouts more efficient and effective. Dehydration will result in cramps, headaches and low energy.
4. Start your meals with soup
Having a bowl of broth-based soup as a starter can reduce your total calorie intake over the course of a meal by up to 20%.
5. Add cinnamon
Adding a good teaspoon of cinnamon to starchy meals (like the baked oats you have for breakfast) can help stabilize your blood sugar and stop the insulin spikes that can leave you feeling hungry and eating more later in the day.
6. Check your portion sizes
If you’re tracking your calorie intake then make sure you’re getting your portion sizes right. Have you ever actually measured out what a portion of cereal should be? It’s not as much as you think!
7. Up your protein intake
Protein is a key player in the weight loss game, so make sure you’re getting enough of it. Try having eggs for breakfast, snacking on greek yoghurt, and building your dinner around chicken or fish.
8. Swap red meat for mushrooms
Swap out half the mince in your bolognese for chopped mushrooms to reduce your calorie intake without really noticing (lean mince has nearly six times more calories than mushrooms).
The great thing about this swap is that mushrooms are just as satiating as meat, so you’ll still feel just as full.
9. Add some chocolate to your breakfast
You don’t have to deprive yourself to lose weight. Having some grated dark chocolate on your morning porridge has been found to suppress genes that are related to fat storage.
10. Or just have cake for breakfast
If you have a sweet tooth then indulging it first thing in the morning has been found to suppress cravings later in the day. So have a small slice of cake if you fancy it, or try some chocolate chip baked oats or pancakes for breakfast.
11. Don’t eat in front of screens
Take a proper lunch break away from your desk and stop eating dinner in front of Netflix. Research has found that people who eat while they’re distracted eat 10% more than they otherwise would.
12. Add spring onions to your post-run meals
Spring onions contain chromium which can help you metabolise the carbs in your post-run meal for fuel. They’re also full of fibre and calcium which can support weight loss.
13. Switch to low GI foods
High GI foods like white rice and bread cause a surge in blood sugar, followed by a crash which leaves you hungry for more food.
Low GI foods on the other hand are broken down more slowly and keep blog sugar levels more stable.
So go for wholegrain bread and pasta, brown rice, and starchy vegetables.
14. Eat more seafood
If you have the budget for it, then eating lobster and langoustines can help with weight loss. They contain high levels of zinc which boosts your production of leptin, the hormone that helps you feel full and satisfied after a meal.
15. Snack on pistachios
Pistachios are one of the lowest-calorie nuts out there, so they’re a great snack option.
People who eat them also tend to eat less than they would with other snacks because the discarded shells act as a visual reminder of how many they’ve got through.
16. Meal plan and batch cook
Planning ahead and batch cooking your meals helps with portion control and means you’ll always have healthy meals on-hand so you don’t end up phoning for a takeaway after a busy day.
17. Spice up your meals
Adding cayenne pepper to your meals will do more than give them a spicy kick. It’ll also help kick your metabolism up a gear. Cayenne contains capsaicin, the active compound that generates extra body heat and raises our metabolic rate.
18. Eat more high-volume foods
Foods like watermelon, celery, strawberries, broccoli, and popcorn are all high-volume, low-calorie foods, so you can enjoy a bigger snack without eating loads more calories.
19. Add tomato to your lunch
Adding some tomato to your lunchtime sandwich or salad can help you feel fuller for longer and less like to grab a sugary snack in the afternoon, thanks to the way tomatoes suppress the hunger hormone ghrelin.
20. Boost your good bacteria
Loads of studies have found that consuming probiotics every day can help speed up weight loss. So grab a probiotic drink or include things like natural yoghurt and kombucha in your diet.
21. Zig Zag your calories
Changing up the number of calories you consume each day can help you lose weight faster than always sticking to the same calorie deficit each day. So mix things up over the course of the week and see how it works for you.
22. Get enough sleep
Making sure you catch a decent amount of Zs each night can make a big difference when you’re trying to lose weight. When you’re tired you’re more likely to crave high-calorie, sugary foods for the energy boost they’ll give you.
23. Make some easy swaps
You can easily cut calories from your diet by making some simple swaps. Think bagel thins instead of normal bagels, chicken sausages instead of pork, and hummus or salsa instead of creamy dips.
