The INSIDER Summary:
- Losing weight can be tough without the right mindset.
- A recent Quora thread offers advice for psychological ways to lose weight and keep it off in the long-term.
- Tips include thinking of exercise as a fun activity and focusing on sleep, among other great mind hacks.
Losing weight can be challenging, especially if you don't have the right mindset to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Thankfully, a recent Quora thread lists helpful advice for people who want to train their minds to help them lose weight in the long-term, rather than wasting energy on quick, short-term fixes.
Here are nine ways to change your outlook that can help you lose weight healthily.
Revisit what you know about weight loss.
Quora user Wilfredo Thomas argues that understanding weight loss in the form of energy balance is the first key to achieving one's ideal body.
"Energy balance is the science way of saying calories in versus calories out," he writes. "Your body needs a certain amount of calories to maintain its current body weight."
Once you understand energy balance, you might feel less tempted to eat more than you really need.
Steer clear of opaque food containers.
Neil O'Nova, author of the book, "7-Minute Skinny Jeans," advises against eating out of food containers, boxes, and bags that aren't clear.
"Our brains are highly visual. We take visual cues as to how much food we’ve eaten to help us know when we should stop,"O'Nova writes. "But when you can't see how much food you’ve had, you never get that visual feedback and you end up eating way too much."
Measuring servings and pouring them into a small bowl or onto a napkin will stop you from eating more than you planned.
Ditch dieting.
O'Nova also isn't a fan of traditional dieting because he argues that it limits one's mindset.
Once you're off your diet and have lost weight, you might revert back to eating poorly, not exercising and ultimately regain pounds.
"Instead, focus on your long-term eating habits," he writes. "This is the best way to lose weight and keep it off, the healthy way."
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