What you need to know to lose weight after the New Year! Mu Xiyan: 8 eating habits to help you lose weight easily

After the New Year and a week of eating delicious food, I feel happy now, but I want to ask, has my figure changed? Let me answer first, not only am I not fat, I’ve lost weight. I don’t fast, because how can I not eat during the Chinese New Year? But I have a few tips. They are all simple habits. If you change them, you can eat as much as you want without gaining weight, and maybe even lose weight. Here are the tips I want to share with you:

Eating habits 1. Don’t go hungry

Yes, it seems unbelievable, but the first thing to do to lose weight is not to starve.

Don't be too happy too soon. This doesn't mean you can eat and drink as much as you want. As the saying goes, 30% exercise and 70% diet, which shows how important eating is to losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you absolutely cannot not eat, but you have to grasp the trick. You have to eat the right food, high in fiber, oil-free and low in sugar, and eat small meals frequently. You have to trick the body's self-protection mechanism into thinking that it can take in nutrients at any time, so it does not store excess calories and convert them into fat.

Another problem caused by being too hungry is overeating at any opportunity. We have all been to a supermarket. When you are hungry, everything looks delicious. A hungry person buying groceries will definitely buy more than a full person. The same is true for weight loss. If there is too much time between meals, you will definitely eat too much at the main meal. You can drink a large glass of water before meals to increase your sense of fullness, especially when you are out for social events. If you are not that hungry, you will not order too much food.

What to do: Once you are hungry, you have to grab something to eat. A handful of plain almonds (10 to 12 pieces), an apple, a banana, or a cup of low-sugar/sugar-free soy milk can all be considered a meal or a small snack to fill your stomach.

Eating habits 2/Eat with your heart and enjoy the food

Many people like to eat while watching TV or eating snacks (why do people who are losing weight eat snacks!). This habit is very harmful to weight loss because you can easily enter the mindless mode and unconsciously eat a lot of calories while laughing while watching variety shows or crying while watching TV series.

What to do: Just focus on eating, put the food in smaller containers (so it will look like there is more), and if possible, arrange them beautifully to add a sense of ritual and happiness. Feel every bite you take and be truly aware of what you are eating, rather than just eating mindlessly.

If you must eat while watching TV, there is another compromise: prepare the meal in advance and never add more food after you finish eating. You can also have an excuse to buy beautiful cups, bowls and plates, how happy it is.

Eating habit 3: Chew slowly

This may seem easy and may not help in losing weight, but it actually has a bigger impact than you think. Slowing down the speed of eating can not only make the nutrients in food better absorbed by the stomach, but also make you feel full earlier. Eating in a hurry is more like eating with the eyes and brain. The body is not that hungry anymore, but the mouth just can't stop.

What to do: When eating, it is recommended to chew 20 times on each side (this way you won’t have one face bigger than the other). Carefully break down the food before swallowing it. You will find that the amount of food you need becomes smaller, which naturally reduces your calorie intake.

Eating habits 4/Choosing good carbohydrates

Many people regard carbohydrates as the enemy of weight loss, and think that in order to lose weight they cannot eat any starch at all. In fact, this is not true. A diet without any carbohydrates is difficult to maintain. Some people may feel that they are not full. After all, our bodies need and are accustomed to starch. Porridge, noodles, rice and bread can bring a sense of happiness. I know this is a cliché, but losing weight really requires a balanced diet. It’s not that you can’t eat carbohydrates, but you have to eat them at the right time and choose the right types.

For example, you can eat breakfast without worry, but try to avoid dinner, and choose carbohydrates that are made without oil. For example, whole wheat bread may be a hidden trap. I used to think that whole wheat products are definitely better than white rice or noodles. Later, after consulting a nutritionist, I realized that looking at the ingredients is the most accurate way to tell the difference. Some carbohydrates claiming to be whole wheat/rye/grain actually have oil added during the manufacturing process, and their calories are higher than pure rice or noodles.

What to do: In the morning, you can replace it with carbohydrates that are high in fiber. For example, corn, sweet potatoes, taro, and even potatoes are so-called coarse grains. They can increase the feeling of satiety and take a whole day to digest.

Eating habits 5／Adjusting food proportions

I mentioned before that the diet for weight loss needs to be balanced, which means that meat, vegetables and carbohydrates must be consumed, and the secret lies in the proportion. If you want to lose weight, vegetables should make up the largest portion of your diet, followed by meat (seafood, chicken, lean beef), and starch should make up the smallest proportion.

Since I don’t like eating vegetables very much, I usually eat the vegetables first when I eat a meal to make sure I get enough fiber before eating meat. If the order is reversed, you may feel full after eating carbohydrates and meat, and you will not eat enough vegetables, which are most helpful for weight loss.

What to do: I love quinoa. In addition to eating it as a meal, I also cook it and mix it into salads. Add some steamed sweet potato cubes and a fried or boiled egg to make a great meal.

Eating Habit 6: Share Food, Share Love

This eating habit is suitable for dinner parties, and the more people there are, the better. Socializing is really a torture for people who are trying to lose weight. There is a menu in front of them, and everything looks delicious. Chinese food is fine, as long as you control yourself from stretching your chopsticks too much. But if it is a Western restaurant, everyone orders their own food, so you have to act generous, friendly and amiable, and be determined to share the food with everyone. I have a friend who, no matter what she orders, cuts off half of the meal as soon as it is served and asks others if they want to try it. Whether anyone wants to eat it is one thing, but she simply consumes half the calories than others.

What to do: Share the food immediately after it is served. Don’t share the food with others halfway through. In addition to considerations of politeness and hygiene, there is a more important reason. Do you remember to eat less once you start eating? Let us not deceive ourselves.

Eating habits 7: Natural food is better

Just like the first point said, you are not forbidden to eat when losing weight, but you have to eat right and eat well. I think "right" refers to time, for example, you must eat breakfast, eat less dinner, and strictly prohibit midnight snacks. The so-called "eating well" does not mean being refined or over-processed or over-cooked, but just the opposite. The more natural the ingredients and the simpler the cooking methods, the better.

If you can steam or cook it, don’t fry it. If you can eat it directly, don’t squeeze the juice. Try to keep the food in its original appearance and avoid processing meat. Although they are both protein, chicken breast is better than chicken meatballs, and a slice of pork or beef has much lower calories than sausage because the latter has more additives than the former.

What to do: I will try to choose cooking methods such as steaming or frying with olive oil. People who eat out don’t have to worry, there are many healthy meals to choose from. I will buy this instant chicken breast, which can be heated and torn into pieces and eaten. One piece has only about 150 calories and 33 grams of protein.

Eating habits 8: Move after eating

We all know that exercising right after a meal is bad for the stomach, but that doesn't mean you can lie on the sofa and watch TV with a full stomach. Light activities can help digestion, such as walking. If you don’t have the time or conditions, at least you can get up and walk around in the office as much as possible. This is better than sitting in front of a desk for a long time and gaining weight.

Never go to bed right after eating. I have a friend who has to get up very early every day, so he takes a nap after lunch. He would sleep until his whole body was hot. He didn't eat much, but he gained ten kilograms in a year. His own mother didn't recognize him.

The above are some eating habits that can be changed without much effort, but they have unexpected effects, making weight loss less laborious and even more effective.

I was very lazy and didn't exercise before and after the Spring Festival, but I tried to follow these habits in my diet. I recently went back to the gym to catch up, but I didn't gain weight. My coach said that my body fat has even decreased a little.

Spring is about to arrive quietly, and the vigorous summer will be right after it. Our figures cannot be miserable. Back to the principle of 30% exercise and 70% diet, have you exercised today?

Read the full article on VOGUE.com

I bought these in Bangkok, how about you?

My list of Bangkok's hidden gems

For more exciting reports, please visit VOGUE website

※This article is authorized by VOGUE magazine and is prohibited from being reproduced without permission.