If you’ve tried the standard “eat less, exercise more” weight loss advice, but you’re still not getting results, then you definitely need these easy weight loss hacks to lose weight fast.
You see, contrary to popular opinion weight loss isn’t just about calories, exercise, carbs vs. protein, high fat vs. low fat, and so on.
Rather, losing weight fast is all about working with your body.
And that means in order to lose weight easily, we have to take care of three things:
- hormones.
- gut.
- digestive system.
So, why these three things in particular? Well, let’s have a quick look.
Hormones and Weight Loss
Everything that happens in your body involves hormones.
And that’s because your hormones are responsible for all communication in the body.
So, all messages that say “hold on to weight” or “drop the weight” are controlled by our hormones.
Basically, we can’t trick our hormones. We either give them what they need, or we struggle.
The Gut and Weight Loss
Now, as for the gut, it not only makes hormones, but it’s also the home of our healthy bacteria.
These bacteria have a direct impact on our cravings as well as the elimination of hormone disruptors (that eventually trigger weight gain).
Simply put, if you change the type of foods you eat, you change the type of bacteria in your gut.
And that directly changes the types of cravings that you have.
End result? You no longer need willpower. You will naturally crave healthier foods π
The Digestive System and Weight Loss
Now, when it comes to the digestive system and weight loss, the main focus is on
- the liver, which filters the blood (i.e. removes junk that is interfering with weight loss).
- the colon, which needs to be healthy and unobstructed so that waste can be eliminated.
As you can see, everything is connected!
And guess what?
Once you take care of your hormones, gut and digestive system, you will truly be able to lose weight without tons of exercise, and withou starving or depriving yourself.
So, now let’s take a look at the things you can do to turn on your natural fat-burning engines!
Note: this post contains some affiliate links and I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use them to make a purchase.
1. Drink A Glass of Kombucha
Kombucha is a tasty and convenient, on-the-go way of populating your gut with more healthy bacteria.
This fermented tea drink can be found in pretty much every grocery store these days.
Aside from being full of gut-friendly probiotics, kombucha is also rich in B-vitamins, folic acid and antioxidants.
One of the best brands to buy is GT’S.
The Guava Goddess and Watermelon Wonder are two of my favorite flavors.
2. Take A Daily Multivitamin
Cortisol, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, thyroid hormones and estrogen are just a few of the hormones that play a major role in weight gain.
And in order to regulate these hormones your body needs healthy fats (like omega-3 fatty acids), B vitamins, selenium, iodine, magnesium, boron and tons more nutrients.
So, a top notch multivitamin is essential if you want to lose weight without struggling.
You can see which multivitamin I like in this list of supplements for female hormone balance.
3. Snack On Energy Balls
Snacking is one of the trickiest areas of any weight loss plan, unless…you focus on hormone-friendly and delicious options (no need to punish our taste buds just because we’re slimming down)!
When it comes to taste and healthy benefits, energy balls (or energy bites) are one of the best weight loss snacks you can use.
You can usually make them with just a handful of ingredients and you can sneak in healthy boosters like turmeric, matcha green tea, maca and so much more.
For tips and recipes, check out this post on hormone-friendly energy balls.
4. Lower Inflammation and Support A Healthy Metabolism With Green Tea
If there’s one thing that green tea is known for, it’s the fact that it is rich in antioxidants.
And antioxidants are essential for combating the side effects of oxidative stress (which is caused by free radicals).
This may help to support weight loss because research suggests that there’s a correlation between oxidative stress and obesity (1, 2).
So, including an antioxidant-rich tea – like green tea – into your diet can give your body much needed support to combat oxidative stress.
In addition, green tea has a thermogenic (i.e. heat-producing) effect that can help the body burn more calories.
Of course, drinking green tea alone won’t result in overnight weight loss.
But it’s a booster that is well worth considering!
NOTE: you can drink regular green tea leaves or you can drink matcha green tea. Matcha is powdered green tea leaves and it has about three times more antioxidants than regular green tea π
5. Start Your Day With a Green Smoothie
When you think about green smoothies, think powerful multitaskers.
With the right ingredients, a green smoothie will help you:
- regulate blood sugar.
- lower cortisol.
- increase your prebiotic intake (which is food for your gut bacteria.
- lower inflammation.
- support the liver and colon.
….and a whole lot more!
To get started with green smoothies I have a full guide on how to make green smoothies, and it also includes recipes.
6. Use Plant-Based Milks For Protein
Although the plant-based milk craze may seem like just another trend, there’s a good reason why that trend actually supports weight loss.
You see, regular/non-organic milk contains growth hormones and antibiotics.
And both of these things are detrimental to your hormones and your gut.
The advantage of using plant-based milks like almond or cashew milk is that they are:
- a good source of filling and fat-burning proteins.
- free of growth hormones and antibiotics.
- a good source of natural fats (which are a must for hormone production).
So, whether it’s for smoothies, oatmeal or baking, you should consider making the switch to plant-based milk.
7. Boost Your Energy and Hormone Health With Herbal or Adaptogenic Coffee
Okay, so first, let me just say that a lot of research shows that coffee isn’t inherently evil!
But…coffee is a stimulant.
And as a stimulant, it stimulates the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol.
Now, cortisol is a hormone that many of us already have in excess because we are surrounded by toxins that trigger inflammation.
In addition, chronically high cortisol throws off your insulin levels and once insulin falls out of balance, weight gain is almost guaranteed.
So, is the solution to stop coffee forever?
Not necessarily.
But stopping coffee for a short amount of time, will help your adrenals, cortisol levels and insulin levels to find their natural balance.
One way to help your body achieve all this is to use chicory root, which is a popular herbal coffee substitute (you can find it at herbal stores or online through Amazon).
Another good option are herbal coffees from Rasa.
Rasa combines herbs like chicory and cinnamon with adaptogenic herbs (like chaga mushrooms and ashwagandha).
Adaptogens are great for supporting the adrenals, regulating cortisol and increasing oxygen supply (which helps you feel more energetic).
So the Rasa blends are a great way to please your taste buds and adrenals!
8. Use Seed Cycling To Regulate Your Weight Loss Hormones
As we saw earlier, sex hormones, like estrogen, affect our ability to lose or gain weight.
And one way to naturally regulate your sex hormones is through seed cycling.
This is a simple process that involves eating:
- 1 – 2 Tbsp of flax seeds and/or pumpkin seeds per day during the first half or your cycle.
- 1 – 2 Tbsp of sunflower seeds and/or sesame seeds per day during the second half of your cycle.
Consistent use of this protocol regulates your hormones so that you can shed stubborn excess pounds with greater ease.
You can learn more in this post on seed cycling for hormone balance.
9. Snack On Raw Nuts, Not Roasted
The old weight loss model says that we should be afraid of nuts because of their fat content.
But as we both know, eating low fat doesn’t automatically lead to weight loss either.
So, what’s the deal with fat?
Like everything else, it boils down to the quality of the fat.
In the case of nuts, roasted nuts are void of many nutrients because they’ve been cooked.
So, for weight loss, and to fight inflammation, go with raw nuts.
They contain important enzymes, minerals, proteins and other essential nutrients that actually facilitate weight loss.
10. Improve Your Digestion and Gut Health With Coconut Oil
Because coconut oil contains easily digestible medium chain triglycerides (MCT) it’s easy to breakdown and is actually great for the digestive system and liver.
In addition, coconut oil nourishes your gut lining and supports a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
So, for all your basic cooking needs – whether it’s stir fries, soups or even baking – coconut oil is a healthy, weight-loss friendly option.
11. Sweeten Up With Raw Honey
Much like fat, sugar is often demonized.
But much like fat, the impact that sugar has on your body is connected to the quality of the sugar.
So, whenever you need to use added sugar, stay away from pro-inflammatory high fructose corn syrup and refined cane sugar.
Instead, go for honey. And not just any honey…raw, unpasteurized honey.
Raw honey contains important enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants that lower inflammation.
As for zero calorie, artificial sweeteners, there can contribute to cancer, inflammation and gut issues.
So, definitely something to be mindful of.
12. Add Apple Cider Vinegar To Your Routine
Studies have shown that insulin resistance plays an important in weight gain (and difficulty losing weight).
One way you might be able to counter this is by drinking diluted ACV (apple cider vinegar).
ACV has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity by helping the cells take in more glucose, thus lowering the amount of glucose in the blood (source).
In addition, one study showed that ACV prevents blood sugar spikes after a starchy meal (source).
Lastly, some people report a decrease in appetite after consuming apple cider vinegar. It’s speculated that this effect is probably just due to the taste of ACV
13. Reach For Fatty Fish When You Want Lean Animal Protein
If you’re going to consume animal protein, fatty fish outranks most other options for two main reasons:
- it contains anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
- it’s lighter and easier on the digestive system.
So, what type of fish qualifies as fatty fish?
Well, salmon, sardines and mackerel are few good choices.
However, even if you’re eating other types of fish, you’re still getting health benefits.
14. Eat One Fully Plant-Based Meal Per Day
At this point the word “inflammation” has come up a lot in this article, right?
And the scientific community agrees that there’s one surefire way of eliminating inflammation: eat an anti-inflammatory diet.
An anti-inflammatory diet is just a fancy term for a plant-based diet.
Now, this doesn’t mean you have to become vegetarian or vegan.
But, if you want to take the path of least resistance for weight loss, you have to eat mostly plants.
And you can start by making sure that one meal each day is entirely plant-based.
The good thing is you can eat things like veggie stir fries, vegetarian chili, buddha bowls, salads or hearty soups to meet your plant quota.
15. Add Gluten Free Grains To Your Menu
While there are many gluten-free grains you can use, rice, quinoa and oatmeal are 3 to focus on.
Not only are they easy to find, but you can use them in main dishes and desserts.
And since they’re gluten-free, you won’t have to worry about the pro-inflammatory, gut-disrupting effects that some people experience with gluten-containing grains.
16. Drink A Glass of Detox Water First Thing In The Morning
This is an oldie but goodie.
Detox waters, like lemon water or ginger water, help to gently cleanse the body and eliminate waste first thing in the morning.
Remember that while you sleep, your body is processing all the food you’d previously eaten.
Your liver is also working on filtering any junk that could trigger weight gain.
So, getting all of that out of your body ensures that they don’t get reabsorbed into your bloodstream.
When it comes to lemon water you can boost it with raw honey and ginger.
17. Burn More Fat With With A Superfood Detox Powder
When it comes to turmeric, beets, wheatgrass, spirulina, matcha and other superfoods, we don’t always get the opportunity to eat them daily.
Yet, these foods are anti-inflammatory powerhouses.
So, a simple solution here is to get yourself a superfood powder that you can add to your smoothies (or even plain water).
These powders offer a ton of convenience because you can drink them even on busy mornings when you have no time.
You can see the superfood powder I recommend in this list of recommended supplements.
18. Save Time and Use Smoothie Bowls for Multiple Purposes
What’s better than drinking a smoothie?
Eating a smoothie!
Smoothie bowls are flexible and versatile blends that can be used as a healthy snack or as a meal replacement.
Basically, this is another way for you to get more fiber, vitamins, minerals and slimming foods into your diet (without sacrificing flavor!).
For tips and recipes, read this post on how to make green smoothie bowls.
19. Drink Kefir to Support The Gut
Have you heard of kefir?
It’s a gut-friendly, low-fat drink that has more probiotics than yogurt and comes with vitamins B12 and B2 and many other benefits.
Just like kombucha, kefir is a convenient, on-the-go drink that supports your body’s fat burning engines.
And while kefir is generally made from cow’s milk or goat milk, you can also find dairy-free options made from coconut water and coconut milk.
20. Use Essential Oils To Lower Cortisol
So, throughout this post we’ve talked about how cortisol affects insulin and how that inevitably leads to weight gain.
And an ultra simple weight loss hack that you can use to lower your cortisol levels is to diffuse essential oils.
One essential oil that has been shown to work well for cortisol is clary sage, which has been found to lower cortisol levels by 36%.
Imagine having a 36% improvement in your cortisol levels, without having to put in any crazy effort!
Other essential oils that are great for lowering stress include lavender, chamomile and ylang ylang.
CONCLUSION
And there you have it – 20 weight loss hacks that you can start using to lose weight without worrying about “dieting” or exercising!
Now, if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by this list, don’t be π
You don’t need to do all of these to start seeing results.
Start with least 3 things from this list and do them consistently for at least a week.
Then you can add in another hack each week after that.
With each week that passes, your body will let go of stubborn excess weight and you’ll be looking more vibrant, healthy and slim than ever before.
As always, if you have any questions or comments about these quick weight loss tips and tricks, feel free to drop a comment below π
Iβm excited for all these tips. Losing weight isnβt just killing our selves with hours of cardio and endless plates of spinach! It really should be an attempt to GET HEALTHY and this article is chock full of those life changing habits. Thanks so much!!
So glad this resonated with you and hope you have a great experience testing these out!