Weight loss seems so out of reach for some people. Whether they are 20 pounds overweight, or 200 pounds overweight, people lose motivation and even give up because it seems like no matter what they try, the weight just isn’t coming off. If you are struggling with weight loss, here are two small changes that you can incorporate into your daily life in order to see results.
1. Eat Less Salt
Even though salt makes our food taste delicious, it could be a major culprit to why you aren’t losing weight. The daily recommended value of sodium intake is between 1000-1500 milligrams. However, most North Americans consume around 3400 milligrams on average, daily. High sodium diets contribute to weight gain because they cause immense amounts of water retention in the body. High sodium consumption is also linked to high blood pressure.
The best way to eat lower sodium is to cut out processed foods. Processed foods are usually full of salt to help preserve them. So are canned foods. It’s okay to eat canned foods, just look for “salt-free” options when buying canned beans and diced tomatoes. Another tip is to wait until after the cooking process to add salt. Only once you have plated your food should you add salt. This way, the flavor will be much more intense and you won’t have to add as much of it. Try cooking with different herbs and spices to discover new flavors and lower the amount of salt you use in your cooking.
Once you lower your salt consumption and make sure that you aren’t eating any more than 1500 milligrams a day, you will be amazed at how much of a difference you see. Water weight will come off quickly and you will instantly feel and look less bloated, just within a few days.
2. Drink More Water
We all know the importance of water in our diet. After all, the majority of our body is made out of water. Ever since we were young children, we’ve been told to drink 8 cups of water a day (2 liters). How many of us actually follow this advice, though? Water is an essential ingredient for healthy weight loss. As funny as it might sound, if you don’t drink enough water, it causes water retention in the body. This is where your body will hold onto water because it’s not getting enough of it. This can make you look bloated and feel heavier. Once you regularly start drinking enough water, your body will get rid of the water retention.
Drinking water also helps flush out excess sodium out of the body, which correlates with what we talked about above. Water also contributes to healthy and regular bowel movements, which prevents constipation. Drinking enough water also prevents bloating.
If you don’t like plain water, try flavoring it with lemon, lime, mint, or cucumber. You can also drink lots of natural tea to increase your water consumption.
