Why does losing weight have to be so hard? Dieting and feeling deprived, sweating over exercise…Wouldn’t it be great if you could just snap your fingers and have the weight come off? Eating well and exercising are smart, healthy moves for everyone, all the time- even if you’re not trying to drop some pounds. Still, everyone wants a little help, so here are some cool weight loss tricks that don’t involve dieting and exercise:

• Smaller plate. Eat your meals on smaller plates. They’ll look full with less food and make your brain think you’re getting more.
• Slow down. Your eating, that is. Chew your food more times and take about 20 minutes for each meal. Studies show that people who chew more lost more weight. Also, this gives your brain time to register fullness, so you’ll be less likely to overeat.
• Take a walk. I know I said we weren’t going to talk about exercise, but I’m talking about a leisurely walk here. Light exercise allows your muscles to absorb the glucose you ate, which prevents spikes in insulin levels.
• Get cold. Drink cold water, take a cold shower, turn down the thermostat. When your body is cold it will burn energy to warm  you up.
• Keep a food journal. When you see it in black and white that cookie might look a little less tempting. There are some great apps to help you keep track of what you’re eating.
• Add some spice. Spicy food can boost your metabolism and curb appetite and cravings.
• Chew gum. This will help suppress your appetite. And you won’t want food after chewing minty gum- it will make your food taste weird.
• Drink water. Sometimes you think you’re hungry but you’re really just thirsty, so always go for a glass of water first. Drinking water before a meal will make you feel full so you’ll eat less.
• Sleep. Lack of sleep causes cravings and stunts the production of hormones that control hunger. Also, if you go to bed earlier there’s less time for late night snacking.
• Eat soup. Starting a meal with soup makes you eat slower and feel fuller.
• Eat at home. Cook your meals so you can control portions and ingredients.
• Control stress. We all know about stress eating, and stress produces hormones that store fat.
• Eat lots of protein. Eating protein reduces hunger by keeping you feeling full and satisfied longer. Also, protein builds lean muscle, which helps you burn fat.
• Eat regular meals. Eating regularly keeps your blood sugar steady, which will prevent cravings and keep your energy up.

The reality is that there are no magic words or potions that melt off the pounds, but it is nice to know the tricks that can help them come off without too much effort!