8 New Weight Loss Hacks You've Never Heard Of

Think you have it all figured out when it comes to tips and tricks for losing weight? 

Turns out, there may be more than you realized, and better yet, there may be some that you have never heard of that might help you get through that plateau. 

Give these 8 weight loss hacks a try:

1. Eat an apple before grocery shopping – Because of their high fiber and water content, apples fill you up.  They also satisfy that desire for something crunchy and sweet.  If you tend to buy extra products when you grocery shop on an empty stomach, chow down on an apple before you grab your trolley and you’ll keep your budget (and waistline!) in check.
2. Eat Soup – The combination of water, and fiber rich vegetables mean that soup fills you up with fewer calories than if you were to eat the same foods not in soup form.  Adopt a weekly soup night making homemade vegetable soup loaded with vegetable and legumes to enjoy for dinner, and then have the leftovers the next day for lunch.
3. Eat the same lunch every day – Speaking of lunch, while it may sound boring to have the same thing for lunch, research has shown that by the end of the week, you will have consumed about 200 fewer calories than if you changed up your routine, because you get bored of the food and tend to eat less of it. 
4. Take a probiotic – Your unhealthy gut biome may be to blame for your food cravings and constant hunger.  Your gut bacteria plays a role in the amount of calories you are able to absorb based on how well your digestive system is functioning and how well it is secreting digestive enzymes.  If any of these things are out of whack, you may be eating more than you need to without even realizing!
5. Check your magnesium – Low levels of magnesium can lead you to crave salt, sugar and carbohydrates, not to mention reduce your body’s ability to recover adequately from stress and can be the cause of muscle cramps and muscle fatigue.  The next time you visit your doctor, have your magnesium levels tested to see if this could be the source of your food cravings!
6. Eat from a red plate – Researchers have found that eating from a red plate is like seeing a red light, and it triggers you to stop eating sooner than if you eat from a traditional white plate.  Respondents in the study showed on average that they consumed 40 percent less food when the red plate was involved. 
7. Swap your pasta – Zucchini, oyster mushrooms, seaweed or shredded cabbage, these days there are heaps of pasta alternatives available that are much lower in carbohydrates and calories than your typical linguine.  In addition, many of them have a great nutrient boost, such as the fiber from zucchini, iodine from seaweed, or vitamin D found in mushrooms!
8. Run outside – Ditch the treadmill and get outside.  Running outside burns more calories because of the weather element, but also because you will be on altering terrain, hitting hills, stairs, trails and rolling slopes that will all make your body work harder and burn more calories than if you were inside.  Take it a step further and change up your route regularly to ensure you don’t become used to just running the same thing.

By: Laura Peill –  Viand Nutrition