My 5 Sneaky Ways to Lose Weight and Look Thinner

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Photo by Sarah Cervantes on Unsplash

I am so ready to get my body ready for summer. I tend to be lazy when it comes to exercise, but I'm generally disciplined about my diet (one or two...well, maybe more, glasses of wine aside). I'm working on incorporating more weight-lifting and toning exercises into my routine, and I'm excited to see where I'll be in just a few months. Right now, I'm just aiming to lose 20 pounds, but I'll see how I feel when I get there. 

What are your body goals? Are you trying to slim for an upcoming vacation, or are you just ready to be healthier and feel better? 

I've got some sneaky ways that I use to lose weight or look slimmer. As always, consult with your doctor before trying any of these methods. I'm not advocating these things, just sharing what I find to be helpful in my life. 

1. Low-Carb Diets

Everybody has an opinion about low-carb diets. Some people think they're a fad, others that they're unsustainable, and there are those who consider them dangerous. In my case, I have nothing but success when I ditch the carbs. I feel lighter and energetic. I think and concentrate better; my mood is generally positive. I not only lose weight, I lose my food cravings.

For example, my dear mamma recently made homemade spaghetti. I hadn't had carbs in weeks, but I couldn't resist having a bowl. The spaghetti was delicious, but I felt headachy, gross, and food-obsessed the rest of the day. I ate way more than usual and had trouble remaining satisfied. 

I'm not saying all carbs are bad. There are plenty of healthy carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and others. I'm just saying that, in my case, I feel better when I eat low carb.

If it's not for you, no problem. You can move onto something else. There are so many diets out there.  Strict vegans, zealous carnivores, people who stuff themselves with fruit. It's up to you to experiment and find the best diet for you.

2.  Dandelion Root Tea


Dandelion root tea is used by a number of bodylifters and fitness devotees to drop water weight before events. Not only are the tea's diuretic powers beloved, it's also said to increase the flow of bile and protect the liver.

I like to drink it because it does seem to help with bloat and water weight, but it also just tastes really good. It has a satisfying, earthy flavor (with hints of straw), and I find it to be a great alternative to coffee when I've already pounded back too much caffeine. Traditional Medicinals Organic Roasted Dandelion Root Herbal Leaf Tea is one of my favorites; I feel like it tastes the best and I love that it's organic.

I've also used Starwest Botanicals Organic Raw Dandelion Root Tea, which I found to be effective, too.

Some people don't like the taste, but it will grow on you. I think it's yummy. 

3. Intermittent Fasting (IF)

So, this is one that's been all over the place lately. There are different methods for practicing IF, but the idea is to limit your eating to a small window instead of eating throughout the day. I've generally been using the 16:8 method, which is where I fast for 16 hours and have an eight-hour eating window. However, this week I've begun the "warrior" plan, which is where you fast for 20 hours and have a four-hour eating window. I've read great results for both plans, but I'm most excited about the warrior schedule. Coupled with the low-carb eating plan, I feel like I'm really going to see results. Fasting is something you definitely should consult with your doctor about before attempting, so keep that in mind as you research and plan.

I'll be doing an update on my results at the end of February. Fingers crossed!

If you're interested, Bulletproof Blog has an excellent introduction to how it all works and what to do on this page.

4. Stomach Vacuums

Photo by ActionVance on Unsplash

This is a super-simple, no-nonsense move that makes ab workouts easy and quick. I've only been doing this about two weeks, but I feel like I'm already seeing results.

The idea is to exhale, then draw your stomach in ("suck it in") like you're trying to draw your navel back to your spin. Hold for 20 seconds, then release. This apparently is a move that's been popular in bodybuilding for years, and the idea is that it gradually flattens and whittles your stomach. You can do it while standing, laying down, or in the car at a stoplight.

For more information about this exercise and how it targets your muscles, this article provides a succinct rundown.

5. Infrared Sauna

When I was about 15, my parents belonged to a book club. There were some "out there" people in this group, and they were interested in a lot of different therapies and alternative health methods. One of these methods turned out to be the infrared sauna (for reference, check out the JNH Lifestyles Joyous 2-Person Far Infrared Sauna.)

Until it recently started to putter out on me, one of my favorite ways to relax and feel like I was taking care of my skin was to use my mother's sauna. This stalwart relic of the book club (most of its members have long-since disbanded) not only relaxed me and made my skin glow, but I felt like it was great at keeping water weight down. The science is out on infrared saunas and their ability to blast calories, but I liked to sit in it and visualize the fat melting off of me. And it definitely made my skin feel super smooth.

I'd love to combine it with a diet and exercise regimen, but the sauna has just nearly died on me. I can only get two of the front heaters to work, and you really need the back ones for maximum sweatiness. Le sigh. I'll sit in one again, some day.

If you liked this article or have any comments, let me know in the comment section below. And be sure to let me know if you want more sneaky weight loss ideas!