100 Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Lose Weight & Sustain It

Last updated on October 28th, 2022

Have you ever realized healthy lifestyle habits can play a major role to help you lose weight fast? Making a few small changes in your lifestyle can help you stay in shape and sustain your weight loss.

How?

At times, weight loss seems to be an impossible task. You eat diet food and invest your money in taking a gym membership or setting up a home gym. Despite spending hours, you are not satisfied.

Do you know why you are not getting the desired results?

Because…you are not changing your daily lifestyle habits! Make small changes, incorporate the below-given habits into your regimen and see the miracle!

Not only this, If you have healthy habits, but you also boost your physical, emotional and mental health as well.

These are 100 tested healthy lifestyle habits that will help you improve your health and lose weight.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits to Lose Weight

#1. Schedule your workouts when you crave food the most. For example, if your workout is scheduled in the morning and you crave junk foods in the evening, workout in the evening.

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#2. Don’t confuse thirst with hunger, drink a full glass of water when you crave for eating something in between your 3 main meals.

#3. Eating high protein doesn’t mean you should eat bad protein. For example, breaded/fried chicken breast does not constitute an optimally healthy protein source, compared to sprouts and lentils. Potatoes do not constitute a viable vegetable source (they are a carbohydrate source).

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#4. Look at the bigger picture! Don’t try to lose weight, instead, try to do some more exercise which will keep you healthy. Find motivation. Because doing workouts is one of the best healthy lifestyle habits.

#5. Avoid processed food and food where you can’t pronounce the ingredients. Keep it as natural as possible. Processed food is not good for your health also.

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#6. Late-night food cut,…try not to eat heavy food after 7 in the evening. Late-night heavy food is hard to digest which slows your metabolism.

#7. Some people eat not for hunger only but for their habit to eat. To overcome this, put elaichi (cardamom) or saunf (fennel seeds) or something like that in the mouth. It will save you from unnecessary eating habits.

#8. Control your portion sizes. For this, if you have taken the sensible amount and still are craving, it is not hunger. You again can put saunf in your mouth and wait for half an hour…you will realize you are not hungry.

#9. Cultivate a habit to share your snacks.

#10. Eat as soon as possible after you get up in the morning. This habit boosts your metabolism. Your metabolism starts working at a higher rate sooner in the day. Start your day with a healthy morning drink. You can also try a detox drink. A good cold press juicer can help you a lot with this.

#11. For beginners, it is almost impossible to follow a strict workout routine. They fail to go for workouts daily. No need to go daily, start with exercising 3 times per week.

#12. Start walking outside to get fresh air, which makes your mood good for your health too. If it rains, you can use a treadmill. But walk fast, no sissy stuff.

#13. Keep a written food and activity journal. Also prepare a list of healthy, easy-to-prepare snacks.

#14. Limit restaurant. And if you are tempted to do that, also, invite your friends too and put the burden of bills in your pocket. You can also think to donate that food to needy persons.

#15. Think about your kids. If you will stay fit, then they also tend to adopt good habits.

#16. Use low-fat cooking methods such as baking, grilling, boiling, poaching, broiling, roasting, steaming or microwaving without additional fat. One of the easiest healthy lifestyle habits.

#17. Make a list of instant low-calorie snacks. Make sure when you crave snacks, you find something to prepare fast and can avoid junk food.

#18. If you are dieting but you enjoy potato chips, eat the baked potato. You can also make it at home. Baked potato chips don’t taste much different from fried chips but are far healthier!

#19. Eat garlic. Both science and Ayurveda say that garlic is responsible for boosting your overall health (See). It makes you fitter by boosting your energy levels, burning more calories, firing up your metabolism and preventing weight gain.

#20. Three bean salad is low in calories. Add to your diet. You can prepare it in Indian style at home. Combine 1/2 cup rajma, 1/2 cup Kabuli chana, 1/2 cup labia, 1 onion, chilli, green bell pepper, lemon juice, jeera, chaat powder or anything as per your taste.

#21. Dieting…….? And can’t avoid those tasty Indian sweets? But there are some good options which you can still have while dieting- a slice of plain, sponge cake, fruits with natural sugar, mix fruits with honey and nuts, gluten-free chocolate cake.

#22. Making your cardio like running the first activity in the morning is an excellent way to lose weight. Doing cardio in this way burns up to 3 times the calories.

#23. Ask your friends to click your photos. These ‘before and after photographs‘ help you get perspective about your progress even when the scale says you haven’t lost any weight.

#24. Take small bites and chew food about 32 times. You will likely consume more food if you eat quickly, as your stomach does not have a chance to signal you that it is full

#25. Walk when you talk! Do not sit down when you are having a phone conversation. You’d be surprised at how much those calories will add up.

#26. Take some fresh cut vegetables with lunch. Enhance your lunch with a cup of warm soup.

#27. Eat a piece of fruit before lunch or dinner.  This will help you eat a little less.

#28. No time for a workout? No problem. Practice this anywhere. Tighten your stomach muscles for 3 to 10 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times. No one will know that you’re working out.

#29. Weight gain is often due to improper digestion, or lack of digestion fire- says Ayurveda. Foods such as ginger, papaya, bitter gourd, garlic, and chilli, increase digestion and do wonder with weight loss.

#30. Get rid of Ama. Ama is an ayurvedic term used to denote incomplete digestion in Ayurveda. Ama is an accumulation of impurities and toxins in the body. Turmeric, Triphala, trikatu, barberry and Guggulu, all help in eliminating ama. You can get these in capsule form, and you can also use powders.

#31. Chew minty gum. It won’t necessarily curb your appetite. But, it can keep your mouth busy. Studies show it can lower cravings for sweet and salty snacks, and decrease hunger between meals.

#32. Put your money to sign up for a yoga class, book some sessions with a personal trainer, invest in a fitness tracker or something like that. It will be a real motivator.

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#33. Too much relying on crash diets can cause weight gain. When you eat so few calories, you train your metabolism to slow down. You burn calories more slowly and you usually regain the weight.

#34. You can use an apple one more way. Take 3/4 cup of apple slices and spread a layer of peanut butter on each slice. But don’t use more butter.

#35. Greek yoghurt is rich in protein and you can eat it as a dessert. Take non-fat plain Greek yoghurt and add a teaspoon of honey to it. You’ll feel full.

#36. Learn to analyze what is the reason behind your weight gain. Sometimes it may be because of a decrease in metabolism or from disease too or medication. Consult your doctor and get engaged in metabolism-raising activities.

#37. Ayurveda says- never eat your food while standing. Sit and relax. You’ll do less unplanned nibbling.

#38. Never eat your snacks direct from a bag or box. Eating this way increases your portion sizes.

#39. Fond of Paranthas?  Eat them a smarter way. Rub oil onto the pan with a paper towel for the lightest possible coating. This way, you won’t need to put much oil on every next Parantha that you are going to make next.

#40. Search for healthier options for your cravings. For example- go for baked potatoes with some spices instead of high-cal aloo Tikki.

#41.  If you can’t resist eating while watching T.V, do something that makes your hand busy, such as painting your nails, some exercise, cutting vegetables, etc.

#42. Carbs are important to fuel your body. So, don’t cut back on them completely. Instead take carbs from whole grains, fruits, and veggies.

#43. Don’t cut back on fat completely. Any type of food shouldn’t be left completely. Fat helps you feel full after eating curbing your desire for dessert. Replace unsaturated fats with saturated fats.

#44. Start your day with Ushapan. It is an Ayurvedic routine to start your day with 1 litre of water without brushing your teeth.

#45. Rejuvenate your body periodically to remove unhealthy toxins from your body and filter your system healthily. You can also try fruit detox. This on of my favourite healthy lifestyle habits.

#46. Make your leisure time activities healthy. They should be outdoors which makes your body move and not sitting idle at home. For example, swimming, playing basketball, horse riding or walking.

#47. Add variety to your diet and exercise. This practice saves you from boredom and keeps your interest and energy high.

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#48. Only eat the whites of the eggs, rich in protein. The yolk is not healthy and it contains high levels of fat and cholesterol.

#49. Try doing exercise while sitting. You can also do the workout in the office. Office workouts may include arm circles, and desk push-ups or you can search them on the internet. Easiest healthy lifestyle habits.

#50. Get a treadmill. Trust me it helps a lot. It makes you more active. Whether you are under stress or feeling lazy, it will help you instantly to nudge you from your sluggishness. Just get on the treadmill and vent out all your anger & frustration.

Trying Something Different

#51. Let’s talk about something interesting now! Almost every person has a list of favourite actors. We often have updates on their activities, dressing, style etc. We also read their fitness habits but never tend to follow them. Make them your ideal and also follow their fitness habits along with their other activities. They may prove to be your real motivators.

#52. Go to online shopping websites for new dresses. Sometimes their size guides are enough to motivate you to shed those extra kilos from your body.

#53. Tell your friends that you have taken that 30 days challenge to lose weight. The benefit is whenever you meet them, their faces would be a reminder call for you.

#54. Don’t go shopping when you are hungry. A hungry stomach shopping makes you shop for unnecessary foods which you store in your kitchen.

#55. Use smaller plates when you eat. This would help you psychologically. You will eat less and have the feeling of finishing a full plate of food.

#56. Shop thin and tall glasses to drink your beverages.

#57. Remember to keep your goals in sight. You can use your walls for it.

#58. Take small bags when you go food shopping. They will not let you buy unnecessary foods.

#59. Do it for your loved ones. For example, give your spouse happiness to have the fittest husband/wife. Their happiness may be your
biggest motivation.

#60. Don’t forget to brush your teeth after dinner..this habit will save you from mid-night snacking habits which add up unnecessary
calories to your body.

#61. Make your own diet plan and commit to it. Frequently changing your diet plan because the last one did not work, can give an adverse result and ruin your efforts. Here’s how you plan your weight loss strategies.

#62. Get an active dog, with whom you can go out for a walk daily.

#63. Take the stairs. Walk or bike ride that short distance instead of driving. Your heart will have blood flow. Your body will thank you for these tiny efforts.

#64. Give a few minutes from your day to spend time with the mirror, it’s the biggest motivator.

#65. Appreciate yourself for what you have achieved…instead of crying that you could not complete a goal. For example, if you took 30 days challenge to lose 10 kg and you lost only 4-5 kg..it’s not less. You don’t need to get disheartened. Remember…slow and steady wins the race!

#66. Set a home gym if you are not comfortable with working out in a commercial gym. And, it’s a good investment too.

#67. Make friends with fit people who are habitual to going for a workout, cardio or walking daily.

#68. Look at the bigger picture. If you won’t lose weight now…it will cause several diseases after your 40s and 50s. Getting in good shape now will prevent your body from several diseases later.

#69. Exercise if you want to look younger forever…exercise keeps your skin tight and young…it will motivate you to lose weight

#70. Please do not go too fast. Don’t be crazy or obsessed to lose weight or fitting in a certain size. It will lure you to adopt any bad habits such as skipping meals, and too much exercise. You will end up deteriorating your health. And after some period of time, you will put on weight more easily, maybe faster than before.

#71. If you decide to eat nuts for a snack, then select nuts in their shells, such as walnuts and peanuts. It will take a longer time to peel off the shells, which will lead to less snack consumption.

#72. Only eat the whites of the eggs, rich in protein. The yolk is not healthy and it contains high levels of fat and cholesterol.

#73. One more tip to be a calorie saver-if you are a big fan of salad dressing, switch it up with olive oil or vinegar. This could be one of the wisest & life-saving healthy lifestyle habits.

#74. It is important to never completely cut out your favourite food. Save some cheating days and enjoy the food on that day. If you stop eating your favourite foods completely, you can never get in your ideal shape because you’ll end up eating too much of them in the long run.

#75. Don’t make the old proverb “finish everything on your plate” an excuse to eat more than a sensible amount. Use small plates if are tempted to load your plate full of food. If the food still remains, freeze it and enjoy it next time. Pay attention to what you eat and stop as soon as you feel full.

#76. If you can’t avoid butter completely, prepare whipped butter at home. Whipped butter is a great butter substitute. Thankfully you will not have to drop butter entirely from your diet. It contains half the calories of regular butter.

#77. Add up spices to your diet. Indian spices protect you from flu and several diseases and are good metabolism boosters. Eat chilli pepper sauce. Your body will be able to burn more calories.

#78. Set a meal time and stick to it. You are less likely to search for other food when you know your schedule

#79. 60. Don’t eat at your desk.

#80. If you love pizza or pakora, simply blot your pizza with a napkin; doing so will soak up all the extra grease.

#81. You can help to flatten your tummy with smoothies. A smoothie made with pineapple and with watermelon. They help break down
protein and ease digestion. Chop up 2 cups of watermelon/pineapple and put them into a blender. add 1/4 cup of fat-free milk, And 2 cups of ice and blend for 20 seconds.

#82. Be aware of food advertisements boasting of as low in calories or fat. They are often full of empty calories, more expensive versions of the same product in a larger container.

#83. Find out what your ideal weight really is. Don’t idealise someone’s weight. Use the Internet to look up your ideal body weight based on your height and your body type.

#84. You are often tempted to get disheartened in this journey. Remember, setbacks will happen. You’re human.

#85. Don’t shop for food without reading food labels, if you want to make healthy shopping choices. This way, you will purchase only those food that is lower in fat, salt and sugar.

#86. Choose snacks that are packaged in individual small packets so as to stop you from overeating.

#87. Go natural. Eat Seasonal fruits and veggies. Besides rice, wheat and other fruits and veggies, seasonal fruits and veggies are good for your health also.

#88. Serve restaurant style. It makes you realise satisfied with your meal.

#89. Limit your screen time. Instead, invest your free time in workouts.

#90. Be smart when you watch t.v. Do some ball crunches, yoga, squats, push-ups or any other physical activity near the tv.

#91. Eat fruit, instead of drinking fruit juice.

#92. Want a large snack and don’t want to consume higher calories? One of the best healthy lifestyle habits you can develop is cooking with an air fryer. You can store air-popped popcorn in your kitchen popped without any oil, this is a diet-friendly snack containing only 30 calories per cup. It can help you stay full longer.

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#93. Consider eating baked apples while you are on diet. They will serve you two ways- one as dessert and the second as a snack. You can add dates, walnuts, and cinnamon according to your taste.

#94. Like butter? Let your food slightly cool before buttering so it absorbs less. One of the most satisfying healthy lifestyle habits!

#95. Give away the temptation. After a dinner party, pack up food and dessert and give it as a donation to needy ones.

#96. Before going to a party, eat a low-calorie snack.

#97. Pack fruit or any low-calorie snack when you go out. You won’t have an excuse of eating junk food because of hunger.

#98. To swift your metabolism, you need to take a reasonable amount of calcium. There are many options out there such as cereals, orange, salmon, turnip, and tofu.

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#99. Wear a slightly tight belt when going out for dinner. The feeling of restriction won’t let you eat beyond a sensible amount.

#100. If you have to go to sleep after a heavy meal, lie on your left side… it makes your digestion fast.

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DISCLAIMER:  All the suggested tips and suggestions are based on expert advice, research, and personal experience. The content in this article is meant for spreading awareness and not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. It’s always better to seek the advice of your physician, fitness trainer or another qualified health care provider with any question you may have regarding health and fitness advice.

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