how to lose weight without diet or exercise

Want to shed kilos without adopting a fad diet or spending every waking moment at the gym? Well, you can! Hitting healthy, sustainable weight loss goals is easy when you commit to small, positive daily changes.

Self-care and long-term weight loss are a marathon, not a sprint. Super strict dieting may seem like the fastest path to dropping kilos, but most fail in the long run. Sure, the weight may come off quickly, but it will return just as quickly, usually with some added pounds to boot!

Instead of restricting yourself, try these proven tips for long-lasting weight loss and optimum self-care.

Research reveals intermittent fasting, which involves switching between fasting and eating, is as effective as a typical low-calorie diet for weight loss. The most popular forms of intermittent fasting are the 18:6, 16:8, and 14:10 time-restricted eating plans, where you abstain from food for 18, 16, and 14 hours per day, respectively.

When we fast, our body goes into ketosis, which occurs when it doesn't have enough glucose for energy, so it is forced to break down stored fat, increasing ketones. This, along with consuming fewer calories, leads to weight loss. It also impacts our metabolic processes that work to decrease inflammation and improve blood sugar regulation and physical stress response.

Following and sticking to a fast takes planning and commitment. An intermittent fasting meal plan can provide guidelines and clarity on what you should eat and at what time. nuut's best-selling intermittent meal plan follows the 16:8 method, which involves fasting for 16 hours and eating three meals within 8 hours. Created by a Perth nutritionist expert, it includes a 14-day meal plan packed with 21 delicious, nutrient-rich recipes and nuut plant-based protein powder.

Start every day with plenty of clean protein and fibre that will keep you satisfied and encourage you to make better food choices throughout the day. Avoid carbohydrate bombs like cereal and muffins, and instead shake a nuut plant-based protein powder with nut milk, dates, oats and peanut butter, scramble a couple of eggs, or add plain Greek yoghurt to a cup of fresh seasonal fruit.

We tend to eat almost all of what we serve ourselves, so controlling portion sizes can help prevent overindulging, curb cravings and reduce overall daily calorie intake. Feeling satiated, or full, can affect how much you eat, so avoid serving up massive portions that train your mind to think your body needs that amount of food.

Use your plate as a handy portion control guide to ensure the optimal macronutrient ratio is correct for a well-balanced meal:

• Vegetables or salad: ½ plate

• High-quality protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and pulses): ¼ plate

• Complex carbs (whole grains and starchy vegetables): ¼ plate

• High-fat foods (cheese, oils and butter): ½ tablespoon (7 grams)

Or simply use your hands!

• High-protein foods: one palm-sized serving for women and two for men

• Vegetables and salads: one fist-sized portion for women and two for men

• High-carb foods: one cupped-hand portion for women and two for men

• High-fat foods: one thumb-sized portion for women and two for men

Vegetables are naturally low in calories and high in fibre, vitamins and nutrients, so piling them on your plate is an effective way not to overload on carbs and calorie-heavy foods.

Medium-size apple (72 calories)

Medium-size banana (105 calories)

1 cup steamed green beans (44 calories)

1 cup blueberries (83 calories)

1 cup grapes (100 calories)

1 cup carrots (45 calories), broccoli (30 calories) with 2 tbsp. Hummus (46 calories)

Eat fruits and vegetables in their most natural form or prepare them using low-fat cooking techniques. Try steaming your vegetables, adding herbs and spices for heat and flavour, and munch your way through a fruit bowl and enjoy its natural taste and sweetness. Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh as they are packaged when they are ripe, which preserves their nutrients. Look at the ingredients list and watch for added sugar or syrup that adds calories.

A good night's sleep is key to good health, and studies show poor sleep is associated with weight gain. With seven-nine hours of sleep a night, keeping the appetite hormones ghrelin and leptin in check is easier. With an adequate amount, those hormones can become balanced and lead to an increased appetite.

A plant-based protein shake before bed prevents you from waking with hunger pains and helps maximise muscle growth and recovery. Choosing a vegan protein over whey is advantageous as it is easier to digest and doesn't cause gas and bloating, which can interrupt sleep. Warm up some plant-based milk and add it to one sachet of nuut plant-based protein powder to help lull you to sleep. Try our homemade oat milk that is lactose-free and gentle on the stomach.

Avoid take-out lunches and make your own so you know exactly what is going into them. You're also less likely to skip lunch on busy days, which might feel like cutting calories but makes you snack later in the day. nuut vegan protein is a great way to eat well on-the-run. Add avocado, cauliflower, hemp seeds or nuts and amp up your plant-based protein powder quota so you are full and happy until dinner time. nuut vegan protein powder is created in Perth using whole foods for daily nutrition, so you can rest assured that it is as healthy as your favourite homemade lunch.

Prioritising high-fibre carbs on low-carb days is the correct route for weight loss, as wholegrain carbohydrates are a rich source of fibre that is good for satiety, cholesterol control, and a happy, well-functioning gut.

Always choose whole fruit over juice as it still has its valuable fibre intact, which is good for digestion, fills you up and is lower in calories. For example, one 6-ounce serving of orange juice has 85 calories, compared to just 65 calories in a medium orange. Eat up!

Eating mindfully is a simple way to cut back on calories. When you chew slowly instead of inhaling your food, your body registers the feeling of fullness, which takes up to 20 minutes for your brain to register.

A recent study compared one group of people who wolfed down their food quickly, another who ate at a normal speed, and a third who ate slowly. Those who ate at a regular pace were 29% less likely to be obese, while the people who ate slowly were 42% less likely to be obese. And although absolute reductions in waist circumference throughout the study were small, they were greater among slow and normal eaters.

Sometimes thirst can be misinterpreted as hunger pains, causing us to reach for snacks when all we need is a long glass of water. Many studies show a positive correlation between increased water consumption and weight loss. It has been proven that without water, the body cannot metabolise stored fat or carbohydrates - a process called lipolysis that is essential for burning stored fat and fat from food and drink. All good reasons to down more water!

There is no standard recommendation for how much water we should drink as some people require more or less water, depending on factors like age, size, activity level and sun exposure. However, the National Academy of Medicine suggests 13 cups and 9 cups for healthy men and women, respectively, with 1 cup equalling 8 ounces. If drinking plain water doesn't thrill you, try adding ice and fresh citrus and remember to add water to your vegan protein powder. Every drop counts!