7 Ways To Lose Weight When You're Too Busy

If packing your lunch, cooking dinner every night, and getting to the gym regularly sounds like sprinting up a mountain for you, fear not — we have an easier solution.

Everyone's busy, yeah? But if you're daily schedule is always packed, there are a few easy ways to get back time to meet your weight loss goals.

Here are seven simple hacks to help you smash those goals on a busy schedule.

Ditch The All-or-nothing Mentality

Every step you take toward a healthier lifestyle matters. There is a common misconception that if you don't spend an hour at the gym and eat 100% clean you might as well not bother. But really, every time you make a healthy decision you are making a difference.

If you skipped the gym today, you can still make healthy decisions like taking the stairs instead of the escalator (in fact, it's more reason to do that!).

Eat Smaller Portions

Knowing the correct portion size can make a massive difference to your weight loss goals. You may be surprised to find out what an actual serving of something is. Spoiler: an entire roast chook is not a single serving.

You don't need to cook your own food or change your diet drastically to lose weight. Eating smaller portions, not going back for seconds or adding on dessert, are easy ways to lower your calorie intake.

Don't Skip Meals

Now, this may seem counterintuitive after we just said eat less overall, but spacing out your meals across the day will help you to lose weight.

Skipping meals can actually slow your metabolism, meaning you won't be burning fat. It also affects your hormone and insulin levels, so when you do finally sit down to eat you are more likely to make unhealthy choices (like eating a whole roast chook from Woolies on the way home).

If you are rushed, a meal on the go like The Man Shake is a great option that's packed full of nutrition.

Sneak In More Movement

Look, we get it — finding an hour or even half an hour every day to exercise can be tough. But there's nothing wrong with breaking it up into 10-minute bursts.

If you do 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes at lunch, and 10 minutes at night, then you've hit the mark. Park a little further away from work and walk or ride a bike. While it may not seem like much at the time, everything adds up.

Another easy sneaky swap is to stand rather than sit. If a standing desk isn't an option at work, consider walking meetings rather than being stuck in a chair. If you're talking on the phone, take a stroll while you chat instead of flopping into the couch.

Practice Simple Food Swaps

Simple food swaps are a great way to cut the calories, and it won't cost you any extra time or effort. Leaving the cheese off a burger or choosing a bottle of water instead of a soft drink are little swaps you can make that add up. Making a few simple food swaps across a day will greatly contribute to your weight loss goals.

Get Enough Sleep

It might feel like there aren't enough hours in the day and the only way to get everything done is to get up at the crack of dawn or stay up late — and exercise is usually the first thing to be sacrificed. But if you're not getting enough quality sleep, it can have a detrimental effect on your weight loss goals.

Six to eight hours of sleep each night is essential to achieving healthy weight loss and feeling well rested. It will have a positive effect on your work too. Win-win!

Use Your Weekends Wisely

Days off are to relax, refresh and regroup.

Using these days to plan ahead for the week ahead enables you to make positive health choices like meal preparation and grocery shopping. You can also use these days to get in some longer exercise than you have time for during the week.

If weekends are for family and friends, then spend some time outside playing with your kids or doing something active with your mates.