Lazy Ways to Lose Weight: 13 Tips and Easy Swaps

Key takeaways:

• You don’t have to make drastic changes or go to extremes to lose weight.

• There are low-effort but effective ways to lose weight, including simple nutrition swaps, time-saving hacks, and enjoyable physical activities.

• “Lazy” ways to lose weight include eating more slowly, adding a morning walk to your routine, drinking water before meals, and getting more sleep.
  

Losing weight doesn’t have to include torturous spin classes and restrictive diets. In fact, there are many “lazy” ways to lose weight and improve your health.

When we say “lazy,” we mean low-effort lifestyle tweaks, simple nutrition swaps, and enjoyable activities that can promote healthy weight loss.

Lazy weight loss tips include eating more protein, drinking a glass of water before meals, and getting more sleep — the laziest of all the activities. Keep reading for why they work and for more tips.

1. Eat More Slowly

Be “lazy” with your meal times and eat more slowly.

One small study found that eating more slowly helped participants:

• Feel fuller after a meal

• Have a more accurate memory of portion size

• Produce less ghrelin (the hunger hormone)

• Consume 25 percent fewer calories from snacks later in the day

The control group ate their meal in six minutes, while the slow-eating group ate their meal in 24 minutes — so, really embrace your lazy side.

Eating more slowly can also help you notice when you’re starting to feel full.

To eat at a lazier pace, take sips of water or put down your cutlery between bites, eat without the distraction of work or the TV, and really savor your food.

2. Use Smaller Plates

Another low-effort hack you can use to help with portion control is using smaller plates, spoons, and bowls. You might find yourself naturally serving smaller portions to match the plate size.

Make sure you’re not restricting yourself and you’re still giving your body all the nutrients it needs. But using smaller plates can help if you often find yourself overeating.

3. Eat More Protein and Fiber

Add protein and fiber to your meals and snacks. Both protein and fiber can help you feel fuller for longer. There’s even research suggesting that a high-protein breakfast can reduce food cravings.

Go for lean protein sources like:

• Chicken

• Fish

• Lean beef

• Eggs

• Tofu

• Tempeh

• Beans

And get fiber from:

• Fruits

• Veggies

• Nuts

• Legumes like chickpeas, beans, and lentils

• Complex carbs like brown rice and whole-wheat bread

→ Learn more: Protein for Weight Loss: How Much Protein Should You Eat?

4. Keep Nutritious Foods on Hand

With your lazy side in mind, make it easier to eat nutritious foods and harder to eat the less-than-healthy foods. Avoid bringing processed meals and snacks into your home, and stock up on fresh fruits, veggies, and high-protein snacks instead.

Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, senior vice president of mental health at Hims & Hers, recommends keeping highly accessible, nutrient-dense foods on hand when you’re trying to cut down on processed foods, including:

• Fruits that require little to no prep, such as grapes, berries, and apples

• Easy-to-eat veggies like baby carrots

• Multigrain bread or rolls

Dr. Lieberman also recommends making changes to your breakfasts and lunches first, as they’re often easier meals to add whole foods to. Once you’ve got those down, you might feel more motivation to eat nutritious dinners.

5. Drink a Glass of Water Before Meals

Water can keep you hydrated, of course, but it can also regulate your appetite. Drinking water before meals is particularly useful on a weight loss journey as it can help you feel fuller and avoid overeating at that meal.

Drinking about a bottle of water before meals may improve weight loss by about 2 to 5 pounds over three months, according to some research.

Here’s how it works:

1. Drink about two cups (16 ounces) of water.

2. Wait 30 minutes.

3. Eat your meal.

While we’re talking about beverages, cutting down on alcohol and sugary drinks can also aid weight loss.

6. Eat More Mindfully

Eating due to stress, boredom, loneliness — or anything that isn’t hunger — is a common challenge. To help, bring more mindfulness to your eating habits. Here’s how:

1. Pause: When you feel the urge to snack, take a moment to ask yourself if you’re truly hungry. Is your stomach rumbling, for example?

2. Reflect: If not, is something else going on emotionally? For example, are you craving chocolate after a tough day at work?

3. Soothe: If it’s emotional “hunger” you’re feeling, what non-food-related activity could help? For example, could going for a walk or listening to music help you de-stress?

→ Read next: How to Stop Stress Eating

7. Add a Morning Walk to Your Routine

Getting more movement can help you lose weight and improve your fitness. But you don’t need to sign up for a gym membership or a marathon. Look for physical activities you enjoy that don’t feel like a chore to you.

Walking is a great choice when you’re getting started. Here are some ideas on when to squeeze a walk into your day:

• First thing in the morning

• During your lunch break

• After dinner

Try to gradually increase how much walking you do each week, and make it a brisk walk when you can.

8. Do More Physical Chores

If you don’t have time for structured exercise, you can sneak more movement into your daily life with chores.

For example:

• Do yardwork

• Wash the windows

• Vacuum the whole house

• Stand while making phone calls

• Walk the dogs or walk your kids to school

• Walk to the supermarket instead of driving or getting groceries delivered

If you’re running errands or doing household chores anyway, you may as well make them active to help you work toward your weight loss goals.

9. Get More Sleep

“Lazy” and “lay-in” go hand in hand. And, fortunately, getting enough quality sleep (at least seven hours each night) may help with weight loss.

Sleep deprivation can increase your appetite and food cravings while tanking your energy and motivation. This makes sticking to nutritious foods and your movement routine much harder.

Get more sleep by:

• Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day

• Limiting caffeine in the afternoons and evenings

• Avoiding large meals before bed

• Keeping your bedroom cool and comfortable

10. Lower Your Stress Levels

Stress can affect your weight in many ways. It can lead to stress eating and sleep loss, and it can increase your appetite, especially for sugary and fatty foods.

To manage stress, try:

• Meditation or deep breathing exercises

• Spending time in nature

• Connecting with loved ones

• Doing regular exercise (pick an activity you enjoy!)

Jessica Yu, PhD, clinical psychologist and senior director of clinical excellence and outcomes at Hims & Hers, says stress management includes in-the-moment skills and preventive skills.

“In-the-moment skills are usually brief and require just a few minutes,” Yu says. “Examples are mindfulness, deep breathing, a quick walk around the block, and listening to a favorite song.”

“Preventive skills are usually planned out and incorporated into your regular schedule. Examples are exercise and pleasant or social activities,” she adds.

11. Strength Train (Muscle Burns More Calories)

We know strength training sounds the complete opposite of lazy, but hear us out.

Strength training helps you build more muscle mass. And muscle uses more calories at rest, meaning your body will burn more calories throughout the day.

This can help you manage your weight, and the effort you put into strength training pays back dividends. Work smarter, not harder, right?

You can strength train by:

• Doing bodyweight exercises like squats and lunges

• Using dumbbells and resistance bands

• Using resistance machines

Start slowly and gradually build up how often you strength train each week and how heavy you lift. Aim for at least two strength-training sessions a week.

12. Meal Prep or Use a Meal Delivery Service

A lazy win when it comes to nutritious meals is getting a meal delivery service. Go for one that uses whole foods, fresh ingredients, and plenty of protein and fiber.

Preparing your own meals ahead of time can also make eating healthily easier.

Spend some time Sunday making a meal plan and preparing healthy meals for the week ahead. Or meal prep when you feel your most energetic and motivated to stick to your goals.

You can cook and freeze whole meals, like:

• Chickpea and spinach curry

• Black bean and turkey chilli

• Overnight oats

• Egg muffins

You can also pre-chop veggies, make sauces, and roast chicken and veggies ahead of time.

If you’re looking for lazy ways to top up your protein intake, you can get protein shakes and bars through the Hers app.

13. Find Support Systems That Make You Feel Good

Everything feels easier and more enjoyable with support — including weight loss. Reach out to friends, family, and healthcare professionals like therapists, dietitians, and weight loss specialists.

Your support system can provide:

• Medical advice

• Company during weekend bike rides or other physical activities

• Motivation when healthy lifestyle habits feel hard

With the right people around you, you might have more energy and motivation to stick to your new routines and keep improving your health and wellness.

You don’t need endless time, money, and willpower to lose weight. Small swaps, enjoyable lifestyle changes, and low-effort hacks can help you achieve your health goals.

Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Make eating nutritious foods and portion sizes frictionless. Meal prep ahead of time, keep only healthy foods in the house, eat more slowly, and use smaller plates.

• Do more movement any way you can. That could include a morning walk, yardwork, standing phone calls, or any enjoyable activity that gets you moving.

• Don’t forget sleep and stress. When you’re stressed and sleep-deprived, you’ll feel even lazier. Practice stress management techniques regularly and aim for at least seven hours of sleep a night.

For some, lifestyle changes aren’t enough, and weight loss medication can be a useful addition to a weight loss plan.

Weight loss medications aren’t a “lazy” way to lose weight, but an additional tool that can help people with overweight and obesity lose weight and improve their health. In fact, they’re prescribed alongside eating more nutritious foods and doing more movement.

Find out if weight loss medications are right for you with our free online weight loss quiz.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about lazy ways to lose weight below.

How can a lazy person lose weight?

A lazy person can lose weight with small lifestyle tweaks and low-effort hacks that can help them eat more nutritious foods and do more movement. For example, you can eat more protein and fiber, drink water before meals, walk regularly, and get more sleep.

How can I lose weight easily?

Losing weight isn’t always easy, but some lifestyle changes can be simple and enjoyable. For example, you can fill up on lean protein and fiber first, swap alcohol and sugary drinks for water, and find a physical activity you enjoy or can do with friends.

How can I lose weight fast?

Losing weight fast comes with risks, including the risk of regaining everything you lost. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends aiming to lose one to two pounds a week. You can do this by eating whole foods, doing more movement, getting enough sleep, and lowering stress levels.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards.