Let’s be honest — most of us know that exercising is great for weight loss. But what if you’re swamped with work, family life, or just trying to survive adulting? The truth is, you can still make progress toward your health goals without clocking in hours at the gym.
In fact, there are small but powerful lifestyle tweaks that can help you lose weight — even if your schedule is jam-packed. These are my seven go-to hacks to help you get started.
Prefer to watch instead of read?
Check out the full YouTube video where I break this down step-by-step. If you’re more of a reader, feel free to dive into the article below. Click the link here to watch the video.
1. Create Your Default “Go-To” Meals
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to weight loss isn’t the gym — it’s figuring out what to eat. Decision fatigue is real. That’s why I recommend creating 4–5 default meals you can rotate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The idea is simple: pick a few healthy, satisfying meals that you enjoy, and make them your staples. You can always tweak them slightly if you get bored.
Example from my life:
- Breakfast: Oatmeal with semi-skimmed milk. I might add protein powder or some diced fruits like bananas or blueberries.
- Lunch: Rice with veggies and turkey (easy to switch the meat or veggies).
- Dinner: Yam and fish sauce — or swap in plantain and beef sauce if I’m in the mood.
The beauty of this is that you don’t have to think every single day about what to eat. And when you’ve got time, sure — switch it up. Just keep it healthy and within your calorie goals.
2. Use NEAT to Your Advantage
Heard of NEAT? It stands for Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis — basically, all the little movements you do throughout the day that aren’t formal workouts.
Things like:
- Taking the stairs
- Pacing during phone calls
- Walking to your car or around the house while cleaning
These movements might seem small, but they burn more calories than you’d expect — and they add up fast. If you’re busy and can’t squeeze in workouts, move more during your day. Hack your routine to sneak in activity wherever you can.
3. Master Your Portions
Good news: you don’t have to stop eating your favorite foods to lose weight. What really matters is how much you’re eating.
Try these hacks for portion control:
- Use smaller plates (it tricks your brain into thinking you’re eating more).
- Measure carbs like yam or rice in the size of a cup or your closed fist.
- Fill half of your plate with vegetables — they keep you full with fewer calories.
- Be mindful of oils, sauces, and dressings. These are sneaky calorie bombs.
For many people, simply cutting back on oils and sauces is enough to start shedding weight — no exercise or radical diet needed.
4. Have Protein With Every Meal
If exercise isn’t an option for you right now, make protein your best friend. Why?
- It keeps you full for longer
- Helps control cravings
- Boosts your metabolism
Good sources include eggs, chicken breast, turkey, tofu, beans, lentils, and salmon — even protein powder if that’s more convenient.
So whether you’re eating rice, pasta, or eba, always make sure there’s a solid protein source on your plate.
5. Hack Meal Prep (Light Edition)
I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t have time to meal prep.”
That’s okay. You don’t have to be a Pinterest mom prepping 21 meals in glass containers every Sunday.
Just give yourself 30 minutes once or twice a week. That’s it.
Here’s what you can do:
- Boil some eggs
- Grill some chicken or fish
- Chop your veggies ahead of time
- Cook a pot of rice or beans and portion it out
That way, when you’re tired or tempted to order fast food, you’ve got healthy options already waiting for you. Less stress, more savings, fewer calories.
6. Cut Down on Liquid Calories
This one’s sneaky. A lot of people sabotage their weight loss with drinks. Yes — drinks.
I’m talking about sodas, fruit juices, sugary coffee drinks and daily malt or sweetened teas
Just one bottle of soda can pack 150–200 calories. That’s like eating an extra meal — but it doesn’t even fill you up!
Instead, try: water, green tea, black coffee and zero-calorie sodas (not perfect, but better than sugary alternatives)
Your drinks matter. Don’t let them trip you up.
7. Prioritize Sleep & Manage Stress
You might be crushing your diet, but if your sleep and stress levels are out of control, progress will be slow.
Poor sleep and high stress mess with hormones like ghrelin and leptin (your hunger hormones). That means:
- More cravings
- Less willpower
- Emotional eating
- Fat storage (especially belly fat)
Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep each night. And if you work night shifts, try to make up for it during the day.
As for stress, do what works for you:
- Take walks
- Listen to calming music
- Meditate
- Journal
- Talk to someone
The goal is balance. A calm mind supports a healthy body.
Final Thoughts
Losing weight doesn’t have to be a full-time job. Even if you’re busy — especially if you’re busy — these small lifestyle changes can help you move the needle.
And if you’re looking for a deeper dive into how to hack your schedule, your meals, and your mindset to lose weight even with a hectic lifestyle, check out my book:
“The Weight Loss Bible for Busy Women.”
It’s practical, no fluff, and written with real life in mind. Link’s in the description if you’re interested.
You’ve got this. Your health matters — and it doesn’t have to be complicated.
