Three Weird Weight Loss Tips You Weren’t Expecting

January is almost at an end, which means dieters are soon going to be checking in on their progress, if they haven’t already been watching their weight like hungry hawks. In the event that the results are not what they hoped they be, or if they’d like to lose even more weight, family practice doctors have some unconventional tips that can help.

Here are just a few!

Pick Up a Book.

Believe it or not, choosing to read a book is a great addition to any weight loss system, or rather, cutting out TV time is. In one study, subjects were forced to cut their TV viewing time in half, and actually wound up losing an average of 119 calories more a day. So instead of binge watching House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, Game of Thrones, or some other show, why not read instead?

Turn Down Your Heat.

Sleep is an important part of any weight loss system. That’s a given, since people who get insufficient have time and time again been proven to gain weight, but you could boost the effects of this part of your weight loss system by turning down your thermostat. In one study, participants who slept in a 66-degree room wound up burning 7% more calories while sleeping than participants who slept in a 75-degree room.

Cheat Without Shame.

Everyone needs a cheat day. Everyone. Even the top weight loss programs give people wiggle room to indulge for just a little bit. But when you come to that beloved day in your weight loss system, you can’t feel guilty about cheating. According to Kristin Neff, a University of Texas at Austin professor of human development and culture, dieters are prone to overate in response to stress, including the guilt about what they’ve eaten. This means that if you feel guilty about having a cheat day in your weight loss system, you might overdo it a bit, so go forth and nom without feeling ashamed.

These are just a few of the weird weight loss tips out there. If you know of any other tips people can include in their own weight loss systems, feel free to share in the comments. Great references here.