The Laziest Ways to Lose Weight

Weight loss takes work—but the time you dedicate to eating right and exercising doesn't need to feel like a second job. Even if you don't have the time, money, or motivation to hit the gym and prepare a home-cooked meal each night (or if you're simply a self-proclaimed couch potato), there are still plenty of low-effort (but highly effective) strategies for getting rid of pesky pounds. Some of your favorite "lazy" habits, such as playing video games, buying prepared foods, and using cooking shortcuts, may help you slim down. Read on for 14 strategies that can help make losing weight a piece of cake.

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Multitask in Front of the TV

Save time (and money) by skipping the gym and working out at home instead, suggests Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Keep some free weights by the TV or simply do crunches or lunges during your favorite show,” she says. “I have both my treadmill and my elliptical parked in front of a TV. I can watch my favorite shows only if I’m on them,” says Becky Clark, author of How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy Even If You’re Lazy, who incorporates calorie-torching speed intervals into her living room cardio workouts so she can keep them shorter. 

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Eat Leftovers All Week Long

Cook once on Sunday and eat what you’ve prepared during the week. For example, roast a turkey breast and prepare enough brown rice and veggies to last through the week. This way you have to think about food only once a week rather than 21 times, says Clark. “I tend to eat the same stuff over and over,” she says. Researchers at the University of Buffalo suggest that limiting the variety of foods in your diet and eating them at standard intervals, like once a day or once per week, can help you eat less, as you’ll be less tempted to overindulge in a food if you’re consuming it regularly. (Search: What nutrients should I include at each meal?)

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Shorten Your Shopping Trip

Instead of wandering up and down the aisles on an empty stomach, eat before you go to the grocery store and once you’re there, purchase only the items on your list, suggests Joy Dubost, RD, PhD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. That way the only step left is deciding which brand or type of product to purchase. Dubost makes these suggestions: Reach for 1% or skim milk instead of 2% or whole milk; grab whole grain pasta, rice, and bread instead of white varieties; load sparkling water instead of soda into your cart; choose whole fruits or 100% juice over fruit-flavored drinks; and if you have a tendency to overeat straight from the package, pick preportioned sizes instead.

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Buy Ready-to-Eat Snacks

If you’re not the type to tote almonds and apple slices in your laptop bag, you’re likely on the lookout for a satisfying snack at the coffee shop, corner store, or vending machine come late afternoon. “Convenience food doesn’t have to mean junk food,” says Dobbins, who suggests keeping your eye out for prepackaged foods that are sold in their original form. Examples include whole or precut fruits and veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and cups of yogurt. If you’re trying to save money and don’t mind planning in advance, make your own snack packs at the start of the week. “As soon as I get home from the grocery store, I wash and cut up cauliflower, broccoli, and celery, making it handy to grab,” says Clark. “If I didn’t, I’d never eat it.”

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Carry a Clutch

If you’re going to a party, carry a clutch instead of a hobo or shoulder bag, says Marisa Moore, RD, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson. It keeps your hands full, making it more difficult to hold both a drink and a plate.
Video: Avoid these secretly salty foods when you're out with friend

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Leave Out One Ingredient

By using nonstick cookware, you’ll cut down on calories and prep time, says Clark. If you leave out oil or butter when cooking lean meats and veggies you’ll save fat and calories—extra-virgin olive oil contains 120 calories and 14 g of fat per tablespoon, and unsalted butter has 102 calories and 12 g of fat per tablespoon. Skipping oil or butter means you don’t have to spend time digging out one more ingredient from the cabinet or fridge. Plus, it can be time-consuming to wash greasy pans once they hit the sink.

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Break Between Bites

It might take a little while to get acquainted with this new habit, but setting down your fork or spoon in between each bite slows the eating process and may help you eat fewer calories, says Marisa Moore, RD, LD, MBA, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She also suggests taking time to thoroughly chew your food. In a study from Harbin Medical University in China, people who chewed their food 40 times per bite ate fewer calories than those who chewed just 15 times. Another way to fill up faster: Drink water before a meal, says Moore. “This simple action is not only hydrating, but also may help you take in fewer calories during the meal.”

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Have Your Meals Hand-Delivered

If cooking isn’t your thing, consider a healthy meal delivery service. This is a top health and fitness trend for 2012. Calorie-restricted and portion-controlled eating plans like Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig help dieters lose more weight than those in control groups, according to studies. Just like restaurant and take-out items, prices for meal delivery vary widely. For example, 28 days of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks on the new Meal Movement plan sets you back $14.79 a day, while pricing for Chef’s Diet, which delivers three gourmet meals plus two snacks to your door each day, starts at $43 per day for a 31-day program.