Eight Simple “Nonexercises” and Diet Habits I Follow That Keep Me Slim

We all know that losing weight is not easy, but the most difficult part isn’t how to lose weight—but how to keep it off. What’s interesting is we’ll never be short of these guidances and pieces of information. Look at all the magazines, TV ads, books, etc.; every day there are all “new, guaranteed, revolutionary” weight-losing plans bombarding us. That’s funny: if they’re so good, why do we need new plans every day?

I have to be honest: I seriously think that besides the environment and behavior, our genes are one big factor in our weight too. In other words, some are blessed with an easier time losing weight and it has little to do with their effort. Some pieces of evidence indeed support this view: for example, see Harvard Health Publishing (2019) and the University of Cambridge Research News (2019).

But before you throw in the towel, keep in mind this does NOT mean if you’re not blessed, you can’t lose weight. Further, being thin does NOT equal being healthy. We should set our goal to be fit and healthy, not just being thin.

To meet the fitness goal, there are many things we can do. But let me present some recommendations offered by some sources I usually trust.

I Googled “how to keep off belly fat,” and of course in a split second came millions of hits. Four sites drew my attention: Khan (2020), Bjarnadottir (2017), Mayo Clinic (2019), and Johns Hopkins Medicine (n.d.). I quickly reviewed them and had some observations I’d like to share briefly.

First, the first two sources are from Healthline.com, and one of the recommendations in common is: “coconut oil is great.” This concerns me a little, because I just did a quick review of coconut oil, and my conclusion was it probably isn’t as good as we want to believe. Maybe that’s why it’s controversial and maybe the conclusive evidence isn’t reached yet, but my recommendation is don’t count on it.

Second, they all recommended exercises, which is expected. But if you read carefully, you’ll notice Bjarnadottir (2017) and Mayo Clinic (2019) both stated something interesting: “sneak extra activity into your day” and “include physical activity in your daily routine.” One huge environmental factor that leads to the obesity crisis is that the system we live in encourages a sedentary lifestyle. In fact, many studies suggested a strong link between the length of sitting in one’s daily life and shortened life expectancy (e.g., European Society of Cardiology, 2019; Harvard Health Publishing, 2010; Katzmarzyk & Lee, 2012). On the other hand, even if you don’t exercise, if you engage in some daily activities named “nonexercise activity,” they can help burn calories (e.g., Villablanca et al., 2015).

Finally, all four strongly recommended eating more fiber and cutting down on sugar intake.

From the recommendations mentioned, it isn’t hard to see that we simply have to “move” and eat healthier (i.e., more fiber and less sugar); these two factors are among the most significant strategies of keeping weight off.

I want to first focus on this “nonexercised activity.”

Since I was a kid I just couldn’t sit still. I’d always be moving, walking, fidgeting. Especially fidgeting: I was scolded by my family countless times: “Stop twitching like a monkey!” Well, my Chinese zodiac sign is the monkey, guess that explains it. Even when I grew up I was still the same. Once I went to an office to get a document, the secretary, a middle-aged woman, told me to wait. Wait? Okay, I started pacing the floor. “Please sit down!” the secretary yelled, “you’re making me nervous!”

I move because I’m always anxious, worrying about something and wanting to get them done RIGHT NOW. This is NOT good for health. On the other hand, however, guess that might be one reason I’ve never been overweight in my life.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t need to worry about my waistline, which might be a better indicator of health (e.g., Ross et al., 2020).

After moving to America, many immigrants start suffering typically “American” health problems (e.g., Life in America: Hazardous to Immigrants’ Health?, 2014). I’ve been in this country pursuing higher education off and on for about 25 years, but we were dirt poor till I scored a stable full-time job in 2011. By 2013, my growing belly was telling me something. I implanted some habits and was lucky enough to keep my waistline back in control. But what I want to share right now is some seemingly small, daily activities I do that I believe are helping me to keep the fat on my belly off for the most part. They are all based on the principles of “nonexercise activity” depicted in Villablanca et al. (2015), and the healthy diet advice.

1. I never, ever use the drive-thru services

Growing up in Taiwan, I’d never seen a drive-thru service, so when I came to America I was quite surprised and puzzled. My observation is waiting in a long line of cars will take more time, not to mention the car exhaust which can poison me and the environment. But more importantly, I simply want to step out of the car, WALK to the store, and wait while STANDING (a nonexercised activity according to the study). Yes, it’s super inconvenient, but the point is to keep our bodies moving instead of a long period of sitting. Remember we already mentioned the link between sitting and shorter life expectancy? Plus, when I get out of the car, I have the opportunity to stretch and walk around. It helps my back pain, refreshes my mind, and moves more.

2. I use the stairs instead of the elevator

When I was a kid, we lived in an apartment on the 4th floor, and there was no elevator. Plus, the apartment was next to a river, and to get to the basketball court or other facilities between the river and the embankment we had to climb stairs. I’m very used to stairs.

Now, whenever I go to a hotel, a hospital, or any big building, unless I’m going to the 5th floor or higher, I’m with someone who can’t climb stairs, or can’t find where stairs are, I use the stairs even if it’s a much longer way. In fact, I’m very puzzled by people who have to use the elevator—from the 2nd floor to the 1st. Using stairs is an excellent way not only to burn extra calories but also to work out. If you have access to stairs, I strongly suggest you use them as much as possible.

Climbing stairs is also a very good way to test one’s health condition (for example, see Peteiro & Bouzas-Mosquera, 2021). This is just my personal opinion, but if one has difficulty climbing from the first to the 3rd floor, if that will make one pant and puff like running a 100-meter dash, either it’s time to exercise more to get fit, or to visit a doctor and see if there’s an underlying problem.

3. I walk for errands as much as possible

I’m blessed to have a job a little less than a mile away from home, though to get there we have to jaywalk a somewhat busy road. Yesterday I had to return a book to the school library, I simply walked there and then went to the school gym to work out. My wife and I have to get regular weekly allergy shots, sometimes we walk to the clinic about a mile away and back. But I think I still have to walk more; way more. In Taiwan, the design of a city is very different from the one in American: everything you need is around you. You want to buy groceries? The supermarket is only a few blocks away. Dessert? The store is just at the corner. See a doctor? There are 2 clinics across the street. Restaurants are everywhere, you can’t throw a rock in any direction without hitting one. A bus station or the subway entrance is about 5 to 10 minutes walk, top. In other words, you WALK ALL THE TIME. Whenever I go back to Taiwan, in a week or two my waistline will drop about half an inch.

If you live in the middle of nowhere, if nothing is available on foot, then try to find at least 20 – 30 minutes a day to walk. Just walk. Listen to music, hum a tune, think about some problems you have to solve, while walking.

4. Walk the dogs

We have 2 small dogs and a mid-sized dog. Walking the dogs once or twice a day is a good way cause it’s walking. But I have to admit: first, our dogs are neurotic, whenever they see other dogs they have to bark like hell. It’s annoying, and sometimes to avoid the trouble we’ll be too lazy to go out. Second, it’s very tempting to release them in a dog park and see them running—so I don’t have to walk. If you walk your dog(s), you’ll have to make sure both you and the dog(s) get the walk you need. Maybe walk for a distance before the dog park.

5. I shoot hoops by myself just for fun

For some reason, I like to see a basketball goes through the net. Sometimes even if I’m tired, if I have nothing else to do, I bring a ball to the park or school gym and just practice my shooting. Nothing serious or intense, just move some muscles; for fun. If I don’t do that, I will be sitting in my chair surfing on the internet mindlessly anyway.

You don’t have to choose basketball if that’s not your thing. Just choose something to move your body/muscles. I know some people hit a volleyball on the wall for fun, some people play ping pong against a wall. Some work in the garden, some like window shopping. Some do chores. All in all, just move the way you like.

6. Sing and laugh

Okay, I confess I don’t do them enough; not even close. Villablanca et al. (2015) listed singing and laughing among examples of nonexercise activities. Man, what do you know? I didn’t expect even laughing can burn calories… but I kind of suspect that maybe it’s due to a third variable: social support. For example, Mayo Clinic (2020) explained that social support improves one’s ability to cope with stress and promotes healthier lifestyle behaviors. Laughing and singing seem to be the products of positive social interactions. When one wants to be healthy, be with good friends. Enjoy life.

7. Rules of eating out

I usually don’t eat out. But of course, there’s no way to totally avoid it. In most cases, the biggest problem of eating out is not enough fiber. Therefore, if I have to or just want to eat out, I try to observe the following rules:

a. If I’m at home waiting for food delivery, I prepare some veggies before the foods arrive, and I’ll eat the veggies first.

b. If I’m outside so I can’t prepare veggies, I try to find a restaurant that can provide at least some veggies, e.g., Chipotle, Subway, McAlister's, some Chinese restaurants (though be careful about the added salt and sugar in most “Chinese foods”—they’re NOT traditional Chinese foods, but Americanized). If brown rice is available that’s even better. I try my best to shy away from fast-food restaurants.

c. If I have to eat fast foods from McDonald’s or the likes, I only order a big Mac; I never, ever order a meal—because to me, fries and soda are just not worth it. They are the big contributors to the overweight problem. That’s just me though; if you have to have them, just cut down the amount of intake. I used to order salads, and when I did, I only added a minimum amount of sauce they provided, cause it’s full of salt and fat. However, quite a few times I ordered salads and ended up seeing half of the lettuce or greens went bad. Now I don’t order them.

d. If nothing healthier is available, then no problem, one such meal in a week is no biggie. But one meal or two like that a week is pretty much my limit. You should set your own limit too: it has to be sustainable (if you feel deprived, chances are that will NOT work) and healthier than your old habit.

8. Homemade sweets

When I was young, I LOVED soda and smoothie from McDonald’s. I thought water couldn’t quench thirst, only a big cup of Sprite with ice cubes could. Now I only drink water and soymilk. Do I feel deprived? Actually, not at all—because if I want, I can make soda and smoothie myself.

Soda: mix some carbonated water and fruit juice. For me, 4 ounces of water with 0.5 – 1 ounce of juice (a little less than 0.5 teaspoons of sugar) tastes as great as soda. If I buy a can of soda, that’s 12 ounces with nearly 9.5 teaspoons of sugar.

Smoothie: cut a ripe banana into cubes and freeze them. Blend with milk or soymilk, peanuts, maybe a few mint leaves or extract, and some unsweetened cocoa powder, it tastes exactly like ice cream or smoothie to me!

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Again, all these strategies are my ideas based on Villablanca et al. (2015) and “more fiber, less sugar” advice. At least up to this point, they’re helping me, and I hope they can help you as well, at least to some degree. Of course, however, always consult your doctor, because everyone is different. Be patient, make sustainable plans, and stick to them. You should gradually but significantly see the effects.