Obesity is one of the biggest health problems in the world right now. It has been the root cause of several diseases and health problems such as heart problems, diabetes and failure to do even the most basic chores. And, it isn’t like that people aren’t trying. Most of those who want to lose weight, join expensive gym memberships, follow the latest fad diets and try to do almost anything, someone with half a brain would suggest. But, very few manage to lose weight consistently and successfully.
However, if you want to lose weight, you should only follow tips that have been backed by scientific knowledge and logical thinking. And, if you follow the right rules and show good discipline, the weight loss isn’t that daunting as it seems. Here, are some tips that with simple tweaks to your lifestyle, eating habits and workout routines will help you shed kilos effectively and quickly.
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Change your lifestyle
Take a pen and write down your daily schedule, your usual diet and the workout routine, you have been following. Now, cut out the eating habits that have been making you fat, cut all the unhealthy snacking and make smart choices which will counter the unexpected hunger pangs. Keep something healthy near you, so that if you feel hungry, you won’t have to go for junk or processed food. Also, keep an eye on other behavioral tendencies that might be causing weight gain. This includes going for sleep too late every day, spending hours on the couch in front of TV and not getting any type of physical activity whatsoever. Once, you have analyzed your lifestyle and have found out bad habits, start replacing them with good ones. Add activities in your daily schedule that will make you healthier and leaner. However, be careful against making huge changes because you might have a problem in implementing them and following with regularity. It doesn’t make sense, if you are following a healthy lifestyle for a week and then returning to the usual bad habits. Create a system or a routine, you are comfortable with.
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Short on time, not on quality
It isn’t necessary that you have to do long workouts to lose weight. It is not the duration or the number of exercises you are doing that matter. The most important things are quality and intensity of the workout. Even, if you are doing just 30 minute workout that has high intensity, believe me you will be torching calories at an impressive rate. The long old fashioned aerobics and cardio sessions aren’t any helpful, if you are doing with pedestrian intensity. Do a bodyweight workout comprised of push-ups, pull ups, squats, lunges, planks and mountain climbers. Do these exercises in a circuit and after every circuit completion, take a two minute rest and you will start noticing impressive results within couple of weeks. Not only, it will help you in shedding weight, but will also make you stronger, more agile and sharper. The best thing about this workout is that you can do it at your house. So, you can save on expensive gym memberships, save a lot of time that would have wasted in commuting and as a bonus, you can sculpt an athletic physique.
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Good nutritious food
As you would be pushing your muscles hard during the workout, you need to eat good nutritious food that will replenish your energy stores and will make your muscles stronger. Doing strenuous physical activity creates micro tears in the muscle fibers. So, you need to give your body a steady supply of protein and carbs that will help in repairing this damage. Also, you need to have a high protein meal just after the workout. This will make your muscles stronger and more powerful by giving immediate supply of muscle building amino acids.
Also, you need to drink a lot of water to compensate for the water you have lost through sweating. Plus, drinking water will keep your digestive system running at full speed and will boost your metabolism. Another way in which water helps in shedding weight is that it is an appetite suppressor. Drinking water before the meals can make you feel fuller, which means you will consume less calories.
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Note it all
Keep track of your diet plan. Regularly note what you are eating, so you could keep track of calories you are consuming. This is especially important for those who are looking to lose weight because a snack here and there can easily mess up your diet plan. Always analyze your weekly diet chart on Sundays and make changes to your diet plan accordingly. If you are feeling hungry at any particular time, add a healthy snack such as boiled eggs to that time of the day. Or, you can try to shift meals around.
Also, you should regularly record your workouts. After an exercise session, note down the repetitions and sets, you have done for a particular exercise. This will help you check whether you are making a progress towards your fitness goals. And, it will make you competitive as well because you will constantly want to better your previous best.
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Invest on your health
Instead of spending money on doctor’s bill and medicines later on, invest it on your health. The healthy food especially the organic variety could be bit expensive compared to other food items, but if you spend on them now, then you won’t have to tackle health problems later on in your life. If you have time, join a good gym, hire a decent personal trainer. In case, you aren’t fan of just lifting weights, join any other physical routine classes. You can subscribe to a yoga program and improve your flexibility and agility, along with getting much needed peace of mind. You can join CrossFit training program as well. So, there are several options that could make working out fun. Plus, you get to meet new exciting people.
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Sleep well
Sleep plays a key role in any weight loss program. So, you need to sleep well and early. It will help you lose weight in several ways. First of all, sleeping early means you will stay away from late night snacking. Late night snacking has a way of adding unwanted calories. Also, lack of sleep has an adverse effect on your metabolism. The sleep deprivation can drastically slow down your metabolism and can lead to fat accumulation as well. Also, if you are sleep deprived, you would get sugar cravings. And, in the middle of the day, you would be reaching for a donut to go with a cup of coffee. And, if you are consuming coffee in the evening to stay alert, then you will have a problem in falling asleep in the night. Instead, go to bed early. Avoid binge watching your favorite TV series or late night shows. Plus, avoid using any kind of gadget in your bed.
