Losing weight and keep it off doesn’t have to be an ordeal
For many women looking to shed those pesky extra pounds, weight loss can be very daunting indeed. I can’t say I blame them because the way weight loss is portrayed in media and conceived of in the popular imagination leaves much to be desired. On the one hand, sustainable weight loss is viewed as possible after many long grueling weeks hitting the gym or denying yourself of great food you enjoy. On the other hand, we are subjected to all sorts of easy weight loss come-ons all designed to trick us into yet the latest ‘weight loss miracle’ in a capsule or package.
The truth is weight loss is only as easy and convenient as you allow it to be. By choosing a weight loss system that fits what you currently do or are willing to comfortably sacrifice for, you can enjoy pretty much permanent weight loss. Don’t believe me? Keep reading below and get on the road to permanently saying goodbye to that spare tire that’s been driving you mad for all these years.
Demystifying weight loss: It’s arithmetic, baby!
First things first: weight loss is easy. Seriously. It’s all a matter of achieving a ‘net negative calorie’ state. Your body runs on energy units called calories. Everything you do requires calories. Everything. From breathing to blinking to pumping blood to walking around to pumping blood to eating and digesting food, your body needs calories. You get calories from the food you eat. Also, the amount of calories your body needs depends on how physically active you are.
Weight loss is simple because you only need to either increase your daily physical activity, reduce the amount of food you eat or both. Doing any of these will create a net negative calorie state. You start losing weight once you reach this state because your body will start looking to dissolving your body’s stored energy to make for the calorie ‘shortfall.’ Your body stores energy in the form of blood sugar, fat, and muscle. At first, your body will try to burn up the sugar in your blood. After that, your body will start burning your fat stores and muscle tissue for energy. The more your body burns fat or muscle, the lighter and more toned you become.
What follows are are quick and relatively hassle-free ways to achieve a net negative calorie state by either cutting down on your calorie intake or increasing your body’s calorie burn rate.
1. Cut down calories intake by making simple changes to your food choices
By choosing to eat less sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods and eating more lean protein, you can feel fuller longer. This not only suppresses your appetite, you are able to make do without having to eat every 30 minutes or every hour. This protein-dense meal plan can go a long way in eating less calories overall without feeling like you’re denying yourself. Best of all, you can still eat tasty food as long as they aren’t loaded with empty calories like sugary or starchy foods.
2. Focus on small samples of a wide range of great food
Another enjoyable way to cut down on calories is to simply eat the same types of food you’re enjoying but scaling down their portions. By taking baby steps in portion reduction, you can eat less calories and not feel like you’re sacrificing or missing out on anything. Instead of eating 2 cups of mashed potatoes, for example, you can pare down to 1 and a half cups. When you’ve gotten used to that portion size, downsize some more to 1 and a quarter cup. By consistently paring down portion sizes as you get used to the size, you eat less calories and lose weight.
3. Cut out soda entirely
This may be a big sacrifice for some people but you have to do it. Soda is loaded with many teaspoons of sugar and the only benefit you get from soda is energy. Cut down on the ’empty calories’ of soda by cutting out soda from your diet entirely. The good news is you don’t have to be abrupt about it, you can start by drinking sugar-free drinks first. Then scale up to replacing your calorie-free soda drinks with natural juices then switching only to water. Cutting out sugar can reduce your daily calorie intake quite a bit.
4. Eat more consciously
By choosing to slow down while eating, you can get fuller sooner. Once you feel full, you don’t feel the need to eat further. This decreases your overall calorie intake. One of the easiest ways to eat more consciously is to simply resolve to taste your food fully. Chew your food more. Savor your meal in silence. By fully enjoying your food, you eat less and appreciate your food more. Doing so cuts down on your food intake.
5. Time your meals for optimal weight loss
Time your last meal a few hours before you turn in for the day. When you’re awake, you’re burning more calories. Asleep, you burn less calories. By giving your digestive and metabolic systems a few hours to process calories, you burn more calories and end up storing less calories as you sleep.
6. Include micro-workouts into your daily routine
How can you ‘engineer’ micro workouts into your daily activities? Very simple-choose to walk more by parking at a slot farthest from doors. You can also choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Regardless of what you do, focus on doing things in such a way that they take more effort. This includes walking about more often at work. If possible, try to stand more at work instead of sitting for hours on end.
7. Adopt High Intensity Interval Workout Routines
Most people looking to lose weight don’t have the luxury of time. Fair enough. By adopting High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout systems, you can burn quite a bit of calories in a very short period of time. Don’t focus on how long you stay on the treadmill. Instead focus on how intense you work out. Give yourself less than 30 minutes per day but chop up those 30 minutes into high intensity work out and resting blocks.
8. Motivate yourself properly before working out
To stick to your workout routine, adopt simple mindfulness exercises like watching your breath or emptying your mind. Regardless of which technique you adopt, you can bolster your workout discipline by learning how to enjoy each moment and how to focus on one thing at a time. You become more patient and you have an easier time heading off to the gym and starting your workout.
Roaring Closing Words
Success is planned. It is normally not something that just happens to you by accident or random chance. By adopting the practices above, you increase the likelihood that you will be able to adopt a consistent and methodical weight loss system which can help you lose weight and keep it off.