As the world comes to an age where everything seems to be extremely high in calories, artificial flavoring or made with a ton of chemicals... it's no wonder than many of us are bloating up with unbelievable excess weight. There are many who are struggling with weight and unhealthy habits and we all need even a small guiding light to help us.
But how do we lose weight? Common answer: Diet & Exercise. It's reasonable. It is the best way to lose weight fast. But not everyone has an access to a treadmill or weights. Some of us don't even have time for yoga or aerobic dancing, or don't have the place or the convenience either. Some of us just CANT work out.
But all is not lost! There are so many ways that we can still lose weight without the high intensity exercise and sports involved. How do we lose weight this way?
We'll start with the 10 basic steps.
- Eat Breakfast
- Fiber
- Move!
- Water
- Sleep
- Start EATING
- Calorie-count
- Posture
- Slow down!
- Reflect
I know you're probably trying to comprehend those tips and saying "What the hell do these mean?" Well don't worry you'll get your explanation.
1. Eat Breakfast
Contrary to the sick belief, skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight. Skipping breakfast is a dieter's taboo. "Why? It's eating less right? That means less weight!" NO. Get this thought out of your head now.
Skipping breakfast slows down your metabolism and makes your digestive system groggy. The little guys in your system that are supposed to be burning calories slow down and minimize the regular energy conversion of your body. Thus, your body will absorb much of the calories in your lunch and hold on to it possessively.
Skipping breakfast also makes you slow down in movement. Less movement means you're not burning anything. Start eating breakfast rich in protein like eggs, fruits or fiber-filled foods. That way, it jump starts your metabolism and gets it going faster through the day, also giving it energy that it can burn.
2. Fiber
Fiber rich foods helps sweep away excess fats and helps hone muscles. It also helps you excrete the waste from your body in the form of your bowel movement. Bowel movement is important for your shedding unnecessary pounds as well as ridding your body of hindering bacteria!
Fiber is found in grains and green leafy vegetables.
3. Move!
Moving is our body's way of working. Start moving more often and your body will start getting accustomed to the exercise. Moving doesn't mean hitting the gym or weight-lifting but simply choosing to move more in your daily lifestyle in small ways. Stop taking shortcuts. Try biking instead of driving. Take the stairs. Lift your things in a backpack instead of a roller bag. Volunteer for physical works. Get moving! Go places! Walking and household chores do little but a little goes a long way!
4. Water.
Water is an essential part of every diet. Drinking lots of water has plenty of benefits!.
- Water is an effective craving suppressant. You think you're craving chocolates? chips? fries? Try drinking an entire glass of water and those cravings will slow down. The more cravings you get means there is less water in your system. Water is definite to get rid of those nasty cravings.
- Water helps you feel fuller. Feeling fuller sends signals to your brain to lessen the drive to eat more.
- Water helps clean out your digestive tract. It gets rid of unnecessary stuff in your stomach.
- Drinking water before you eat and before going to sleep helps your body work on burning fats and stem necessary processes for your body!
- Water encourages perspiration during movement or exercise. It coaxes fat out of you faster!
5. Sleep
Sleeping is also really helpful for losing weight. As we sleep, our body goes ahead and fulfills it's processes in cleaning out and restoring essential cells and tissues. It also helps build more muscle!
If you're used to sleeping late then quit the habit. getting enough sleep gets your metabs going and helps your body function right and efficiently. Sleeping late or not sleeping at all also gives you more time to eat or sneak out a 'midnight snack'. Avoid staying up!
As much as possible, eat two to three hours before going to sleep and eat very light snacks like crackers or go light altogether and settle for a glass of milk or a very light granola bar. Never eat anything beyond 7:00 in the evening. During this hour and beyond, the body is registering that it is time to sleep...not to EAT.
6. Start EATING
You might wonder, why is THIS on the list? How can eating more help you lose weight?
The thing is, the more food we put in, the more our body is sure that it won't run out of fuel. Start eating more often but in smaller amounts. Most people who have achieved effective weight loss eat at least 4 to 6 times a day. Three of those are breakfast lunch and dinner and the rest are filled with light munching of crackers, fruits or vegetable sticks. This way, you are always full but you are filled lightly.
You might want to start considering an active schedule for our meals. A steady schedule of food intake at regular intervals helps your body settle into a rhythm two-way deal with you. You give it food regularly, it will burn regularly. Give and take for you and your body. The more you skip meals, the more your body holds on to fat and carbs to ensure you still have some left.
7. Calorie Counting
This one is simple enough. 3500 calories should be lost per week, thus reduce your daily calories by 500. It should help you lose a pound per week. You'll see that waistline trim down in no time.
8. Posture
You wouldn't believe how much posture can help your weight-loss! Slouching or slumping squeezes through your intestines de-shaping it in ways that may make digestion difficult. A bad posture also increases the risk of flabs forming on your tummy!\
Standing and sitting straight is actually an exercise in itself! Just keep your back straight and your shoulders upright. It'll improve your appearance and sooner or later you'll see more results plus better digestion!
9. Slow Down!
This one is a little harder since it requires much of your mental consciousness. When you eat, eat slower. The key is to chew the proper amount of times since it helps for faster digestion. Also, if you eat slowly and focus on eating, you will be alerted at the very second that you're full already. A little awareness and a little slowing down helps your body tell you faster when it's already satisfied.
10. Reflect
Before you pick up whatever that is that you're about to munch on, ask yourself "Am I really hungry or am I just bored?" Chances are, you'll find out that most of the time, we only eat because we have nothing else to do. Studies show that 'bored eating' is one of the largest causes of obesity. So before you eat... reflect. Hungry or bored? Hungry or sad? Hungry or just craving? You'd be surprised at the number of times we turn to food when we shouldn't!
BONUS TIP: Never eat when you're watching a movie or surfing the net!
Why?
- Your focus is on the movie/computer and not at your food. For your body to be aware of it's food intake, you have to focus on eating when you're eating.
- You tend to keep eating until whatever you're watching or doing is over instead of when you're actually full.
- Your posture becomes twisted, thus increasing accumulation of fats and oils.
And that's it! Follow all these tips little by little and you'd be surprised how much weight you can lose without the ever-trusted treadmill and steppers. Don't worry if results don't come immediately. Just keep your routines religiously. You're on your way!
Don't worry about cheating. Having a single cheat day every two weeks may actually help your weight loss since your body is assured that it'll still get the calories it needs thus helping it burn more of them willingly. Just don't go overboard with the cheat day!
Have a happy diet~ I hoped this article helped you!
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