Losing weight is the top priority for millions of folks out there today. And rightly so. While aesthetics is an integral part of everyone wanting to have a slim, toned profile, being overweight or obese puts you at the risk of several health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, to name a few.
Here are a few lifestyle changes that will help you shed those pounds and achieve lasting weight-loss success.
Get Moving
Your marathon workouts may not be good enough if you spend the rest of the day sitting. Start by establishing a daily jogging routine. It could be as short as half an hour, but it will help you become more physically active. Find any other activity that moves or stretches your muscles. That could also include cycling, dancing, playing with your dog, going up and down the stairs. If your errands are within a mile away, walk to do them instead of using a car.
Ultimately, the goal is to indulge yourself in anything that gets your heart rate up, and you start feeling somewhat breathless. Even adopting changes as minor as taking the stairs instead of a lift can go a long way in your journey to lose weight in the long run. Remember, sitting for extended periods is one of the leading causes of obesity and other chronic health conditions.
Get Enough Sleep
While this may be the last thing on your mind, one of the leading factors that may be hampering your weight loss is not getting enough sleep. Besides eating right and exercising, getting quality sleep each night is an integral part of weight maintenance and a healthy lifestyle. A bad sleep-wake cycle significantly changes the way the body responds to food and thus causes weight gain.
Studies have found that sleep deprivation sets our brain to make bad decisions, leading us to make unhealthy choices throughout the day, like choosing high carb, high fat, sugary foods and indulging in midnight snacking. Not getting enough sleep can also up your stress levels which can increase your likelihood of weight gain. Therefore, make it a point to go to sleep earlier and aim for at least 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.
Start Exercising
This one may not come as a surprise, but exercising is the key to maintain good health and lose weight along with a healthy diet. Along with a reduced-calorie intake, exercising creates a calorie deficit in your body by boosting your metabolism, leading to weight loss.
The good news is that you do not necessarily have to necessarily go to the gym and have a brutal workout, as there are plenty of exercises you can do at home without any equipment and achieve the desired results. If that interests you and you are unsure where to start, then we suggest checking out the Play Store. There are plenty of fitness apps that can guide you with customized workouts and nutrition plans.
Choose Healthy Snacks
It is crucial to stop stocking on junk food like chocolates, biscuits, candy, pastries, cookies, and potato chips. Packaged foods tend to be high in fat, sugar, and sodium and are high in empty calories providing you with no nutritional benefit in any way.
Therefore, you must limit or eliminate them from your diet and replace them with healthier alternatives such as nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or nut butter. While some of these foods may be high in fats, it is important to note that some fats are healthier than others. Monounsaturated fats can aid with weight loss and provide several other health benefits.
Stay Hydrated
Often, people confuse thirst for hunger, causing them to eat more food than needed. Therefore it is important to stay hydrated throughout the day by drinking sips of water regularly to curb unnecessary snacking as it is one of the best natural appetite suppressants.
Many people also consume excessive liquid calories by drinking soft drinks, juice, coffee, or tea. While there are many options for what you can drink, water is by far the best liquid you can choose for yourself to quench your thirst. Replace these sugary beverages with water as it is the best energizing liquid for your body and is 100 percent calorie-free. Water not just keeps your body hydrated but also boosts metabolism and improves the digestive process while burning fat consumed from food and drinks.
Losing weight is a daunting journey for many that require long, intense workouts and a deprivation diet that leaves you feeling hungry. While exercising and consuming a healthy diet are the central elements of the process, losing weight does not revolve around these two only. Making small but sustainable lifestyle changes and ingraining some healthy habits can make a big difference and help you shed those pounds effectively.