By There are so many unhealthy, mainstream ways to lose weight, and I’m glad that you have chosen to do things the right way. This will prevent a cascade of negative effects on your body and energy. It’s not worth even trying out quick fix diets, as long term, they are not sustainable and do not allow you to lead the best lifestyle.
5 easy ways to lose weight and be healthy
- Lift weights. Research shows that constantly indulging in excessive cardio produces negligible fat loss, and encourages even more fat gain by stimulating your appetite. On the other hand, with weight training, you increase muscle mass, which is the bodies main engine for increasing metabolic rate. The body then becomes better at accessing fat stores for energy. This is exactly what you want your body to do on a day to day basis. To burn not store.
Weight training also restores insulin sensitivity. Therefore, your body uses the food you eat for providing energy to the muscles, not storing it as fat. Your risk of diabetes decreases, and blood sugar is stable during the day.
- Cook at home as often as possible. Restaurant and cafe food is mostly poor in macronutrient value, low in fibre and most likely given to you as a huge portion size. Do you also really know what is in the food you purchase?
Take full control of what you consume on a daily basis, by purchasing every ingredient yourself, and cooking from scratch. Learn to love leftovers, taking them to work with you. Plan before hand by doing some online research, shop and allocate a day or two for meal prep. You can always pre-cook and freeze your food. This is always a good option if you are time poor, and will keep your physique in top shape and your health optimal.
- Look after your gut well. Gut health is extremely important in maintaining a steady weight, and the ability to absorb nutrients from the food you consume. Bloating and heartburn is a result of poor gut bacteria. This will effect your energy levels, mood and results in the gym – and worst still, will keep you hovering towards weight gain and the inability to lose it. This is a serious issue and needs to be addressed.
If there are certain foods you cannot tolerate, and that cause distress after consuming – need to be completely eliminated. The most common allergens are gluten ,wheat, dairy, soy and corn. Once you eliminate the culprit you can begin to experience some relief, and increase your consumption of pre-biotics. This will help you increase the good bacteria in your gut and reduce the inflammation. Opt for things like yoghurt, sauerkraut, kefir and other healthy, fermented foods. Increase your fibre intake to help you flush out toxins.
- Make sleep an important aspect of your daily life. Whilst too much sleep is not essential, the lack of it can cause a cascade of problems when it comes to longevity and weight loss. Lack of sleep leaves you more hungry, and susceptible towards making poor nutrition decisions. Our body starts to crave carbs and sugars to increase our energy levels. This in-fact, leads to anything but energy!
Try to get at least 7–8 hours of quality sleep every night. Exercise will increase your chances of sleep, and eliminating stimulants closer to bed time will make it easier to fall into sleep faster. Meditate, have a warm bath or give yourself a massage with essential oils. Allow at least 1 hour before bedtime to unwind for the day, allowing your body and mind to relax completely and prepare for sleep.
- If you really need to, get some help from a professional. A naturopath, personal trainer or dietitian can really be of benefit if you need advice. They will put you on the correct pathway towards achieving your fat loss goals. Working with a professional is also a great way to bypass any mistakes and wasted time along the journey. They can also answer questions that may have been plaguing you for years.
Do invest in quality, not generic assistance. Professionals need to keep in mind what your individual goals are, and cater to them. If in doubt, as for a friends recommendation.
I do hope these tips help you along your journey ahead.
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