The 10 Fastest And Easiest Ways To Lose Weight
The 10 Fastest And Easiest Ways To Lose Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle is a priority for many people. But as we age and the demands of life’s obligations increase, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle. With all of the fad diets flooding the market and media, it’s easy to become swept up in the wave of “easy” weight loss, because it seems like a guarantee. However, these fad diets or supplements prove more often than not that any weight lost quickly is regained just as fast when the program is over or supplies run out.
The best way to keep your body and mind functioning at its best is to treat it well. Self-care often gets pushed to the bottom of the list of the dozens of things we have to do each day. But as any flight attendant will tell you – you should take care of yourself first, so that you can take care of those who depend on you.
While it may seem basic, the best ways to lose weight are to be more mindful of what we eat and what we do. Following are the ten fastest and easiest ways to lose weight and keep it off for good.
1. Sleep More
Our bodies need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to function optimally. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation causes changes in the hunger and fullness hormones in our brains, which leads to overeating and giving in to food cravings. Sufficient sleep can help us have the energy to work out and make better decisions.
2. Layoff the Alcohol
Alcoholic beverages are full of empty calories that lead quickly to weight gain. Although we may feel drowsy, alcohol consumption prevents our bodies from resting properly, which results in lack of sleep, as well as hormonal changes that cause overeating.
3. Eat Less Sugar
Refined sugars are common in most of the foods we eat, yet our bodies are designed to generate any glucose that we do not obtain from the food we eat. Excess consumption of this unnecessary and empty calorie laden food is closely linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Cutting down on added sugar is a quick way to lose weight and improve your health.
4. Eat More Frequently
Skipping meals and therefore skipping calories as a regular part of your diet, or in order to “save up” for a splurge later, does more harm than good. A healthy breakfast kick starts your metabolism, and enjoying several small meals instead of the traditional three larger meals allows your body to continue processing your food, rather than having to start and stop. Eating small meals throughout the day also prevents dramatic sugar highs and lows that may lead to binge eating.
5. Schedule Your Workouts Optimally
Everyone’s internal clocks are different and scheduling any activity should be done when we are most likely to complete it. If you are not a morning person, but schedule your workouts in the morning, you will not be as likely to continue the routine. Plan an optimal time that is good for you to have even a brief workout every day, the results will encourage you to continue.
6. Plan Your Meals Ahead Of Time
Being mindful of what you eat is one of the most important steps in staying healthy and losing weight. Planning meals ahead of time helps us to avoid mindlessly snacking, and will encourage us to change our habits in regard to what and when we eat. Allowing ourselves to get hungry because we “don’t know what to eat,” leads to eating whatever is available rather than making healthy choices. Additionally, hunger pains are often an indication of dehydration, so if you are feeling a craving grab a glass of water instead of food and see if your craving stops.
7. Prepare Your Own Meals
Prepared foods contain all types of ingredients that we’d never stock at home such as preservatives and artificial colors. Some of the ingredients are good for you, but more often than not what you prepare at home is healthier, simpler and contains higher nutritional content. As a general rule whole foods – those that are closest to their original form – are the best for you and can easily be prepared at home. Cutting out prepared foods will also allow you to more easily track your calories.
8. Lift Weights
Lifting weights builds muscles which make our body look, function, and feel better. Although muscle does weigh more than fat, muscle helps our bodies burn fat. Weight training workouts have been shown to boost metabolism for up to 36 hours post workout. Additionally, lean muscle mass serves as a calorie burning vehicle which contributes to long term weight loss if the routine is maintained.
9. Do Lots of Cardio
Lifting weights is a great practice for your overall fitness, but cardio activities help strengthen your heart so that it does not need to work as hard during normal activities. Cardio exercises help your blood to pump through your body, which prevents plaque build up in your arteries. Having a diverse cardio routine can also improve your endurance and your mood, which encourages you to continue with your new or established routine.
10. Drink More Water
Water makes up more than 60% of our bodies and without proper hydration, we simply don’t function as well. Remaining well hydrated keeps our physical and mental performance at its best. We can think more clearly, work harder and have better stamina when we have enough fluid in our body. Water also can help with weight loss by serving as an appetite suppressant.
All of these ideas are important components to losing weight and maintaining it, but staying on track can be challenging without someone to hold you accountable. Our busy schedules can be a hurdle to meeting a friend or training partner for a regular workout at the gym, or paying attention to what we eat. In home exercise with a mobile personal trainer, and establishing a relationship with a weight loss partner, may be the perfect combination to reach your goals.
Read our blog posts for useful tips.