Men will be men. Going to the gym at least once a week is already a part of your routine. Oops! But don’t forget the Saturday night beer bottles and fast food galore during weekdays. You can’t just lose weight by doing exercises alone. Your food intake should also be on point.
Weight loss for men and women might be a bit different, as it is a known fact that women have more body fat than men as mentioned in this article from Total Shape. You need to monitor your calorie intake and do some serious workouts. At the end of the day, there are two major things you should consider. First, you need to plan a series of exercises. Second, you must focus on your meals.
Below are the most effective ways to losing weight:
Exercise
As experts say, exercise is 30% of your weight loss journey. If you decide to lose when on your own, you must start slow. Build your strength first by doing some regular exercises such as stretching, sit-ups, and running for 30-minutes. You know your limitations. Consistency is the key here. When you already feel that you have become stronger, it’s time to increase your cardio. Do some aerobic workouts to exercise your full body. Your body must get used to these physical activities first before you can do high-intensity training for better body build.
Eat More Protein
You already know that avoiding sugar and unhealthy fats is the most challenging part. Instead of eating these junk foods, you can increase your protein intake through meat, eggs, dairy products, and lentils. Do not wait for hunger. Eat regularly with protein so you don’t need to binge eat a lot of food.
Eat More Healthy Fats
When you are trying to lose weight, not all fats are bad. Eating healthy fats will not only satisfy your cravings during your diet. It will also complete the nutrients that you need. You can get this from tuna, salmon, whole milk, almonds, and olive oil.
Eat More Fiber
This majorly helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer. This article from Westword can help you identify other options if eating fiber doesn’t seem to be helpful for you. You can try eating nuts, whole grains, seeds, high-fiber fruits and vegetables, legumes, and more.
Drink Healthier Beverages
Of course, drinking water is still the best option. But sometimes there are days when weight loss is so demanding that we want to drink something refreshing. Dump those soda and other artificially flavored drinks in your fridge. Invest in a good-quality blender. Freeze strawberries, cucumber, mint, watermelon, melon, and more fruits that you like. You can simply put in the blender and some milk if you crave yummy and delightful drinks.
Avoid Carbohydrate Intake
Some of the foods above are high in carbohydrates. You should practice eating a balanced meal. For example, if you want to eat pasta, you can choose low-carb fruits and vegetables as a side dish. You can drink tea instead of milk and fruit shake. Carbohydrates increase your blood sugar. You must know how to eat your meals if you don’t have time to source out for low-carb bread, pasta, and cereals.
Losing weight does not happen overnight. It is better that you lose gradually and steadily. About 1 to 2 pounds per week is already a successful start. Healthy weight loss isn’t just about the diet program itself. It’s more of embracing a new lifestyle. It has proven benefits over time.
When you lose weight, you should strive to maintain it for a lifetime. Maintaining it is easier than losing all of those pounds again and again. Weight management is about long-term goals. Do not rush as it could also crash your health.
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
