Most often we assume that weight loss is possible by adopting a rigorous exercise schedule and regulating our food intake. While this notion is not entirely wrong, there is, however, more to healthy ways of losing weight. You can indulge in workout sessions, and eat healthy but it may not be enough. It is, understandably, frustrating. If you are doing everything by the book, why are you not losing your belly fat? Sometimes, in our effort to shed extra ounces, we tend to forget some basic and yet, essential tricks that help in effective weight loss.
- Get Proper Sleep: Sleep deprivation is a hindrance to weight loss. Your body accustoms itself to certain rhythms for functioning. If you decide to stay up late into the night, think again since your biorhythm can be altered. Staying awake disrupts eating patterns and is bound to make you hungry. The hunger results from the secretion of ghrelin or the hunger hormone that is stimulated by tiredness. The loss of sleep also affects your cortisol levels in the adrenal glands. The imbalance in cortisol induces insulin insensitivity. The insulin insensitivity is the prime reason for your belly fat. Ideally, you should get 7-8 hours of sleep daily for a better body shape.
- Give Your Diet A Break: You have your diet charted out, and you follow it religiously. However, the drawback of following a consistent diet without any variation is that it lowers your body metabolism. Lowered metabolism implies consequential weight gain since the food that you are eating is not breaking down efficiently. The oxidation process becomes slow. So give yourself that much-needed break, and allow yourself to include foods that you would not eat while on your diet. You deserve to treat yourself once in a while.
- Try A Good Cardio: Have you been doing a lot of crunches? Have you noticed that it has not helped you lose the abdominal flab? Crunches are brilliant exercises towards building stronger abdominal muscles, but they fall short of a complete workout session. So, instead of isolating and concentrating on losing weight from specific body parts, incorporate a regimen that focuses on a full body work out. Full body exercises are always the better choice when trying to lose weight. When more number of muscles is involved, it compels your entire cardiovascular system to function better. If you have been doing short bursts of exercises, it is about time you changed that.
- Learn To Avoid Stress: Stress is a side-effect of our current lifestyle. Not only does it cause insomnia and hypertension, it also results in the increased secretion of cortisol. Increased cortisol levels in the blood can lead to high blood pressure, cholesterol, heart diseases, weight gain as well as reduces body immunity. Our advice is always to avoid that which is harmful to your body, but when stress is a part and parcel of your life, it becomes difficult to avoid. When you are stressed, you also tend to breathe heavily. So, the next time when you are stressed or tensed and realise your breathing pattern has altered, consciously try to regulate it. Slow down your exhalation instead of your inhalation, and remind yourself to calm down. Slowing your breathing eases the tension, as well as the cortisol secretion.
- Do Not Remain Stagnant: Desk jobs lead to a sedentary lifestyle. It does not, however, mean that you cannot leave your seat while continuing with the job. Get up once in every hour and take a stroll around the office. Or go out to grab a coffee. A sedentary lifestyle is a bad sign for your metabolism. Just like you need a change in your diet, you also need a change in your movements. Some experts’ advice on how to lose weight in a week and every single one will point to a life away from stagnation.
- Ditch Sugary Drinks For Water: Sugar is your body’s worst enemy. Concentrated sugars in drinks get stored in the body and are more difficult to break down. Water, on the other hand, is a natural detoxifying agent that cleanses your entire system. Most weight loss success stories are found to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day. Water helps our liver to function more efficiently in the conversion of fats into usable energy. Drink one gallon of water every day, and more if you are obese or live in a tropical climate.
You can control your diet, and you can spend time at the gym. You will see a change in your body shape if you honestly pursue losing weight. However, losing weight is not ensured simply by your diet chart and the number of miles you run on the treadmill. It is extremely important to lead a healthy life. Live healthy and live fit.
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Author Bio: Vineetha Reddy
Being a regular practitioner and adviser of everything related to nutrition, fitness, health and wellness, I also have begun to write and contribute to this knowledge ecosystem. I strongly believe that the organic food you find in your pantry provide the best benefits for good health. Follow me for my best ideas and solutions.