For many of us, it would be great to lose that little bit of extra weight we put on in the winter before the warmer weather arrives, and our friends suggest booking a group holiday or going to a local beach for the day.
Here are 12 tips to help you lose that unwanted weight and stay healthy.
Regular exercise. It sounds a lot easier than it actually is, we know, but you can make exercise fun. One of the most important things to remember when starting your exercise journey is to choose the right clothes and shoes. Making yourself feel comfortable in your own skin is the first step towards hitting your goals. Browsing the web for things like ‘Adidas codes uk’ will help you find the best discounts to buy your next killer outfit.
Gymming is another form of exercise you could try; this could include both cardio and lifting weights, or you could even try out a new gym class. A gym class would be a huge motivational help during your weight loss journey as you will be surrounding yourself with other like-minded people. Lifting weights will help you build muscle and strength, so you tone your body as you progress with losing weight.
Meal planning can be essential to losing weight; knowing exactly what you are putting into your body as well as preventing snacking on ‘bad’ foods, can ensure you hit your weight loss goals. In order to lose weight, you really need to be in a calorie deficit, meaning you are burning more calories than you put into your body. Start googling recipes with high protein; this is key if you are going to be exercising more regularly too. Meal planning for a week will be the most efficient and give you the motivation to eat well each day.
Weekly food shopping can be a chore, especially when you don’t have time to go to the shop. A quick, easy alternative is to do your weekly food shop online and have it delivered to your house. This means you can get some healthy recipes up on your laptop and add the ingredients to your cart as you go. You will also find some great deals online to save money on your food shop. Doing this weekly will ensure you choose foods that make you feel good and help you reach your weight loss goals.
Food preparation will be another key routine to start when you are losing weight and exercising more regularly. When you do your weekly food shop, ensure you order some quality Tupperware too. Once your weekly food shops arrive, you can spend an evening cooking up your recipes, popping them in the fridge and freezer to eat as and when you want to. Knowing that you have these healthy and nutritious meals ready to go will ensure you eat the right amounts throughout the day and eat foods that fuel your body.
Add protein to every meal, this will be essential if you are going to the gym and lifting weights. Adding protein to your breakfast (if possible), lunch and dinner will fuel your body and help hit the recommended daily protein intake for you. To find your recommended daily intake for protein, fats and carbohydrates, you can use apps on your phone, google or speak to a professional.
When snacking, be mindful! Fill your fridge and cupboards with fruit, rice cakes, protein bars and other healthy snacking foods to ensure you stay away from sweets, fatty crisps and chocolate. Having the occasional chocolate bar when you get the craving is fine however, constantly snacking on those types of foods daily will not only make you tired and slouchy but will also not give your body the nutrients it needs.
If you are working to numbers and you’re goal is to be in a calorie deficit, then measuring your food servings to hit those numbers could benefit you with this. If you have a particular protein goal and fat goal to hit, then you can add the correct amount of each food group to your meals and weigh these amounts, so you know your body is getting the correct nutrients it needs.
When people think about losing weight, a lot of the time, they consider cutting out food and think of this as ‘dieting’. Dieting is really just about being mindful of the food you are consuming and if the food you eat is benefiting your body and health. Eating 3 consistent meals a day is healthy, and it will also boost your energy levels too. Skipping meals to avoid eating ‘bad’ food is not healthy. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are essential meals in the day. Just make these meals healthy for your weight loss needs by eating foods that benefit your body.
Everyone likes to have a good time with friends, and one way we do this is by going out for drinks. Unfortunately to this habit, limiting your alcohol consumption could actually help with your weight loss. Alcohol, including beer and popular mixers, is high in calories. Alcohol fills our bodies with empty calories, meaning these calories we consume are not meeting any nutritional needs we have, so be mindful of the alcohol you are drinking and how often you are drinking it.
Seek support from a friend or relative as they may be going through a similar weight loss journey to you. Having someone to do this with will ensure you both stay motivated. Sharing tips on healthy dinner ideas or planning a time to go to the gym a few days a week together will help you to hold each other accountable for hitting your weight loss goals, and could make this journey more fun!
Sleep is essential, as tiredness will affect your energy levels as well as your appetite. If you struggle to sleep, try to create a routine before bed, this could include limiting your screen time, reading a book or even journaling about your weight loss journey if you think this could benefit you. Having the energy needed to get moving and keep yourself motivated will be necessary as this weight loss journey will not always be easy. If you are tired and, as a result of that tiredness, a little miserable then trying to get to the gym and eat healthy food will not make that better, in fact, it will make your mood worse!
Be safe with your weight loss journey! Remember, even if this is a journey you start with a friend, your results will be different depending on your body and lifestyle. Everyone has different metabolisms and everyone's bodies work in different ways. Weight loss is not ‘one size fits all’ and you will have different requirements and needs than everyone else. These tips are generalized and will not work for everyone, so ensure you speak to a professional for a gym and dieting routine that will be the most beneficial to you.
