If you’re like many people, you’re aiming to lose weight. And if you’re stuck in the same vicious cycle of losing a few pounds, only to gain them back (and more) you’re definitely not alone.
One of the things many people fail to do when they decide to lose weight is ask themselves why they’re overweight in the first place. Other than obvious causes like pregnancy, this is one of the best ways to get an idea of what the behaviour is that’s causing them to fail at their weight loss goals, and what they can do to fix it.
Maybe you work from home, and live a sedentary lifestyle, eating snacks at your desk all day. Or perhaps you’re the “late-night TV snacker” who likes to mindlessly munch while watching bad TV after a long day. Perhaps you eat when you’re stressed, or bored, or upset. Maybe it’s your way of coping when things go wrong during the day.
It could be that you don’t know how to cook, so you’re relying on microwaved foods and take-out. Whatever the problem is, taking a few minutes to write down why you think you’re overweight can be a great way to look at the behaviour that needs to change. Maybe you can switch out the bad food for some low-cal snacks like frozen grapes or almonds in the evening, or sign both you and your significant other up for cooking lessons.
One of the things that keeps many people from losing weight is a basic misunderstanding of nutrition. While many people assume it’s simple math (calories in vs calories out) there are still good and bad calories. And diets high in protein and good fats will help you avoid cravings and hunger pains and keep the weight off for longer.
While exercise is undoubtedly important, and will help you tone up and increase the amount of weight you lose, it’s more important to get your diet sorted. That means using an online calorie calculator to work out the calories you should be consuming every day for your weight loss goals.
Once you have the number of calories you should eat for maintenance, creating a deficit of at least 500 calories per day is an excellent rate for weight loss. A good way to do this is by using meal replacement shakes. Simply replace one to two meals with a shake that has a high percentage of protein and you’ll be able to lose weight without scouring Pinterest for recipes.
Pu-erh Tea is a good substitute for your afternoon latte or soda, and you should also be sure to drink plenty of water. If you’re planning to exercise (and you should), aim to get your heart rate up with HIT workouts or interval training, and do at least 2 strength training sessions a week to build muscle. Muscle burns calories even at rest, so make the gym your new best friend.
