The need to lose weight is something almost everyone is familiar with these days, but it can still be a pretty mysterious, hit or miss task for most of us too. Fortunately, there are trustworthy, reliable ways to tackle the task — you just have to find them. Try the below weight loss tips and see if they work for you.
Losing weight is one thing, but maintaining that core weight soon becomes a new problem. To do this, you are going to need to stick to a similar routine to the one that brought you to this new goal and improve it where need be. Do not let yourself go just because you think the work is done once you lose the weight.
In order to achieve a healthy body it is important to eat a balanced diet. This means having the right amount of protein (from 15 to 20 percent), fat (about 30%) and carbohydrates (50 to 55 percent). Another thing to remember is that starving yourself to lose weight is not good as well.
To lose weight you obviously want to stay away from food that is high in calories, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to starve. Don’t worry so much about how much you’re eating, but rather what you’re eating. So stay away from the bad stuff and dig in and eat plenty of low-calorie treats like salads, fruits and veggies to satisfy your appetite.
A great and simple way to lose weight is to substitute one of your daily meals with a bean soup or dish. While you may not believe it, beans are a great source of protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. This helps you to feel fuller faster while giving you as much, if not more, energy than other foods. Eating beans will thus reduce your calorie intake, helping you to meet your weight loss goals.
When trying to lose weight, aim to consume 25 grams of fiber during the day. Fiber will make you feel fuller for longer so you will be less likely to snack between meals. Good sources of fiber include whole wheat bread, brown rice, beans, nuts and fresh and dried fruits.
One way of keeping a healthy body is to drink at least 10 glasses of water everyday. This can easily be done by drinking at least a glass of water to accompany each of the targeted 6 meals on a regular day, and an additional four more throughout the day.
As you’re losing weight, allow yourself to grow into your new and changing body image. Give away the large clothes that no longer fit. You give yourself a psychological boost by letting go of that old body and embracing the new. Similarly, however, it’s not healthy to hang onto a closetful of old tiny clothes that don’t fit, either. Make sure the clothes in your wardrobe fit the size you are now.
Help yourself to become psychologically prepared to lose weight by taking a mindfulness class. Mindfulness is a technique that teaches you to be aware of what you are doing, and of everything around you at every moment. It can help you relieve stress and remain calm in all situations. While you are eating, the training helps you to think of nothing but the taste, feel, appearance and smell of the food, how often you chew it, and how pleasurable it is to you. Not only will this encourage you to eat more slowly, but it will give you greater enjoyment and appreciation of each meal.
Kickstart your day with breakfast. After not eating for approximately 8 hours overnight, you need to have a good breakfast. If you are trying to lose weight, keep the carbs to a minimum, eating one slice of wholegrain toast, some fruit and low-fat yogurt. This will get your metabolism going, and lessen the chance of you reaching for snacks mid-morning.
Don’t splurge on low-fat foods. Just because foods are low in fat, it does not mean that you can overeat. When you eat anything, you release the hormone insulin, which can slow down fat burning. Overeating causes an excess amount of the insulin to be pumped into your bloodstream even if you are eating low-fat foods.
In order to keep your weight loss on track, it is a good idea to keep track of your progress. Once you see that your efforts are paying off in the ways you were hoping, you will be more likely to stick with what is working. Also, change things up so that you do not run the risk of getting bored.
Avoid putting table sugar on your food. Many foods contain some level of natural sugar. Many processed foods and beverages also have sugar added to them. You probably already get the recommended daily allowance of sugar just by eating your regular meals. So there is really no need to add table sugar to your food, which only adds empty calories.
To significantly increase your chances of successfully losing weight, maintain control of your serving portions. It’s easy to practice portion control when you add other healthy foods to the meal. For example, instead of going for two full servings of lasagna, stick with just one serving and subsidize it with a nice salad and maybe a small piece of garlic bread.
When you are looking to lose weight, it is important to have a well balanced diet composed of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, in addition to plenty of fruits and vegetables. By maintaining a well balanced diet, you are setting a solid foundation for the rest of your weight loss goals.
With all these great ideas at your fingertips, you’re bound to have found a few that will help you lose those pounds and reach an ideal weight. Remember that weight loss is about learning what works for your body as well as about determination, so use the above tips with a learning attitude and you’re sure to succeed!