Losing weight is a battle almost everyone has experienced at some point during their lives, but surprisingly few have a workable understanding of how to achieve it. This is because the subject of weight loss is surrounded by taboo, myths, fads and gurus claiming that they have a magic product which will reduce your fat overnight.
It can be nigh on impossible to see the wood for the trees, which can make any integration of a consistent weight loss routine challenging. Although taking action to lose weight is half the battle won, it is incredibly difficult to stick with your new routine for a meaningful length of time. This is because traditional methods of weight loss (such as extreme dieting, fasting and intense cardiovascular exercise) are often impractical and difficult to implement into your existing lifestyle.
Trying to make time for a two-hour running session or throwing out all the food in your cupboards in favour of a particular superfood is admirable but trying to maintain self-discipline is what trips many people up.
This is why you need to find a way of losing weight without altering your lifestyle dramatically. Here are some useful tips for achieving it:
Focused training is the key to sustainable weight loss
One of the most obvious places to start with any weight loss routine is exercise. This is because losing weight is a simple equation – you need to burn off more calories than you ingest every day. Many people take this to heart and embark on an overly ambitious exercise routine which usually involves a huge amount of cardio that their body is not ready for.
Not only does this approach set you up for failure and eventual regression, but it may not even be the best method for losing weight. Instead, you should consider hiring a personal trainer from Health by Science to guide you through a personalised routine that gradually builds sustainable exercise habits.
This type of training helps you maintain consistency, which is the key to achieving long-term body goals.
A healthy diet is about balance, not strictness
Although exercise is vitally important for achieving lasting weight loss, you need to give yourself a fighting chance by paying attention to what’s in your diet. This means reducing the number of unhealthy fats, sugar and other calorie-heavy foods and drinks you are ingesting every day. Depending on your body goals and your current physical condition, you don’t need to completely eradicate every mildly fattening food or drink out of your diet because you will inevitably relapse.
Instead, aim for a healthy balance. Stick to a nutritious diet during the week and reward yourself with a beer or fatty food at the weekend. This is why ‘cheat’ days are so successful. They enable you to enjoy a rounded diet without having to make yourself miserable from the lack of tasty food and drink.
Integrate physical activity into your daily routine
While a dedicated exercise routine is crucial to losing weight, you should also try to make your daily life as active as possible. If you work in an office, get up out of your chair every hour to have a walk around or take a stroll around the block during your lunch break.
If you can, start walking or cycling to work or take up physical activities on the weekends. This will help you burn calories and keep your physical health on an even keel.
