People struggle with weight loss. Even after trying too hard, they feel that they are not doing enough to lose that stubborn fat from their body. If you search for weight loss tips on Google, you will get millions of results citing the miracle drink, miracle exercise, etc. to lose weight in 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, and whatnot.
I am going to share the best and the most effective weight loss tips for people who are struggling with their weight. These tips, no matter how much extra weight you have put on, will surely help you lose weight effectively.
Before we begin –
It’s the most crucial step before you even start your weight loss journey. It’s to find the cause of weight gain. Despite overeating, stress-induced overeating, lack of sleep, etc., there are certain medical conditions like Hypothyroidism that may lead to abnormal weight gain. It’s better to get a complete body check-up done to rule out any medical condition.
Calorie Deficit
This term is the first thing every diet consultant will tell you when you embark on your weight loss journey. A calorie deficit means having fewer calories than your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). BMR is the metabolic rate of your body at rest (or in simple terms, the calories you burn while you are resting).
If we do the math, 1 pound or 1 lb of body fat is comprised of 3500 calories. So in order to lose 1 lb of fat in a week (7 days), a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day is needed.
Now how to track the calories? This is the most challenging aspect people face during their weight loss journey. There are several apps available to track your calorie intake or simply if you are consulting a dietician, he or she will create a diet chart for you based on your food choices.
Workout
This is something people stay away from or at least do not stay consistent. No matter what you do, at least you should plan one hour per day for any physical workout or activity. I would suggest cardio activity with some bodyweight exercises, to begin with. You can do squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, planks besides a walking session.
If you haven’t done this for a quite long time, I would suggest starting with simple walking and slowly move on to complex body movements in order to prevent yourself from any injury.
For the people who have been doing this for a while now, can start with running (i prefer sprint rather than jogging) as it will help boost metabolism for a long enough time to burn that stubborn fat.
If you are planning to join a gymnasium, then also I would recommend doing bodyweight workouts first to get your body prepared for the weight training.
If it feels boring, you can indulge in any sports or even swimming for one hour four to five days a week.
Staying Hydrated
This is also one of the greatest challenges for most of my clients and people in general. They don’t drink enough water to stay hydrated. If you look closely or even search on Google, Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water.
By that calculation, if we calculate roughly, a person weighing 70 kg should drink about 4.2 liters of water. But that s a rough figure and should not follow harshly. Staying hydrated is more of a feeling than following the numbers. If you feel thirsty drink water.
Another issue is that if you feel thirsty you should not go for aerated drinks but water as the aerated drinks will dehydrate you further. Aim for three liters of water minimum to stay hydrated. If you have been quite active physically, then you can increase your water intake based on your needs.
Also Read – You Are What You WATCH!
Increase Protein Intake
The most crucial thing in weight loss is the intake of protein. It has many benefits but I will share two of the most important according to me – one that in order to lose weight, one has to preserve the muscle mass and protein helps significantly in that and second, protein has a thermal effect meaning it will increase your Basal Metabolic rate resulting in more calories burned even while resting.
How much protein is required? I recommend ideally 0.8 to 0.9 grams per kilogram of your body weight. In general, if a person is not a heavyweight trainer or does not indulge in extreme sports, then 56 grams lean protein for a sedentary man and 46 grams for a sedentary woman.
Protein helps you stay full for long resulting in fewer cravings and more calories burned even at rest. Who would not want that?
Note: It doesn’t mean that you skip the other macros (carbohydrates and fats). They are equally essential and all the macros including proteins should not be out of proportion. Eat everything in moderation.
Sleep Right
In modern times, people are staying awake the whole night binging on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other OTT platforms. This results in a disturbed sleep cycle and in some extreme cases, insomnia. Now as you are awake watching your favorite show, you start munching on that chocolate bar, popcorn, or even Maggi. This extra bump of calories disturbs your metabolism further resulting in weight gain and several other issues.
In order to lose weight, I would suggest at least seven hours of deep sleep every night. Believe me, it will help you in losing those extra inches faster.
These are some of the important and most effective weight loss tips. If you follow them consistently, you will definitely see results!
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. It does not intend to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any diseases. Get the help of a certified medical professional or a certified dietician before making any changes to your diet or exercise regimen.
Have a weight loss story to share? Do send us your journey at talktous@storizen.com
