How to Lose Weight Fast- The Healthy Way

To lose weight effectively, you will also need to build up your muscle, as well as increase your flexibility, while you burn off the excess fat. If you follow this method, then you will still be able to lose weight without the stress of daily gym sessions. You can also continue to enjoy your favorite foods.

Weight loss requires commitment and one of the first things you must do is to set a goal for yourself. However, you must be realistic in setting your goals so as not to get discouraged. You can use any of the common BMI (body mass index) calculators on the Internet to find out your BMI. With this information, you are able to decide the best healthy weight for you and work towards that.

Having set a realistic goal for your weight loss, you can map out your strategy for achieving your desire. Your eating habits must change. This is perhaps the biggest change you will have to make if you want to lose a significant amount of weight. When you start to eat healthy foods that nourish your body, your energy level will be increased and you will be motivated to exercise. This in turn will make you feel better about your body.

Diet & Nutrition: Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. For you to achieve a high metabolism, it has been recommended by health experts that you should have about 6 small meals on a daily basis. However, this may not be feasible for a lot of people. The best option would be to plan for your usual daily meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), but then include some healthy snacks in between meals. This lets you have the recommended 6 meals a day. Also, you must be aware of the amount of calories that you consume daily. You can determine this using any online calculator.

When planning for your daily meals and snacks, ensure that you include as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. When you are able to choose healthy foods at the supermarket, then you will be forced to eat healthy at home. You should stay away from empty calories like processed sugars, white grains (white bread, white rice, white potatoes etc) and sweetened drinks.  It is more preferable to eat lean protein, such as chicken breast but without the skin, lean beef and trimmed pork cuts. Your snacks can also include nuts, fruits, granola, yogurt or part skim cheese. Your body is able to lose unwanted pounds more efficiently when you consume healthy foods more than sugar preservatives.

Water is very essential and you should drink lots of it.  You can decide to add some lemon, lime or orange juices to add some flavor.

You must be able to control the portions of everything you eat. Once in a while, you may indulge in some form of dessert but try not to make it regular and ensure that it does not exceed your daily calorie intake. Otherwise, you should spend more time exercising in your next workout so as to make up for it.

Exercise: To lose weight, you should learn to practice two types of exercise. Your workout sessions should include mostly cardio exercises and a good amount of strength training. These two types of exercise allow you to burn fat and lose weight.

The importance of cardio exercises is that they tend to give your heart and lungs more strength, burn calories and reduce stress. Your energy level will also get a boost. The types of exercise that you can perform are walking, jogging, jumping jacks, elliptical machine, bike riding and many more. For people who are not involved in a lot of physical activity on a daily basis, you should begin with easier cardio exercises so as to build up your stamina. For example, you can start with walking briskly then move on to jogging and finally light running. Your goal should be to partake in some cardio exercise for about 30 minutes, 5 times a week, or you could have some 20minutes vigorous activity for 3 days of the week.

However, it is not enough to engage in cardio exercises alone, because you may end up burning muscle instead of fat. You can avoid this by including strength training in your workout sessions, which with result in a fit toned look that everyone desires. Also, muscle tissue will help your body to burn calories and maintain a high metabolism.  Unless you are involved in regular physical activity, then you should start slow and work your way up to three strength-training exercises for about 30 minutes. This way, you can still lose weight without needing to visit a gym.

The exercises that help you train for strength are those that use weight for resistance. Of course, you don’t have to always lift a dumbbell or look for a weight machine because you can use your own body as an effective tool for strength training.  Some of these exercises can even be done in your home, such as push-ups, sit-ups, lunges and squats while watching TV.  Always remember that you are allowed to start slowly, and rest in between. Be sure that you are using proper weights. You can begin with a single set of 10-12 repetitions for each move, and increase it gradually until you are able to complete 3 sets of 12 reps for each muscle group.

A combination of healthy eating habits, strength training and cardio exercises are very helpful to lose pounds quickly and efficiently. As you make these small changes to your lifestyle, they will give you a better look and feel, as well as increase your self confidence.

The following key points will help you stay on track with your weight loss goal

·        Purchase healthy foods – When you go shopping, endeavor to avoid buying junk foods so that they are unavailable to you when you get a craving for them. Rather, stock up your home with other healthy options that you can eat.

·        Prepare meals before time – With your meals already prepared, it is easier for you to stick to eating right

·        Eat more often- (like every 3 hours) – You don’t have to eat when you are already starving. Plan your meals so that you can snack some 2-3 hours after breakfast, lunch or dinner.

·        Go with healthy food – when you have to go out to work, school or the movies, you can take along some food with you so that you don’t get tempted to buy fast foods. This way, you always have a healthy option available to eat.

·        Don’t go out on empty stomach – As much as possible, you should avoid eating junk foods out of hunger by ensuring that you eat at home and take along a snack with you.

·        Give yourself a treats – Once in a while, you are allowed to have treats, even ice cream, as long as you watch the amount of calories you take.

·        Make record of your progress for motivation – as you continue your exercise regularly, it also helps to track your weight loss by taking pictures and recording your measurements.

It is not a herculean task to lose weight. If you can start with these simple steps, then you are well on your way to shedding those excess pounds. As long as you are determined to reach your goal, you can do it and you will end up feeling better about yourself.