Judging by the sheer number of diet plans that promise
weight loss, one can be lead to think that losing weight is too difficult.
After all, not all of these diets work for everybody, and the few individuals
who have not had success with them have to try hard to shed some pounds. For
the average person, then losing weight seems to be impossible. Thankfully
though, this is not the case as the truth is that a person does not have to
make drastic changes to his/her lifestyle and give up too much. Instead, a lot
of weight can be lost by following some simple yet effective tips that aim to
make small but significant changes to the lifestyle. Not only are these methods
of losing weight easy to follow, but they are designed in a way that a person
can stick to them in the long run too.
Without further ado, here are some of the best ways of
losing weight effectively:
1. Set Accurate Goals:
To be able to lose weight properly, it is highly important
to set goals and then work backwards from there on. This builds clarity as
people know what they have to do, what they want to achieve, and what needs to
be done to reach the final destination. The goals should be realistic and
achievable, as setting inaccurate goals will make a person unable to achieve
them no matter how much effort is put in. These goals should be measurable and
checked against the actual progress made as well.
2. Take an Easy Approach:
Many people, when starting off with their weight loss
programs, try to lose too much too early. They make drastic changes to their
diets and spend hours at the gym hoping that these dramatic changes will have
an effect. While these efforts do work, they are not suitable for the long run.
Over training is not sustainable in the long run because it is difficult to
continue putting in so much effort on a regular basis. Instead, an easier approach
should be adopted which one can make part of his/her lifestyle. For example,
cutting 200 calories and exercising for 30 minutes daily is a good way to start
off. Once a person becomes comfortable with this, then the number can gradually
be increased (400 calories and 40 minutes of exercise).
3. Drink Water before Meals:
One of the biggest causes of overeating is the inability to
differentiate between thirst and hunger. People tend to confuse thirst for
hunger. That is, their bodies need water for hydration and instead they end up
consuming food which causes an intake of a lot of unnecessary calories. The
best way to check if you are really hungry is by consuming 2 glasses of water
before every meal. This will satisfy the body's hydration needs and also leave
less room for food to be consumed.
4. Consume Fruits and Vegetables:
Experts propose the consumption of 5 to 9 servings of
vegetables every day. Although not many people do this, it is an exceptional
way of losing the way. Taking in at least one or two servings of vegetables
with every meal with a serving of fruits after the meal would help give the
body the required nutrition and also provide it with the fulfilling feeling.
5. Weigh Yourself Every Day:
Research has shown that weighing oneself every day leads to
increased weight loss. This is because weighing helps track progress and thus
allows for changes to be made if necessary. For example, imagine a person
starts losing weight only by small amounts but cannot physically notice the
effects. Even though that person is losing weight, he/she would not know about
it and may be put off by not being able to see any progress. On the other hand,
if that same person loses the same amount of weight and checks his/her weight
every day, then he/she would know about his/her achievements and progress.
Therefore, it is really important to check progress daily.