5 Things you can do today to start losing weight and get fitter
5 Things you can do today!
You have decided something needs to change to improve your life. You need to lose weight and change your habits. Your diet will need to change and your daily routine will need to change. These are all big steps and can be difficult to implement, without proper introduction. In my experience, gradual changes work best and last longer.
So to start you off on this journey of health, fitness and weight loss here are 5 things you can do that will, over time, give you some great results, not just physically, but mentally too. Here we go! …
1 Drink water
Is that it? Yes, drinking just water, not tea, not coffee, or some other beverage made from water. Just water. Why? If you think about it, your body is made up of roughly 60% water. If you are not properly hydrated your body will not function properly or to it’s full potential. The are other benefits: healthy skin, healthy kidney function, boosting metabolism, improved muscle function, improved blood flow and general digestion improvement. Drinking water as soon as you wake each day has been shown to kick start your metabolism in the morning. Continue to drink water through the day to keep you alert and firing on all cylinders.
2 Eat more Fibre
What’s that? Eat more? Yes, more fibre together with plenty of water keeps your digestion working perfectly. Fibre is also a very healthy form of carbohydrate, without the added sugar. Fibre also keeps you fuller for longer. Good sources of fibre are whole grains, nuts, seeds, pulses, beans, fruit (skin on) and vegetables are also great sources. A variety of fibre sources is best as each different type of food also has other benefits, making your diet a well rounded and healthy one.
3 Eat less processed and junk food
This is a no brainer really. Processed foods are often high in fats, sugars or salt or all of these combined. They are usually not as healthy as fresh made home cooked food, but who has time for that? You do! If you find the time to make a big batch of food, you can portion it up to last you a week or a month, depending how big your freezer is. More on this later.
4 Reduce your portion size and calories
If you are wanting to lose weight, I’m guessing you are weighing more than you should. This is usually down to poor diet and lack of exercise. To lose weight we need to create a calorie deficit (eat less move more). You can reduce your calories in 2 main ways: reduce your portion sizes (eat less) and burning calories through exercise (move more). To lose between 1 – 3 pounds of fat per week, it’s recommended you reduce your calories by 3500. That might sound like a lot, but it’s only 500 calories a day. I would always say start off by reducing your portion sizes enough to meet that 500 calorie deficit. After a while when some of the weight has come off you can then also reduce calories further by exercising. Exercise doesn’t have to be going to a gym and getting punished by a drill sergeant screaming orders at you. You can start gently by just walking, swimming, cycling or doing every day household things: housework, cleaning the car, gardening, diy even! Anything that makes you move continuously for an amount of time.
5 Join a club
Doing this all alone can be difficult and without support it may be easy to give up and give in. By joining a club of some sort, either a gym, walking group, a running club, a swimming club or a slimming club, you will have support and some continuity. It will give you some focus and something to look forward to as well as helping you stay on the right tracks. We all succumb to the odd treat here and there as long as you don’t let it ruin the hard work you’ve done and stay on track, a little treat is allowed, but not all the time!
So there you have it! In a nutshell. These 5 things will make a huge difference when starting out and even further down the line. Give it a go, and watch the weight fall off. It may take some time, but it’s well worth the wait. Good luck and Happy healthiness 🙂