Fitness Tips Both For Men And For Women; A Guide To Reaching Your Weight Loss Goal Fast
Summer has just hit, and it is time to hit the beaches, going out in T-shirts, sleeveless Tees and shorts. You have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this season, and finally, you shed all your layers from winter to look at yourself in the mirror and.... Snag!
Instead of the chiseled body, you so dreamily imagined, you find muffin tops and love handles sticking out from the sides, sagging arms and thighs. This is not what you expected, is it? In the midst of your panic you start conjuring up ideas to hide all the “flabby stuff” but to no avail.
But don’t worry, we have some awesome tips for both men and women as well as for beginners to shed that fat. Yes, the excess fat that the body naturally accumulates to help you survive, should you ever face starvation as our primitive ancestors did.
But, thanks to our modern way of diet and sedentary lifestyles, the fat buildup is taken to an entirely different level, leading to what most experts describe as pandemic now- obesity. Besides its effect on aesthetics, excess fat has been blamed for the increasing the risk of developing diseases ranging from diabetes to heart conditions.
Thus, losing the excess flab not only makes you look like a Greek God or Goddess but also reduces all these risks. Thus, here is a guide to reach your weight loss goal:
1. Your Caloric Maintenance:
Count what goes into your mouth
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Your caloric maintenance, in the easiest of terms, is some calories you need to consume each day to maintain your weight and do your daily activities. Calories are obtained from the food we eat. Your caloric maintenance can be calculated, not precisely, but approximately.
Google the term “Caloric maintenance” and there comes a list of sites that help you calculate your value. Fill in the details that they ask for. None of them are exactly accurate, but an approximate value is just fine.
Then, track the number of calories you eat each day. Try to stick to the number of calories that the calculator suggested for you for about a week or two, and measure your weight each day.
If your weight stays constant while you eat the estimated calories, then that is your maintenance. If you gain weight, you may have to reduce your intake slightly, such as by 100-250 calories for the next week or so. And finally, when you reach a state when your weight no longer fluctuates, you have reached your maintenance.
Now, with your daily caloric need, the next step you need to follow is to take this value and reduce about 250 calories from it each day for your daily consumption. It will create a caloric deficit, which will cause your body to start using up the reserve fuel in your body- the fat in your fat cells.
And, this will drive to a decrease in body weight. Again, the goal is not to drastically reduce your intake but to take small steps towards reducing your caloric intake for weight loss.
2. Let Thy Legs Walk:
Walking can be a venture into yourself!
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Walking for about an hour can use up about 415 calories. Walking, especially in the morning, is not only good for burning calories, but also for livening your mood, feeling refreshed and as per some studies, reducing the chances of cardiovascular diseases.
A light jog is far better as well. It is also important to repeat the advantages of taking the stairs instead of the elevator. A useful tip is to listen to music that boosts your morale while walking.
An even more productive habit is to listen to audio books of your favorite texts or podcasts while you walk. It helps you gain knowledge, while actively curbing the calories and also makes your mind focus on listening than the possible soreness you might feel.
3. Build Muscle:
Muscles are there to be trained!
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The greater the amount of muscle you develop, the more the amount of energy your body needs to keep your muscles fed. And, in a state of a caloric deficit, it gains this energy from the fat cells in your body by converting the fat in them into a form that can be used by the muscles.
Building muscles, therefore, is not only essential for showing off your figure. If you want a chiseled body, you can always join a gym and train under the guidance of a trainer. But if for some reasons you cannot, you can always try out other things.
You can turn to calisthenics, which includes the type of exercises you do with your body weights, instead of dead weights. You can also follow some home workout programs. There are different opinions available about cardio exercises, those exercises that increase your heart rate, causing your body to use up more of your stored energy reserves.
The High-Intensity Interval Training is gaining popularity where you primarily perform the small but very high-intensity exercise, followed by a period of low-intensity activity.
4. “Abs are made in the Kitchen”:
A good diet will produce the best results
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This quote has been repeated innumerable times not only by gym coaches and trainers but also by nutritionists and dieticians. Your diet plays a larger role in shaping your body than all the physical work you put through yourself.
Choosing to eat healthily does not mean strict dieting. A shock diet, which drastically reduces your calorie intake will only leave you miserable, and more prone to leaving the diet or even worse (and more probable), increase the amount of food you eat, once your body is primed to the starvation you put it through.
Some facts do remain fundamental, however; fat in your diet is essential, it is the type of fat you eat and the amounts you eat that make all the difference. Fried food stuff or those with excess saturated fat are fundamentally not good for you.
Instead, try baking or grilling. Fat from fish and nuts are good since they contain unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. It is essential to choose a diet that is sensible and is customized to your bodily physiology. Don’t hesitate to consult a dietician or nutritionist in making the right choices.
5. Quench Your Thirst:
Water is an essential drink to a living being.
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Water is essential to everyone. Our bodies are 70% water, and this liquid gold is in constant supply for all the physiological functions of our body. In this regard, water is indispensable for degrading fat molecules and obtaining energy from them.
Thus, it is essential to keep our bodies hydrated. Different data exist regarding the amount of water you should drink. The most popular framework says that an adult should drink at least 2 liters of water each day.
6. Focus on sleep:
Let your mind and muscle rest
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Sleep is essential not only to lose weight but also to build muscle. The ideal sleeping period is from 6-8 hours each night. Less sleep leads to accumulation of the stress hormone cortisol, which leads to a hoarding of fat as reserve fuel in our fuel cells.
Other methods to reduce cortisol is meditation, which has unparalleled advantages not only for the physical health but also the mental health.
However, weight loss is all about planning your lifestyle towards a path that leads to the body that you want to see in the mirror. It is about making sensible choices that fit your body type regarding diet and physical activity.