Losing stubborn body fat is challenging, even for individuals who are otherwise perfectly healthy and fit. In many cases, some small lifestyle habits can end up slowing down otherwise monumental progress.
The big one we might jump to right away is drinking or dinners with friends - but several other bad habits can inhibit weight loss. Fortunately, changing these habits typically only requires patience and time.
I wanted to take a moment to dive in and share some of the most effective lifestyle changes for weight loss to discover how you could get the most out of your weight loss plan and keep shedding those pounds! And still, enjoy your social life!
Practical Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss
There are quite a few lifestyle changes you could implement to enjoy a more satisfying weight loss experience. Crucially, these changes won’t break the bank or require you to spend hours mastering challenging activities or skills.
While each of the below practical lifestyle changes involves a change in habits or attitude, they’re all relatively accessible and convenient. You could choose to pick and choose the habits that most appeal to you, but by trying them all you can’t go wrong!
Without further ado, let’s explore these habit changes and options and discover how you could lose more weight, more effectively, by simply changing your daily routine a little bit.
1. Invest in Quality Sleep
Approximately 1 in 3 American adults fail to get enough sleep each night. Believe it or not, this lack of sleep may be contributing to obesity. That’s because individuals who don’t get enough sleep each night tend to experience a boost in appetite. Not only do you want to eat more, you want to eat crappier, AND your body processes it slower! Not getting enough sleep actually makes you more insulin resistant the following day.
By ensuring you get at least eight hours of solid, uninterrupted sleep every evening, you could automatically start seeing the pounds drop away. Besides, you’ll also benefit from all of the positive effects of consistent, restful slumber.
So if you are looking for permission to hit the sack a little earlier this week - you have the doctor’s orders to do so! If you have trouble sleeping, try out our Sleep supplement :)
2. Nix the Junk Food
Eating fast food, processed foods, and sugary beverages may overload your expected daily caloric intake. For example, the average adult male requires about 2,500 calories each day to maintain their weight. Women need about 2,000 (this is the average).
The typical fast food meal contains about 900 calories, sometimes more. Add a sugary drink and we’re up another 200-400! That’s nearly half of your entire day’s required calories in just a single, oily meal.
When you consider the added sugar and carbohydrates, both of which can become fattening substances, things get a little grimmer. Cutting out processed foods, sugary snacks, and soda could help you lose weight almost immediately. You might not have realized where the sneaky calories were hiding.
3. Increase Your Daily Steps
Are you recording how many steps you take each day? If you own a smartphone, there’s a good chance that your phone has already logged your step data. Still, pedometers are affordable and accessible options.
Either way, walking is an excellent, low-impact form of exercise. Many people can go for a walk without needing to travel far from their homes or places of work. It’s also a weight-loss promoting exercise that doesn’t cost money to participate in.
Whether you’re starting your day with a morning walk, taking a break during the work day or even having a little nightcap walk around your neighborhood now that spring is here, try looking at your steps and increasing that number! Don’t get hung up on needing to set aside a large amount of time, either. Even just taking a quick break from your desk to walk up and down the hall or stairs every so often adds up!
4. Drink More Water
Staying hydrated is crucial. Our bodies consist of up to 60% water, and our blood is primarily made of the stuff. Replacing soda, coffee, tea, or beer with plain water could help you feel and look better.
Drinking plenty of water could also help you get rid of stubborn fat more easily. Our elimination systems require water to flush toxins and waste from our bodies. That’s why doctors often encourage ill patients to drink lots of water.
By replacing unhealthy beverages with cool, clean water, you can help your immune system function more effectively. When your body is in great condition, it can shed pounds more quickly and safely. Drink up!
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5. Workout Safely
Starting an exercise routine is easy, but sticking to it is tricky. After that first day or two of exercising, you’re likely to experience muscle aches and pains. This is normal and typically occurs when muscles extend past their typical workload.
Any form of exercise, including walking, that reaches beyond your standard pace or activity level can cause delayed muscle soreness. Fortunately, these types of pains are treatable with over-the-counter pain relievers and a couple of days of rest.
Still, waking up in physical agony is something that can deter you from continuing with your routine. As such, it’s crucial to pace yourself. Start slow, take it easy on your body, and allow yourself plenty of rest between workout days.
By going slowly, you can ensure you have the motivation to keep going, even after things get a little achy.
6. Eat Nutritious Meals
While cutting out junk food and soda is a great first step toward enjoying a healthier, fitter, and more youthful body, it’s not the only dietary change you can make. Incorporating a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet is also vital. I like to recommend filling half your plate with veggies first - this makes it easier to fill up on the good stuff!
If you’re consuming the same dozen or so processed ingredients day after day, you’re limiting your access to dozens of life-sustaining vitamins and minerals. As such, it’s essential to choose a variety of foods with high nutritional content.
Choosing superfoods that are nutrient-rich could help you enjoy the most ‘bang for your buck’ and help ensure you get all of the vitamins and minerals you need to enjoy a healthy body. It’s also important to eat a satisfying breakfast every day.
It may be tempting to simply restrict your food intake, but eating less may cause you to gain more weight over time. When you severely restrict your caloric intake, your body enters the initial stages of starvation and holds onto body fat.
Additionally, crash diets are dangerous. Being patient and kind to yourself is the best way to lose weight without causing long-lasting harm to your mind or body.
7. Be Kind and Patient
Kindness, patience, and compassion are virtues, but they’re also necessary for achieving your weight loss goals. If you’re stressing out about getting fit and slimming down, you’re inadvertently hindering your progress.
When we experience stress, our bodies release adrenaline, cortisol, and a smattering of other hormones and chemicals. These substances can affect our heart rate, our ability to think clearly, and our ability to gain or lose weight.
Cortisol, in particular, is primarily related to unwanted weight gain and increased risk of heart disease. Lowering natural cortisol levels is crucial to enjoying a healthy body and an accelerated (but still safe) weight loss pace.
Practice the Most Effective Lifestyle Changes
There are tons of lifestyle changes for weight loss. You could help your body get into excellent shape by getting plenty of restful sleep each night, avoiding processed foods and beverages, and taking daily walks.
Regular strength exercises can also help you keep your muscles and bones strong and healthy. Naturally, eating a nutritious diet can also promote faster weight loss, as can drinking plenty of water. Proper mental health is also crucial to losing weight.
Are you ready to get started on the path to a healthier you? Learn more about the Ascend Slim weight loss program to decide if it’s right for you!
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