Maybe you first notice it when you get changed in the morning, but it’s only until you receive comments from others when you truly believe it—you’ve put on weight. Without a doubt, gaining weight can be frustrating, especially when it’s unintentional. Moreover, figuring out the real cause behind the problem can be tricky since many factors affect body weight.
While many supplements, diets, and exercise programs promise fast weight loss, not all are safe or even backed by science. By following the wrong methods, you shed pounds fast, but you also gain them back quicker. If you want to learn how to lose weight effectively, you’re in the right place. Below, we list down five ways how you can get fitter quickly and safely.
Build Your Muscles
The key to weight loss is building your muscles. In fact, even simple strength training, such as lifting a set of 5-pound weights, is bound to be more effective in cutting down body fat than just doing cardio exercises.
If you don’t have any equipment at hand, then you can also try doing squats, push-ups, and lunges to build your lean muscle tissue. By having shorter, more intense, and frequent workouts, you burn more calories, making it possible to lose ten pounds in a month, even for those with a slower metabolism.
Drink More Water
Water is your best friend, especially when trying to lose weight. Sufficient drinking of water is highly beneficial as it has zero calories and can help you suppress your appetite before eating a meal.
You can try it for yourself now: as you drink a glass before eating, you feel fuller; thus reducing the amount of food you intake. Likewise, it also quickens your metabolism and flushes out any harmful toxins from your body.
Avoid Anything Sugary
Sugar is long known to be one of the biggest culprits behind weight gain, regardless of the source. So, even if you avoid eating desserts but start your day with a caramel coffee drink or any sugary beverage, you still risk yourself gaining extra weight.
To effectively lower body weight, you can cut out the added dietary sugar from your meals and see results in as early as two to four weeks. Plus, not only do you lose fat from it, but you also lessen your risk of diabetes and lower your cholesterol levels.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
Eating mindfully is when you take your time to consume your food, paying close attention to what and how you’re eating. Unlike when you eat on the go, sitting down to eat provides fewer distractions, making you more aware when your body gives you the signal when it feels full.
Also, it gives you the opportunity to weigh your food choices so that you can take the healthier option. Paying better attention to the nutritional content of your meals ensures that you stay within your calorie allowance, an excellent way to track your progress.
Get Enough Sleep
Did you know that people who sleep less than 5-6 hours a day are more likely to be obese? Insufficient amounts of sleep significantly slow down metabolism, prompting the body to store unused energy as fat.
In addition, you’ll find that sleeping earlier and longer provides your body with enough rest and increases your motivation to stay active, ultimately making it easier for you to lose weight.
Takeaway
Trying to lose weight requires a lot of hard work and patience on your part. It may be frustrating when you first start your journey but building healthy habits through proper diet, sleep, and exercise will definitely take you to your desired goal and improve your overall wellness.