Top 10 habits for successful weight loss
Odysseus said, "The great ones have great strategies for success". You might be high on will power and motivation, but that alone cannot shrink your waist.
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What you need is a bagful of wisdom, some clever and well thought out strategies and you are good to go. Today, we have for you the top 10, most invaluable habits for successful weight loss. Read on...
Never eat straight from a multi-serve packet or container. We suggest you pour out the amount you intend to eat, and stop when it's over. Try and fight against the subliminal message of 'no one can eat just one'. Also, keep snacks out of sight as out of sight is out of mind.
Visual control is a highly recommended practice when it comes to weight loss. Stock up on healthy snacks instead, and ensure that any chips or other unhealthy snacks are stored in places that you don't see every few minutes.
Don't forget to eat your breakfast: Each morning, your body needs to rev up its metabolic rate and breakfast does exactly that. One of the biggest advantages of eating breakfast is that it helps stabilise your hormones and keeps potential overeating and bingeing at bay.
Mindful cooking:
Any meal of the day can be made nutritious with mindful cooking. Finding ways to make a gradual shift in eating more of fruits and vegetables is an ideal way of sticking to your weight loss plan. One of the oldest and most basic rule of thumb when buying fruits and vegetables is to go for fresh produce. Avoid anything which has soft spots, bruises, blemishes or cuts.
Eat carbs for weight loss:
Other than fiber, good carbs are also rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. They have low glycemic index levels, which helps in regulating blood sugar levels and insulin production. They are low in energy-density levels i.e. they provide sustained energy maximizing health benefits. Food items which are rich in good carbs are vegetables, whole grain products, fruits, potatoes, brown rice, lentils and beans.
Make exercise a priority:
Exercise has to be a non-negotiable part of your daily routine. It helps you in managing your weight and gives you a healthy lifestyle in the truest sense of the term. Most people tend to relegate exercise to the background of daily life. Set all your excuses aside by getting up just an hour earlier than usual each morning or pushing back the evening's social scene by an hour.
Focus on your target: Do you have a pair of jeans that you would like to fit into? A little colourful sundress you dream of wearing one day? Hang it up in front of your eyes! Yes, believe us when we say- motivation is half the battle won. Every time you're struck by that sinister craving for indulging in those fries, picture the dress, and feel the steely resolve come back.
Portion control your meals:
Portion control is essentially about having an estimate of what portions of which foods you're eating. Each meal's portion size determines its calorie content. The more you eat, the more you add to your calorie count for the day. In order to lose or maintain a healthy level of weight, it is vital to control your meal portions.
Eat bananas:
Bananas are part of a healthy diet, and should also be part of a fat loss diet, however no food by itself helps one to lose weight. To lose weight one has to create a caloric deficit i.e to burn more calories than what they consume in a day. For most cases a caloric deficit of 10-15% works best and ones that create a greater caloric deficit generally causes more muscle loss rather than fat loss. Banana is a nutritionally dense food rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals and energy. As with all foods, one should consume bananas within the required calorie intake. A 100 gms of banana contain about 90 calories.
Measure your fitness level:
For starters, it's a great way to keep a tab on your progress levels and set short term practical fitness goals. So, if you're game to kick start a new fitness program, then size up your fitness level by taking simple fitness tests like checking your flexibility levels by doing a Sit-and-Reach test, checking your aerobic fitness level by brisk walking, and keeping a record of your body composition.
Overcome exercise insecurities:
Everybody who has reaped the benefits of fitness has at some point in time, started with baby steps just like you. Buy proper clothing. Go for a t-shirt which is a size loose so that you don't feel awkward while exercising. Pick a place you're comfortable with. Find an exercise buddy. Play a sport with your better half. Sign up for a sport like squash, tennis, or basketball. Go for the right gym and trainer. Ask if your trainers are certified. Arm yourself with confidences that won't disappear in the face of weight loss trials.