Weight loss journey #healthy lifestyle #journey for best lifestyle # weight loss
Living a sedentary lifestyle has become the norm for this generation. With how fast-paced and advanced our lives have become in the last two decades; living a healthy lifestyle has taken a backseat. Procrastinating is a big part of our inability to indulge in a healthier way of living.
We say we’ll exercise and eat healthier, but eventually end up putting it off for another day. Days go by as we continue to think, ‘I will start tomorrow.’ If you do not hesitate to eat foods that are unhealthy but tasty, then why do you postpone doing things that are good for you? Tomorrow won’t come around until your body starts to feel lethargic, and heavy and until some of your clothes don’t fit, and your skin stops glowing.
The day you dislike how you look will be the day you decide to take a step. But why wait till the day you stop feeling beautiful? Why give yourself a chance to develop body image issues?
Coming out of your comfort zone is one of the first steps to living a healthy lifestyle. You’ll never know what your body is capable of until you push yourself. Be mindful though, pushing yourself doesn’t mean that you go all out at once and risk hurting yourself.
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Consuming processed foods, leading an unhealthy lifestyle, stress, etc., are all causes of obesity. Excess weight gain can be life-threatening if not treated on time. Losing weight is a slow and gradual process, but the benefits you reap are life-changing. You have probably tried to begin your weight loss journey in the past but failed to keep up with it. One of the major mistakes people make is starting their weight loss journey without adequate research. Each individual is different. What may work for others might not work for you. Before you begin a strict regime, research and find out what works best for you.
Steps and tips to follow
Here are a few steps and tips you can follow while starting your weight loss journey-
- Simple workout routine
Becoming fit takes a lot of time and effort. You will not achieve a perfect, toned body by going to the gym for a day. We tend to expect immediate results, which is impossible. So, keep your workout routine simple in the beginning. You are more likely to see long-term results if you start with simple exercises. To prevent your workouts from getting boring and repetitive; you can mix compound lifting, stretching, and cardio. Bear in mind; only doing home workouts will not help you lose all the fat. Putting some variety in your workout routine, such as cycling, rock climbing, jogging, sports, etc., can keep your mind and body engaged.
- Balanced diet
Following a balanced diet is a must to achieve the weight goal you have set for yourself. Eating healthy not only helps you maintain weight but improves the overall metabolism and working of your body. Incorporate proteins, green leafy vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, etc., in your diet. Researching which foods are good for your body and following a proper diet is really beneficial. Along with healthy food, supplements can be good too long as you do not overconsume. Before starting any supplement, consult a health expert.
- Enjoy the process and be consistent
Avoid procrastinating. Even if you have to reduce the number of sets, do your best to complete the exercises. Consistency is key when it comes to achieving your weight goal. Ever noticed that if you do not enjoy the things you do, the results are rarely good? It applies to your workout sessions too! Enjoying the process ensures that you do not gradually lose interest. It may take a lot of time to see the results, but it will be worth it.
- Stretching and building muscle
Many people avoid stretching despite knowing the benefits. When you stretch, you are triggering the stretch reflex in the muscle. The muscle creates a spasm as it tries to contract and shorten to protect itself. Always remember that stretching incorrectly can inadvertently end up in you injuring yourself. Feel the burn, but keep in mind that when the burn starts to feel like pain, stop immediately. You can reserve the stretching sessions for days you want to avoid being lazy or after a workout.
Focus on building muscle once you have burnt off the excess fats in your body. Exercising creates inflammation and acute stress in the muscles, joints, and ligaments. Allowing the muscles to heal will help them grow, recover, and prevent or decrease injury.
- Strength training and not glorifying pain
Burning fats is key to losing weight, but strength training should be given equal importance. Resistance training benefits the body in many ways— it increases metabolic rate, improves sleep quality, bone density, etc. Strength training or any form of physical activity is beneficial if done correctly, but it should not cost you your mental and physical well-being. The motto, “No Pain, No Gain,” stands true only if training is done with proper form. Push yourself but listen to your body. Avoid over-exerting yourself and risking injury.
- Don’t obsess over numbers and a particular area
Spot reduction is impossible. If you have started your weight loss journey, let go of the belief that you can only work on your abs and slack off in other areas. Weight loss requires working on your body as a whole unit. To decrease fat content and see a muscular definition, you will need to work on exercises and take care of your nutrition, diet, and sleep. At the same time, obsessing over the number of calories you consume can prove to be counterproductive. If you’re someone with low self-esteem, counting calories can negatively affect your mental health. The number of calories should be for statistical and research purposes, not as guidelines you have to follow.
- Proper recovery and sleep
Remember to give your body and mind adequate time to heal. Get enough rest, proper protein intake, sleep, and hydration to help your body recover. Your body requires sleep. Stress hormones can stay chronically high if you sleep less after training consistently. Less sleep increases the risk of injury and hampers progress.
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