Top Ways to Work on Reaching Your Desired Body
With summer right around the corner, lots of us are starting to think about getting our bodies ready for the summer season. Whether you started in January with a new year’s resolution to get fit or you are starting from scratch. This article is going to go through the top ways to reach your desired body.
1. Walk Everywhere You Go
This one might come as a surprise to some of you, but you can really shed the pounds just by increasing the amount you walk! Walking is essentially free and easy cardio, and you can burn those calories without even breaking a sweat. The number of calories burned walking will depend on the person, Healthline demonstrates this with a calorie calculator, with the equation being calories burned = BMR x METs/24 x hour. The more weight you are carrying, the more calories you will burn as your heart and body will be working harder. For instance, a 35- year old male weighing 200lbs will burn around 240 calories walking for an hour, whereas an 18-year-old female, weighing 130lbs will burn around 195 calories walking for an hour.
So do not underestimate the impact that walking can have on your weight loss journey! It’s free, easy and you don’t need to travel to any gyms. This is the perfect covid-friendly cardio option you need.
2. Start A Calorie Deficit
When people hear the term ‘calorie deficit’, people can wrongly assume this means starving and depriving themselves of all yummy foods. Being in a calorie deficit does not have to be painful and awful! All it means is that you consume less than you burn, so, if you burn 2100 calories a day, and you consume 1900 calories then you will lose weight. It is a fact, and basic science. So, how much you decide to consume is up to you, but it does not have to be drastic. Extreme deficits tend to lead to low energy, irritability, and frequent binging. Use your macronutrients to help you! Macros provide us with the energy and nutrients we need to live, and these are fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Increase your percentage of protein intake for an effective weight loss diet.
Pro-tip – you do not need to cut out carbs! Having everything in moderation really is key! You need carbohydrates for energy, and if you cut them out you may lose weight quickly, but you will also regain it quickly once you start to eat them again.
3. Fad Diets: Yes Or No?
There is certainly no shortage of fad diets and dieting programs out there. These work for some and not for others, it depends on who you are and how much you commit to the diet. Weight loss companies such as Slimming World are starting to come under fire for their toxic nature. You start to wonder how much these fad diets are worth it, especially when you hear of side effects of the Yoli diet side effects can really impact you. The side effects of the Yoli diet include constipation, increased heart rate, and headaches. So you may end up losing weight, but you have to consider at what cost? While these side effects may seem small and trivial, they can cause some real discomfort, consequently, they are not very sustainable options.
4. Strength Training
All too often strength training is neglected because people think it won’t help you lose weight. That is a huge misconception! In fact, weight training is highly effective in helping you lose weight and tone your muscles at the same time. When we use resistance training, our muscles continue to burn calories after exercise! Also, the bigger our muscles are, the more calories we burn. This combined with a well-rounded diet will leave you feeling stronger, more energized and will keep your body looking lean too.
5. Be Kind To Yourself
When striving for your ‘desired’ body, it is important to be kind to yourself along the way. It can be easy to slip into dangerous thinking patterns and obsessive behaviors. It is a marathon, not a sprint, so be patient and take care of your physical and mental health. Part of achieving your desired body is training your brain to like the way you look. This will happen when you start to see results and changes in your body, but for some people, it is not always this simple. Learning to love yourself as you are, as well as enjoying a healthy lifestyle and diet is the best way to get to where you want to be.
