Simple and Effective Weight Loss Tips

Though not 100% fit, I would like to share some
simple but effective tips that really work for me. Trust me, if you can
dedicate to these things and be patient, you’ll be on your way to weight loss, having
in mind that it should be a lifestyle and not a quick fix. Everything in life
requires consistency; you can’t decide to work out for three months and tell
yourself, oh I’m done! I’ve achieved my weight loss goal and then continue your
usual eating and lazy habit and expect not to gain the weight back…it’s not
magic!

Though I’m not a fan of deprivation, I like to
do whatever I want (in this case eat whatever I want) but what would life be
without rules/discipline? Therefore, I’d like to talk about Beyoncé’s vegan
(vegetarians please don’t bite my head off, I know it’s not vegan but in Bey’s
defense, the purpose of the diet is to cut out meat… You know, those things you
guys don’t eat for a period ’22 days’ of time) diet a bit, she and her husband
cut out meat, milk and so on….Basically
plant-based food. What I learnt from the diet process is what Jay Z said
(although it’s an old adage: it takes 21 days to break an addiction); ‘Psychologists have said it
takes 21 days to make or break a habit. On the 22nd day, you’ve found the way’. That is very correct! Have you ever tried doing something non-stop
for 21 days? Is it to get up earlier, exercise, write? Whatever it is… If you
have not, you can begin with these few tips.

I’m saying try because I know it’s
not easy. I’m more of a night person (this started from school where I would
stay up all night reading ;my body adjusted to it and it was difficult being a
morning person, I’m still struggling with that but I’m getting there), waking
up early for me is like I’m being punished. Exercise can be done any time of
the day but I feel it’s better in the morning; that way, you get it out of the
way for each day. For those going to work in the morning, you should wake up
earlier than the usual time you prepare for work. Maybe an hour earlier or
more, depending on how long it takes you to prepare.

I can’t stress this enough; water
is very important, more important than food itself. I’m not going to be
scientific here but all I can say is water regulates the PH and temperature of our
bodies. Water is vital in delivering oxygen to muscles and helps the body
perform physical labor (hence exercise) more efficiently. It is believed that
when you work out for an hour and you sweat, you are losing about 1-2L of
water. That is why it is advised to take eight litres (some people might say
drinking eight litres every day is impossible… well that’s because you are not
sweating enough!) of water every day.

So please drink a lot of water, so
you don’t feel dehydrated and weak not just to keep exercising but for your
well-being.

Bonus tip: try taking your water
with a slice of lemon.

You know, weight loss can be
really difficult if you are a no-rule person but there is no way around it. You
just have to follow the rules. You don’t have to deprive yourself from your
favorite snack or meal but everything in moderation and small potions. In
moderation; you don’t have to eat cake, sweets, burger or your usual junk every
day. Limit it to twice a week and once a week, then once in two weeks and so
on…you’ll be skipping junk in six months or more before you know it.

Small portions; whatever it is you
are consuming, try having them in small portions. Ditch all your flat wide
plates and go for a small bowl (not a deep small bowl) but if you must use flat
wide plates, fill your plates with steamed veggies; let it be 70% of your meal
and 30% for the others (carbs, protein, fat…).

And if you decide or lost control
of your weight loss goal and munch on bad foods the whole day, make up for it
the next day by eating healthier, drinking green tea and exercise. But
seriously, don’t do this again! I don’t even need to warn you cos you’ll feel
bad after wards. Try to exercise at least 30 minutes every day and
if you are very busy (one hour, three times a week).

For those trying to lose weight
fast….there is no quick fix! Although, there are people that are not fat but
want to tone their body or maybe lose a couple of pounds. With the tips above and
one hour of exercise for a month, you are good to go but you have to continue
if you want to maintain it. But these are for people that are overweight and
want to do something about it: You need to exercise for an hour every day until
you achieve your goal then you bring it down to 30 minutes every day, always
watching what you eat. I’m sorry, there’s no way around it. You just have to
make up your mind and not relent. You have to set that goal; you can even
condition yourself on what you can do in place of another. But know this; you cannot lose weight by exercise or diet
alone, you have to mix both!

If you are a beginner, you need to
do exercises that won’t strain your legs so you can be able to continue the
next day. Do whatever works for you; some might need to go to the gym for
motivation, a personal trainer, a workout partner (family, friend or neighbor),
it could be working out alone or at home… whatever you know you can do that
would last for you and won’t discourage you in the long run.

When I started mine, I used the
gym and attended their aerobics class that after three days I could not get up.
Then it lingered for a week until I just stopped going. You know why? I was too
heavy for the kind of exercise they were making me do and I was having more
pains than people that are light weight. 
So my advice to people that want to lose weight and prefer the gym to
start; use their thread mill and cycler the first few weeks until you start to
feel lighter. The same goes for people that prefer working out alone or at home;
take morning walks for two weeks every day before you begin any strenuous
exercise. Workout DVD’s are good but not the best choice for people starting
out because they can be a bit demanding and complex.

NB: remember to stretch before and
after workout.

Imagine why you want to lose weight, whose body you would
like to have, what you would love to do but your weight is preventing you from
doing. That job you’ve always wanted but you never got due to your weight. That
boyfriend that dumped you cos of your weight (don’t go back to him but use it
as a motivation, so any day you cross paths you can rub that sexy body in his
face, lol).

Some things are inevitable and we struggle to control, we
might not be able to control all but what I’m certain about is we are
responsible for what goes into our body and how we look and we can do something
about it. Have you been having difficulty controlling things in your life? This
is your chance to take control of your body and how you want to feel inside and
out.

You might not be like me but when
I don’t get enough sleep, I get really cranky. Sometimes I try to cheat nature,
where I stay up surfing the net till 12am and then go to bed and expect to wake
up by 5am same day for my workout. Sometimes it works; I actually wake up by
that 5am but boy! Am I screwed the next day? lol. I start yawning in the
office; I’m eating a lot cos I don’t want to sleep in the office. When you
don’t sleep well you release stress hormones ‘cortisol’ which suppresses your immune system, increase
blood pressure and sugar. When you immune system is slow, it affects a lot of
things; your digestive system slows down which can lead to obesity.

At the end of the day, determination and hard work is the key to …wait,
not just weight loss but everything. Have these three things at the back of
your mind if you are struggling to lose weight; exercise, eat healthy, sleep
very well. Don’t expect immediate results, don’t let anyone distract you, throw
out that scale and be dedicated. You’ll get there! Any ideas on how to lose
weight the easy way? Please share in the comment box below.