Did you know that excess fat in the body could raise the risk of heart diseases, high blood pressure and many other complications? In fact, a study published in the 2008 issue of Lancet also linked excess body weight to 20 different types of cancer, including gall bladder cancer.
Winning the battle against obesity is not as easy as it sounds, it requires doing heavy workouts along with following a strict diet. The thought of dieting and exercising may seem daunting at first, but it is the key to healthy living and long life. Follow these practical tips and suggestions to get a slim body without resorting to medications and treatments.
Diet:
Our body is greatly influenced by what we eat. Eating healthy foods provides us with nutrients that keep us full all day, preventing food cravings. Here are some simple diet tips that can help you get a slim and trim body.
1. Water:
Drink lots of water every day! Hunger pangs are mostly a sign of dehydration, which people solve by eating. Start drinking water whenever you feel hungry untimely. On empty stomach in the morning drink warm water with one squeezed lemon to hasten the weight loss process. Drinking a glass of water before every meal will produce a sensation of being full, reducing the possibility of overeating. Drinking two liters of water daily also helps to ward off the effects of constipation. It flushes out the excess sodium intake in the system, thereby preventing water retention. Water also improves the health of your skin. You can also drink herbal tea, soy milk and juice to improve the hydration levels in your body.
2. Say no to sugary beverages:
Sugary soft drinks and cola add excess calories to the diet, hence, should be avoided. Alcoholic beverages increase blood sugar and insulin levels, encouraging fat storage. You can consume red wine as it contains Resveratrol, known to have anticancer benefits. However, do not have more than two glasses of red wine, as it can be detrimental to your health. Swap these high calorie foods for low calorie beverages and sugar free tea to slim down naturally.
3. Replace high fatty meals:
Be creative while replacing high fat meals with healthy alternatives. Tofu, mushrooms and beans are excellent meat replacement products. Modify your favorite dishes with healthier ingredients. Also, choose whole foods like whole wheat, as the body takes a long time to digest them. Avoid consuming fatty meats, instead go for lean meat like chicken and turkey breast. Do not eat meat every day and stay away from using creamy and oily dressings on the salads.
4. Say no to fruit juice:
Main nutrition in a fruit is in it’s fiber. Juice is a fruit or vegetable without fiber. After processing they are high in sugar, which can negate your weight loss process. Healthier option will be consuming the whole fruit instead.
5. Consume essential fatty acids:
Our body needs certain types of essential fatty acids to survive. These are omega 3, omega 6 and 9 fatty acids, which are essential for a healthy diet and body. Essential fatty acids increase the metabolic rate and energy levels, helping us burn more calories. These healthy fats also help our kidney to release excess water held in the tissues, which otherwise leads to weight gain.
6. Reduce your snack intake:
You have to reduce and cut your snaky intake if you want to get a slim body. Snacks are not entirely bad as they provide energy required between the meals. However, you need to be cautious while selecting the snacks. Do not settle for junk foods or chocolate. Choose a green or chicken salad, granola bar, nuts and yogurt instead as a healthier choice.
Talk to your nutritionist to establish your daily diet routine and learn more about foods and their nutrition.
Foods:
Here is a list of foods that can help you get a slim body without leaving you hungry.
7. Grapefruit:
Grapefruit contains a compound that lowers the insulin, a fat storing hormone that can lead to weight loss. The enzymes and healthy carbohydrates in grapefruit keep you full for a longer time. Eating half a grapefruit before every meal may help you lose up to a pound each week. Grapefruit contains 90% water. It is a well known fruit in many famous diets worldwide.
8. Whole grains:
Our body burns twice as many calories breaking down whole foods than processed foods. The fiber in whole grain foods is linked not only to weight loss, but it can also reduce the belly and blood vessel inflammation that promotes the risk of heart diseases.
9. Cucumbers
Cucumber is an excellent low calorie food. It contains 95% water, which flushes out the toxins and waste from our system. Being a fiber rich food, cucumber fills you up controlling irregular hunger pangs.
10. Kiwi:
Kiwifruit is one of the best slimming foods. It is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which aids digestion by decreasing the transit time of stools from the body. Kiwi fruit promotes the feeling of fullness, aiding you to eat less and thus a slimmer body. Kiwifruit should be eaten on an empty stomach for more beneficial results.
11. Kale:
Kale contains chock full of fiber, which promotes optimum health and wellness. It creates the bulk in the stomach that keeps you full for a good amount of time. People on a weight loss diet should aim at eating kale daily. This green leafy vegetable is filling, hearty and delicious as well. It is also an excellent source of nutrients like vitamin A and calcium.
12. Chia Seeds:
Chia seeds are an excellent food choice for slimming down. It suppresses the appetite and increases the energy, helping you in weight management. Chia seeds absorb liquid, which fill up the stomach, making you feel that you have eaten much more than you really have. It nourishes the body and keeps you satiated, helping you control cravings. You can mix chia seeds with almond milk and oats to make a nice healthy snack in-between meals.
Lifestyle tips:
13. Sleep:
Sleep is an essential component in losing weight. Researchers have found that better sleeping habits can lead to successful weight loss. Sleep deprivation interferes with leptin and ghrelin, hormones that regulate appetite. This way you will be more likely to indulge in poor eating habit. Recommended sleep duration of seven to eight hours every night, will leave you with more energy and reduced food cravings.
14. Eat small meals:
Eat 5 to 6 small meals instead of three large meals. People often find it difficult to eat six small meals while trying to lose weight, but this is the secret to reach your fitness goal. Eating small meals starts up a new spin cycle caused by the thermic effect of the foods, leading to a faster metabolism. Lean protein causes the thermic effect of 30%, while vegetables have a thermic effect of 20%. Fats and carbohydrates have the lowest thermic effect of 3%. Thus, eating 5 to 6 meals high in fiber accelerates the body’s natural rate of calorie burning process. Frequent meals also prevent irregular binging and craving. The body stays satisfied and the energy levels stay high. While eating do not rush through your meals. Rushing through the meals does not give the body enough time to send signals to the brain when you are full. This usually leads to overeating.
15. Chew your food:
Our brain takes up to 20 minutes to realize that the stomach is full. Take enough time to taste and chew your food. This way, the deeper parts of the brain will keep a track of what you are eating. Avoid distraction like television, cell phones and radio while eating your food. Wait until you swallow the food completely before picking up the next morsel. Drink soups and other beverages slowly so that you can savor them.
16. Eat only when you feel hungry:
You need to cut down on comfort eating and binging. Also, do not delay eating once you are physically hungry, lest you will end up overeating. Eat more during the day and stop eating after 8 p.m. This will also help you in sleeping better.
17. Detoxification:
The toxins, chemicals and compounds present in the foods contribute to the collective fat deposition in the body. Organochlorine compounds specifically can affect the body’s ability to oxidize fat. They resist being metabolized and stored in the fatty tissues. Did you know that these compounds are mainly found in plastics, herbicides and pesticides? Go organic and avoid consuming toxins whenever possible. A good cleanse can help reduce bloating, combat constipation and prevent weight gain. Opt for cleansing diets and programs rather than purchasing the cleansing products from the market.
18. Do not opt for a crash diet:
Drastic weight loss can wreak havoc in your body. It often results in irritability, bloating, and terrible skin. Overtly restrictive diet can also trigger food cravings, contributing to weight rebound. Any diet plan that claims to lose one to two pounds a week without working out is not sustainable in the long run.
19. Cut back on the portion size:
Cutting back on the portion size will have a huge impact on maintaining a slim body. Setting fixed timings for the meals and snacks will help you to stay consistent. Never let your busy schedule deter you from taking proper care of your diet.
Exercise:
Exercise helps to burn the excess calories from the body. It not only improves the physique but also enhances grace, balance and posture. It improves digestion by aiding the natural peristaltic process. Here are some simple exercises that you can do to stay in the best shape.
20. Weight training:
Weight lifting is one of the most recommended exercises to lose fat. Muscle is the only tissue in the body that burns calories even while resting. Do heavy weight training to build up the arms, legs, torso and hips. For doing weight lifting at home, lift two pots filled with stones. Perform these exercises twice a week. It will increase your growth hormone, leading to faster weight loss.
21. Dance:
Combine your exercise routine with dance, this will speed up the weight loss process. Take a friend to dance along with you if you feel lazy to go to the dance class alone.
22. Walk down the stairs:
Walk up and down the stairs to burn calories. You can start by walking up and down one flight. Climb up the stairs as quickly as you can. Repeat this at least 5 times and do about 4 sets of it.
Walking is as effective as running. Take longer steps and swing the arms while at it. This will engage the leg muscles, helping you burn more calories. Take a light stroll fist, and then increase the pace.
Walking is as effective as running. Take longer steps and swing the arms while at it. This will engage the leg muscles, helping you burn more calories. Take a light stroll fist, and then increase the pace.
23. Squat:
The squat is one of the best exercises to get a slim body. Stand straight with your shoulder width apart. Lower yourself keeping your back straight, so that the thighs are parallel to the floor. Then straighten the legs and stand up slowly. Repeat this at least 10 times.
24. Cartwheel:
Cartwheel is another excellent exercise to lose weight. It burns calories and strengthens the arms, legs and core muscles. Cartwheel exercise requires skill and expertise, so move to another exercise if you find it difficult to follow. While doing cartwheels, make sure you do an equal number on both right and left sides to maintain the balance.
25. Rest:
Lastly, you need to rest your muscles for repair and recovery. Over training can make you lethargic or depressed, so take time out to rest. Do mild exercises rather than forcing yourself to exercise every day.
Some tips to follow:
- Begin your exercise regime by working out two to three days a week. After six months, add one more day to it. This will reduce the onslaught of burn out.
- Do thirty minutes of cardio and weight training every day. If you want to shed pounds, do weight training before cardio.
- Remember, a routine Cardio regime like jogging, treadmill and elliptical can contribute to weight gain, as they demand increased energy output. Researchers have also indicated that regular cardiovascular exercises can trigger additional eating as it depletes the glycogen stores in the liver and muscle to make the glucose available for fuel.
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