Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “perfect diet” or “program”. It is all about an ongoing lifestyle that includes some long-term vicissitudes in daily eating and exercise habits. There is one basic mantra of losing weight, “Use up More Calories than You Take In”.
Losing weight is not like shooting fish in a barrel, and it takes commitment to work. You are here that means you are ready to get started and if you’re ready to get started, we’ve got a no-fuss, straightforward step-by-step guide to getting you on the road to losing 24 pounds & more and better health.
STEP 1 – Drink More WATER Everyday
The very first change that you should do is start drinking a lot of water. If you drink 2 liters a day, then start with 3 liters a day and gradually go on to 4 liters a day. The more water you drink the lesser hungry you feel. Other than this water has many more benefits, like clearer skin, fatigue buster. Don’t flood your stomach with water in one shot. Have a few sips at regular interval. In view of the fact that water is calorie-free, switching from high-calorie drinks (like soda or soft drinks) to water will eventually help you acquire and maintain a healthy body weight.
STEP 2 – Early and Light DINNER
Once you form the habit of consuming more water every day, change you dinner timing. Start eating your dinner much earlier. There should be a space of at least 3 to 4hours between your dinner and bedtime. Never hit the sack with an almost full stomach. If you have this bad habit break it. The perfect time for eating your dinner is around 7 PM. Once you change the timing of your dinner, start including more fruits and salad in your dinner. Gradually reduce your heavy dinner to a light dinner over a period of time (the sooner, the faster results). These two habits are one of the most crucial steps. It will help you start losing weight within 2 weeks only.
STEP 3 – WALK Whenever You Get a Chance
When you have started to dine earlier (and light), it’s time to get on to the next step. It’s time to do some physical activities. Not a gym or exercise kind of person? Don’t worry, you don’t need to hit the treadmill or go to a gym. Simply walk whenever you get a chance. Start with at least 2 miles a day and gradually increase the distance. You don’t need to take time out of your schedule to walk. Walk to work, if possible, or explore when can you walk and you don’t. After 1-2 weeks only, you will feel lighter. Trust me, the result will amaze you. Give your car a rest and walk up to the mall, office, and grocery. Give the elevator/lift a break and walk up the stairs. Give yourself a good 20-30 minutes of brisk walk every day or in case you have a busy schedule at least 5 times a week. Walk will help you lose weight and feel fit.
STEP 4 – Drink Less ALCOHOL, Cut Down a Bit On Your Booze
When you start losing weight as per your plan, the motivation and the feeling that is generated is tremendous. Once you form the habit of above-mentioned steps, the next thing you need to work on is drinking. You don’t need to completely stop drinking – just indulge yourself once in a while. If you drink thrice in a week, cut down drinking to once a week. If you like to drink every day or 5 times a week, then cut it down to twice a week and gradually go on to once a week. If you like fried stuff during your drinking session, then try to avoid it. The weekly drinking and the avoidance of fast fried foods will contribute to your weight loss. Remember, the more you drink the more you eat and will end up “full” and will eventually go to bed in an hour or so. Nothing can be worse than going to bed on a “full”.
STEP 5 – Eat a Healthy BREAKFAST
Most of the people either skip their breakfast or fill themselves with a lot of fried and oily stuff. If this is your routine as well, then change it. Cut the oily and fried food completely from your breakfast at least for weekdays. Eat oatmeal and some fruits for breakfast. Accompany your breakfast with a glass of milk or juice (not the bottled ones). On weekends, eat whatever you like. This way, you will lose your weight and won’t miss your favorite food.
STEP 6 – Add 2 Cups of GREEN TEA
In Your Daily Routine If you are a coffee or a tea kind of person, then start drinking a green tea whenever you feel like having a bottled juice or coffee or soda (at least twice a day). Heat a cup of water for a minute and dip the green tea bag in the water for 2 minutes. Don’t add sugar or cream to it. Other than burning fat, green tea helps in preventing heart diseases, diabetes and lowering cholesterol.
STEP 7 – Eat SMALLER Portions at Regular Intervals
Most of us like to eat in one sitting. Try to gap your meal timings evenly. Instead of stuffing yourself in one go, eat a small portion at frequent intervals. To make it work, eat light lunch and snack in the later afternoon. You won’t feel too hungry during dinner.
One should eat (light and healthy) at least five times a day:
- 08 a.m. – Breakfast
- 10 a.m. – Snack
- 01 p.m. – Lunch
- 04 p.m. – Snack
- 07 p.m. – Dinner
This is a standard frequency of eating, however, you can slightly change it as per your comfort zone. Go to bed on time and try not to eat any light or heavy snack before an hour of going to bed. Remember, enough sleep will also help you to lose weight.
Don’t Forget To MEASURE Your Progress
Keep track of your weight regularly. Measure your weight at the same time every day. A perfect time to measure is in the morning before eating your breakfast. In this way, you would get a precise report if your progress and can work accordingly.
The next thing that you need to measure is the calories you take in. Closely monitor your calories as precisely as you can. Find the calorie amounts of your meals/snacks and write them down anywhere (better write it in a food journal). You can also use a weight loss app for the same. Make sure that everything you take in gets written down – yes, you heard it right everything even a cookie you grabbed off your colleague’s desk! Then weigh yourself daily and write it at the end of your calorie take in (of that day). It will give you a complete track of your progress.
Set Small GOALS and CELEBRATE Them
Above all, losing weight is a long journey. So it is better to set small goals while being on the way to your big goal. Celebrate those goals (not with cookies, ice-creams) in a healthy way. Once you start achieving your small goals, you would feel ecstatic. With the small changes in your lifestyle, you can lose a lot of weights. Once the changes form a habit, you will feel that it’s just the way you live your life. The worst part about trying to lose weight is “Dealing with the Hunger”.
Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. It will prevent you from pushing yourself to grab the nearest cookie. It is highly recommended to write out what you will be eating for the entire week. You don’t need to strictly stick to that, you can change the menu whenever you want. Remember, there is no diet with magical slimming powers. With the above-mentioned steps, you might lose 24 pounds or more in 6 weeks or less. Don’t starve yourself, make these small tweaks in your lifestyle and you will see the benefits. Find a way of eating that can be continued for the rest of your life. Just to remind you, “Don’t Forget to Celebrate Your Small Goals”.
