The idea of losing weight for a lot of people can be incredibly daunting but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, losing weight can be pretty simple.
The process of losing weight is one that, collectively, we are all guilty of procrastinating on and putting off until a perpetual future date. The reason behind this is mostly chalked up to laziness, but laziness in itself is inaction due to anxiety. We are constantly bombarded with numerous fad diets, ideas of socially-accepted and sometimes unattainable body images and the looming dread of failure. There is a multi-million dollar industry in making people feel bad about themselves and manipulating the masses into buying books they don’t need, taking unnecessary supplements and going on diets that just aren’t sustainable. We’ve all tried diets that don’t work and exercise routines that we can’t maintain but the secret to losing weight healthily is easy.
Step 1 – Calculating your BMI
Your first step on the road to a happier and healthier you is to calculate your BMI or Body Mass Index. Body Mass Index is a simple calculation using a person’s height and weight. Use this handy online calculator to work out yours. If you find that you are overweight or are in the “normal” range and would still like to lose a few kg’s, move on to step 2.
Step 2 – Setting a goal weight and counting calories
The next step is to set an ideal or goal weight for yourself based on what is healthy for your specific BMI. Once you have that, your next step is to download a calorie counter app to help you calculate the number of calories you will need to eat on a daily basis to lose weight. FitnessPal has one of the largest databases of food available and is easy to use. An average woman needs to eat about 2000 calories per day to maintain, and 1200 – 1500 calories to lose one pound of weight per week. An average man needs 2500 calories to maintain, and 1500 – 2000 to lose one pound of weight per week.
In the beginning it might be tempting to go to extremes in order to see results quicker but the fact is that starving yourself and eating under the required calories only serves to slow down your metabolism, generally make you unwell and is impossible to maintain.
Now you may be asking yourself, due to diets that you’ve been on in the past, what kind of food you should be eating but the secret is that it actually doesn’t matter. When it comes to simply losing weight you can eat pretty much anything. You could technically eat cake all day (which nobody is advocating) and still lose the weight. But in terms of health, sugar-levels and feeling great overall you’ll want to eat food that will sustain you throughout the day and keep you mentally and emotionally in shape as well as bodily. Cutting down the number of calories you eat on a daily basis may be difficult in the beginning but as you begin to lose weight and transform physically over time it will become easier and, because you are working with what works for your specific BMI, it will also be easier to maintain as a lifestyle.
Step 3 – Exercising
As you lose weight it’s important to visually get the results you’re looking for by exercising. Exercising will assist you in losing weight faster by speeding up your metabolism, toning and building muscle and giving you more energy. And remember, every calorie you lose while exercising counts towards your daily calorie amount. So that means eating more and not feeling as hungry.
If you don’t do a lot of exercise to begin with or live a pretty sedentary lifestyle it’s best to start off slow to get you into the swing of things. Buying a stationary bike for your home is inexpensive and a great way to start off without all the added stress of a gym membership. Using an exercise bike for 20 minutes a day is a pretty low impact entry into the world of exercising and a relatively easy practice to maintain. Once you start becoming fitter you can then start using 10 week exercise programme apps that help you tone various body parts you’d like to focus on such as abs, butt, legs and arms. When it comes to exercising, it’s all about finding a practice that works for you and one that is easy for you to maintain.
Step 4 – Maintaining your goal weight
Once you have reached your goal weight, and in order to maintain the weight, all you have to do is eat the recommended amount of calories you need in order to stay healthy for your BMI.
Step 5 – Self-love
And last but certainly not least, what is of ultimate importance is loving and accepting yourself and not comparing yourself to others. You need to be happy with you and learn to find a balance that’s healthy for both your body and your mind. That’s all that really matters at the end of the day.
If you find that this process is ultimately not working for you despite how disciplined you’ve been, you might need to consult a doctor and nutritionist to find out whether you may be dealing with a pathological condition such as insulin resistance.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical care. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any specific diseases, illness or preexisting condition.
___
Make the most of your time on earth by looking after your body. We share ways to improve your health through the lifestyle choices you make. It’s all about healthy living and being the best version of yourself.
___
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Google+ for more articles, videos and content to keep you inspired.
___
Mobimeme offers content marketing, SEO, analytics, social media management and expert direction in the digital sphere. Building and growing an online audience for your business is what we do best. Get in touch with us to find out more about our package offerings and how you can improve your website and following.