If you’re like millions of Americans... tens of millions of Americans, you could stand to lose a few pounds. It’s almost inevitable, unless you’ve been blessed with those rare genetics that let you eat anything without getting fat, that you will gain weight as you get older. Carrying around an extra 10, 20 or more pounds is not only unhealthy, it just plain looks bad. We’d all like to have the coveted “six-pack abs” and healthy lean bodies, but somewhere along the line, we just fall short. If you feel like you’ll never find the secret to shedding pounds the healthy way, don’t give up hope! Here are a few tips to help you sneak in some healthy tactics to lose some weight.
Do a Lot of Little Things
Carving out an hour or two of your busy schedule for exercise can be tough to do. We all have busy lives, but chances are that you can find a few 10 to 20 minute breaks in your day to get in a little bit of exercise. In an ideal world we’d all have dedicated time to work out, but unfortunately most of us have schedules that are just too hectic. Since it’s hard to find regular time, you need to learn to make use of the unplanned little breaks that pop up throughout the day. Filling these little gaps with exercise can help to boost your metabolism and help you shed some unwanted pounds.
Any time you have 10 minutes or more, instead of having a cup of coffee or watching television, try one of the following:
• Take a calisthenics break. Do a few sets of push-ups, sit-ups and lunges. If you have ten minutes, you can easily fit in 3 sets of 10 each for these exercises. That might not seem like a lot of exercise, but if you get a chance to do this twice a day you’ll have sneaked in over 400 extra push-ups, sit-ups and lunges each week. Those kinds of things have a cumulative effect and can add up to great weight loss. • Go for a walk at lunch. Instead of taking an entire hour to eat at a restaurant or at the cafeteria, spend a few minutes eating a light lunch and then walk for the remaining 45 minutes. If you do this 3 to 5 times a week, you’ll end up burning a lot of extra calories and your fitness level will dramatically improve. • Just say no to sugar. Too much sugar in your diet can hinder weight loss greatly. If you’re drinking a few sodas a day or a large coffee filled with sugar, you are sabotaging your weight loss efforts. Say no to sugar filled drinks and drink an extra glass or two of water instead. You’ll feel better and you’ll escalate your weight loss efforts in the process.
Think of some other ways that you can sneak in a healthy habit to replace an unhealthy one. The end results will be weight loss without all the struggles you’ve faced in the past.
***Consult a medical professional prior to starting any exercise program***
