1) Eat Fewer Carbohydrates:
Carbs aren’t bad, per se, but too many of them can pack on unnecessary pounds. That’s why they should be kept to 50 percent or less of your overall calorie intake. Protein and fat are great substitutes because both keep you feeling full longer than carbs do. Aim to eat roughly 25 percent protein and 55 percent fat every day. It’s easy to get enough calories when you have these at each meal—plus they're more filling without all those extra calories from carbohydrates lurking in your diet.
2) Drink More Water:
Water is your body’s biggest transporter of nutrients and waste products. In fact, you’ll need about eight to 10 cups of water each day just to maintain a healthy metabolism and stay hydrated. That’s why it's especially important to keep yourself properly hydrated during exercise and sports—that way, you can maximize your potential with less soreness or injury down the road. If you're not sure how much water you should be drinking on any given day, check out these easy-to-follow guidelines.
3) Exercise in the Morning:
Exercise releases endorphins, which increase your energy levels and boost your mood. Studies show that people who exercise in the morning are more likely to stick with their workout routine than those who exercise later in the day. While you don’t have to be an early bird, you should definitely not exercise at night because it will negatively affect your sleep schedule. However, if you don’t have time to work out in the morning or afternoon, do what works best for you! Exercise can be performed at any time of day.
4) Focus on One Part of Your Body at a Time:
As you’re working out, make sure to direct all of your attention to that area. For example, if you’re doing some crunches, focus on your abs; that way, when you do one rep, you know it counts. Your mind will be more engaged and focused on exercising because it knows that every repetition matters. If there’s something distracting in your environment (the TV is on, people are talking), try wearing headphones to prevent outside distractions. Another option is to exercise with a friend or partner, so you can motivate each other and work harder!
5) Go Slow, Small Changes Count:
Chances are, if you want to lose weight or become more active, you're thinking big. Maybe you want to shed 50 pounds or run in your first 5K. That's great! But it's best to break things up into smaller goals that are easier to swallow—no pun intended. For example, aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week and slowly increase from there. Rather than setting an impossibly high bar on day one, try gradually increasing by five or 10 minutes each week until you hit your target. Aiming high is good; just be sure not to set yourself up for failure with unrealistic expectations that may leave you feeling deflated when you fall short of what seems like lofty goals. How do I lose belly fat? When does fat burn?
6) Mix up Your Cardio Routine:
If you usually stick to one type of cardio, it’s time to shake things up. Mixing up your training routine with different intensities, durations and types of workouts can help you see better results (without overtraining). Whether you choose an activity like running or swimming is also important because certain exercises burn more calories than others. But if all else fails, at least switch up how you go about your daily routine. If you typically walk everywhere, try cycling for two weeks instead; it may not be as comfortable or convenient, but it will change things up.
7) Use Interval Training to Burn Fat:
Interval training involves alternating between high-intensity and low-intensity exercises to achieve rapid weight loss. A 2010 study found that overweight men who performed interval training twice a week lost nearly 2.5 times more fat than those who did steady-state exercise (the kind in which you're exercising at one level of intensity) three times per week. Interval training is not easy, but it can work wonders. Do it right, and you'll need less time in the gym to achieve impressive results. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends interval training three days per week for 30 minutes each day to improve overall health and burn fat fast.
8) Add Strength Training to Your Workout:
Muscle burns more calories than fat, so build some muscle to help rev up your metabolism. Research shows that strength training can increase your resting metabolic rate by as much as 15 percent. So if you lift weights three times a week, and are able to increase your strength by 50 percent (by adding 5 pounds of muscle), you'll see results even if you don't change anything else in your diet or exercise routine. You may not see big changes right away, but over time they will be noticeable! Be sure to focus on compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts and bench presses as they do more work to use more muscles in tandem and create better balance throughout your body.
9) Choose Sensible Meals Instead of Snacks:
If you want to lose weight, eating breakfast is essential. It kick-starts your metabolism and helps balance out your hunger and energy over time. A good breakfast will also keep you feeling full until lunch, so there’s no need to snack on unhealthy foods later in the day. But if you don’t have time in the morning, just remember that even an apple or banana can help get things off on a healthy start!
10) Celebrate Small Victories:
There are some days when you just can’t find time to exercise, so don’t let that become an excuse to skip your workout. Instead, look for smaller ways to be active throughout your day. If you walk upstairs instead of taking an elevator or if you park farther away from your destination, you can build up small bouts of physical activity into your daily routine. On days when it feels like there just isn’t time to get moving, remember that it is possible and make yourself do it anyway. The results will surely surprise you!
Nice article
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