Weight Loss

Diet and exercise are more a question of smart eating choices and regular workouts. Dropping excess body weight maybe the goal of almost 90% of the people who strut into the gym or hit the road. Most people feel that in order to lose weight you have to torture yourself, suffer hunger pangs and of course, go through hours of gruelling workouts.

The truth is that people who maintain a healthy body year round, know that diet and exercise are more a question of smart eating choices and regular workouts. So here are some smart strategies to overcome the common hurdles you experience in dropping excess kilos.

Hate feeling hungry  It is a real mystery that most people think they need to go through pain to lose weight. It is true that at first when you restrict calories, you will have few hunger pangs initially, but there is a huge difference in having slight rumbling in the stomach and feeling absolutely ravenous.

The fix : You have to stop eating when you feel you still have room for five to seven bites more. This will help you reset your hunger mechanism, so that you avoid the stuffed feeling as well as the extra calories. Secondly, eat six small meals a day. Thirdly, concentrate on filling up on fiber to help you feel more satisfied and full.

Hate feeling tired  If your diet and exercise regime leaves you feeling tired, chances are you are off the mark somewhere. A good diet and exercise regime will make you feel energized and not sluggish.

The fix : Sometimes in an attempt to jump start weight loss, many people drastically cut back on calories. Remember getting less than 1000-1200 (adult females), 1500-1800 (adult male) calories a day will put your body on starvation mode, which will slow down your metabolism and make it even more difficult to achieve body fat loss. You also need to get at least a minimum of 130gm of carbohydrates per day. Thirdly, over-exercising can cause chronic muscle soreness, frequent colds, difficulty in sleeping, trouble concentrating and also make you more prone to injuries.

Hate how long it takes to see results  We all know that there are diets out there that claim to lose 10 kilos in 10 days setting you up not only for unrealistic expectations, but also disappointed. These are temporary fixes that can cost you your health.

The fix : Weight loss varies from one person to the other, so be realistic about your goals. Half a kilo to one kilo a week in the first month of a programme is common. Remember, slow weight losses are the key to keeping of those extra kilos. If you lose weight too quickly, it might be water weight and muscle loss rather than fat loss.

Source - PM (External Link)