Wellness

8 Weight Loss Methods That Are Not Salads

Written by Do I Editorial

We all want the same thing – to shed off excess weight and look like a supermodel without working out a day.  We may not even care how we look like every day but nothing is more heart breaking than an old dress which doesn’t fit anymore. Or when we go out shopping and realize that we have gotten a size bigger.

Though there is no substitute for sweat and hard work, we can definitely lose some extra pounds by eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The first step is to treat the body right. In our busy lives, we may not get enough time to hit the gym and go for a run, but we can take small steps towards a healthier life. The second step is to not do any sort of drastic dieting. Not eating food is never a solution; in fact, it may make us weaker and hungrier which, in turn, would only go towards increasing our weight.

So here is a list of 8 weight loss methods that are not salads because they are better than salads!

  1. Don’t eat junk – stick to home food
    This is the most important step you should stick to. Stop eating outside food completely and only have home food. Carry some light snacks with you from home whenever you travel and take lunch along with you when you go to office. The important thing is to resist those chips and burgers available everywhere outside. Diet food might sound boring but home cooked food can make even the blandest diet food tasty. Try coming out with your own recipes with beans and green vegetables and make sure you use as low oil and butter as possible.


foods
Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/devika_smile/

  1. Take the stairs
    This is not only an environment-friendly step, but is also great for your body. Make a promise to yourself that you will take the steps and skip the lift no matter how tired you are. Taking the stairs will help build muscle and burn calories. To increase the intensity, you could do fast walking up and down the stairs.

stairs
Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bevgoodwin/

  1. Ride a Bicycle
    Riding a bicycle to office in a country like India can be challenging given the traffic, the heat, the dust and the humidity.  However, if you live close to your work place, it is still worth it. At other times, like going to the market, do try the bicycle. This will not only keep your muscles fit but will also make you sweat which, most people forget, is very important for the body. It is a great method to burn calories quickly – one hour of cycling can burn up to 500 calories. Cycling doesn’t require any special training and it is environment-friendly. Bring back your old childhood hobby and get back into shape.

bycycle
Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tejvan/

  1. Tie a waistband
    This is more of a psychological ploy than a physical one. Tie a waistband around your waist that fits exactly and mark the point where you tie it (you could also use a belt). Now every time it goes loose, tighten it up and keep marking points. It is said that inches go down faster than your weight does and this could be a great way to figure out how you are doing.

waistband
Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eskulanak/

  1. Heavy breakfast, light dinner
    This is a staple that all the dieticians in the world recommend, but only a few people actually follow. The idea is to start by eating heavy in the morning, having a moderate lunch and then a very light dinner. We need calories during the day when we are active but since most people have a heavy meal during the night and then sleep after that, it only adds to the problem of weight gain. Don’t skip breakfast; instead, have a heavy breakfast with proteins, fibre, fresh fruits and milk to give you the energy you need for the day. This little change will not only be beneficial to your health but will also help you achieve the healthy weight you have been longing for.

dinner
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  1. Always be hydrated
    A glass of water will not only keep your body refreshed and hydrated, but it is the only no calorie drink. This is especially useful for compulsive eaters who have an urge to eat every few hours. Whenever you feel like eating something, just grab a glass of water. Whenever you are going out anywhere, make sure you have a water bottle with you.

hydrated
Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/calliope/

  1. Dance away
    The best way to exercise is to plug in your headphones, play your favourite peppy songs and dance like you don’t care even if the world is watching you. Follow every beat through the song and do this every day for half an hour. This method is not only fun, it will tone down your body to a great extent. If you want to follow a stricter routine, you could try Zumba. There are many videos on YouTube guiding you through all the steps for Zumba. You can turn on a new one every single day to help you work out.

Dance away
Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dance_photographer/

  1. Monitor your calorie intake
    Tracking your weight and calorie intake will help you manage your health in a much better way; after all, someone once said that ‘What gets measured, gets managed’. If you want to manage your weight, then you need to measure your weight. At the same time, you need to measure the two most important things that impact your weight – your food intake and your exercise habits. And self-monitoring is the key. You need to monitor yourself every day, patiently and honestly, to correctly assess yourself and to know where you stand. This will definitely help you in the long run.

    Instead of spending thousands on a gym membership, try following some of the methods mentioned above. These easy to do weight loss tips are effective but you need to be determined about following them and getting into perfect shape. Following them for a couple of weeks and then giving them up will not help. You need to be patient and slowly and steadily achieve you ideal weight and, more importantly, maintain it.


Courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/15216811@N06/

Top visual courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jefharris/