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People often fail to realize that making small changes, whether in terms of dietary choices, exercise, or lifestyle modifications, into daily routine can get accumulated over time and contribute a great deal to the overall weight loss journey. Making tiny changes builds discipline and helps you stay consistent, making the weight loss process more attainable and lasting. So, in this article, we list down 8 things to practice today to lose weight effectively.
1. Cut Down on Sugar Intake: Cutting back on sugar is a crucial step for improving overall health and losing weight. Eliminating “added/refined” sugar can lead to positive changes in the body, reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of life-threatening diseases such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Excessive sugar intake also accelerates skin aging. Despite a daily recommended sugar intake of just 6 teaspoons (50 gm by FDA), we often consume nearly triple that amount, posing significant health risks. Therefore, cutting down table sugar as well as added sugar from processed foods is important to achieve weight loss goals.
2. Cut Down Cooking Oil Consumption: Reducing oil consumption is advocated by health experts for several reasons. Common cooking oils like refined sunflower, mustard, vegetable, olive, coconut, and canola are calorie-dense, with approximately 120-124 calories per tablespoon and 14 grams of fat. By cutting down on oil intake, individuals can significantly decrease their calorie consumption, supporting weight loss efforts. Some people choose an oil-free approach for health reasons such as heart disease or high cholesterol, potentially improving cardiovascular health. Opting for oil-free meals helps shed calories to hasten up the weight loss process.
3. Eat More Protein and Fiber To Every Meal: Protein and fiber play crucial roles in promoting weight loss by contributing to a feeling of fullness and supporting metabolic processes. Protein-rich foods help control appetite by inducing a sense of satiety, reducing overall calorie intake. Additionally, protein supports the preservation of lean muscle mass during weight loss, ensuring that the body primarily loses fat. On the other hand, dietary fiber adds bulk to meals, slowing down digestion and promoting a prolonged feeling of fullness. This not only helps in managing portion control but also stabilizes blood sugar levels, preventing energy crashes and subsequent overeating. Including a balanced combination of protein and fiber in your diet can enhance weight loss efforts by curbing cravings and maintaining a sustainable, healthy eating pattern. Also read: “Slimming Secrets: 10 Soluble Fiber-Rich Foods That Reduce Your Appetite.”
4. Include Good Portion of Vegetables: Incorporating vegetables into daily meals is effective for weight and belly fat reduction, as most veggies are low in calories yet highly filling. Most veggies provide essential nutrients like vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and minerals, supporting the synthesis of hormones and enzymes crucial for weight loss. Unlike other foods, fresh vegetables can be consumed generously without risking a calorie surplus, aiding metabolism and promoting weight loss.
5. Include a Source of Healthy Fat: Not all fats are bad, some fats are essential for the body’s proper functioning and can even support weight loss. Categorized as “healthy fats,” they constitute 20% to 35% of the daily calorie intake. Essential for brain health, fats make up 60% of the human brain and are crucial for signaling within the body and hormone production. In the absence of carbs, the body turns to fat as an alternative energy source. Moreover, fats aid the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E) and offer benefits such as strengthening the heart, reducing inflammation, and improving cholesterol levels. Instead of fearing fats, opting for healthy sources like omega-3 fatty acids (found in nuts, seeds, eggs, and meat) and medium-chain fatty acids (like lauric acid in coconut oil) can target belly fat and boost fat burning. Embracing healthy fats is a smart choice for overall health and accelerated weight loss. Also read: “15 Cheapest and Weight-Loss Friendly Foods From The Supermarket.”
6. Increase your Daily Step Count: Achieving a fit and lean body doesn’t always require exhausting gym sessions; a simple and effective alternative is to prioritize staying active by taking at least 10,000 steps daily. Instead of daunting workouts, incorporating more movement into your routine can burn a significant amount of calories, aiding in weight loss. Activities like walking your pet, opting for stairs over elevators, and standing up and walking during phone calls contribute to reaching the daily step goal and can result in burning up to 0.5 kg per week. Do squeeze at least 40 minutes to 1 hour for exercise or for walking.
7. Say No To Frequent Snacking: Frequent snacking can elevate blood sugar levels and trigger sharp insulin responses. Excessive insulin spikes throughout the day may lead to calorie storage as fat in the body. Limit snacking to two occasions daily, choosing low-calorie options. Opt for nutritious snacks like apples and a variety of nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or even roasted chickpeas. Do remember that similar to adhering to specific meal times for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it’s crucial to establish set snack timings to avoid frequent snacking.
8. Increase Sleeping Hours and Reduce Stress: Losing weight can be quite challenging and if you are chronically under stress and do not get 8 hours of sleep every night. There are numerous studies that have found a strong link between chronic stress, sleep deprivation and obesity – not only can they make losing weight difficult, it can make weight gain easy. Apart from lowering metabolism, the stress hormone “cortisol” increases appetite and cravings for sugary and high-calorie food, compromised sleep and stress together can trigger “emotional eating,” where you turn to food to feel better, to calm jittery nerves, or to fight boredom. It’s important to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night and tackle stress as major lifestyle changes to shed extra pounds.
In conclusion, achieving weight loss involves incorporating small, consistent changes into daily routines. These adjustments, when practiced over time, contribute significantly to overall health and wellness. By following these eight practical steps, individuals can enhance their weight loss journey, and bring about a major transformation. Subscribe to the Rati Beauty app to access all our weight loss diet plans.
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