If you’re losing your own personal battle of the bulge, then it’s time to get serious about living a healthy lifestyle. Incorporating cardiovascular exercise and strength training into your routine will make a huge difference at first, but it won’t help you keep the weight off on a long-term basis. To lose weight now and stay slim forever, you need to make real lifestyle changes by exercising aerobically on a daily basis, adding strength conditioning to your fitness routine two to three times per week, and modifying your diet.
Modify your diet. The American Council on Exercise reports that the vast majority of people who lost and kept off weight did so by blending diet modification with exercise. Replace sugary drinks such as juice and soda with water, and limit your consumption of alcohol to no more than one or two drinks daily. Avoid processed foods that come in a bag or a box; instead, fill your diet with healthy and filling nutrients. Complex carbohydrates such as green, leafy vegetables and lean proteins such as fish and poultry energize your life and keep you healthy, and high-fiber foods such as beans fill you up. Don’t eat more calories than you burn off — losing weight requires maintaining a caloric deficit.
Step 2Exercise aerobically for a minimum of 150 minutes per week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that cardiovascular exercise helps people maintain a healthy weight and avoid disease and early death. Try walking briskly for a minimum of 10 minutes at a stretch — for example, walk in the morning, after lunch and after dinner. Alternatively, you can cut the amount of time you need to raise your heart rate in half if you increase the intensity of your exercise. Joggers need only exercise for a minimum of 75 minutes per week — just 10 minutes a day. You can also bike, swim, skate or dance.
Step 3Strength train two to three times per week. Although strength conditioning doesn’t burn as many calories as aerobic exercise, it makes you stronger and more toned. It also helps with daily activities such as lifting kids and groceries, cleaning, gardening and moving boxes. You don’t need an expensive gym membership or a lot of bulky equipment — pushups, squats, lunges, the plank and the superman pose all work the muscles effectively using only body weight.
Step 4Track your progress. Maintaining motivation on a long-term basis is a challenge even for the fittest athletes. Make a habit of writing down your food consumption and your physical activities every day. As you become more fit, you will be amazed at how much better you feel and how much more you’re able to accomplish every day. Set goals, and reward yourself when you meet them. Finally, always try new fitness routines to keep yourself focused, challenged and moving in the right direction.
Tip
- Always consult a physician before beginning a new fitness regimen.
- Consider working with a professional physical trainer. Personal trainers can instruct you with regard to proper form, help keep you motivated and provide new fitness challenges.
- Make working out a non-negotiable appointment you keep with yourself every day.
About the Author
Lisa Bigelow is an independent writer with prior professional experience in the finance and fitness industries. She also writes a well-regarded political commentary column published in Fairfield, New Haven and Westchester counties in the New York City metro area. Culled from AZ Central
