Online Health Tips Health Blog
We all want to have the perfect beach body, but getting in shape is much easier said than done. In the past, you might have resorted to fad diets in a bid to shed any excess pounds.
The trouble is, while these diets can help you to fight the flab in the short term, they aren’t a permanent solution. They often involve making unsustainable changes to eating habits and lifestyle.They can also be unhealthy.
Instead of relying on these extreme diets, it’s much better to play the long game when it comes to fitness. The following simple tips should help you to get down to your desired dress size – and to stay there.
Choose exercises you actually enjoy
It’s one thing motivating yourself to pound the treadmill for a few weeks or months, but keeping up your gym routine for years on end might not be possible. If you’re not a ‘gym person’, just accept it and try another approach to fitness. For example, keep trying new sports until you find one that you love.
If you’re a sociable person, have a go at activities that you can do with others. For example, you can burn calories and catch up with a pal when playing sports like tennis, squash and badminton. Meanwhile, if you enjoy being in the great outdoors, test your skills at trekking or cycling.
Build activity into your everyday routine
As well as making a special effort to play sports on a regular basis, try to build more activity into your everyday routine. Walking or cycling to work or to the shops rather than taking the car can help you to fight the flab. Also, try walking up stairs rather than automatically heading for the elevator.
Once you’re used to doing these things, you won’t think twice about them and they can help you keep your waistline in check.
Be sensible with your food choices
Image courtesy of Sodanie Chea
There’s no point in trying to give up the foods you love. It’s easy to cut chocolate or butter out of your diet for a week or two, but in the long term these plans are doomed. It is important to cut down on sugary and fatty foods, but don’t be unrealistic in your goals.
Don’t skip mealtimes either. A healthy diet should involve regular meals, starting with a decent breakfast. This will help to keep your metabolism up and it will reduce the temptation to snack on junk foods.
One top tip that could help you to eat less is to reduce the size of your plates. At first, you might be tempted to think this is just a trivial detail. After all, surely you can go back for second helpings. To make sure you don’t fall into this trap, wait for a few minutes after you’ve polished off the contents of your plate. You may find you feel full once the food has settled in your stomach.
For more advice on dieting, you can check out a healthy lifestyle blog. Web resources like this should provide you with all the information you need.
Don’t get dehydrated
Another simple weight loss tip is to drink plenty of water. Often, people confuse thirst with hunger and this can cause them to pile on the pounds. By making sure you drink between six and eight glasses of water a day (or more if you’re exercising), you can avoid this pitfall.
By burning plenty of calories, eating healthily and making sure you’re always hydrated, you should find you can kiss goodbye to fad diets.