Summer is shimmering its way to towards us, and for some, that may bring joy and sighs of relief. Whereas for others it brings the sense of dread. Our summer body is still lost in our winter fur. Well, if you’ve finally decided to bite the bullet and shift those last couple of pounds, look no further. Here are five things to do when you want to lose weight healthily:
1. Eat more
You probably feel like you should do the opposite of this right? Cut down all your food and barely eat if you want to lose weight. But you need to be eating lots of protein, healthy fats and vegetables to lose weight healthily. I cannot stress the importance of protein, it can actually help to boost your metabolism! Which will help you to burn fat faster! By having a high protein diet, you are also banishing those obsessive food thoughts by a whopping sixty percent! Try eating low carb vegetables, this includes broccoli, celery, and cucumber. But also load up on healthy fats such as avocado, dark chocolate, and fish!
2. Ditch the fizz
I know energy drinks and fizzy drinks can help to give you a real energy boost, but they are filled with sugar. They’re not only bad if you’re trying to lose weight, but also has an impact on your dental hygiene. Fizzy drinks are usually filled with sugar and chemicals with almost no nutritional value. Drinking just two measly fizzy drinks a week can increase your insulin levels, which isn’t good news for your pancreas. A study revealed that those who drank fizzy drinks saw their waistlines expand three times more than those who didn’t. One can of coke a day is equal to putting on a stone in a year. Give up the bubbles.
3. Exercise
This is a no brainer. You need to squat, sit up, run and swim. But don’t just focus on cardio, make your core strong. Try lifting weights three times a week! Just make sure to properly warm up so you don’t pull a muscle. Whether you use hand weights or one of those big scary gym machines. (It took me a whole year at a gym to be brave enough to walk my lycra legs into the weights section). But, by lifting weights you help to prevent your metabolism from slowing down which is a common side effect of losing weight.
4. Plan food ahead
If you don’t plan ahead, it’s hard to stay dedicated to a diet. After a long day of work you really don’t want to walk to a supermarket to pick up your ingredients and then spend an hour cooking. So you look towards Deliveroo or Ubereats. Next thing you know the diet is long forgotten and your local Chinese knows your order off by heart. Plan all your meals and do a weekly shop to help you stay on track.
5. Drink water
Simple and essential. Water is so important, it keeps you energized and hydrated, but it can be a great tool in tricking your brain into thinking you’re full. Try drinking water half an hour before every meal!
But remember every size is beautiful, as long as you’re happy and smiling, you are ready for any occasion!