Healthy Weight Loss – Exercise and Diet Go Hand in Hand
Fat in the body accumulates over several months or years and doesn’t add up overnight. To expect the body to lose this fat quickly is very unrealistic but several people commit this mistake. Moreover, It takes great determination to lose weight which has increased over the last so many years. At times people resort to heavy exercises in gyms or fitness centers and end up getting disheartened when they don’t see a significant change in the weighing scale.
Exercising without proper diet management is not the solution to lose that accumulated fat as is going on a crash diet. Instead making dietary modifications along with lifestyle changes and some amount of physical exercise is the success mantra. For healthy weight loss, both dietary modifications and exercise should go hand in hand. It also depends on how and what types of exercises are advised and at what times of the day and what meal pattern should be followed before and after the exercise.
Unfortunately, there is a big misconception amongst the masses that exercising alone can help in weight loss. Hence first thing that people do when they want to lose weight is hit the Gym but they forget to balance their dietary intake accordingly. Moreover when on an exercise regimen, people tend to eat more and also end up choosing the wrong options thus adding to the reasons for failure of their weight loss program.
A bottle of a cold drink or a burger might more than compensate for calories burnt during exercise sessions. Although strenuous physical exercises in the gym help to tone up the body, as extra fat gets converted to muscle, the weighing scale might not show any change. This leads to people giving up way too early as that constant motivation of seeing one’s weight fall on the weighing scale is missing.
I always advise my clients to follow simple stretching exercises at home or walk for 30-45 minutes daily. Walking early morning is the best and safest exercise even for patients suffering from various diseases whereas for people who are completely fit cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, skipping, cycling, running and jogging are best for fast weight loss.
Moreover one should remember importance of changing his / her diet pattern when on a weight loss mission. A wholesome diet, including healthy carbohydrates, essential fats and good proteins is also very important. The diet should include green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, lean meats, egg white, and curd.
Also, the intake of natural antioxidants in the diet through Green Tea and fruits like Strawberries should be increased. Once a routine is set, I gradually recommend cutting down on red meat, fried items, butter, cheese, and junk food. All these ensure that the body gets an adequate amount of nutrition even when trying to lose weight.
Following are some tips on healthy eating for weight loss:
* Always watch portion sizes
* Increase the number of meals to keep the metabolism rate high
* Read nutrition labels on packaged foods to understand the freshness and nutrient content of the product
* Foods high in sodium and fat should be avoided
* Early dinners are always good
* Drink plenty of water
In essence, weight loss is majorly dependent on maintaining some sort of physical activity along with a healthy diet pattern. There is no harm in having foods that one likes but it is important to keep a watch on the portion sizes. Remember excess of anything is bad for the body which has been designed for variety.
