Forget the deprivation diet and the marathon workouts if you want to begin a fitness journey, lose weight, and get more exercise. According to the available evidence, the best way to achieve long-term success is to take baby steps rather than giant leaps.
It has been shown that people who make incremental improvements to their lifestyle, such as increasing their water intake or daily activity by five minutes, are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Read on to find out what lifestyle changes you can make that will give you healthy habits and ensure your fitness journey is a successful one.
Keep A Food Journal
Keeping a food journal can be helpful, whether your goal is weight loss or simply to improve your diet. This practice can help you take responsibility for your eating habits by forcing you to record every bite, glass of soda, and serving of carbs you consume.
If you write down everything you eat, you’ll be less likely to grab a handful of M&Ms at work or ask for extra ranch dressing on your salad. People often don’t think about the small snacks that might be keeping them from losing weight. Keeping track of what you eat will help you say no to the extra calories that might be stopping you from having a fit lifestyle.
Move At Every Opportunity
We’re not just talking about taking a walk at lunchtime. Move around while you watch TV. Do jumping jacks, run on the spot, go up and down some stairs, or start dancing — anything that gets your heart rate up and makes you feel a little out of breath. If you do this during every two-minute commercial break on your favorite TV show, you’ll burn an extra 270 calories every day, which can help you lose 28 pounds in a year.
Use The Stairs Where Possible
The average American puts on about two pounds per year, but that weight gain can be avoided by simply adding two or three minutes of stair climbing per day (covering about three to five floors). Taking the stairs rather than the elevator is an excellent way to get in some extra strength training for your glutes and quads, and it’s a simple lifestyle change that could be one of your new fit habits.
Make Your Own Lunch
If you bring your lunch to work more often, you’ll save a lot of calories and money over the course of a year. For example, a chicken Caesar wrap from a fast food restaurant has about 610 calories, of which 40 percent comes from fat. It also has more than half the amount that should be eaten every day, around 1,440 milligrams.
Make your own sandwich at home with chicken breast, light mayo, tomatoes, and Romaine lettuce on whole-wheat bread. This will help you eat fewer calories and less salt. When you cook and eat your own food, you can control the quality and the size of the portions. You can also cut down on the amount of sugar, salt, and fat you eat, which can be much higher in restaurant food.
Eat Dessert
It might seem strange to give yourself a treat when you’re trying to lose weight and lead a fitness lifestyle, but the truth is that if you don’t give yourself treats, you’re more likely to overeat. Instead, measure out one serving of your favorite treat. Take a moment to look at it, smell it, and enjoy every bite. Ask yourself if you want another bite or if you’re full as you do this. By paying attention to your body, you’ll be able to eat more mindfully and feel more full.
Stay Hydrated
Sometimes you think you’re hungry when you’re really just thirsty, which can make you eat more than you need. Therefore, it’s important to drink small amounts of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Water is also essential for better digestion and a metabolism that works well. You’ve probably heard that everyone should drink eight glasses of water a day and think of this as a golden rule. However, the amount of water each individual should drink is very different. For example, people who are active, take certain medicines, or have a viral illness need to drink more water.
The best way to stay hydrated is to drink whenever you start to feel thirsty and to take small sips before, during, and after a workout. To stay hydrated, you can also eat more fruits and vegetables that are high in water.
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Get in touch with our amazing team today to find out more about how Fit Body Boot Camp can help you reach you in your fitness journey and ensure you make the lifestyle changes you need to make to get there.
