Easy Weight Loss Tips That are Not Diets

Getting healthy can be hard but it should not be. Most adults have been on a diet at least once in their lives: Yes, me included! 

But they rarely work for multiple reasons:

1. They are too strict to follow: Limiting calories to a certain amount is hard. 
2. No accountability: if you do not have support from family or friends there is no motivation to continue.
3. Boring foods: who wants to eat the same things over and over again?

One thing I want to point out first is: I do not like to call it weight loss. You can get into shape and become healthier and put on weight. So, from here on out I am going to call it fat loss!

What is a healthy way to lose fat? 

That is just it, the keyword there is HEALTHY! Eat healthier meals: less sugar, fat, and processed foods. And another important concept is to get your body moving! Exercise regularly. 

In my exercise physiology class in college, we learned why the daily caloric intake is recommended to be 2000 calories a day. This is because if you were to lay down in bed all day and not get up, your body will burn 2000 calories just performing normal bodily functions. So, 2000 are required to maintain a body weight.

But who lays in bed all day? Even if you have a sedentary lifestyle your will still burn a couple hundred calories more. And who only consumes 2000 calories a day? Most adults are between 2-3000. 

Let me break it down a little more for you

• If you were to consume 2500 calories a day and your body naturally burns 2000 calories and add 200 more if you exercise: your body is taking in 300 calories without being burned off. Those calories become excess weight over time. 

If you are wanting to lose fat, then a combination of healthy eating to keep the calorie intake lower and exercise to help burn excess calories is the best way to do that. 

Nutrition:

• Lean meats: chicken, turkey, even pork
• Veggies: leafy greens, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, asparagus, broccoli (these are a list of my favorites. I will add these to make salads, which is the easiest way for myself and my family to eat our veggies).
• Fruits: apples, berries, pears, grapes. What some people do not realize is fruits are carbohydrates, mainly because they contain sugar. Natural sugars that is. So, these are also good carbs. 
• Lower glycemic index carbs (meaning carbs that do not raise your blood sugar as high) including brown rice, sweet potatoes, and whole wheat pasta. Most of the time these will be a side dish to round out our meals. 

It has also been recently published, those frozen fruits and veggies have as good a nutrient content as fresh! If that is more economical for you, go for it! 

Even when eating healthier, you may still get cravings. It is important to not deprive yourself of those cravings, so you do not overdo it. To do this, give yourself a cheat meal. MEAL! Not day once a week. 

You can also find healthier ways to give yourself a treat each day. Have a small piece of candy or dessert. There are many 100 calorie desserts you can buy or recipes you can make healthier with fruit instead of sugar

Exercise:

How do you get started with exercise if it has been a long time? Just start moving! Go for a walk, join a gym and start lifting weights, or cycling. It does not matter what you do, just start moving.

You can also workout from home (see my post on my favorite upper body workouts and lower body workouts.)

Something important to also know is how fat is burned through exercise. Cardio does not burn fat. Cardio burns calories. If you are killing yourself doing cardio every day and not seeing results, then you need to do more. Check out my at home cardio workout here.

Weight training and building lean muscle mass burns fat. But with resistance training, you may put on weight. 

Have you ever heard the phrase “muscle weighs more than fat”? This means if you take 5 pounds of muscle and 5 pounds of fat, the fat will appear larger. Building muscle will help you lose inches around your body which should be more important.

By moving your body and eating healthier, you will become a healthier version of yourself. Losing weight to become healthier should be your ultimate goal. I do not recommend trying to lose too much either. Become healthier and own your body. Feel better in your everyday tasks and love yourself.