5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help You Shed Some Weight

5 Lifestyle Changes That Can Help You Shed Some Weight : Have you ever felt that overweight people are likely to be lazy and often face many health problems? Whether your answer is a yes or a no, it is a fact that obesity leads to numerous health challenges. A study published in the Lancet journal shows that obesity can be a shared factor in 21 overlapping diseases, such as cardiometabolic, neurological, digestive and others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also highlights the importance of weight loss for overall health. According to an article on the CDC website, a weight loss of only 5% to 10% of your total weight can result in significant health benefits like improved blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels.

But these findings are not something new. Many people know that maintaining a healthy weight is vital for their health. What they don’t know is how to achieve the ideal weight.

Well, regardless of how you reduce weight, you will certainly need to make some lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes are an essential part of losing weight. Every part of your lifestyle, from your diet to physical activities to your sleep routine, can impact your weight. Hence, you must focus on making lifestyle changes that can help you shed some weight.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term used to refer to diet plans that involve switching from regular eating to fasting on a regular schedule. Since these diets involve the patterns of eating and then fasting alternatively, they are considered more like a lifestyle than just diet plans. Intermittent fasting can help reduce weight and also offer other health benefits.

A study led by researchers from the University of Chicago, Illinois, found that intermittent fasting can help reduce between 1% to 8% of weight in obese people and help improve their metabolic health.

It can also affect your hormone levels, and while this might be bad for males, this can be a good thing for women. A study published on the National Centers for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) website states that intermittent fasting’s impact on female hormone levels can be used to treat hyperandrogenism in women facing polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This can be done by improving menstruation and fertility.

There are many types of diet plans that follow intermittent fasting patterns. These include the 5:2 diet, the warrior diet, the 16/8 diet and more. One of the most known intermittent fasting plans is the 5:2 diet.

The 5:2 diet plan involves eating routinely for 5 days a week and then limiting your calorie intake for the remaining 2 days. It is recommended that the females reduce their calorie intake to around 500 calories on the fasting days.

Start Resistance Training

Whether you desire to lose weight, build muscles or get a toned body shape, resistance training or weight lifting can be ideal. And this is not only for young women. Even aging females can reap the benefits of resistance training.

Many people think that resistance training is only for boys. However, it is not only a boys club. A recent study involving around 1,400 participants found that there is not much difference in the benefits of resistance training in older males and females.

There are many resistance training exercises to choose from. For example, you can go with dumbbell single-arm rows, dumbbell shoulder presses or bicep curls. You can also use different equipment options, from dumbbells to kettlebells to smart resistance bands.

It is advised to lift weights under the supervision of experts to avoid any injury. The expert will also help you select the right exercises for you and help create a routine training schedule that you can follow to reduce weight.

Practice Mindful Eating

Eating resides at the core of your weight problems. How much you weigh and how quickly you gain or lose weight depends on what you eat. Mindful eating focuses on this very thing. It is a technique used to take control of your eating habits.

Eating even when you are full or eating while multitasking are signs of mindless eating. On the other hand, mindful eating focuses on eating slowly and without distraction, learning to cope with anxiety about food, distinguishing between hunger and non-hunger triggers and more.

Mindful eating can help with weight loss. During mindless eating, people often eat quickly, leading to weight gain. When you eat quickly, the brain will not signal that you are full, as it requires around 20 minutes to realize the same. Hence, you will end up eating more.

As a part of mindful eating, you should:

Appreciate your food
Chew thoroughly
Come to the table only when hungry
Start with a small portion of food
Not eating while distracted
Take small bites
Not eat quickly

Eat Fiber-Rich Foods

Trillions of bacteria and other microbes live in your gut. These bacteria are vital in weight management and many other health aspects. Eating fiber-rich foods can make these bacteria strong and reduce your weight.

Just like you, these bacteria also require food to remain healthy. However, most food you consume is digested when it reaches the gut. But soluble fiber reaches your gut without many chances. The bacteria consume the fibers and convert them to the energy that helps with better health.

A study was conducted recently over 12 weeks to study the effectiveness of fiber-rich foods. The study of over 240 obese people concluded that those eating a fiber diet lost 1.08 kg more weight and 0.54% more body fat than others by the end of 12 weeks.

There are many high-fiber foods that you can consume when you switch to a fiber-rich diet. You can eat:

Pears
Strawberries
Avocados
Apples
Raspberries
Bananas and more

Avoid Stress Triggers

Stress eating is true. Stress can cause you to eat more. The hormones that stress releases and the comfort that sugary foods provide can make you crave more food. Hence, people often tend to stress-eat.

When stressed, your adrenal glands release adrenaline and cortisol to help you escape the stressful situation. However, if you don’t get out of the stress, your body will start feeling the need for sugary food, as it will give you the quick energy you need. However, this can also lead to weight gain. Hence, it is vital to avoid stress triggers.

You can follow the tips below to avoid stress triggers:

Make exercise a routine
Eat healthy food and avoid sugary food
Practice mindful eating
Stay hydrated
Practice yoga and meditation

Conclusion

Lifestyle changes are required if you want to lose weight. Any lifestyle change you make can impact your body. If you want to lose weight, follow the lifestyle changes mentioned in this article. You can practice intermittent eating, start resistance training, practice mindful eating, eat fiber-rich food, and avoid stress triggers to achieve your goal of getting into a toned body.