Weight loss:why we should focus on simplicity & sustainability...
1. Simplicity.
Eating: as tempting as it may be to overhaul your unhealthy habits overnight, sudden and substantial lifestyle changes are much more likely to be met with resistance.
In order to prevent pressuring yourself to the point of procrastination - a core culprit responsible for sabotaging weight loss success - ditch drastic dietary changes for the simplicity that stems from making subtle food and fluid swaps such as snacking on fibre-rich fruit as an alternative to tucking into sugary sweet treats, opting for sparkling flavoured spring water (with no added sugar!) as opposed to fizzy, sugar fuelled fluids and swapping salty seasoning for healthier herbs and subtle spices.
Exercise: although strenuous training sessions may escalate energy expenditure, embarking on an excruciating exercise regime that requires strength, stamina and sufficient form when you struggle to climb a set of stairs does not resemble a realistic way to reach your goals.
If you're new to participating in physical activity and/or overwhelmed by the choice of exercise classes and equipment, starting small, slow and simple by aiming to smash your recommended 10,000 steps a day will be equally as effective at aiding the elimination of excess energy as sweating it out with gruelling gym sessions, cardio classes and heavy weighted workouts.
2. Sustainability.
Eating: dedicating every ounce of energy to a diet that's defined by dictation and deprivation may seem like a sensible solution to shaping a slender silhouette, but you'll soon struggle to sustain self-control before resorting back to your unhealthy habits.
Instead of depriving yourself of delicious dishes and desserts - a core culprit that's responsible for instantly intensifying uncontrollable cravings for 'forbidden' foods - focus on making simple food swaps that you can sustain - think slashed serving sizes, swapping sugar for sweetener and opting for complex carbohydrates (wholegrain) as opposed to refined (white) varieties - in order to reduce your risk of resorting to the detrimental diets and 'detoxes' that will damage your dress size, discipline and determination.
Exercise: although you may be eager to exercise every day - particularly if you're preoccupied with fighting the flab as fast as possible - blasting a 'bigger' body with constant cardio and/or weighted workouts will not only result in a burnout body and an unmotivated mind, but increase the incidence of injury - it will also leave you less likely to continue to participate in physical activity as you struggle to sustain such a strenuous and strategic regime.
To prevent pushing yourself to the point of physical and psychological exhaustion (and developing a genuine dislike for fitness), focus on finding a form of exercise that you can easily incorporate into every day life - be it a body weighted workout in your bedroom, pounding the pavement with a power walk or travelling to work by bike - in order to ensure that exercise is an enjoyable and easily accessible experience that you can sustain for life.
Final thought: weight loss is as complex as you choose to make it - don't over complicate it by resorting to ridiculous, restrictive and unrealistic rules and regimes.
www.twitter.com/BunsandGunsUK
Comments
Post a Comment