1. Lose it slowly
Losing weight should never be approached as a race. Plenty of companies will try to sell you on the idea that you can lose 20kg and more in 8 weeks, however, they don’t tell you what happens after. The majority of the time, these people will gain the weight they have lost (and more) back, once they return to normal living. In order for your loss to remain a loss, lose the weight slowly. This will give your body time to adapt to the internal changes that occur, such as hormonal variations, and promotes a safe way of losing the weight. Always remember, it takes longer to lose weight than it does to gain it – so patience and consistency is key. 2. It’s about adding more in, not restricting yourself Add healthy options into your diet, rather than restricting the unhealthy foods you currently consume. It may not be what you’re used to hearing – but we have seen more and more people achieving sustainable losses using this technique. The idea behind it, is to eat the healthy options such as a piece of fruit after dinner before reaching straight for the chocolate. By doing this, your cravings are more likely to be satiated, and the desire for the chocolate subdued. This method also has a more positive impact on the mind. Typical diets concerned with restricting foods, generally increase cravings for these foods – meaning more people fall off the diet bandwagon sooner, and never see the results they desire. Mentally knowing you’re allowed a croissant, but need to eat your poached eggs or oats for breakfast first, means you’re less likely to feel like the croissant at all. 3. Life-long changes All too often, people start diets which cut out next to everything their body is used to, and requires to survive. We’re here to tell you that this is not how to do it. Every little change you make, should be something you know you are able to stick to for the rest of your life. The extreme dieting should be reserved for athletes and those entering bodybuilding competitions. If you want to lead a healthier life, you need to find out the best way your individual self can do so, for the rest of your life. 4. What works for them, may not work for you… There is no one formula for weight-loss that works for every individual. If there was, we wouldn’t see hundreds of commercials for different diets that tell you completely opposing things. What works for you might not be what works for your spouse, friends, or colleagues. In this case, trial and error is your best friend. Working out what foods and styles of training your body reacts to best, is what will aid you the most in your weight-loss journey. If you’re unsure where to begin, speak with your trainer about what they would recommend for you starting out. 5. Find activities that you enjoy doing When losing weight, the most important thing to consider is what you are consuming – however, the second most important aspect is your activity level. Exercising at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day, will prove greater results in the long term, than just eating healthy alone. Exercise will help build up muscle strength, and endurance. When considering what activities to do to lose weight, resistance/weight training should be first on the list. Muscle tissue requires large amounts of energy (calories) to survive, therefore, at rest you burn more calories with larger muscle mass than you do with less. Focusing on building muscle will increase your resting (basal) metabolic rate, and will aid in fat loss. Aside from weight training, finding activities that you enjoy participating in is vital for long-term active living and happiness. These activities may include walking, running, swimming, rock climbing, tennis, hiking… the list is endless! Finding the things you genuinely enjoy will lead you to feel more motivated to get out of the house and do them. So, there you have it! Five alternative ways to help you lose weight, and maintain the loss! If you need any help, or have any questions regarding weight loss, please speak with your trainers – we’re here to help.
0 Comments
[This blog was written for 'Active and Ageless' - a gym specialising in exercise for the older population]
It can be confusing when working out how much exercise you should/need to be doing throughout your weeks, in order to maintain a healthy and active life. Here we discuss some of the factors which you should consider, when deciding what your weekly gym schedule should look like… 1. Sustainability is Key No matter what, you should always aim for sustainability. This means, finding an amount of exercise that works for you each week, that you are able to continue to perform for extended periods of time. All too often, people go too hard, too fast – and wind up burning out or injuring themselves. In order to prevent this, if you are at the beginning of your health journey, it is important to listen to what your body is telling you, and don’t be disheartened if you aren’t keeping up with those who have been active in the gym for years. Take it at your own pace, and speak with your trainer about what they recommend for you individually. 2. Recovery Flowing on from ‘sustainability’, we link in ‘recovery’. Recovery is vital in order to continue to progress in your fitness both in aerobic exercise, and resistance training. If the body isn’t given enough time to rest and recuperate following activity, our risk of injuries and illness increase. That being said, this does not give you permission to use ‘recovery’ as an excuse for missing a session, if the real reason is that you just ‘don’t feel like it’…we know all the tricks in the book ;) 3. Goals The amount of exercise you perform each week also depends on the individual goals which you have set for yourself. Not only can this impact how much exercise you require, but also the type of exercise you should be performing. Whilst a healthy mix of both aerobic and resistance training is recommended at all times – training to run a marathon for example, may require a slight heavier aerobic training workload, than the goal of building 2kg of muscle. Again, if you haven’t already, have a chat with your trainer and ask them what they would suggest. 4. What the Research Says Whilst there are a number of factors that play a part in determining how much exercise and what type of exercise we should be doing; the Australian Government’s Department of Health have set out guidelines for all individuals as a minimum target of activity per week. Some of the important recommendations that we want to highlight include:
These above points provide a general overview of what the government deems to be satisfactory for older individuals performing physical activity – however they are not overly specific. As this is the case, please refer to dot points 1-3, and speak with your trainers regarding any further questions you may have about the amount of exercise you should be completing each week. Also remember to pay attention to how your body is feeling, and always give yourself enough time to recover by resting, consuming nutritious foods, and remaining hydrated. |
AuthorI'm Steph - a Health Sciences graduate, qualified Personal Trainer and Health Blogger. Here you will not find any quick fix, or diet tips. I'm here to share my love of life, fitness, mindset, and the lessons I learn as a journey through life. Archives
March 2020
|