Losing Weight
How to lose weight is an extremely hot topic, you only have to run it through a search engine to discover how many different philosophies there are as to to the best way to achieve weight loss. You will also notice the headlines, 'Flat abs in 5 days', 'Lose 14lb in just 8 days' etc etc. These claims or diet plans are simply unrealistic, the concept of losing weight is relatively simple, burn more calories than you consume. Unfortunately, there are no miracle solutions or short cuts.
BMI (Body Mass Index is a measure of your body composition, it is calculated by taking a persons weight and dividing by their height squared. Using a BMI calculator can give you an indication as to whether you are overweight or not and is used to guide you towards a healthy weight range, however this form of calculation becomes unrealistic when you are building muscle, muscle weighs more than fat and because of this the BMI calculation can give you a false impression. As a basic concept though, if you are in the overweight sector or above and you know that it isn't muscle that is contributing to this then it is time to start thinking about your diet and lifestyle. Below is a BMI calculator for you to obtain your BMI (just enter your height and weight into the form and click Find BMI).
If you have discovered that you are overweight and would like to bring your weight down into a healthier range then following these simple steps will help you to achieve this.
- Increase your levels of exercise, if you don't exercise at all then try 30 mins of moderate exercise 3 - 5 times a week to begin with, gradually increase exercise duration to 40 mins then 60 mins as the weeks go by. You can also gradually increase exercise intensity to get more out of your workout. Exercise increases your metabolic rate, thus burning more fat. The longer and more intense the workout, the more fat will be burned during the hour or two after exercise.
- Exercise can be carried out in many different ways, if you find going to the gym and long distance running a little tedious and isn't quite for you but want to keep active then why not try a few alternative sports and activities. Check out the website intotheblue.co.uk where you will find many different activities such as water sports, paintballing, bungee jumping driving and many more. Clink on the link below to see the full range of activity days and experience days available.
- Cut down on trans fats and saturated fats contained in food such as chocolate, cakes, biscuits, ready meals and take away meals. ( These foods can be eaten but should only be as occasional treats).
- Observe the number of calories you are consuming throughout the day, if you simply burn more than you eat then you will lose weight. The 'Recommended Daily Allowance' is a good guide, see RDA and RNI. However do not starve yourself as this can slow down your body's metabolism as the body will begin to preserve energy (storing it as fat) during times of starvation.
- When reducing your daily calorie intake, do so gradually to avoid metabolic slow down and muscle loss. Aim for a reduction of 10 - 20% of your usual daily calorie intake. Do this gradually every 12 - 14 days.
- Try to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day rather than eating big meals all at once. This can help to avoid snacking in between meals and help to maintain metabolic rate. Also try to eat at a table without distractions, people who eat in front of the tv or on the move tend to eat more. Try to eat slowly and chew food properly, this helps with the body's digestion allowing you to become fuller quicker.
- Try to drink plenty of water, the average adult should consume 2.5 litres of water per day. This increases with exercise and on warm days.