As the years go on, new studies come out on what is good and bad for you. But, there are a few things that will remain the same. Losing weight is simpler than people think. The problem is, being consistent with these three things to really shed the weight. Since I have been personal training for over two years now, the results that people get by just doing these 3 simple weight loss tips are amazing. Look below at these 3 weight loss tips and hopefully it helps you along your journey.
Sugars
Sugar can be in different forms. Some may be better than others such as brown sugar vs white, candy sugar vs sugar from fruit. But, remember too much of something can be bad. The thing that kills most people and makes them gain weight, is the excess sugars. Sugars from soda, junk food, fast food, white pasta, white bread, white flowers and so on. White sugars metabolize different in the body. White breads vs whole grains make a big difference. Whole grains can have more vitamin B12 which helps speed up metabolism. White sugars when metabolized through the blood stream can lead to high blood pressures, diseases, heart issues and more.
This comes down to people saying stay way from carbs. This is true, but white carbs not whole grains. When people lose weight, they say that they ate less carbs or a low carbs diet. First, never do that. Carbs are your main source of energy, so eat whole grains if anything. The reason they lose weight is because they are having less crappy white carbs than before. So, they think carbs overall are bad. No, it’s the white carbs and white sugars that are bad. So, if you choose to lose weight, change white breads and sugars with whole grains and healthy fruits.
Vegetables
The way vegetables metabolize in your body is different from how white bread metabolizes. Veggies can help you stay more full so you don’t feel like snacking as much. Now, most of us know that the taste of veggies isn’t the greatest. But, it’s okay to add some of your favorite seasoning. If it’s full of sodium, just only put enough for the flavor. Over doing it is what causes issues. Veggies can protect against certain diseases, helps with weight loss, helps with heart and brain function and overall makes you feel amazing.
Remember, carbs from veggies are different from carbs from whole grains.. They metabolize different throughout the body and have different effects. Yes, they both are great for fiber, but certain nutrients are different. That is why there are so many food choices, or else we would only have to eat one type of food. What i personally like to do, is chop up broccoli and mix it up with rice, chicken, meat or fish. That way you don’t have to eat giant pieces of veggies. You will be able to have a better taste while eating healthy.
Weight Training
The one thing people, especially women, need to understand is you are going to gain some weight when you first start weight training. Women are always afraid of getting “bulky” due to lifting weights. That will not happen unless you are taking supplements or steroids to get that way. The first month or so, your body will metabolize fats differently, so you think you are gaining weight instead of losing it. But if you keep pushing through, after the first month, the weight will start to slowly decrease. You will be burning fat and building muscle, which is the main objective for losing weight. One thing to keep in mind when you are training is, “How intense should it be?” Also, at the very least, you want to be exercising three or more days a week.
The first thing you need to know is that by doing 30-45 minutes of weight training first and 30 minutes of cardio after, you will tend to burn more fat. Your body will go through your energy storage first which is your carbohydrates, then start to kick into your fat storage. A question often asked is, “How long should I rest in between sets?” In order to lose weight safely and quickly, it is also important to keep the heart rate up, but at a safe level. You can find your target heart rate from the link at the bottom.
Usually, thirty seconds to one minute is a good rest period for losing weight and keeping the intensity at a moderate to high level. The rest can also be determined on how high the intensity is. If you do not feel like you are getting anywhere and feel slow, then rest less. You do not want to go all out where your heart rate is through the roof. This can raise your blood pressure and put stress on certain muscles like your heart. Consistently training above your target zone, especially for a long period of time, can cause your body to burn muscle more than fat. You can still train at a high level, which some people do, but not for an extended period of time. It is much safer to consistently train around your target heart rate zone. In order to lose fat and build muscle you need to be lifting weights. The best thing to do is to have a good nutrition plan, do resistant training, and cardio.
When you are lifting weights, your body will be building muscle while burning fat. If you just do cardio, sure, you can lose weight, but you are not getting stronger or building almost any muscle. Do not be afraid to lift weights, it will help you out more than you think. When it comes to doing sets and repetitions for weight loss, it is important to know that there is not one set number, like only doing twelve reps and your life will be complete! If you are starting out, you can do three sets of fifteen to twenty reps.
This is so you are not starting off lifting really heavy and your muscles can get use to the movements and weights. This can be done for about three weeks to a month. As the weeks go on, you can increase the weight and do three or four sets of twelve to fifteen repetitions. This would be adding weight and getting stronger to build some more muscle. It is also important to note that these can be mixed up as you are working out, which leads to the next part.
High Intensity Interval Training