If you’ve lost momentum on the scales recently you might need to give your weight loss plans a boost.
The Biggest Loser Asia Trainer Kristy Curtis said that it’s essential to give yourself goals and mini goals to keep yourself motivated.
“My best advice is to start off small, set realistic goals at the start of your weight loss journey and attach a timeline to them,” she said. “By setting goals you can measure your benchmarks and make improvements based on your results.”
Once you’ve got your goal, whether it’s to lose a few kilos in time for a friend’s wedding or to get yourself in shape for your beach holiday, try these 9 tips to enhance your weight loss.
1. Give your tastebuds a makeover
You may miss the taste of added sugar or salt if you eliminate it from your diet, but stick with it because the cravings will stop. People’s tastebuds do change after a very short period without a sweet food that keeps promoting a desire for sweet things. You can change the way you desire certain foods.
2. Eco-friendly exercise
Get back to nature and exercise in thre fresh air with one of the many outdoor boot camps, horse riding facilities and rock climbing groups. As well as being beneficial for weight loss, UK researchers from the University of Essex found just five minutes in a green space, such as a nature trail, can improve your overall health and wellbeing.
3. Have a dressing down so you can dress up
While salads are a great option in warm Asian climates, it’s best to lay low on the dressings. Opt for a low-fat option, such as a squeeze of lime juice, chilli, fresh herbs and spices or a sprinkle of toasted cashews.
4. Hula hoop your way to health and fitness
Turn child’s play into an exercise program with a hula hoop. As well as twirling your way to a toned stomach, a weighted hula hoop can burn up to 600 calories an hour according to Christabel Zamor, author of Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program. Other fun summer workouts to increase your core strength and cardiovascular fitness include skipping, tennis and beach volleyball.
5. Add the entree but lose the rich dessert
Choose an entree rather than a rich desert when dining out. If you have a salad or a soup before you have a main meal, overall, you’re likely to go easier on your main course. They are filling, they are satisfying and you ultimately eat less. However, it’s best to bypass creamy, rich soups or low energy density salads.
6. Get a killer butt and legs
Studies show that outdoor cycling or an indoor spin class can be some of the best calorie burners. As well as increasing your cardiovascular fitness and fat burning, cycling can also sculpt and shape your legs, hips and butt. While you can’t spot reduce, you can tone your lower body with simple exercises, such as squats and walking lunges in the gym or outside in the fresh air.
7. Be mindful of mindless eating
Try to always be aware of what you’re eating and not eat simply out of habit. Very often when you get home from work, the first thing you do is go to the fridge because you are hungry. Ask yourself, is that a habit or are you eating because you are hungry?
8. Beautify your skin
Foods known to promote smooth and radiant skin are oily fish, salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds, which include omega 3 fatty acids. Drinking plenty of water is a must for hydrated skin and it can also reduce cellulite when combined with an exercise program.
9. 90% good and 10% treat rule
Don’t beat yourself up if you fall off the good eating wagon. Apply the 90/10 rule: be good 90% of the time and allow yourself a treat 10% of the time.