Weight loss is the most common goal of visitors to this blog and to the Amino Z website. Losing weight in a sustainable, effective and safe manner is at the very heart of our training philosophy at Amino Z. If you are a regular reader of this website or of this blog, you’ll be well aware of our strong stand against rapid, unsafe and unethical approaches to weight loss.
Losing weight in an unhealthy manner can do some serious permanent damage. You may be interested in reading an article of ours on Yo-Yo Dieting which discusses some serious side effects of rapid weight loss, including the long-term weight gain implications of following a fad diet.
Safe, effective and sustainable weight loss comes down to well-known principles. Whilst weight loss can be a difficult goal to accomplish, the principles of success are relatively straight forward. One of the most difficult aspects of weight loss is actually implementing these principles consistently into your everyday life.
Below is a list of some very important aspects to weight loss. In isolation, any one of these factors is quite ineffective. However, if you combine all of these recommendations together, you will experience some tremendous body reshaping. It is a limited list, but it will get you started on the right foot.
Eat regularly. Aim to consume 6 meals a day, rather than 3 meals a day. But here’s the catch – make your meals smaller. More regular meals can stimulate the metabolism to burn more calories.
Eat natural foods. Natural foods require more energy to break down and digest within the body, relative to highly processed foods. Thus, their “net” calories will be much lower.
Watch your portion sizes. If you’re not losing weight, try reducing your portion sizes. Don’t skip meals, but rather aim for a gradual calorie reduction until you find that sweet spot.
Minimise alcohol intake. Any alcoholic beverage is loaded with calories. Don’t be fooled into thinking that a straight spirit is calorie free – a shot of vodka can have as many calories as a snack.
Move around as much as possible. As you move around (or, perform incidental exercise), you expend additional calories. Try walking instead of driving, or park a little further away. It all adds up!
Follow a structured exercise programme. The key is to follow a structured programme. Going into the gym aimlessly will not accomplish an optimal result. Work with a personal trainer if you have to, but have a clear plan for maximum results. Your training should include both cardiovascular and resistance training, multiple times per week.
Do not rely on supplements. Supplements can aid with weight loss, but it is important not to rely on them for weight loss. Rely on a sound approach to nutrition and exercise. This encompasses everything from meal replacements to weight loss pills. If you are replacing multiple meals a day with protein drinks, this is most likely too reliant on supplements and could be quite unhealthy.
Obtain 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Good quality sleep promotes healthy hormone production which can optimise fat loss. If you under-sleep, you will be inhibiting your weight loss progress.
Guilt is your own worst enemy. We all slip up from time to time. When it happens – learn from it and you have to teach yourself to move on. The worst thing you can do is drown yourself in guilt and thus sabotage yourself completely. One binge will have a negligible effect on your progress. A week-long guilt-induced binge will have a profound effect on your progress.
Get support. Surround yourself with other dedicated people who are serious about weight loss. When you are surrounded with a strong support group, you won’t feel isolated and will thus increase your chances of long-term success.
Hire a personal trainer. Yes, I know this sounds strange coming from a personal training website! A personal trainer will provide you with the necessary professional support to get you to your goals in a healthy manner. This will compliment your support group who provide a strong sense of social support.
Educate yourself. Don’t stop with this article – continue reading and learn the specifics of weight loss. The more you know about exercise and nutrition, the more interesting the subjects will become. Weight loss will seem far less overwhelming and thus your confidence levels will improve. Knowledge is power and it is readily available to you throughout this website!
From here, I would suggest that you continue reading on this topic in greater depth with our article entitled “How to Lose Weight“. This will discuss some of these quick weight loss tips in greater detail and introduce you to more detailed discussions.
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