5 Tips if you’re Overweight or Obese
Surveys have shown that the majority of those who are overweight or obese wish that they could lose the weight. Many feel depressed and inferior. They desperately wish to shed the excess pounds but they feel like they can never achieve it.
They feel like they have been fat since they were young and it is their destiny. They think that they were cursed with fat genes.
The truth of the matter is that the majority of the people who are obese can lose weight and get fit over time. It takes time. It will take effort and discipline. But… it can be done.
You could be 100 pounds overweight, but if you decide that enough is enough and you want to lose it all, it can be done. It may even take you a year or more but it can be done. You’re not destined to a life of obesity and disease.
If you will change, your body will change.
Follow the 7 tips below and you’ll gradually lose the weight. All you need to do is stick with these tips and you will be just fine.
- Find out what your daily calorie maintenance is and aim for a caloric deficit of 500 calories till your weight drops a little. Weigh yourself after a week and find out your new calorie maintenance level and carry on with a caloric deficit of 500 calories based on this new number.
As long as you follow this plan, it is inevitable that you lose weight. You can find out your calorie numbers at http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
- Start walking for 30 to 45 minutes daily. Ideally, your walking should be brisk but you shouldn’t be out of breath. You’ll need to do this when you wake in the morning and you’re on an empty stomach.
Initially, if 5 minutes is all you can manage, that’s ok. Walk for 5 minutes and rest. Over time, increase your time by a minute or 2 every day or every few days.
You want to make slow and steady progress.
- If you wish to speed up your progress, 2 exercise sessions a day would be excellent. One in the morning and one in the evening. Make sure each session does not exceed 60 minutes.
- Slowly clean up your diet. Make one positive change every week. If you drink 3 cans of soda a day. Reduce it to 2 cans a day for a week. The next week reduce it to one can. You must do this gradually. Many people make the mistake of doing too much too soon. Clean up your diet as much as you can but do it slowly.
Sudden changes cause shock and resistance in the body. It’s just too much too soon and the body can’t adapt. You will get food cravings and constantly battle the temptation to binge eat the foods that you’re not supposed to.
So, keep your progress slow and measured.
- Work your way up to high intensity training sessions. Initially, when you are first exercising, walking will suffice. As you shed the pounds and get slimmer, you may wish to try out high intensity training.
It does not have to be a long session. Even a short 4 minute Tabata workout can work wonders. You may be shocked to see that even a 4 minute workout can be extremely challenging and you might not be able to complete it.
That’s ok. What matters is that you tried. Aim to progress a little more in the next workout and so on.
There are hundreds of weight loss tips but the 5 mentioned above are the fundamentals of all weight loss. Always remember that time is your friend and there is no rush.
Do not expect results overnight or in 2 weeks. Take a photo of yourself today and take one 3 months later. The difference will stun you. As long as you follow the tips above, weight loss is inevitable. Visible results will take about 2 to 3 months. Do not give up before 3 months.
Always remember that it does not have to be torture. Slow and steady wins the race.
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