Let’s be honest ─We’ve all tried to surf through the internet on how to lose weight fast and get fit. While looking for such answers, there is always an exhaustive list of advice that can be both overwhelming and puzzling.
The main concern is that although fad diets and calorie-deficient meal plans will most likely give you short-term weight loss results, most people fail to maintain them and end up gaining more weight than before within a few weeks. The real solution to an effective and sustained weight loss is to inculcate a healthy lifestyle that suits your specific needs and that you can maintain for life.
The key to a safe and successful weight loss is to adapt a healthy lifestyle that suits your individual needs and that you can maintain for life.
What Is a Healthy Lifestyle?
In simple terms, a healthy individual is someone who takes good care of themselves. A healthy individual follows a healthy diet, maintains healthy weight, is physically active, avoids smoking and limits his alcohol intake.
Certain other factors also amount in determining a healthy person such as managing stress, getting sufficient sleep, avoiding sedentary lifestyle and following everything in moderation.
Moving towards a healthy lifestyle can seem difficult at first. But by going over things little by little, one step at a time can do wonders to your mind and body.
The key is to make small changes—climbing a ladder each day, adding fruits in your diet, increasing water intake, or saying no to that second serving of unhealthy food. One thing you can easily follow right now is moving more and sitting less. A study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health concluded that ‘Adopting a healthy lifestyle could substantially reduce premature mortality and prolong life expectancy in US adults.”
Advantages of Being Active:
We all know how important exercise is in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Exercising does not mean you need to hit the gym every day. The term ‘exercise’ means movement. By simply avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, you can do wonders to your health. Whether it’s taking the stairs instead of the lift, taking small breaks in between your work and doing some stretches, participating in a marathon, or going for walks, moving around a little more everyday also counts.
Being physically active does not only impact the body but also the mind. It can help you think clearly, learn better and sharpen your judgement skills. It also reduces the risk of depression and anxiety and helps you sleep better.
Some more advantages of physical activity are:
- Boosts self-esteem
- Increases flexibility and joint stability.
- Helps improve memory by keeping the brain active.
- Improves range of motion.
- Improves behaviour and moods and reduces stress levels.
- Strengthens bones and muscles.
- Decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome and stroke.
Ways to Increase Physical Activity:
If you have not been active in a while, you may be unsure about how to start again. Here are some tips that can help you get back on track.
- Look for opportunities to reduce sedentary time and to increase active time. For example, instead of watching TV, take a walk after dinner. Schedule time when you turn off the TV and computer.
- Move more. Do activities that require you to get off the couch. While speaking over the phone, don’t just sit, and move around. Use a tracker to help you calculate the number of steps you take. This will motivate you to increase your count each day. Remember make small changes and do it at your own pace.
- Do some housework such as cleaning the garden, sweeping the floor, vacuuming the house, making your bed and so on. These may not be vigorous workouts but will certainly help.
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Ways to Maintain a Healthy Diet:
Following a healthy diet is crucial in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A nutritious diet can not only improve the quality of your health but will also help you lose weight.
- Avoid sugary drinks. Beverages are the easiest ways to consume excess sugar without even realizing it. Cut back on sugary sodas, sweet tea, high calorie drinks loaded with cream and so on. Drink plain water or infuse it with fruits and herbs to stay hydrated while avoiding calories.
- Increase fruits in your diets. Add fruits to your oats or cereal, salads or turn it into a dessert. The sugar levels in fruits will give you that energy and will also act as a good substitute to unhealthy snacks.
- Eat more vegetables. Add them wherever it’s possible—a cucumber in your sandwich, olives on your pizza, or extra veggies in your daily meals.
Forming a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to mean extreme changes. Adapting to changes is better when it’s not done drastically. Just decide on one thing and work on it every day, allowing the rest of your routine to stay the same. You may be surprised to see how small changes can really make a huge difference in helping you lose weight and maintaining it. If you’re looking for a plan that helps you lose weight and sustain it safely and effectively, try Drnewmed’s weight loss plan that is medically designed to help you lose weight while maintaining a nutritious diet. Book your consultation today. Visit our weight loss clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona or schedule a virtual appointment us.