First things first: losing weight takes time. There’s simply no getting around that fact, especially if you actually want to lose the excess weight without getting it right back soon. That sort of yo-yo weight loss and gain isn’t really good for your overall health.
How much time do you need? Experts believe that you’re good if you can manage to lose maybe 1 or 2 pounds each week. Anything more than that is probably not sustainable at all.
To understand this better, keep your age in mind. Just how many years did it take you to gain the excess pounds? It’s natural that you might just need the same amount of time to lose that weight.
The problem here is that in today’s world, a lot of us are busy with work and other commitments. It’s why not everyone has the time to commit to a gym membership. Even a gym such as Workout Anytime, which is actually meant for busy people so they’re open at all hours, may not be a viable option.
However, there are some things you can do that might help. It’s true that these measures aren’t as effective as a regular gym workout every few days each week, but it’s better than nothing. If you’re truly busy, then you still have some things you can do that might help you lose a few pounds along the way:
Go with Smaller Portions
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people don’t even think about it. Dieting is like exercising, and you may want to go slow and steady. That means you don’t immediately avoid your favorite foods and stick to bland salads all the time.
To start with, you might eat the same foods, but you eat less. It’s that simple.
Add More Movement to Your Day
Ask any doctor, and one crucial piece of advice they’d give is that you have to be more active if you’re living a sedentary lifestyle. And even if you simply don’t have the time to get to a gym, you can still do some stuff in the office or at home.
For example, you can do a lot more walking by parking a bit farther from your destination. Or maybe you can avoid the elevator and climb the stairs more. Even if you’re on the ground floor and you need to get to the 10th floor, perhaps you can climb the stairs a bit, and then get on the elevator at the 3rd or 4th floor.
You can also squeeze in a few pushups and other exercises every now and then in the office. Maybe you can do 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon, and 10 minutes in the evening. They all add up eventually.
Get Enough Sleep
It’s very tempting to stay up late or wake up at the crack of dawn just to maximize your time for work. But that might backfire on you if you don’t get enough sleep through the night. Your body might not function properly during the day as a result. This isn’t just bad for your health, but it’s also bad for your work performance.
What’s more, you might end up craving fatty and sugary foods to keep you awake, and these foods are definitely bad for weight loss.
Be Active with Family and Friends
Even a workaholic should realize that they should spend some time with their family members and buddies. But who says that these times can’t be full of energetic activities? You don’t even have to go to the gym wit them, either. Play with your kids, and maybe do some Dance Evolution with them.
Then maybe do some walking and hiking with your buddies. Who knows, they might even be up for a yoga class each week!