Have you been wanting to lose weight but have no idea where to start? We can help! Weight loss has incredible health benefits, and we want to help you reach a number that makes you smile when you step on the scale. Here are 5 quick and simple weight loss tips to follow to reach your goal weight:
1. Eat More Protein
The most important nutrient to make sure you’re getting enough of when you want to lose weight is protein. A high protein intake boosts metabolism and reduces appetite. Protein has shown to boost metabolism by 80 to 100 calories per day! High-protein diets can also help reduce cravings, so you’ll have an easier time avoiding indulging in late-night treats. Some great protein sources are meat like beef and chicken, fish and seafood like salmon and shrimp, and eggs.
2. Cut Back on Carbs
Another important tip to follow is to cut back on the amount of carbohydrates you’re putting into your body. Reducing carbs is one of the best ways for you to reach your goal weight. The reason for this is because eating carbs, like white bread and sugary foods, stimulates the production of insulin, which is the fat storage hormone in your body. It also increases hunger. Having a diet with less carbs not only reduces your appetite, it lowers blood sugar and blood pressure! Try eating less sugar and starches like bread, pasta, and potatoes, and substitute them for vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, or broccoli.
3. Work Out 3-4 Times a Week
The formula for losing weight is simple: eat less junk foods and do more exercise. When you’re burning more calories than you were before, you will lose weight. Even something as simple as walking for 30 minutes a day can help you shed a few pounds! We recommend working out 3 to 4 times a week. Lifting weights is a great way to burn calories, and it will also prevent your metabolism from slowing down. It’s also important to include cardio in your workout, like walking, jogging, running, or cycling.
4. Drink More Water
A great and simple way to help you lose weight is to drink more water. Drinking water helps increase your metabolism and boosts your energy! When you have more energy, you can lengthen your workouts and burn more calories. It also helps with hunger. Have you ever noticed that drinking a lot of water sometimes makes you feel full? That’s because hunger and thirst have similar symptoms — empty and gurgling stomach, low energy levels, light-headedness. When you start to feel hunger set in, drink some water to determine how hungry you are, or if you’re just thirsty. Drinking water also prevents you from drinking other things that are bad for you, like soda. Cutting out the calories you get from liquids make weight loss easy.
5. Manage Stress
Believe it or not, something as simple as managing your stress can help you reach your goal weight. A lot of times when we get stressed, we’re more likely to reach for the foods that aren’t good for us, and overeating may become a habit. You also tend to get less sleep when you’re stressed. Sleep plays a big role in weight loss. When you’re sleeping, you avoid the cravings for a midnight snack. When you’re not sleeping, studies have shown your body will have an increased level of a hunger hormone and a decreased level of the fullness hormone. Exercising more and listening to soothing music can help you manage stress.
If you follow these quick and simple weight loss tips, you will be one step closer to reaching your goal weight. We want to help you reach your goals, so contact us and let us know how we can help.