Lifestyle Changes That You Need to Incorporate If You Are On a Long-term Weight Loss Plan

Everyone wishes to look slim and slender forever. And what if we told you that it is rather simple to achieve it ! The best way to consistently keep your weight in check is following a long-term weight loss plan. However weight management requires some lifestyle changes that need to be incorporated from day one of your weight loss journey. If you are on a long-term weight loss plan then you must follow a daily routine that will ensure you are never on the wrong side of the weighing scale .

Dump the Bad Carbs

The first and foremost thing to do is break up with all the sources of weight gain in your body. Minimise eating carbohydrates as they tend to lead to weight gain. Refined carbs, sugar or starch in foods like breads, pastries, pizza, white rice, pasta are made with fast-digesting carbohydrates that contain little or no natural fibre or essential nutrients – vitamins and minerals. These foods often contain added sugar and taste enhancers and when consumed spike the blood sugar levels. Refined carbs are one of the biggest contributors of weight gain with a poor nutritional profile hence they are also called as empty calories. You can replace these foods with more complex and healthy forms of carbohydrates found in natural foods like vegetables, pulses, legumes, unsweetened dairy and whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, wheat and oats. These are nutrient-dense foods containing varying amounts of fibre, which helps keep you fuller for a longer period of time and aid in digestion.

Be Wary of the Salty & Sugary Foods

Savoury and sugar-laden foods are twin troublemakers that can derail your weight management plans. Dietary sodium intake appears in different chemical forms, the most common being sodium chloride (table salt), sodium bicarbonate, and sodium glutamate—a flavour enhancer found ubiquitously in processed foods. As per research, salt intake in India is about 11 g per day, exceeding the WHO’s recommended maximum intake of 5 g per day. We unknowingly consume much higher amounts of sodium in our daily diet especially through processed foods. High intake of sodium leads to water retention in the body and usually salt-rich diets like processed foods are less satiating, which causes you to eat more and gain weight. Sugar-rich foods are like ships loaded with calories that enter your body and convert into fat, sinking all your weight loss goals . Excess dietary sugar is one of the leading causes of weight gain. The best way to cut down on your salt and sugar intake is to replace your fattening foods with healthier picks like unsweetened beverages, whole grains and whole foods, to name a few. Eat real fruits and vegetables and be aware of what you put in your grocery bag by reading the ingredients closely. If you spot these sugar loaders like sucrose, fructose, corn syrup, corn sweetener, malt syrup etc, printed on the label then you can simply choose to place them back in the rack.

Have Breakfast like a King & Dinner like a Pauper

This old adage must be followed like a gospel when you are on ong-term weight loss plans. Eating right is a must to keep weight gain in check, however, eating on time also plays a crucial role in weight management. Nature provides us with complete nutrition through fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains and pulses. But to attain the full nourishment from our diet one must know what, when and how much of these foods must be consumed in a day. Diet experts the world over recommend an intake of a wholesome high calorie breakfast that provides us with the needed amount of energy for the day. The breakfast must include whole grains and cereals like oats, multi grain breads and bagels, lean proteins like eggs, legumes, nuts, low-fat dairy and fresh fruits and vegetables. Lunch must follow four to five hours after breakfast and must include low calorie nutrient dense foods like lentils, brown rice, grilled vegetables, salads and butter milk. Hunger pangs around mid-afternoon or early evening may lure you to munch on unhealthy fatty foods. It is best to satiate your appetite with the goodness of some omega-3 fatty acid-rich nuts and seeds or a portion of cut fruits. The ideal time to have dinner is between 6 pm and 7 pm for which low–calorie fiber-rich foods are ideal choices. Soups in dinner are one the most popular picks for weight management since they are healthy, wholesome and can be made with a variety of your favorite meats and vegetables. Keeping the dinner early and light aids in weight loss as it improves digestion and speeds up metabolic activities while you snugly snooze away.

Move it to Lose it!

You can only dream of getting in shape if you continue sitting on that couch all day long! Your long-term weight loss plans require a minimum amount of leg-work everyday. Fitness experts advise 30 minutes of exercise or physical activity everyday. Daily exercise will burn excess calories and boost metabolism, which helps in maintaining weight. One can choose between going to the gym regularly or engaging in a sport or outdoor activity like cycling, swimming, jogging etc . The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn and help you feel energetic and active all day.

Be consistent

The key to the success of a long-term weight loss plan is consistency. Following a healthy routine with intake of healthy foods and adequate exercise. A cheat day now and then is fine, however if one has to keep their weight in check it is essential to make certain lifestyle changes and prioritize health.

You can also consider taking high quality supplements that naturally stimulate fat burn and aid in weight loss. Slow Burn by Wellbeing Nutrition is a scientifically developed supplement containing fast-absorbing liquid L-Carnitine and delayed-release plant-based beadlets with chromium and caffeine. This revolutionary plant-based fat burner uses delayed-release nanotechnology to release the ingredients slowly over 8 hours, in the absorptive, less sensitive areas of your gut to ensure maximum bioavailability of the nutrients. The combination of l-carnitine, natural caffeine from coffee beans and chromium helps burn fat, gain lean muscle, boost metabolism, control hunger, and utilise fat for energy.

We recommend you to combine this supplement with a low calorie nutrient-dense diet and fat burning exercises to see jaw dropping results around your waistline in no time !

Reference

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Foright RM, Presby DM, Sherk VD, et al. Is regular exercise an effective strategy for weight loss maintenance?. Physiol Behav. 2018;188:86-93. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.01.025