We live in a society that’s perpetually obsessed with weight loss. We’ve been conditioned to measure the caloric content of every piece of food that passes our lips. We’re alternately encouraged to abandon entire food groups in the pursuit of a better body.
One minute fats are to be feared and reviled, the next it’s actually carbohydrates that are the food of the Devil and must be stopped at all costs. One moment we’re told that we should only be eating meat, eggs, fish and dairy in abundance and revering protein above all macronutrients, the next we’re told that only a vegan diet can give us all the nutrition we need.
We’re encouraged to count calories every day and keep a steady eye on our macronutrients. We’re constantly assured that when we aim to burn more calories than we ingest, healthy and natural weight loss is the only possible outcome.
Yet, while being well informed about the food we eat can only ever be a good thing, the idea that cutting calories and exercising inevitably leads to weight loss is an oversimplification. An oversimplification that can lead us to fad diets and other potentially dangerous bad habits.
Why is weight loss such a struggle for me?
It can be extremely frustrating when we try fad diet after fad diet and exercise regimen after exercise regimen only to find that you’re failing to get the same great results as others on whatever program you may be undertaking.
It’s not because you’re any less committed or disciplines. It’s because every human body and its metabolism is unique and what works or your neighbour may not necessarily work for you. If you’re frustrated after every attempt to lose weight your first recourse should be to seek the opinion of a medical professional either in person or online.
They may be able to help identify metabolic issues that prove a barrier to effective weight loss. Nonetheless, here are some other subtle changes you can make to facilitate easier and more effective weight loss.
Medication and supplementation
Although a healthy weight requires a healthy diet and active lifestyle are the surest way to sustainable weight loss (the kind that stays off), there are numerous supplements and medications available from many reputable online pharmacies which can facilitate a safer and easier weight loss journey.Curiosity about ‘How does Hydroxycut work?’ is common among users looking to understand the mechanism behind its potential to facilitate a safer and easier weight loss journey.
A protein shake is a great way to get the protein your body needs to develop lean muscle mass and burn body fat, especially if you are vegan or veggie! Likewise, buying Xenical tablets are a weight loss medication that has proven highly effective when combined with an active lifestyle and low-fat diet. If you’re serious about weight loss, you should also take a multivitamin (make sure it contains vitamin B12 if you’re vegan as this is hard to get enough of in the plant world) as well as an iron supplement and omega 3 oils for good joint health.
Diet: Eat more food and less of everything else
If you performed a double-take at the above subheading that’s okay. If you wondered to yourself “Well, what else could I possibly eat except food?”. But take a look at any supermarket shelf and you’ll find row upon row of heavily processed edible food-like substances. Worse, still, many of these are branded as healthy foods with no evidence whatsoever to support their claims.
Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or omnivorous you should aim to eat mostly plants. The plant kingdom (fruit, vegetables, legumes, herbs and spices) is rich with the phytonutrients that are so instrumental to the metabolic processes that make a happy, healthy, slender body.
Focus on a balanced diet and don’t eschew an entire food group. If you’re looking for macronutrient proportions a balance of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fats has proven effective for weight loss.
Sit less with long periods at a desk
We have a bit of a problem with the so-called “sedentary lifestyle” in the West, especially in the digital age. In an age where many of us spend most of our waking hours sitting, this can compromise our metabolism and impede proper digestion. Try and get up and moving for at least 5 minutes out of every hour.
Exercise: Get off the treadmill!
Finally, it’s time to break the cycle of boring, repetitive and time-consuming exercise routines that see you skip the gym week after week.
If your exercise routine leaves you feeling bored and unfulfilled, how can you expect to carry on with it? See an instructor at your gym to help you to develop a fun, varied regimen of activities that combines high-intensity cardiovascular exercise with anabolic exercises like weight lifting to build lean muscle mass and boost your metabolism. With the right help and advice that’s tailored to your unique needs, weight-loss frustration can become a thing of the past!
