FeaturedA New Year, a New You! 4 Ways to Shift That Extra Weight

2020 was a challenging year for most people. Many of us have been quarantined in our homes due to the Covid 19 pandemic and have found it difficult to stick to a healthy diet and exercise regime. Subsequently, the pounds have piled on, and some of us find that we need to tackle the weight gain before it has a detrimental impact on our health and fitness. Here are some ways to help shift that excess weight.

You Are What You Eat

The best way to kickstart your weight loss journey is to look at your diet. Do you eat too much? Do you eat too much of the wrong type of foods, such as those high in sugar and fat? Do you snack throughout the day and eat late at night? If you do some or all of these things, it is time to overhaul your diet.

There are many fad diets out there, such as the Keto diet, the Paleo diet, and Intermittent Fasting. Some of these are followed by people who have seen famous celebrities endorse them and lose lots of weight on them, or others just want a quick fix. Perhaps these diets do work for some people, but there is no diet healthier than a well-balanced diet that is full of the essential nutrients the body needs to keep working at optimum levels.

A balanced diet consists of a large portion of fruit and vegetables each day, plenty of whole-grain cereals, some dairy, and lean meat. If you want to follow a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, ensure you include adequate protein in your daily diet. Legumes such as soybeans are an excellent source of protein and are incredibly versatile.

Hospital Help

If you find you have excessive amounts of weight to lose, and your BMI reading is classed as obese or morbidly obese, you may find it helpful to visit a doctor at a quality healthcare center such as a branch of Integris specializing in weight loss. You will probably be advised that bariatric surgery should only be considered if you have tried other weight loss methods and failed. Some surgical procedures to tackle obesity are major operations and carry serious risks.

Several bariatric procedures aid weight loss, such as gastric banding, gastric bypass surgery, sleeve gastrectomy, and gastric balloon placement.

Gastric banding involves putting an adjustable band around the top part of the stomach to limit the amount of food a person can consume. A gastric bypass is where surgical staples are used to create a small pouch at the top of the stomach. The pouch is then connected to the small intestine, bypassing the rest of the stomach.

A sleeve gastrectomy is where a large part of the stomach is removed, so it’s much smaller than it was before. A gastric balloon is not a permanent weight loss solution and involves a soft balloon being placed in the stomach and filled with air or water. The balloon enters the stomach via a tube passed down the throat or is swallowed in pill form. Having the balloon in your stomach will make you feel full and less likely to overeat. Weight loss specialists can advise you on surgical options available to you and which would be the best solution for you.

Pop a Pill

There are many supplements and medications available to aid weight loss – some are approved by the FDA, and some are not. You can check out these appetite suppressant supplements online to expand your knowledge of these supplements to aid you in your weight loss journey.

People will do anything to lose weight quickly, and many believe that supplements such as apple cider vinegar, raspberry ketones, green coffee bean extract, and turmeric will help their quest. Whether these supplements work or not is a matter of opinion. Many dietary supplements contain high quantities of caffeine and other substances that can increase heart rate, so they should be used cautiously.

Some medically approved tablets are available over the counter or from your doctor. These medications include orlistat, topiramate, liraglutide, lorcaserin hydrochloride, and naltrexone hydrochloride.

Get Moving

In addition to helping you lose weight, exercise has been linked to many other health benefits, including improved mood, stronger bones, increased muscle tone and strength, and reduced risk of contracting many chronic illnesses

To lose weight, your body needs to burn off more calories than it consumes. If you are not used to a lot of physical activity, start by walking briskly around your local area. Gradually build up your speed and longevity each week. Health experts recommend that we should aim to take 10,000 steps per day to keep in tip-top health. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise you can do because it is free, you don’t require any expensive equipment to do it, and it is low impact, meaning that it doesn’t put stress on your joints.

Once your fitness increases or you want to do something a bit more challenging or intense, think about joining a gym or a fitness class. Such types of indoor exercise are great as they are not weather-dependent and can also be a great way of meeting new people. Fitness classes such as dance ones can be very enjoyable, and it is imperative that you find an activity that hour like so you are more likely to stick to it.

If you have a large amount of excess weight, it is wise to do some toning exercise or weight training to tighten your muscles and skin and minimize the risk of having layers of loose skin. Weight training can help build strength and promote muscle growth, which can raise your resting metabolic rate or how many calories your body burns at rest. Numerous studies have found that your body continues to burn calories many hours after a weight-training workout.

Another fun exercise is swimming. Swimming can be enjoyed at any age and physical ability. It is a low-impact exercise and an effective way to burn fat, improve flexibility, and reduce your chances of developing cardiac diseases such as heart disease and high cholesterol.

This post has been sponsored by Roundshark Ltd