Healthy Habits to Lose Weight

Everybody, today, seems to be conscious about their weight. Not that it is bad, however, it is good if the weight loss refers to loss of body weight with an aim to improve fitness and health. Losing weight to ape certain stereotypes is not advisable, and definitely not healthy. In some cases, weight loss is achieved with extreme dietary restrictions and vigorous exercising.

Though diet and exercise are vital to lose weight, the core of losing weight lies in adopting healthy habits and making a significant change in one's lifestyle. In that regard, given below are a few healthy habits you can adopt, to lose weight. These habits are simple and easy to incorporate in your day-to-day life. Healthy habits to lose weight will only make your task of losing weight easier than before.

• When it comes to weight loss, most people treat food as their enemy by not eating enough, or starving themselves. These activities will not aid weight loss, but simply make you weak.

The point is, instead of binging on everything and anything around you, eat consciously. Chalk out a strategy for your meals. Restrict the portion size you eat.

A good way to determine portion size is to compare it with hand size. A healthy serving should not be more than the size of your palm. Resort to healthy snacks at those times of the day when you feel hungry. Remember not to starve and not to skip meals in any case. These habits will only weaken the digestive system.

• This probably comes as an obvious advice to most of us, but do we really follow it? Now, there are several reasons why drinking (at least 2 liters) of water is recommended.

Water cleanses your body and regulates your metabolism, which helps you to get rid of accumulated fat around the midsection. Moreover, drinking plenty of water helps you to feel satiated throughout the day and suppresses the urge of snacking.

• This may sound funny, but it definitely has some logic to it. When you drink plenty of water, you feel the urge to pee, for which you have to walk to the washroom. This activity helps you break the monotony at work and at the same time, results in some physical activity. It may not be intense but it definitely adds up to the total calories burned.

• Consumption of excess alcohol is one of the major reasons for accumulated belly fat. This does not mean you completely stop its intake, but make sure you limit the quantity. Smoking too can reduce your appetite and wreck your digestive system. These unhealthy habits can sabotage your weight loss, so be careful.

• Make it a habit to chew your food slowly. Chew every morsel 32 times before you swallow it. This habit not only helps in proper digestion, but you also end up eating less. Look for all the unhealthy eating habits you indulge in during the day and make an effort to eliminate them.

Like, for example, binging on desserts after dinner, snacking while watching television, having donuts and thick chocolate shakes while you drive to office every morning, and so on.

• If your job requires you to sit at your desk all day, restricting physical activity, then you can do little things at your workplace which will promote physical activity. Take the staircase instead of taking the elevator.

•  During breaks, try pursuing some active game, which not only will help reduce stress levels at work but will also leave you feeling energized.
• With the fast-paced life we live, it becomes difficult to for us to find time to exercise regularly.

However, it is important to squeeze out a little time of your hectic schedule, which should be dedicated to exercising. It no doubt aids weight loss; but exercising should be viewed as a way of life, instead of compulsion. Exercising regularly is a healthy habit, which keeps one fit and feeling energized throughout the day.

• Another simple exercise you can practice, is to go shopping with a full tummy. One may not realize it, but shopping amounts to miles of walking. On an average, a woman is bound to spend around 3-4 hours shopping per week, which results in walking for more than 20 miles per week and burning about 150 calories per trip.

• When you are in a bumper-to-bumper situation, don't crib, instead, make use of that time, by performing a few exercises, which involve simple movements. A torso twist allows you to relax your tense muscles.

Point and flex your toes to stretch your calf muscles. You can also perform neck rotations, to enhance the mobility of your neck and in the process, burn some calories.

• You can also perform simple exercises like squats, push-ups and crunches while watching TV. Synchronize your exercises with the commercials, which will allow you to enjoy your favorite show and at the same time help you burn calories.

You cannot come up with an excuse to not incorporate the above-mentioned healthy activities in your daily life, as they are simple and can easily become a habit, when you practice them daily.

Remember, the most important habit, besides all those mentioned above, is to keep yourself motivated. You will be amazed to see how these small alterations in your life bring about a noticeable and welcoming change.