Summer will be here before you know it, so that means getting creative about fitness. There are many ways to slim down before slipping into shorts and swimsuits, so check out these creative weight loss tips and begin today so you are ready when summer arrives.
Hydrate with water
Drinking water is an effective way to cut back on sugar in other drinks and makes you feel full without overeating. Add flavor to water with fresh-squeezed lemon or buy a water bottle with a fruit infuser to make naturally flavored water.
Eat more healthily
Simple steps can lead to weight loss, like adding more fiber to your diet, and cutting back on sugar while loading up on fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.
Don’t confuse healthy eating with skipping meals, because it pushes your body to conserve energy and to hang onto fat. That can upset your metabolism and cause weight gain.
Choose the right workout
Make a plan for working different body parts on different days. Alternate the type of workout and the muscles being used: cardio, upper body, lower body, core, yoga for balance, and take a rest day. Just be sure to warm up by stretching and moving around before taking exercise.
Start simply with dumbbell curls, pushups, lunges, squat jumps, leg raises, jogging, fitness video dance routines, and beginner yoga poses.
Exercise at home or with a buddy
For those who tend to skip gym workouts, remember that you can work out at home. It is easy to put off going to the gym because you have to fit it into your schedule and it can be out of your way. If you have a fitness routine for doing at home, you can exercise on your own schedule and at your own pace without feeling like you have to compete with others in the gym.
If you thrive on having a set place to go specifically for working out, then get a friend to be your workout buddy. You can motivate each other to show up to the gym, exercise in each other’s home, or go for regular jogs together.
Consider all options
If you have tried diet and exercise without success, there are other options to consider for weight loss. Surgical and non-surgical bariatric procedures help a number of people reach their weight loss goals. You can work with a specialist to determine which procedure is best for you.
One non-surgical option available is a capsule that releases a balloon in your stomach helping you to feel full thereby reducing your feeling of hunger and the need for more food. Another non-invasive procedure is one that freezes body fat. Non-surgical options are great, because you don’t have the downtime of surgery to deal with.
Surgical bariatric options include gastric bypass, banding, and sleeve gastrectomy. Gastric bypass decreases the volume of the stomach and the upper intestines, whereas gastric banding uses a silicone band to reduce food intake, while sleeve procedures remove part of the stomach to aid weight loss.
Each option is worth considering and you may find that a combination of measures works well for you. Whichever you choose, try to identify a realistic diet and exercise plan with which you can feel comfortable in your efforts to get in shape for the summer.
