This month we’re celebrating World Kindness Day on Oct. 12th, so let’s focus on how to lose weight with kindness! We’re surrounded by mean girls, office politics, and endless meetings. It’s easy for us to become disheartened and lose hope that we can change for the better. However, there are simple ways to lose weight without losing your mind.
One of the simplest ways to shed off some pounds is using the push-up. Yes, the ancient exercise that’s been around for centuries is still one of the best exercises for burning fat and gaining strength. If you’ve been meaning to try out the push-up and you haven’t yet, here are some tips on how to master this important workout.
Make Sure You’re Doing Them Correctly
Many of us have been there. We’ve seen a YouTube video or an Instagram post of someone doing a perfect push-up and we’ve decided to give it a try. Without realizing it, we’ve started with the wrong form. If you want to lose weight using the push-up, it’s vital that you start with the proper form. This will prevent injuries and help you perform the movement correctly. Start by standing with your feet together and taking a deep breath. As you exhale, reach your arms upright above your head, keeping your palms facing each other. Next, bend your elbows and bring your body toward the ground. Your arms and shoulders should form a straight line from your head to your knees. That’s the correct form for a push-up.
If you find that your form is off, even when you try your best, it could be injuring you in the long run. So, until you form it properly, get ready to abort the movement. Once you master the correct form of the push-up, you can proceed with your weight loss journey. You’ll be glad you did.
Find Your Limit
There are many different kinds of push-ups, and some of us have more coordination than others. If you’re looking to shed some pounds, you don’t need to be no Superman or Wonder Woman to be able to do them. Find the limit of how many push-ups you can do correctly and stick to it. If you find that you can do 20 push-ups without dropping your arms, great! You’ve found your limit. Anything above that, and you’re increasing the risk of injury. So, always remember to listen to your body and know when to stop.
As you get stronger, you can gradually add weight to the lift. Once you reach your limit, it’s time to back off. Going too heavy too soon will cause excessive wear and tear on your muscles, which could lead to injury. So, find your limit, and once you’ve reached it, you can start adding weight again, but only when you are fully prepared and know how to do the movement correctly. You don’t want to risk being strangled by your own pitter-patter all over the place.
Try New Things
We’ve all heard of the weight loss success stories of people who’ve dropped a lot of pounds just by changing their diet. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone will have the same experience. If you want to lose weight using the push-up, you should try new things and vary your workout routines. Sometimes the simplest thing can be the key to breaking through a weight loss plateau. So, don’t be afraid to try new things and vary your daily workout routine. Most importantly, if you don’t feel that the push-up is helping you reach your goal, it’s time to find a new way to lose weight.
If you’ve been meaning to try the push-up but haven’t found the time due to work or family commitments, make this month a special one. Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or parents’ day, treat yourself to a personalized YouTube playlist of all the great songs you missed out on in life. Invite your family and friends to join you in your quest for world kindness, and don’t be afraid to smile as you work out. You’ll be glad you did.