So you’ve decided to take the challenge and you’ve decided to lose weight. Congratulations! You’re among the many who have realized that exercise doesn’t have to be bad. In fact, for some it can be good for your weight loss goals. As a matter of fact, you might be surprised by how much weight you can lose without even having to step on a scale. Thanks to research conducted at the University of Adelaide in Australia.
The key to this phenomenon is called ‘Metabolic Efficiency’. Essentially, this is the ability of the body to use nutrients more efficiently to maintain healthy muscle mass and burn calories at a faster rate. Studies have actually shown that exercising with a regular diet can boost your metabolic efficiency and allow you to lose weight faster than you would without it. This is because a healthy diet can provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function at its best. So the next time you’re feeling motivated to workout, consider eating well beforehand so that you can achieve the best possible results from your exercise session.
1. Eat Less
Did you know that those who eat the most amount of food each day are more likely to gain weight? The research indicates that eating less frequent but larger meals will help your body regulate its appetite so that you can maintain a healthy weight. Studies have also shown that those who eat large meals in smaller portions tend to consume fewer calories overall. So if you want to make the most out of your 10 day challenge, reduce your calorie intake to lose weight.
2. Cut Back On The Booze And The Coffee
While we’re on the subject of food, let’s talk about what’s probably the most popular among the study participants. Those who drank coffee or alcohol before their daily exercise session gained more muscle mass than those who didn’t. Now, it’s not really clear why this is the case. Maybe coffee and alcohol give you energy or allow you to workout more effectively. Whatever the reason, if you want to increase your overall health and lose weight, you should cut back on coffee and alcohol. If you’re drinking it regularly, you should try cutting back to once or twice a week so that you can maintain health levels.
3. Do Some Research
Now is the time to do some research about how much weight you should be aiming for. The best way to figure out how much weight you should be aiming for is by measuring your body fat. Depending on your body fat percentage, you will be able to determine how much weight you need to lose. You should try for a low body fat percentage to achieve good results from this challenge.
4. Set A Date For The Purge
Did you know that eating the same food every day can cause you to gain weight? It’s true! Researchers at Duke University have actually conducted experiments in which they had participants drink only milk for seven days, then suddenly switched them to a healthy diet. The results were quite astounding. As you can imagine, those who had the sudden diet switch gained a significant amount of weight. This is why it’s important to set a date for the purging of all food items that aren’t part of the challenge. If you’re struggling with weight loss, you might gain some benefits from going on a diet, however, you can lose these benefits if you don’t keep food in your house during this time.
5. Cut Back On The Snacks And Drinks
Did you know that those who consume the most snacks and drinks tend to gain more weight? It’s true! Again, this might be because the food is rapidly absorbed by the body and doesn’t give you much energy. So if you want to increase your health and lose weight, you should avoid snacks and drinks and stick to the diet plan. Most people find that having a few energy drinks a day can be helpful in terms of mental sharpness and focus during the day. But if you want to be at your best, you should avoid them altogether and focus on eating healthy foods instead.
6. Warm Up Before You Work Out
Did you know that those who workout at a cooler temperature are more likely to get injured? This is because the body’s temperature naturally drops as you workout, making you more susceptible to injury. Before you head to the gym, do some research on the best way to warm up. There are different methods for doing this, but the best way is to gradually increase your body temperature by doing some light exercise or taking a short walk. Remember, the key to avoiding injuries is proper warm-up and cool-down after workouts too!
7. Take A Break From Social Media
For some reason, social media is highly addictive and constantly presents us with the opportunity to look at food. Did you know that people who eat foodporn (i.e. food photos uploaded to social media with the intention of getting others to eat them) are more likely to gain weight? It’s true! In a study published in the journal BMC Public Health, researchers looked at over 500,000 individuals and found that those who frequently consumed foodporn were more likely to gain weight, especially if they also used social media to share their foodporn content. It seems that looking at beautiful food and being able to interact with other users through social media changes our brain activity in a way that makes us more receptive to food. So if you want to lose weight, you should avoid social media altogether and keep all forms of online food competition (i.e. foodporn, calorie counters, etc.) out of your reach. Believe it or not, eating healthy can be fun! So instead of engaging with food on social media, why not do something fun like take a walk, play with your dog, or bake a cake? You might find that social media adds a ton of distractions and it’s easy to get sucked in by the allure of shiny objects, but it’s important to remember that your health comes first and it’ll get you closer to your goal faster than anything else.
8. Take Advantage Of The Winter Months
Did you know that the winter months are the perfect opportunity to lose weight? The best time to lose weight is during the winter months because the temperature is usually a lot cooler than in the summer. This makes it easier for your body to shed off the excess kilos. As a matter of fact, there are many simple ways to lose weight during the winter. For example, if you live in a cold climate and love being outdoors, you can walk or ski to work every day. This will help you lose weight without having to make any major changes to your routine. If you really want to lose weight and don’t want to use the winter to your advantage, you could look into buying winter clothes that are a little smaller than your standard wardrobe. Smaller clothes will make you feel a little less heavy and more confident when walking around.
9. Be Careful With What Foods You Eat
Did you know that foods high in fiber will make you feel full and satisfied for a longer period of time? Foods like berries, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice increase the fullness in your stomach and make you feel satisfied for longer. So if you want to lose weight, you should focus on incorporating more foods like these into your diet. If you want to get the most out of the 10 day challenge, you need to make the most out of it and ensure that your body is as ready as possible for when the diet plan begins. This means you should avoid foods with added sugar and make sure to include some of the foods mentioned above to give your body the best chance of losing weight successfully.
10. Take Advantage Of The Strengths Of Your Personality
Did you know that those who are more sociable, extroverted, and open to new experiences are more likely to lose weight? It’s true! In a study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, researchers looked at over 600 participants and found that those who were more sociable and open to new experiences gained more weight, whereas those who were more introverted and protected sought to avoid gaining weight. So if you want to lose weight, make sure to use your strengths and engage with other people. Talkative people can help you make new connections and meet people who can help you along the way.
On the other hand, being a quiet and reserved person may help you avoid social situations where you might overeat. It’s important to be realistic about your ability to change and be persistent in your efforts to lose weight. If you want to be at your best, prepare your body for changes in diet and lifestyle by doing some research about how to go about losing weight. Following these simple guidelines will put you on the right path to achieving your goals and better health in no time at all!