4 Things You Can Do to Kick-Start Your Weight Loss Process

We usually start talking about losing weight as the summer approaches. But getting yourself into shape isn’t something that should be tied to a specific time of the year. It’s not just about becoming fit for the summer and then repeating the process next year.

Shedding those extra pounds is beneficial for your entire body – inside and out. More importantly, you need to do everything you can to ensure that those pounds you’ve lost don’t come back to haunt you. In this article, I’ve highlighted four things you can do in order to start losing weight today.

  1. Start Eating Healthy Foods

In order to successfully lose weight, the first thing you need to do is to change your eating habits. You shouldn’t rush into it, but rather take things slowly. Identify what’s wrong about your current diet, develop a good strategy, and stick to it for a few days. Eliminating pastries or sweets from your menu will be very difficult at first, but after a while you’ll forget why you liked them so much in the first place.

In order for your exercise regimen to show optimum results, it’s important to adjust your dietary habits. You see, it’s not that hard to go on a quick diet and lose some extra weight in a matter of weeks. But the difficult part is maintaining the weight and good eating habits will help you with that.

  1. Take a Hike

If you’ve never exercised before but want to have a go at it, you need to ease yourself into the process. You can start by taking regular walks around the neighbourhood early in the morning and a good hike in the nature on weekends. You can even plan a hiking trip for your holidays and invite some friends to come over. We tend to forget how beneficial a simple 30-minute walk can be for our bodies.

First, you’re breathing fresh air and if it’s warm, the rays of sun replenish your body’s supplies of the essential vitamin D. You’re also strengthening your legs and your hips, and because you’re using your entire body, it also helps increase your bone density. Regular walks also help stabilize your blood sugar levels and your blood pressure. They improve blood circulation, thus helping prevent coronary diseases.

  1. Sign Up for a Gym Membership

When you’re ready to start with a more intense workout program, it’s time to enroll in your local gym. The best thing about going to a gym is that you get to consult with trainers who will help you develop your own exercise routine. It’s this individual approach that will help you reach your weight goals: every exercise is tailor-made to suit your body type, your weight, your strength, and your endurance.

The social component of exercising in a gym shouldn’t be discounted, either. We are social beings and like to share our experiences with others. In a gym, you’re all in it together: you’re sharing the ups and downs, you’re sweating together, you’re crying together. You’re motivating others and they’re motivating you. You’re not just learning from the professional trainers, but also from each other.

  1. Set Up a Home Gym

If for any reason you cannot go to the gym, you can set up one in your own home. You will need some gym equipment to get started, but most of it is fairly inexpensive if you’re planning on using it regularly. In fact, with prolonged use and dedication, investing in home gym equipment may prove less expensive in the long run than paying for a gym membership.

You don’t even have to purchase equipment to start exercising. With a good set of suspension straps, you can turn every space – even your backyard – into an improvised home gym. These are very durable and portable to boot. You can install a pull-up bar in your room and use them there, or you can go outside and tie them to a strong tree branch. Wherever you go, your personal gym follows you.

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