Experts Share their Best “How-To” Weight Loss Tips

They say it’s the little things that matter, and this is certainly the case when it comes to your weight loss programme. Sure, you need to look after your wellbeing with a healthy diet and exercise regimen, but on top of that you need a few little extras to get your body where you want it to be. So how do you do it? We’ve gathered a few wellness experts together to discuss their top “How-To” weight loss tips.

 

1. How to Satisfy Late-Night Sugar Cravings: Jackie Newgent, RD, author of The Big Green Cookbook, recommends, ‘To satisfy your sweet tooth without pushing yourself over the calorie edge, even in the late night hours, think “fruit first.” Wellness writer Leslie Barrie adds, ‘Enjoy a sliced apple with a tablespoon of nut butter (like peanut or almond) or fresh fig halves spread with ricotta. Then sleep sweet, knowing you’re still on the right, healthy track.’

 

2. How to Find the Perfect Workout Buddy: According to Barrie, ‘A workout buddy is hugely helpful for keeping motivated, but it’s important to find someone who will inspire—not discourage. So make a list of all your exercise-loving friends, then see who fits this criteria…Can your pal meet to exercise on a regular basis? Is she supportive (not disparaging) of your goals? And last, will your bud be able to keep up with you or even push your limits in key workouts? If you’ve got someone that fits all three, make that phone call.’

 

3. How to Stock Up Your Cupboard: ‘While there are heaps of good-for-you foods out there, some key ingredients make it a lot easier to meet your weight-loss goals,’ says Barrie. ‘Next grocery store run, be sure to place [these] top three diet-friendly items in your cart: balsamic vinegar (it adds a pop of low-cal flavor to veggies and salads), in-shell nuts (their protein and fiber keep you satiated), and fat-free plain yogurt (a creamy, comforting source of protein).’

 

4. How to Relieve Your Aching Muscles: After a gruelling workout, submerge your lower body in a cold bath for 10 to 15 minutes (you may have to throw some ice cubes in to get it to the 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit you’re after). ‘Many top athletes use this trick to help reduce soreness after training sessions,’ says ASICS running coach Andrew Kastor. ‘An athlete training for an important race should consider getting one to two massages per month to help aid in training recovery.’

 

5. How to Tell You’re Wearing the Right Trainers: ‘Your shoes should feel comfortable from the first step,’ Kastor asserts. To achieve this feeling, Barrie advises, ‘Shop in the evening—your feet swell during the day and stop in the late afternoon, so you want to shop when they’re at their biggest. Also make sure the sneaks are a little roomy—enough so that you can wiggle your toes, but no more than that.’

 

6. How to Pick the Right Workout Playlist:Barrie points out, ‘Running with music is a great way to get in a groove (just make sure it’s not blasting too loudly, or you won’t hear those cars!). To pick the ultimate iPod playlist, think about what gets you going.’ Kastor details, ‘I know several elite athletes that listen to what we’d consider “relaxing” music, such as symphony music, while they do a hard workout.’

 

7. How to Weigh Yourself: Newgent explains, ‘It’s best to step on the scale in the morning before eating or drinking—and prior to plunging into your daily activities.’ Barrie adds, ‘For the most reliable number, be sure to check your poundage at a consistent time, whether daily or weekly.’

Categories: barrie, barrie adds, late night, loss, loss tips, nbsp, playlist, trainers, Weight Loss, Workout, workout buddy, Workout Partner

How Effective are Workouts with a Buddy?

We all know the importance of regular physical activity, but sometimes our motivation can get the better of us. From boredom to a lack of variety in your workout, there are many reasons why people give up on exercising early on. These reasons can make sticking to a regular regime tricky, but there is a great solution – workout with a buddy! There are many benefits to workouts with a friend, from motivation to burning more calories. For starters, you see faster progression as you’re working out more regularly, as well as an increased experimentation and knowledge about your fitness. It’s also more fun and you’ll build friendships in the process. Many people struggle to keep up with a fitness regime and it can be hard to fit exercise into a busy schedule. Doing it with someone else helps you feel responsible for your workouts as you have someone else relying on you to attend. Working out with someone helps you see results more quickly, because you’re exercising with someone who will push you to work that little bit harder.

 

Workout buddies help and encourage each other to try out new regimes and forms of exercise, and the collective knowledge you both have about exercise can be utilised to create an even more effective workout. Trying new things means you’re increasing your chance of achieving results and meeting your targets, helping to work different areas of your body. The friendships you’ll build in exercising with someone will be great as well. The biggest benefit of a workout buddy though is that it makes exercise more fun. If you’re planning on working out for a long time with someone, then it makes sense to formulate a plan that suits you both and works to your strengths. These include your goals, fitness level, exercise commitment and the time you can devote to it, your age and even your gender. If you have similar levels of fitness to your workout buddy, this will work out for the best in the long run. Likewise, enjoying the same types of exercise certainly helps – no-one wants to spend week after week taking part in exercises that they can’t stand. In order for workout buddies to be compatible, they need to be committed to the exercise programme in equal footing.

So how do you find a workout buddy? If you don’t fancy working out with a friend or family member, you may be able to find someone at your local fitness centre who may be interested in working out with you. People attending fitness classes of the gym are naturally going to be interested in improving their fitness, and as such may be interested in working together with you to format an effective workout strategy. But you may also find that your workout partner is right under your nose – how about asking around at work to see if anyone in your team fancies partnering up to workout with you? It doesn’t need to be a person, either. If you have a dog, why not play fetch or going for a jog with the dog of an evening? You can be as creative as your want with your workout, and exercising with someone else means you have twice the energy and ideas for creating fantastic regimes that really work. If you usually struggle to maintain regular exercise or simply find that you get too bored when exercising solo, this can be a brilliant way to combat the problem.

Categories: effective workout, exercise, exercising, fitness, ll build, Weight Loss, working, Workout, workout buddies, workout buddy