No fad diets, no gimmicky pills. Want help losing some kilo’s? Follow these quick and simple tips to get the ball rolling.
Well, summer is right around the corner and things are starting to heat up. But again, like every year, you've left getting back into shape until it is too late, and you're coming to the realisation that you're carrying a few too many extra kilos than you'd prefer, and your confidence with your shirt off down at the beach, is quickly dwindling.
Don't fear. While I don't advocate for any fad 'quick fixes', there are some things you can start today, to help you drop a lot of water weight quickly, and also help you drop any excess fat in the coming weeks. These tips are focused around the diet and nutrition aspects of fat shedding, but remember, don't neglect working out, and working out hard.
Here are six sure fire tips to shed those unwanted kilos.
1. Drink more water
Drinking more water can help you lose weight: FACT. However, in saying that, water consumption doesn't directly help you burn fat, rather it affects things such as your appetite and physiological system indirectly.
If you drink 250 mL of tap water (not cold water) with a couple of dashes of lemon juice, a half hour before a meal, you will not only feel the appetite suppressing affects from the water filling up your stomach, but your digestion is also going to be improved for that meal, just by drinking that one glass of lemon infused water.
During the day however, if you can drink your water ice cold, which keeps you fuller for longer. The cold effect will also provide a temporary boost to your metabolism and its burning capacity.
"A lot of people confuse thirst for hunger so they'll tend to eat rather than drink water. If you're craving a midday snack and want to make sure your pangs are caused by hunger, not hydration, have a glass of water first. Then see if you're still hungry 30 minutes later" - Keri Peterson, M.D., Lenox Hill Hospital physician, New York City.
So as a general rule of thumb, drink at least two litres of water a day. I currently drink five to six litres, so don't be afraid to go higher than two. You'll feel fuller, be less likely to snack if you're constantly sipping from a water bottler (keep one on you as much as possible, all day), and won't confuse hunger with thirst.
2. Brush those teeth
Do you find that the hardest time to stick to any eating regime and to resist snacking, is late at night? It's the worst time to snack as your body won't be burning off the consumed extra calories whilst you're asleep, but there's a simple trick to help you win the war against snacking. Brush your teeth.
The taste of residual fried chicken or pizza between your teeth at 10pm is a recipe for disaster. Your stomach is no longer full from dinner, and the taste of it in your mouth is enticing you to have one more leftover piece or to drown it out with some sweet ice cream nectar. Knock this problem on the head by having a clean, fresh tasting mouth after every meal, particularly dinner. You'll be less likely to even feel the urge to snack, and if you do, you'll be far less likely to follow through as you'll be spoiling that 'clean fresh feeling' brushing gives us.
And you'll have some fine, minty fresh breath.
3. Fasting
Fasting is making a resurgence and the benefits that are coming through as more and more studies are being completed, are incredible. We're not only talking fat loss, but also an improvement in insulin sensitivity, an increase in lifespan, significant improvement in brain function, an increase in release of growth hormone and is shown (though research is limited) to help prevent cancer in animal studies.
A quick overview of the top three methods for fasting.
> Method #1: Leangains
Concept // Women fast for 14 hours and men fast for 16 hours each day. You will have a feeding window of eight to 10 hours.
> Method #2: 5:2
Concept // Eat normally for five days a week, and restricting calories to <500 for women and <600 for men, for two out of the seven days of the week.
> Method #3: Eat - Stop - Eat
Concept // Fast for 24 straight hours, once or twice per week.
(EDITORS NOTE: Please see a medical professional prior to undertaking any fasting)
4. The power of protein
Q: "How many grams of protein should I consume per day?" A: "All of them".
Protein supplement shakes are everywhere, and generally they're a good idea unless you eat your weight in beef and chicken each day. If you're doing resistance exercises (which we all should be doing regularly), chances are you could benefit from a protein supplement.
In terms of fat loss, it's simple. A low calorie protein shake can be taken between meals to keep you full and stave off snacking. It can be taken prior to lunch or dinner to minimise hunger and bingeing during the subsequent meal time. It can be taken post workout to aid in maximum muscle recovery, and indirectly assist in keeping your metabolism firing.
5. Get Spicy
Studies have revealed that a spicy meal can temporarily raise your metabolism by a factor of about 8%. It may seem small, but it's something and will pay dividends in the long term. Other thoughts are that spicy foods reduce hunger and thus you consume less food in that meal. One study revealed that adult men who consumed appetisers with hot sauce, consumed 200 fewer calories at later meals than the control group. So don't be afraid to add things like black or cayenne pepper, hot mustard, wasabi, chilli, capsicum or horseradish to your meals.
6. There's an App for that // Track it
If you want to succeed at anything, tracking your progress and holding yourself accountable is a great first step. The same goes for fat loss. Keeping a food diary, for example, will deter overeating and snacking and improves your chances at weight loss.
When I started to use My Fitness Pal, I found that I was talking myself out of late night snacks simply because I didn't want to input those extra calories into my diary and see my calorie target get blown out of the water. Also, with a new FitBit, I was running out of the office and doing quick five minute jogs or stair climbs to get my steps up to reach my daily goal. It works.
Record what you eat, and you'll eat less. Period. Record your exercise, and you'll exercise more. Another period for effect. It is gratifying, and it makes reaching your eating and physical goals a game we can all play.