Let's face it - the non-stop feasting from Christmas Day to Chinese New Year might have left us feeling contended but your body is telling you,
"No. We need to get back in shape."
Reality hits. It took me just 3 days to get 2.5 pounds heavier, but I will probably require 3 weeks to lose this amount of weight (with good discipline).
While everyone has different goals and needs for their training and nutrition plans, here are 5 expert tips from us to get your health and body back in shape.
The problem comes when we become obsessed with the outcomes we want and forget about the process that will get us there.
For example, you may want to lose 3 pounds in a month, but these are end goals which you may not be able to control.
On the contrary, a process is entirely under your control. With an ultimate goal of getting back in shape, you might make a process goal of going to the gym 4 times a week, or starting a habit of taking the stairs every day. This lays out a concrete action plan whereby you are totally in charge of the execution.
Focusing on process over outcome is important to reduce the frustration that comes from inconsistent results, which often vary from person to person and month to month.
How often do you hear people saying,
"I feel fat. I will start jogging to lose weight."
Indeed, jogging/running is one of the easiest sports to start with, considering the low equipment and access costs.
However, studies repeatedly show that more fat loss is achieved in high-intensity, anaerobic exercises that use 20 to 25 minutes of training time, than those that use 45 or 50 minutes of aerobic ("cardio") training time.
During an aerobic exercise, oxygen is your main energy source. On the other hand, an anaerobic exercise involves faster and more explosive movements that utilize your immediate energy reserves. Therefore, anaerobic exercises tend to burn more calories from carbohydrates relative to fat, while aerobic exercises do the opposite.
Examples of aerobic exercises include running and cycling, where you are moving your body, breathing faster, and increasing your blood flow. It is a level of activity that you can maintain for an extended period of time.
Examples of anaerobic exercises include sprinting and weightlifting, where the short and intense level of activity will have you working to the max. Thus, such activities cannot be sustained for long.
Go for anaerobic exercises if you want to lose weight faster.
While watching television is not inherently hazardous, TV viewing time is associated with weight gain, an increased risk for weight-related disease and a shorter life.
Researchers note that watching TV frees up our hands to grab at snacks, which are often promoted during commercials.
In addition, a research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who eat while watching TV often miss satiety signals and consume 10 percent more in one sitting than they would otherwise.
Life is meant to be lived, not watched. Watch less TV and get back in shape.
Similar to the previous point, it is stunning how often we eat out of boredom, habit, nervousness, or frustration.
If you are hankering for a specific food, it is probably a craving and not hunger. If you would eat anything you could get your hands on, chances are you are truly hungry.
Find ways other than eating to relieve boredom and tame stress.
Most people do not like to eat after they brush their teeth since sodium lauryl sulfate, a compound used in toothpaste, has the added effect of suppressing your tongue’s sweet receptors and making its bitter receptors more sensitive.
Some people also like to use mints or breath strips to achieve a similar effect.
I hope this post will help you get rid of the post-CNY bulge. Need more help?
This post has been written by Goh Yun Jie.
