18 Ways to Shed Extra Pounds Quicker

Since the pandemic, a lot of my clients have gained weight. The isolation has made people eating more than usual and moving less. With increased weight and less movement many experience greater stiffness and more in pain. Even if you are spending more time at home, you can still be careful about what you eat and add more exercise throughout your day. Read more on my recent blog here: 10 Ways to add Simple Exercises Throughout Your Day

There are tricks for you to try if you want to shed extra pounds. Here are some:

• Change your mindset. Instead of saying that you want to lose weight, use another term such as shed, get thinner, slim down, reduce my waist line, get a narrow waist, etc. When you lose your keys, you want to find them back. I’m pretty sure your don’t want to find your lost pounds back!
• Use a food diary or an online food tracker to visualize what you eat every day. Use the PDF here. I’m not asking to count your calories. When we see what we eat, we pay more attention. When you complete the food diary, I also ask you: “why did you eat?” Because I want you to be aware. Was it because of:
  • boredom
  • hunger
  • habit
  • the food was too tasty and yummy
  • I like eating a lot

• Add instead of removing. Add more vegetables at every meal instead of removing anything from your diet for now. Eventually, try to reduce the bad food choices, for example the late evening potato chips with television or the glass of wine at every meal.

• Eat healthy: whole foods, avoid packaged and junk foods. Instead choose lean meats, healthy fats, whole grains (brown rice, quinoa), and plenty of vegetables. Go for a plant-based diet. Get recipes here.

• Eat protein for breakfast. Protein will help you to stay full for a longer period of time. Choose from eggs, oatmeal, quinoa, chia seeds, fish, smoked salmon (with no added sugar), porridge, nuts, and seed butters.
• Plan your exercise days in advance. Use a calendar or my PDF calendar to set your exercise program. Set the day and time for your, walk, yoga, weight training, etc. If it is planned in advance, you have a greater chance of completing it and repeating it.

• To burn calories faster, do interval training:
  • When you go for a walk, do intervals: walk quick for 30 seconds and slower for 10 to 20 seconds. Do it 10 times.
  • If you are running, swimming, using a treadmill or an elliptical, go quickly for 30 seconds and then slower for 10 to 20 seconds. Do it 10 times.
• Lift weights. As we get older, we lose muscle mass. Muscles are responsible to burn fat. So, protect your bones and lift weights to rebuild your muscular mass back.

• Drink more water. Read one of my blogs here: 10 Tips To Drink More Water And Lose Weight
• Get your gut in shape. Having a healthy gut will help you to shed. Read one of my article here: 3 Tips to Lose Weight by Having Healthy Gut
• Go Fish and Lose Weight! If you’re not eating much seafood, you could be missing out on some serious weight-loss benefits. In fact, 4 grams of concentrated fish oil daily may increase muscle mass while reducing body fat.  Find my article here: Go Fish and Lose Weight!
• Eliminate refined sugar and carbs from your diet. It is still possible to sweeten your foods and drinks with maple syrup, honey, and stevia instead of using white refined sugar. Refined carbs from pasta, white bread and white rice increase the insulin level in the blood stream and fat gets stored in tissues. Indeed, the more you eat or drink sugar, the more you crave for it. Read my article about cravings: Do You Have Cravings? Your Body is Trying To Tell You Something. Regarding better choices for carbs, choose from brown rice, rolled oats, whole grains bread and pasta and fruit/vegetables.

• Sleep better. I have written several posts about how sleep in important for our health and shedding extra pounds. You can find them here: Release Extra Weight and Sleep Better
• Eat slowly and cut back on portions. Use baguettes and small plates/bowls; the bigger the plate is, the more we want to fill it up. Read more here: Lose weight by eating slowly
• Set goals. By setting up short- and long-term goals you have a greater chance of success with your new eating and exercise habits. Download the PDF here. Read more here: 10 Rules to Lose Weight and Stick With It
• Plan your meals and grocery list in advance. Create a list of meals that you like for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Prepare 7 meal plans and buy only what you need to avoid wasting food. Get the downloadable Meal Planner and Grocery List here.

• Keep the stress down. Manage your stress by exercising or practicing meditation and yoga. Do it with me here.
• Read food labels and stay away from additives/preservatives. Get the list here: 12 Food Additives to Stay Away From
• Grab healthy snacks instead of junk food. Prepare a smoothies with whey or vegetarian protein filled with vegetables and 1/2 cups of blueberries. In your lunch bag, bring granola bars, nuts, veges and hummus, etc. Get some ideas here: Healthy and quick snack ideas to bring to work
• Try intermittent fasting. I do it mostly on weekends when I have more time. Drink a big glass of water first thing in the morning. Eat later. Fast for 16 hours and eat on the 8 hours window.

Remember that there is no quick ways to lose weight. It is a choice to eat a healthy and balanced diet for the rest of our lives. Cheated is permitted only if you can go back easily to your good habits. Exercise daily is also a must to feel better, energized and less stiffer.

Days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. You can do your exercise right from home using my video packages or dress adequately to exercise outside.

Read more:
How To Lose Weight Fast by Sport Fitness Advisor