5 Healthy Habits to implement TODAY to help you lose weight NOW!
Spring is here which means it is almost bikini season! If you’ve been hibernating all winter you may be in slight panic mode now that it is time to shed those clothes and bear it all.
It’s easy to pack away a few extra pounds during the long dreary winter months. Here are five easy and effective habits you can implement ASAP to help you lose weight now, look your best and lean out.
1. Drink 2.5 - 3 liters of water a day
It is proven over and over again that the more we stay hydrated the less likely we will feel the need to nosh or snack. Studies show that even slight dehydration can lead us to overeat by 300 calories! A good sign you are adequately hydrated is how often you use the bathroom and what your urine looks like when you go. The clearer, the better! If you notice any kind of darker color or a haze, you are dehydrated and need to drink up! Staying hydrated throughout the day will also help with fighting fatigue which may also lead to sugary quick fixes as snacks especially in the afternoon post lunch.
2. Get 6 - 8 hours of sleep a night
Turn off your phone at 9 PM. Create a nighttime ritual for yourself. Whatever you need to do to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of sleep will not only help with your energy levels throughout the day but also allow you to crush your workouts in the gym thus helping you see those gains faster. Sleep is the key in allowing our bodies to recover and rebuild. Not only do we need it to fight off the need to snack on unwanted calories but it’s also important to help us get those lean and toned summer bodies we are going for.
3. Cut out the booze!
At least for now. Especially if you want to enjoy yourself at those summer barbecues in mid July when you’ll be sitting poolside and drinking martinis or coronas in a swimsuit. Sometimes, we have to sacrifice now for what we want later. Alcohol not only adds unwanted calories into our diet, but it also hinders our choices up until the next day. Which means you will be slow mentally, physically you’ll feel sluggish, bloated and just- UGH. When we feel like this we are more likely to grab that slice of pizza (or two) at lunch rather than getting that salad with wild salmon, because well, when we are even the slightest bit hungover, carbs = comfort. Sacrifice now for those beach bodies later!
4. Cook at home
If you are someone who eats out 5x a week, now is the time to cut it back to 2-3. Make a goal based on how often you dine out and try to at least cut it in half. I guarantee you that you will look and FEEL a difference within 2 weeks. The more you know what exactly is in your food, the better because you automatically will be eating more “healthy” by eating less calories. Restaurants often use the cheapest oils, lots of salt, sugar and butter to marinate food- despite how healthy you may think you are ordering. By cutting the amount of time you actually dine out in half, you automatically save calories.
5. Work up a sweat 4 - 5 times a week for at least 20 - 30 minutes
If you are someone who has been consistently working out, now is the time to change something in your program. Whether that be adding in a day of HIIT, taking up that killer Crossfit class you despise 1x a week, or changing some other variable in your program - NOW is the time to do it! Remember the body is extremely good at adapting and if we stay on the same program for longer than 6 weeks without changing anything, results will become stagnant. NOW is the time to PUSH it! If you are someone who has been putting off the gym all winter, give yourself a goal to sweat 3-4x a week for the next 3 weeks. I say just 3 weeks because if you fulfill this quota, I guarantee you that you will feel SO GOOD at the end of those three weeks you won’t want to stop. Is getting to the actual gym an issue? Now that the weather is warmer there’s no excuse! Go for a run, get out there and grab a resistance band, a jump rope and just MOVE!
We don’t always need a gym and dumbbells to get a solid workout in. Spring has sprung so it’s time to GET MOVIN’! :)