Weight loss tips for beginners

 

Losing weight is never easy, more so it cannot happen overnight. You need tons of patience, perseverance, and discipline. If you want to lose weight but you have no idea how or where to start, then you better read along.

Here are some things you might want to consider before and during the whole process:

1. Keep a record

The very first thing you need to do is create a record. If you have a planner or a bullet journal, allot a page or two for your weight loss tracker plus, there are tons of cool layouts you can try.

If you are not fond of pen and paper, there are a lot of apps (both for iOS and Android) that can help you keep track of your everyday physical activities. It doesn’t matter much which method you prefer, what’s more, important is that you take notes of every detail you need.

2. Measure it

Before starting any weight loss program, it is important to know your current status. Take your notebook or app tracker and encode your initial weight, waistline, dress size, etc.

If you’re going to ask me, I would also add my goals so I’ll have reference and inspiration.

3. Don’t starve yourself

Our body is smart. It knows when its energy is low and when it needs a refill. Starving yourself just makes things worse for you because it will disrupt your body’s rhythm.

For example you had a big breakfast so you thought you should just skip lunch to cut down some calories. Your body is inclined to having three meals a day, at the very least. At dinner, you will be enforced to eat more to fill that ‘gap’ you made earlier in the day.

4. Know your portions

Having a balanced diet means having the right proportions every single meal. What do I mean by right proportions? Two things: having all the nutrients (both micro and macro) you need and measuring it before putting on your plate.

Your body needs proportional amounts of carbohydrate, fats, and protein. A lot of people think that if they want to build muscles, they should load on protein and totally dis carbs, but that is wrong. Yes, you need protein to build muscles, but your body needs carbs to help break down that protein.

I also just want to add that carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy, protein can fulfill your hunger, fats are stored for future use, and fiber will keep you feeling full.

5. Calorie counting

There is nothing…and I mean NOTHING wrong with calorie counting, per se. You can monitor your calorie intake and then balance it out with physical activities. That’s perfectly fine, really. Although the things is, you cannot simply lose weight by manipulating your calorie count.

Technically speaking, the goal is for your calorie burn to be more than your calorie intake. Now the problem is that a lot of people think that they can manipulate their calorie surplus into a calorie deficit. How? For one, you can eat one big meal and skip the rest so you will have less intake. You may also eat so much and think that a 2-hour workout can compensate for it.

What I am really trying to say here is that calorie counting only works if you don’t cheat or alter the stats.

Oh, one more thing! Each one of us has a different amount of calories we need to burn in a day. It is mostly based on our weight, height, age, and daily physical activities. To get a rough idea of how much you should burn, use an online calorie calculator.

6. Plan your meals for the week

Planning your meal for the week ahead of time is smart because then, you’ll know how to balance your macros (protein, carbs, and fats). Also, it is easier to shop, spare time, and prepare once you already know what you want to cook.

If you have a hectic week, you can make a huge batch of a meal, place them in separate containers, and then freeze it up. You can just take and reheat whenever you want/need to.

Don’t know how or where to start planning meals? There are tons of free meal plans online. In fact, some of them even have shopping lists.

7. Walk

Walking is the simplest and easiest exercise you can do and start with. I suggest that you take at least 15-20 minutes of walk every morning.

Don’t tell me you have no time in the morning. Set your alarm 20 minutes earlier!

8. Take the stairs

Instead of using the escalator or elevator, take the stairs. This will not only help you sweat out and burn fat but also tone your glutes and booty.

9. Get up and stretch out

Have you heard the saying, ‘sitting is the new smoking’? We all know that smoking is bad for our health, so is sitting all day.

I know lots of us have desk jobs and we can’t help it but spend most of our days sitting. Listen, you can do something about it.

Every hour, get up from your chair and then stretch out your arms, legs, and back. It would also be nice if you can walk around the office for at least 5 minutes before getting back to your seat.

10. Strength training + cardio

More people are drawn to strength training more than cardio exercise because they think that the former can make them lose fat and build muscles faster.

Did you know that adding cardio exercises to your strength training can hasten your body’s ability to burn fat? Yes, dear! Add cardio exercise to your strength training at least 3 times a week at 30 minutes per session.

For those of you who think cardio is boring, I have a simple solution. You can spice it up with an upbeat music.

There you go, folks! Those are my top 10 weight loss tips for beginners. Once you’ve mastered all of these, then you can venture out into the different diet guides and workout programs you want.