The specifics of losing weight are so confusing! There are so many different and opposing views on it. The physical activity, the food you eat, the genes you possess. There's consistency, there's intensity and what not! From "cardio 3 days a week for weight loss" to "strength training 4 times a week", there is myriad advice to confuse you. And then there's the ultimate diktat - you will gain weight during peri and menopause. Nothing you can do about it but hang in there. It's the genes, the food, the slow metabolism and what not!!
I always thought physical activity was important considering the kind of sedentary lives we lead. But food is a big part too. From calculating calories to adding protein according to your body weight, you'll need much more than a weighing scale to stay on track with all that advice. And then there are apps to help you track everything - from steps to sleep cycle, they can tell you everything that's happening in your body, including calories burnt. I always thought you just workout and things will take care of themselves. The maximum I have invested in is an analog step counter, which does nothing but count steps. I don't need to know calories burnt, heart rate etc. I hate making things complicated - although I am wondering if it would have been good to have something like that. (I do have my Fitbit which counts all the bumps on the road as steps too. So I'd add 600 steps just by sitting in a rickshaw - which is nuts!!)
I also realised, this year, that the weighing scale isn't the ultimate authority on how you are doing - there are non-scale wins also that you can look at. Like the way your clothes fit better - inch loss! I did feel a lot better a couple of months ago and things seem to be working for me. But then the same things stopped working after that and I feel bloated like a sack of potato again.
So what are the parameters that one can change because giving up is not an option for me. I can't imagine the size of my waist if I stop my workouts altogether. Food is something that I have seriously considered changing. Although, I am not a foodie I have realised that that moment you think of giving up some things, they become so dear and you miss them! Plus, it's not easy to change lifelong eating habits or cook on-person meals in a 2-person household. But desperate times call for desperate measures and I am going for broke here especially since the sack of potatoes in my mid section is back. I have looked at new workouts, new ab routine and will try and get into salads at least 4 times a week, going heavy on protein in them.
One way to get things on track is to get a personal trainer - something that's bloody expensive. However, no one can get you consistency. Only you can do it in the long run. And as someone who needs workout as a maintenance and not aiming for any drastic results like athletes or actors, staying on track is the goal. Nothing beats consistency. As a coach myslef, I don't need someone else to say that to me.
Are there any weight loss tips or techniques that you have applied and succeeded in getting to your goals? Share them in the comments and I'll be happy to hear about them.
No comments:
Post a Comment