3 Keys for Weight Loss

Over the past few months I have been getting a lot of questions on how I shook off some of the extra kilos. So here are 3 key things that have helped me over the past 1 year.

1. Watching what you eat

As someone who is constantly hungry, this was personally the hardest part. I don’t personally recommend dieting (by diet I mean those regimes that asks you to eat an apple for dinner) because you’re depriving your body from all the nutrients it needs. The idea is to be aware of what you’re eating and have a rough estimation of the calorie you’re taking in. This way, you’re less likely to overeat.

There are apps that you can download for you to monitor your calorie intake, my personal favourite is MyFitnessPal. It works wonders! Not only can you count your calories, you can also get a breakdown of your nutrients.

2. Exercise

Based on point 1, technically, if done right, you can lose weight without exercising. But that’s not the healthier option! What worked for me was a mixture of cardio, weight training, and crossfit (Uh – Oh)!

When I initially started I did a lot of body weight exercise to build some muscle strength. Having more muscle helps with weight loss in the long run because more muscle simply means more calories burnt! Having said that, cardio is also important. Not only it is good for your overall cardiovascular health, but studies have shown that high intensity cardio burns more calories than strength training.

So cardio or weights? Personally, I think it’s all about balance. I try to put in 2 days of weights training and 2 days or cardio in a week. And 1 day of stretching to unwind the body.

3. Having the correct mindset

Unless you’re entering a fitness competition or a dress size to fit into by the end of the month, it is important to tell yourself that the main aim is to lead a healthier lifestyle. Mistakes I’ve done in the past was setting unrealistic targets and deadlines for myself, getting frustrated that I’m not meeting the scales and giving up half way. I’ve learned that it’s okay to take it slow. Just to share with you how sweet but slow progress is; it took me 1 year to shed off 10 kgs. That’s less than 1 kg a month. But I’m now doing things that I never thought I could do. The most important part is consistency and improving in any little way that you are capable of.

#fitness #penanglife