Everyone has dieted at some point or another in a bid to lose a few extra pounds, but it’s not always as easy as simply cutting out sweets and meeting your goal weight. If you want to shift that last bit of weight and can’t find a way to do so, these tricks might be of use to you.
Walk more
Walk for the same amount of time at the same intensity each day and your body will get bored; not only that but it will also stop seeing results. You need to throw in a little variety in order to keep your muscles guessing, so try jogging for a minute for every five minutes of walking you do. Likewise, for every five minutes of cycling you do, you should shift into a higher gear and cycle at a faster pace for one minute. You’ll burn more calories in the same amount of time and see results more quickly.
Fidget
It may seem like something you don’t want to encourage, but studies show that people who drum their fingers or bounce their knees burn around 500 calories more a day. That adds up to around 0.5kg a week, all from fidgeting!
Use a squeeze ball
They’re inexpensive and easy to carry around, making squeeze balls a great way to burn extra calories during the day. You’ll build up muscles in your hand, and any muscle burns a lot of calories, regardless of where it is.
Don’t Starve Yourself
It may seem counterproductive to eat when you’re trying to cut out calories, but if you starve yourself you won’t see the results you want. In fact, the opposite will happen – you won’t have any energy and your body will cling to whatever fat it can in a bid to sustain your organs. You need to ensure you eat regularly to keep your metabolism working overtime and to keep plenty of energy in reserve for your workout sessions.
Drink plenty of water
German researchers found that five half litre bottles of water were required in order to kick-start your metabolism so that you burn more calories. Within ten minutes of drinking the water, the metabolism went into overdrive and remained high for another 30 to 40 minutes.
Eat hot peppers
Spicy foods are not only tasty but they’re also great for increasing your metabolism. Specialise grocers and even many supermarkets now stock all different kinds of peppers, so why not buy a different variety each week to add a little fire to your diet and kick-start the calorie-burning effect they have on the body. You can add them to soups, stir fries and curries.
Exercise outdoors
It’s a combination of fresh air, the sunshine and the change of scenery, but exercising outdoors completely changes your motivation. You’ll find that you run faster and work harder than you would in the gym.
Eat regular meals each day
You may think that eating less is the way to go, but actually you need to eat more regularly to keep your metabolism working hard. By eating every few hours, you can ensure that it doesn’t slow down between meals. A ‘meal’ can be as small as a cup of soup or a sandwich.
Sip a cup of coffee
Studies have found that the caffeine in coffee can increase the rate at which your body burns calories, but you shouldn’t order a calorie-laden frappucino. Opt for a simple coffee, and skip the espresso if it means you’re lying awake at night.
Comments are closed.