If you have a goal to exercise more and lose weight, don’t focus on the marathon workouts and deprivation diet. In my opinion, taking baby steps instead of giant leaps is the most suitable way to get lasting results.
This is because once you focus on a few simple changes at a time, you start ingraining some really healthy habits that may possibly last for an entire lifetime. It goes without saying that this is better than going for an all or nothing approach that most definitely fails because it’s too difficult to follow.
I have a few easy and convenient hacks for you that will get you moving, help you eat less, and enable you to feel and look better than ever. Once you get used to these healthy habits, they will keep benefiting you for a lifetime.
Mini Strength Training
Simple bodyweight exercises such as pushups and squats are a great way to rev up your metabolism in minutes. And you know what? They are just as effective as hitting the gym!
So give this mini workout a try: consider doing 10 reps each of squats, lunges, crunches, chair dips, and knee pushups. Once you get used to it, start gradually increasing the reps to feel fully fatigued.
Climb the Stairs
Do you have the choice between taking the stairs and the lift? As little as 2-3 minutes of climbing the stairs on a daily basis and covering nearly 3-5 floors can help get your heart rate up. Begin with only a couple of flights every day. Once you become a dedicated climber then try adding three more flights into your daily trek.
Follow the 1 Mile Rule
My honest advice is to burn calories rather than gas. You can follow a simple rule to do so. In case all your errands are within a single mile’s distance, consider walking at a brisk speed rather than driving. You can also park where there are several errands located within a mile instead of moving your car every time. If you keep walking consistently every day, you will definitely be able to shed weight easily.
Don’t Drink Fruits, Eat Them
Skip drinking juices and eat whole fruits instead. This way, you won’t just get healthy fiber into your diet (Interesting fact: a small apple contains 3.5 g of fiber as compared to a glass of apple juice which has .5 g of fiber), you will also be able to stay satiated for longer periods.
Have Coffee the Old School Way
Blended drinks (that are basically dessert in a cup) have a lot more calories as compared to the old school coffee. So switch those cups of coffee from the local shops with a regular cup made at home. You can even add some milk and a little sugar. Old school coffee has only 63 calories as compared to the fancier one at your local coffee shop which has 239 calories.