Losing weight and toning up requires dedication and commitment to your training plan and diet. While losing weight very quickly through extreme methods of dieting can be detrimental to your health, there are simple tweaks you can make to your current program to speed up progress. It won't be an overnight process, but you should see results faster and be far healthier from making small, yet effective lifestyle changes.
Diet
Cut your calories by 500 per day. This is roughly the deficit you need to burn 1 pound of fat per week, according to MayoClinic.com.
Base your diet around foods that are high in nutrients and low in additives and artificial ingredients. These lower calorie alternatives will keep you full without packing in the calories.
Increase your protein intake by eating more lean meats and fish, low-fat dairy products, beans and eggs. Get your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and whole-grains and fats from oily fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado and coconut.
Training
Add two full-body weight training sessions into your routine every week. Strength training burns calories and builds muscle, which boosts your metabolism and speeds up weight loss, say the American Council on Exercise.
Perform five to six exercises in each session and pick exercises that work multiple muscle groups, such as squats, lunges, pushups, chinups and rows. Perform three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on each and ask a trainer for assistance if you need help with technique.
Incorporate high intensity interval training into your routine. This involves performing a maximum burst of exercise for 20 to 30 seconds, then going at a moderate speed for 60 to 120 seconds and repeating over the course of 30 minutes. Perform one session like this every week, using a gym machine of your choice, as well as two moderate intensity steady state cardio workouts for 30 to 45 minutes each.
Progress
While quick weight loss feels great, remember that it's an ongoing process. Don't sacrifice your health just to see the scale go down quickly.
Consult your doctor before changing your training and diet plans. Ask a trainer to assess your exercise form, even if you think you've got it right.
Complete a weekly weigh in to check progress. Pick a day to weigh yourself on and do it straight out of bed, before you've had breakfast.
make adjustments to your plan depending on how you're progressing. If you're happy with progress, keep doing what you're doing.
Reduce your calorie intake by 200 per day and increase each cardio session by five minutes if you feel that progress is too slow. Increase your calories by 100 to 200 per day and drop one steady state cardio workout if you're losing weight too quickly and are feeling unwell or lethargic.
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