There are many suggested methods of losing weight such as going on a low-fat high-protein diet, having cardio-focused fitness plans, and even go for slimming services. While these methods are effective and have been proven to be the go-to methods for weight loss, they are not the most efficient or accessible as they require dedication and can be time-consuming.
There is a silver lining, though. There are alternative methods to losing weight besides the traditional ways such as dieting. These natural methods only require minimal effort and, if adopted and practised well, may help you lose weight organically. In the article below, we’ll share some of these natural methods to lose weight without depending on diets.
Incorporate Simple Exercises
Suddenly being thrust into a fitness programme after signing up for a gym membership can be intimidating. But it doesn’t mean you’re out of options to exercise. As you go about your daily life, you can incorporate simple exercises into the things you do.
For example, instead of taking the elevator, you can climb the stairs of your office building or housing block. You can also squeeze in short exercises like sit-ups, push-ups, and bicep curls during commercial breaks while watching your favourite show. These may not seem like much, but a discernable result will appear over time as the collective exercises become a habit.
Plan Active Days
Busy work schedules on the weekdays are common among working professionals, and there is seldom any time to slot in a gym session or even a run around the neighbourhood. This is why planning active days on the weekends is important, and what’s more, active days doesn’t have to consist of pure exercises. It can be a menagerie of different leisure activities designed to keep you on your feet and moving around.
Activities like trekking, cycling, dragon-boating, and even wakeboarding are exciting and sporty and keeps you active without feeling like you’re only exercising. In addition, you could also pick up a new hobby that keeps you active and stimulated like archery, horseback riding or even volunteering at pet shelters.
With these activities in mind, you may also desire to look good while doing them. This is where shapewear comes in. Wearing shapewear such as tummy slimmers, bodyshapers, and waist trimmers may not directly help you to lose weight, but they can make you look better and feel more confident. Having a proportioned figure because of shapewear can invigorate and motivate you into having a more active involvement in planning active days.
Fasting Intermittently
Fasting has been one of the most suggested and effective ways of losing weight that doesn’t require major changes to your food intake. In fact, it can even enhance certain aspects of your meals such as finding new recipes that are both delicious and nutritious. There are multiple methods of fasting, and they all have different beneficial properties. Some of these are:
- The 16/8 Fasting Method: This method involves fasting daily for sixteen hours while having an 8-hour time period to eat. Also known as the Leangains protocol, a good example to do this is not to eat anything after dinner and also skipping breakfast the next day.
- The 5/2 Fasting Method: This method involves eating normally for five days and fasting for two days each week. For the two fasting days, limit calorie intake to 600 calories.
- Eat-Stop-Eat Fasting Method: This method involves fasting for 24-hours once or a few times a week. The gist of this fasting method is eating only one meal a day, for example, eating dinner today and having your next meal for dinner exactly 24 hours later.
- The ‘Warrior’ Fasting Method: This method involves fasting during the day, and eating a huge portion of food at night. During the daytime, it is suggested to eat small amounts of fruits and vegetables, and then having a nutritious and heavy meal at night time inclusive of every ingredient in the food pyramid.
While intermittent fasting is a great method to help you lose weight, it’s essential to keep in mind that not everyone can or should adopt these fasting methods. It’s advisable for people who have had a history of eating disorders, specific nutritional requirements, and also nursing mothers who need additional calories for milk production, to avoid intermittent fasting.
Your health should always be a priority, so before adopting an intermittent fasting method, perhaps schedule a routine consultation with your doctor to ascertain if you’re fit for intermittent fasting. In conclusion, if you follow these natural methods to the best of your ability, you’re on your way to easily losing weight in Singapore.