6 Weight Loss Ideas To Implement This Summer
The song “Summertime” claims that in the summertime, the livin’ is easy. If only weight loss was as smooth as that song! When you’re trying to get fit, it almost feels like everything is working against you. If you eat too much, you gain weight. If you eat too few calories, your body holds on to them. However, weight loss is entirely possible if you stick with it and realize it’s a slow process. If you’re determined to shed a few extra pounds this summer, here are six weight loss ideas to get you on the right path.
1. Start a Walking Program
One of the most effective ways to banish those extra pounds is also one of the easiest: walking! If you’re leading a sedentary life, walking just 30 minutes per day is a low-impact way to jumpstart your metabolism and help you lose weight. Start by walking 10-15 minutes each day until you work your way up to a half-hour or more. Once you’re a walking pro, aim to get about 10,000 steps most days of the week. Walking will also help lower your cortisol levels which is great for blasting away belly fat.
2. Get Your Gut in Order
If you’ve been irresponsible with your diet in the past, you know that along with weight gain can come stomach distress. Bloating, excess gas and diarrhea could all be due to an unhealthy balance of bacteria in your gut. To get your belly back in good form, improve your diet by getting rid of sugar, processed and fast foods. Staying properly hydrated and taking weight loss probiotics will reduce bloat and get your body ready for the beach.
3. Take a Shot at Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is another effective way to kick off summer weight loss. If you’re intimidated by the term “fasting”, it’s much easier than you think. Fasting prevents the insulin spikes that occur each time you eat that lead to belly fat. With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a select window of time, and the remaining hours you fast. Fasting mostly happens at night and you eat breakfast around noon. Finish your final meal before 8 p.m. and then fast for 16 hours.
4. Eat More Hydrating Foods
Drinking more water is a great way to encourage weight loss. During the summer, you’ve got a unique opportunity to eat a variety of hydrating foods. These refreshing foods include melon and veggies like lettuce, cucumber and tomato. Stock up on hydrating seasonal favorites like strawberries, peaches and plums. Summer is the time when you need to replenish the fluids you lose on hot days and the extra hydration aids in weight loss.
5. Try Sleeping Late
Enjoying a little extra sleep is nothing to feel guilty about because it can help you lose weight. If you like burning the midnight oil but still get up early, you’re sabotaging weight loss. Lack of sleep wreaks havoc on your body such as with the hunger hormone ghrelin which increases without sleep. Leptin, the hormone that signals fullness, decreases without adequate sleep. If you’re trying to lose pounds, get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
6. Act Like a Kid Again
Remember when you were a kid and you couldn’t wait for summer vacation? Back then, you were busy all day swimming, biking and skating. Make this the year you start acting like a kid again! If you’ve got kids home this summer, don’t just be a spectator to their fun, get involved! Introduce them to nostalgic favorites like frisbee, badminton or a hula hoop. Besides spending valuable time with the kids, you’ll take a trip down memory lane and lose a few pounds, too.
Make this summer the one you reach your weight loss goals. By walking, staying hydrated and having a little extra fun with the kids, you’ll end the summer much lighter than when you started!
