A svelte figure is achievable with the right steps
Face it, you have tried every fad diet out there and the scale shows you’re still stuck at the same number or maybe lost one or two kgs. You have done almost everything to lose that extra flab and love handles but your junk in the trunk still can’t fit into your Levi’s. Well, fret not for we have compiled a list of what-to’s to stay in shape.
Caffeine has a reputation for keeping you awake and staining your teeth but surprisingly it has a metabolism-booster property that help you fight the flab. Drink a cup in the morning but avoid more than two cups so that you can get enough sleep.
Forty Winks
Studies revealed that if you sleep less than seven or eight hours, you are prone to gain weight. It is the time your body repairs itself and that is when you need enough rest for the next day.
Strength Training
Ladies, do not be afraid of pumping iron although I suggest that you do light weights with high repetition. Shari Lieberman, author of Dare to Lose says, “Muscle is the single most important predictor or how well you metabolize your food, how well you burn calories and burn body fat.” You won’t look like the Incredible Hulk, don’t worry.
Eat like a bunny
Vegetables and fruits are not your enemy. In fact, they are filled with dietary fibre that digests your food, so you won’t bloat up. Besides keeping you filled so you won’t reach for another serving of simple carbohydrates, it gives you good skin.
Worry Not
“Stress can actually cause weight gain, particularly around the tummy,” Lieberman said. When you stress out, your body releases cortisol which slows down metabolism.
Grapefruit is a great fruit
One of the most popular diet food (or fruit), it stops insulin levels in your body that store fat. The fibre-rich citrus will keep your metabolism alive because it needs more calories to break it down.
Eat frequently
Although for some of you the last thing you want to do is eat more, the key word is to eat more regularly. Michigan dietician Julie Beyer says that eating less slows down metabolism. According to her, “Every cell of the body is like a flashlight bulb. When our bodies don’t get enough food, or fuel, every cell burns less brightly.” Eating smaller meals every three to four hours burns the calories off faster.
Bring on the hot and spicy
Love spicy food, the spicier the better? Curry is said to burn the amount of calories in your body, accelerating your metabolism. So if you are craving for a bowl of Curry Laksa or some Rendang, dig in but remember to eat in moderation.
Never skip breakfast
It is proven that people who eat breakfast tend to be leaner than those who don’t. By filling your stomach in the morning with some rolled oats or a healthy salad, you won’t binge during lunchtime because your appetite is already satiated.
Green is in
There has been much praise for green tea over the years and the reason why is it recommended is because it has epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which speeds up your brain and nervous system to burn calories.
