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No matter what we say, just doing cardio can get monotonous if your main goal is to lose weight. We can understand that you might not have the time to go to the gym. Therefore, you are compelled to believe that cardio is the only option for you.
But what we would also like to tell you is that there are many lifestyle and workout changes that you can make, without any major investments, to speed up the process of weight loss. Diet and strength training are two of these changes.
First, let us look at some diet tips.
1. Stay hydrated. Water not only helps you stay hydrated, but it also helps you get rid of all the toxins.
2. Eat eggs, Greek yoghurt, fish (tuna and salmon), meat (chicken breasts, lean beef), cottage cheese, edamame and soybeans etc. These are some food items that give your body the necessary protein and minerals. Plus, they contain healthy fats. Quinoa and chickpeas are two more items that you can include in your diet.
3. Skipping meals is simply not an option here. Prepare your meals in advance and make sure that you eat something every 3 hours.
4. Fruits and vegetables are a must. You must remember that fruits should be ‘eaten’. We say this because a lot of people feel like drinking fruit juice is the same as eating a fruit. A lot of essential vitamins and minerals are lost in the process of extracting fruit juice. So eat the fruit, do not drink it.
5. Do not give up on fat or carbs completely. You must be aware of the fact that there is a difference between healthy and unhealthy fats. Read the labels and do your research.
Once we have seen the diet tips, let us look at the other part of losing weight. Strength training helps in losing weight. A lot of you might say that this workout regime is not meant for you because you do not have equipments or because you do not wish to bulk up.
Let us bust those myths: strength training can be done without equipments and strength training can help you lose or gain weight without bulking up. It depends on the kind of exercises you choose.
Let us look at a strength training workout that will help you lose weight and can be done without weights.
Exercise #1
Bear Crawl
Step 1: Get down on your fours and bend your knees a little so as to keep your back flat.
Step 2: Start moving forward with the help of your hands and legs. Continue to do this exercise for 1 minute.
Exercise #2
Diamond Push-ups
Step 1: Get down in the push-up position with your arms extended under your shoulders and your body aligned in a straight line, balanced well on your toes and palms.
Step 2: Bring your palms under your chest and use your fingers to make a diamond.
Step 3: Bend your elbows and lower your body down to do a push-up. Go until your chest is just a few inches away from the ground.
Step 4: Push yourself back up to get to the initial position. Repeat.
Do as many reps as possible. If this exercise is difficult for you, do regular push-ups instead.
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Exercise #3
Pistol Squats
Step 1: Stand with your feet together and extend your arms in front of you.
Step 2: Lift your right leg off the ground and balance your body on your left leg.
Step 3: Once you have successfully done that, bend your left knee to lower your body down to do a squat. Go as low as possible and extend your right leg in front of you. Use support in the beginning.
Step 4: Push back up to get to the initial position and repeat.
Do as many reps as possible.
Exercise #4
Plank and Taps
Step 1: Get in the plank position with your arms extended under your shoulders and your body aligned in a straight line, balanced well on your toes and palms.
Step 2: Engage your core and lift your left hand to gently touch your right shoulder.
Step 3: Get it back to the initial position and repeat for the other side. This makes 1 rep.
Do 2 sets of 10 reps each.
Exercise #5
Superman
Step 1: Lie down on your tummy and extend your arms in front of you and your legs behind you.
Step 2: Engage your core, shoulders and glutes to raise your legs, arms, head and shoulders off the ground. Go as high as you can without bending your knees and elbows.
Stay in this position for 10 seconds and relax. Repeat.
Do 6 reps of this exercise.
Exercise #6
Box Jumps
Step 1: Stand in front of an elevated surface and keep your arms by your side.
Step 2: Bend your knees and lower your body down. Push through your heels to jump up and forward. Land on the elevated platform.
Step 3: Jump back down and repeat.
Be careful and do not injure yourself. Do 2 sets of 10 reps each. Make sure that you use the correct form. Do not go too high initially. Go slow and do not hurry.
