Tips to Reduce Weight for Working Women That No One Tells Them

Are you planning for weight loss and clueless where to start? Oh! I know that feeling. I’ve been there A LOT of times! Reducing body mass is nothing less than a project for a woman. This is because their body changes so frequently.

Not only due to overeating but also there are many other reasons why one has a hard time to lose weight – pregnancy, childbirth, post pregnancy, anxiety/stress/depression, certain medications, hormonal imbalance, hypothyroidism, menopause – to name a few.

When we are teenagers, one may find us of different shapes and sizes. It’s not uncommon that few girls would seem like forever thin, others too out of shape that imagining them being slim would be out of the picture for many. But once we reach the mark of say late 20s or 30s, nearly all of us struggle with this, except for a few who are too health conscious.

The reasons are many and obvious. After hitting the puberty most of my  batch mates, including me, were eventually putting on weight, I didn’t know why back then. The reason was, growing children feel hungrier compared to adults and they have no clue what to eat other than those food items that are delicious. I cannot eat even half of the quantity at present that I used to eat during my teen times. My meals included home-cooked food mostly, yet a lot of times I would also indulge in eating refined, high sugar/carb, polysaturated, and gluten based food; who knew the negative effects would be lasting and that devastating!

If you research more on this, you will come to know that polysaturated fats keep on storing inside our bodies in the form of cellulite instead of being used up in physical activities unless we are under high temperature, such as sunlight. We all know that it is practically impossible to workout on high temperature (Ever wondered why many gymnasiums contain steaming facility? Or why commercials primarily focus on sweating using specific equipment? Other than that it also eliminates the excessive water (retention) stored inside the body. The results are not lasting though unless combined with proper diet and exercise.).

If you weren’t over weight or obese during your adolescence period then congratulations, your body will be easier to revert back to its original shape within a few weeks or months of consistent dedication; if you are currently not dealing with aging, cardiovascular problems, bone/muscle problem, or issues like underactive thyroid.

So, isn’t that possible to lose weight ever?

Yes, it surely is.

For that purpose only, this blog covers the best tips to reduce weight that no one tells to women.

Tips to Reduce Weight for Working Women

Exercise

Shall I need to elaborate this? We all know without hard work goals cannot be achieved. The only thing that obstructs our path is lack of motivation. It requires pure dedication and most people fail to accomplish because of the absence of it. There is a long list of workouts you might be suggested by people around you, or you might have read in the newspaper, magazine or the Internet.

In general, cardio workout is good for your heart health and building stamina. For instance, if you plan for brisk walking then go for 15 minutes for the first week. You can then increase the timings and speed eventually. There are a lot other types of cardio in which you might be interested. I believe to follow the kind of workout in which you are interested the most to avoid boredom. So, it could be cycling, swimming, running, skipping or dancing, or anything else that enhances your heartbeats while you exercise. Finding out a partner is even greater as both people can inspire each other and keep following the routine.

If you also want to improve your body’s shape then you ought to follow that kinds of exercises that are to tighten the muscles. It typically includes crunches, squats, different Yoga postures, and so on.

If you are of middle age or more or somebody who has health concerns, I recommend to ask your healthcare professional first about the kinds of activities you are allowed to do. There may be restrictions on certain types of workout if you are a heart patient or somebody having muscles and bones related issues, or a woman who delivered a baby 6 or more months back.

Taking advice from certified professionals who know about various health concerns and methods to manage exercise along with that is what I suggest.

Do NOT starve

I know that feeling. The outfits that were your favorite no longer fit you. Stressful, isn’t it? Most women would consider skipping meals out of stress, especially the breakfast that’s the most essential meal. DO NOT starve.

Why I say so? This is because our body is evolved in many ways, one of such is, it goes to “hunger mode” when we do not let it consume food. Yes, that’s true! If you keep your body stay hungry from many hours, it will keep on storing whatever food you eat and won’t use that much for energy. So basically, your body is doing you more harm than good if you do not eat at all.

Eat the right thing

It’s simple science behind all this. If we eat more and very few calories are actually used up in body’s daily energy needs then we add on more weight. If we already have fat storage then we need to eat slightly less than our daily intake and convert the stored fats into energy by doing physical activities.

I have seen folks who continue to eat junk because they think they are exercising and that wouldn’t harm their health. This kind of approach never lets a person reach their goals because they are literally adding more fats to their body that it already has in bulk.

So, what should you eat? Our diet should contain the right portions of dietary fiber, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Add more fruits, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, sprouts, etc. in your daily intake. Avoid eating refined food items, such as cakes, ice creams, sweets, aerated drinks, pizzas, burgers, you probably got this idea, didn’t you?

Most of us know what to eat (or not) but we cannot really control. Our surrounding contains food everywhere. We often get invitations from our friends on birthday celebrations and anniversaries. We also prefer to dine out due to laziness, especially on weekends. The point is, we do not have much choice.

Simply grow a habit of cooking at home. Do advance preparations in weekends. It could be anything like peeling garlic cloves, powdering whole black pepper, preparing fruit(s) and vegetable(s) juices, soups and store them in the refrigerator in order to use them in portions for following weekdays, et cetera. Make sure that you add ingredients like apple cidar vinegar and/or cinnamon. I do not have much idea about non-vegetarians. Apologies!!

Socialize less

I know this is harsh, but trust me if you are really serious about this, socializing would not let you lose even a pound of weight. People have the wrong choice of foods quite much ALL the time. They are all suffering from compulsive eating. Looking at them gulping sweet treats and snacks will intensify your cravings and you will be bound to take that “just one bite”. You know that it’s never one bite and a typical foodie (like me) would end up eating many more bites in one go. I am suggesting this for the first few weeks of your weight loss regime.

Moderate meetings or hangouts are OK but you will have to keep saying no to people who will continue to offer you food that is not suitable. It appears harsh to them, and because of that, many folks have this tendency to give in. Develop the habit to be strict on such matters because it’s YOUR health, not theirs. I do not hesitate to deny their offer even if it’s to be done like 20 times or so.

Know your body

Everyone has a different body type. One might have low or high metabolism. I am one of those who has slow metabolism and that pushes me workout harder than an average individual to achieve my target.

Some people can consume only fruits and juices and get the results, but in my case, diarrhea happens if I do so. I need half glass of skimmed milk in the morning post workout followed by fruits like a handful of strawberries, one Indian gooseberry, and one mini banana; few portions of fiber contained food such as two chapatis along with pulses or vegetables during lunch; and ONLY vegetables during dinner. This routine may not be suitable for someone else.

My breakfast doesn’t keep me feel full till my lunchtime and so does my lunch till evening. So, what I do is, take green tea or black tea in between my mid-mornings and mid-evenings. You can also have 2 egg whites OR 1 whole egg and white of another egg to get the right amount of protein. Eggs cause me severe allergies so I avoid them. Prefer eating eggs in the morning or lunch.

Get the right knowledge of nutrition

Most fitness freaks would recommended you to stop eating specific food items that are not that dangerous.

For example, ever heard somebody telling you to never eat bananas during the course of weight loss? It’s absolutely false. Bananas contain the right amount of potassium and magnesium that helps our body’s muscles contract and relax properly while we perform daily activities, and reduce the cramps (calf muscles cramps while sleeping, familiar?). I don’t recommend to eat bananas whole day, but just a small portion in the morning is beneficial for sure.

Another example would be that of milk. I also hear some people strictly avoid having milk. There are many kinds of milk in the market, so choose the one that contains no fats or very less fats. This will help your body take sufficient calcium and no extra fortified fats. I suggest to take half glass of skimmed milk in the morning in the form of tea or coffee. Do not add sugar. Add stevia instead. Stevia is a plant-based sugar substitute.

We all know that Protein is such a hype! Eat protein, drink protein, dive in protein! LOL jokes aside, protein is necessary to build muscles in your body and there is no denial in that. But it is over-hyped, quite literally. Being a vegetarian myself, my legs have been pulled a lot of times by my non-vegetarian fellows that they are taking protein in the right amount, and I am not. Dudes! You are not even exercising, and so, your protein intake is worthless; moreover, non-vegetarian protein also contains excess of carbohydrates. Though they are suggested to have lean protein while they follow the right diet.

We are working women and we do perform specific tasks to get the desired results, and we can give about an hour for that on weekdays. We cannot schedule more than that. We are not athletes. Due to this fact, protein would do us more harm than good if we have its intake too much. There are a lot of protein powders available in the market of different flavors so that one could consume it as much as possible; but the thing is, excessive protein requires excessive workout and too large amount of water to drink. If that is not followed, one may also develop kidney stones. For those who require vegetarian or vegan source of protein, I advice them to have a wide range of pulses and beans (kidney, adzuki, butter beans, etc.).

Egg yolks contain fats, but wait a minute – Good fats! How many of you have been supervised to eat only the egg whites and NO yolks? Nearly everyone of us. From now onwards, never let others demoralize you.

The purpose of these kinds of fats is to keep our body full for longer and use that fat for energy on the right time. You are working out, remember! Your body DOES require energy. So, instead of focusing on not eating calories concentrate more on having fair amount of fats. If you consume 2 eggs then consider the yolk of only 1 egg in the morning. Trust me it will fasten the results.

For vegetarians, good fats are also contained in black and green olives, avocados, flax seeds, olive oil, walnuts, etc. These food stuff are enriched in omega-3s which are vital for proper brain health as well.

Recently, I was told by someone that I shouldn’t consume strawberries. Like, seriously! Strawberries and many other similar fruits like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. consist of LOADS of antioxidants and should be taken without fail. If these are not easily available nearby your place or they sound too expensive to you due to import charges, then take their substitutes. There are many other options like pomegranates, oranges, grapefruits, Indian gooseberries, lemons, and so on to fulfill your much required antioxidants.

Antioxidants are vital for everyone because these stop free-radicals from spreading and prevent signs of early aging. Antioxidants are also known as anti-cancer agents, meaning, they may prevent from developing uncontrollable cancer cells. Just remember to take these (or other) fruits in the morning or as evening snack (4 p.m. or 5 p.m.) but NEVER in the time of dinner.

Timings are important

My recent membership at the gym has taught me that timings are very much important when it comes to having meals. I started noticing to put on more weight when I used to have dinner by 9 or 10 p.m. a year back because of extremely busy schedule and it did take a toll in my body that I struggle to this day to get back in my previous shape.

If you have your dinner later than 8:30 or 9 p.m. then get ready to witness more body mass the next morning. This is because our body’s metabolism slows down in the dusk. So, the best bet would be to eat between 7 to 8, or at the most 8:30 p.m. If your work does not permit to get free from office or if you are stuck in the huge traffic before reaching home on time, take tiffin with you and have the meals on the said time. It’s difficult but not impossible.

Stay hydrated

Drink PLENTY of water throughout the day. I have seen a lot of people do not bother about hydrating much. Water intake neutralizes the body temperature, helps in better digestion, and improves the flexibility of muscles. It also prevents from getting kidney stones that are more likely to form if your protein intake is way more than average.

I take 3 liters of water in a day and it could be more depending on my thirst levels. There is no degree of measurement and it all depends on an individual about what is the right amount. If you do not know, simply count the number of glasses. Try for 12 to 15 glasses. It will be difficult at first, so what you can do is, increase each glass a week. For instance, if you take 7 glasses then try 8 for a week, then try for 9 the next whole week, and so on.

Visit restrooms as often as you can

As your water intake is more, you will be visiting washrooms more. I think that’s the primary reason why people do not drink water that often. There is no such thing as exact count of urinating and defecating unless you suddenly suffer from Urinary Tract Infection or diarrhea! Therefore, whenever you feel the urge to go I suggest to NOT hold it for longer.

Cheat meals and cheat days

Wouldn’t you want to have your favorite foods at least a few times? Yes, that is possible and doesn’t affect the health much if taken in controlled manner. Don’t worry! My tips to reduce weight for working women will still be applicable to a certain extent so that your body isn’t much affected. Cheat meals means to have your favorite meal once, say in the time of weekends during breakfast or lunch time. Cheat day implies to have delicious meals for one full day.

In my case, when I strictly follow my diet regimen I do not take even a single bite of my favorite food item for the first few weeks because my hand continues to take out that food for my taste buds and the calorie calculation goes all in vein. But once you start shedding some weight you can give yourself some treat. Of course, you worked hard for it, you deserve it!

Nevertheless, do not forget to take note of what you eat, else your weeks’ hard work would take you back from where you started within just a few days. I take just a couple of bites and nothing more to satisfy my hunger when I still need to lose more weight. After reaching the mark only I take full meals once in a week or so. Mind it, you should not have 2 or 3 days of continuous indulge if you really want to maintain in shape.

Believe

Last but not the least, before following these tips to reduce weight for working women, it is very essential to believe in oneself. Theoretically speaking, most of us know what should be done, yet we feel it’s a long and difficult journey and we cannot do that much of hard work. If you think in that manner, you are literally underestimating your potential. Belief is necessary to begin the expedition and push yourself towards your ultimate aim. Without belief you cannot motivate yourself for longer.

People (including me, I am afraid!) lose their minds within just a couple of weeks if their body doesn’t show changes. But instead of getting disheartened just focus on making alterations in your lifestyle. You might be late for dinner or you might have eaten a few bites of “wrong foods”, or you skipped your breakfast, lunch or dinner. The reasons are endless. Do trial-and-error and figure out what works best for your body. I promise you, if you are eating the right types of food you will never feel weak or tired, the kind of feeling which is more frequent which isn’t there even if you have high calorie sugary treats instead.

What if you need to eat outside and there is no other option left at the moment?

If you went out at a restaurant then you can order salads and soups, continental vegetables that contain no butter and cheese with 1 or 2 whole wheat chapati(s)/bread. Remember that timings are still important, and if you feel that it is getting late then better to take mini meals (ONLY soups/salads/veggies) instead of everything I have listed.

If you are at a wedding reception or birthday parties then cakes and other sweets are off the table if you have just started working out. For those who have almost reached their goals can have these treats in small portions.

When it comes to food chains of famous brands, you already know that McDonalds, Pizza Hut, and Domino’s are not the right places. Yet you can still have your meals at Subway. It is my personal experience that having lunch at this restaurant does not let me put on more weight even if I have on 2 consecutive days. It also mentions the total calories included in each meal in the app that I use for home delivery. Hence, one can choose according to that. I have not tried Subway during my dinner time yet so I don’t know what effect it creates.

I think I have written way too much. Everything is based on my own experience. I appreciate your patience if you have read this far, and quite happy about the fact that my advice about tips to reduce weight for working women may be useful to somebody!

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