Due to the impact of COVID-19, during the one or two months of staying at home, most people’s current situation is simply to eat well, lie on the bed, play games, and watch videos. Due to limited indoor conditions, very few people think of exercising. They can only pinch the fat on their stomachs and sigh: “If you don’t lose weight in April, you’ll regret it in May.”
Previously, someone conducted a survey asking whether people prefer thinner or slightly heavier individuals, and most chose the first option, explaining similar reasons. Overweight individuals give the impression of having no self-control; if a person could control themselves a bit, they wouldn’t have let themselves get that heavy. Although some people are overweight due to medication, genetics, and other reasons, such cases are not many.
There’s also a saying that goes, “If you don’t slim down, you’ll never know how beautiful you are.” It may be that one’s features are not delicate enough, but compared to the sloppiness of a bulky figure covered in grease, a slim person tends to appear more spirited.
In the blink of an eye, April has arrived, and the season of revealing skin for summer is approaching. Many people want to quickly lose weight during this time so that they can look beautiful and handsome in the summer. However, for those who are new to weight loss or are somewhat aimless in their efforts, it seems they don’t know how to start. As the saying goes, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” By making appropriate plans and preparations before losing weight, the chances of success will significantly increase. After all, losing weight is a task that is very easy to undo. Specifically, what questions do we need to understand before losing weight?
1. Set a weight loss deadline
Setting a weight loss deadline is the first step. For example, if you plan to lose 8 pounds in a month, your weight loss deadline is 30 days, or if you plan to lose 20 pounds in 3 months, your weight loss deadline corresponds to 3 months. This can be adjusted according to your physical condition. Establishing a weight loss deadline helps you take it seriously from a psychological standpoint and avoids the procrastination that can lead to failure.
Making a plan is just a verbal promise; the key lies in execution. Some people might work hard for three days and then slack off for two, and after a month, they have lost no weight at all. Such situations are common. Execution tests a person’s willpower. We can set a small goal for ourselves, like wanting to look better in our clothes; wanting the person we have a crush on to like us; or changing our image for the next job, etc. In short, this goal needs to ignite the desire to lose weight from within, which helps resist the temptation of food.
2. Avoid extreme dieting
If from the very start of your weight loss journey you set a plan for yourself to eat only 500 calories a day or to fast after a certain time, unless your willpower is extraordinary, failure is the only outcome. Food is essential to life, demonstrating how important diet is in a person’s life. If you survive on just water and vegetables, you won’t hold out for more than two days before giving in to indulgence.
The correct approach to eating is to have three balanced meals, but with selective choices. For instance, for those who enjoy meat, they can substitute fish, chicken, or beef for pork or lamb. They can use brown rice or whole grain rice instead of white rice, starting with the cultivation of healthy eating habits. Those who love greasy foods won’t be able to give them up immediately. Once they get used to it, returning to greasy food will feel unbearable.
3. Choose suitable exercises
Exercise plays a significant role in weight loss. Choosing an exercise that suits you is conducive to persistence, and persistence is the foundation of successful weight loss. There are often many 5-minute weight loss routines or 10-minute belly workout videos online; many people will save them and try them out once or twice, only to stop. The reason is simple: these moves are too exhausting and too hard to keep up with.
There are various options for weight loss exercises; you don’t need to stick to one. Those who can persist in running might hear that jump rope is better for weight loss and switch to it, only to find they can’t keep it up. It’s worth trying several kinds of exercises to find the one that suits you best. Also, don’t believe too much in the 30-minute weight loss methods; in fact, as long as you get moving, it’s better than just sitting still, regardless of how many minutes you do it.
Weight loss is a reflection of willpower. Many people have failed due to a lack of willpower. At the beginning of weight loss, one should not be too impatient. Weight is lost bit by bit; it won’t just drop off in chunks. Everything requires a process; persistence breeds success.
