Studies show that at least 5 in every 10 people want to lose weight. This means many of us are very unhappy with the weight that we are in now. However, the key to weight loss is focusing on living a healthy lifestyle in general. We have all been there where we lose a few pounds and completely forget about our new diet and we gain it right back. If you do not want to gain the weight back you need to change a few habits in your everyday life.
We have put together a list of simple ways you can lose weight in just 20 days. Believe it or not, 20 days is plenty of days to lose up to 3 pounds. Doctors and dieticians recommend you lose 1-2 pounds a week to stay healthy if you lose more you will not benefit from it at all. Here are a few simple ways to lose weight in just 20 days.
1. Set up a Realistic Goal
When you decide you want to lose weight in 20 days, you want to set up a realistic goal as to how much weight you actually want to lose. You also want to decide if you will stick to the diet plan after the 20 days. Once you have decided you will be able to find what will work best for you and your lifestyle.
The thing to remember is to create a realistic goal. Many of us get carried away and want to lose weight immediately. However, not only is that not going to happen but it is unhealthy. Follow the tips below and lose weight in 20 days the healthy way.
2. Drink More Water
Incorporating more water into your diet is the best means of not only stay hydrated but also help increase your metabolism. If you have a slow metabolism this can cause you to lose weight at a lower rate. Increasing your water intake can assist you with that. Aim to drink a gallon or two per day to increase your metabolism and rid your body of toxins all at the same time.
3. Reduce the Intake of Carbohydrates
In order to lose weight you need carbohydrates however, you want to reduce the amount that intake on a daily basis. Try mixing up your meals and eating fewer carbohydrates than you usually do. This can decrease your calorie intake greatly. One way to reduce your carbohydrate intake is by reducing the amount of rice that you eat. Rice is very heavy on carbs so you definitely want to reduce the amount you consume.
4. Eat Smaller Portions
Eating is very important before it comes to your weight loss. You want to eat often. However, you want to eat in smaller portions. This will keep you full throughout the day and you will not feel the need to eat anything unhealthy. You want to eat about 5-6 times a day with 3 full meals and 2-3 healthy snacks in between.
Your plate should consist of protein, veggies, and a small about of carbohydrates. This will keep you full and on the right track.
5. Get Proper Sleep
If you want to be able to lose weight the healthy way you have to get enough sleep every night. You want to get 8-9 hours of sleep every night. This will give your body time to rest and your metabolism prepared for a brand new day. The better you sleep the more rested your body will be and the more energy you will have.
6. Consume Fruits with High Water Content
Let’s face it we all become hungry even after we eat a good meal. When you are feeling hungry you want to consume fruit. However, not any kind of fruit but fruits that are high in water content. The more water base your fruit is the less calories it has. Food such as papaya watermelon and cucumber contains more water than calories which is great for a late snack.
7. Do not eat after 7pm
We have consistently heard that there actually is a certain time that you should stop eating. This is actually true as the later it becomes the slower your metabolism gets. After 7pm your metabolism goes into what is considered “sleepy time” what this means is it works slower than it normally does. For this reason you want to stop eating after 7pm and let your metabolism work its magic
8. Lunch Should Be Your Largest Meal
They say the largest and most important meal of the day should be breakfast. However, when you want to lose weight you want to eat a light breakfast and even lighter dinner. Your biggest meal of the day should actually be lunch. The reason behind this is lunch time is usually 12-2 so your body will have more than enough time to digest whatever you happen to eat.
9. Eat More Almonds
Snacking is a bad habit for many of us however, if you want to snack the proper and healthy way. Ensure that you have incorporate almonds into your diet. Not only are almonds a great snack option but they also help burn belly fat. Stay between 12-15 almonds so that you do not pass the amount of calories you are supposed to consume.
10. Increase Protein Intake
Protein is a muscle builder which is essential when you want to burn off fat from your body. For this reason you want to increase your protein intake. This will help you build more muscle while helping you burn fat all at the same time. If your goal is to build more muscle while cutting out on fat you want to eat more protein and leave out the carbohydrates.
11. Avoid the 3 Deadly Poisons
When you are trying to lose weight the 3 deadly poisons need to be cut out as much as you possibly can. For those that do not know Rice, Sugar and Salt are the 3 deadly poisons when you are trying to lose weight. Although, you cannot totally avoid them you can minimize your consumption of them. Or consume them in smaller portions.
12. Be Active
Being active is the best way to burn off unwanted calories. The key to losing weight is eating a balanced diet everyday of 1200-1500 calories and burning the extra calories that you may consume. This is the best approach and the healthiest way to achieve weight loss.
Being active will allow you to burn those calories if you are just starting off your diet and exercise plan you can always choose to go walking or jogging instead of going into the gym right away. The more active you are the better.
13. Avoid Food Cravings
How many times do we see something on the television or simply think about it and get an inevitable craving for it? This happens to all of us. However, how we choose to handle it will make a whole lot of a difference in how much weight we lose. When you have a food craving avoid eating it right away. Instead drink water. Water will fill you up and prevent you from wanting to eat your craving.
14. Eat In Smaller Plates
The size of your plate does matter. The reason being the bigger your plate is the more food you will put on it to fill it up. However, if you shrink the size of your plate you will consume less because there will be no room in your plate for any considerable amounts of food. You will notice after 20 days you will become accustomed to eating less and you will not feel hungry anymore.
15. Never Skip a Meal
Even if you are not home and do not get the chance to eat. Try to stop somewhere and get something healthy along the way. This will prevent you from overeating the next time you have an opportunity to eat. You gotta keep up with the meals that you eat to avoid overeating throughout the day. Always need to bear in mind to not skip any meals.
16. Switch to Green Tea Instead of Coffee
If you are a coffee drinker like myself, you know how important it is to drink a cup of coffee first thing in the morning for energy. Well, it is not the best thing when it comes to weight loss because of all the additives that we tend to add to our coffee. So instead switch your coffee for green tea. Green tea will give you the energy you need without the calories and it is even good for weight loss and bloating.
17. Do Not Deviate From Your Diet Plan
Once you start your diet plan, you want to stick to it. If you stick to your diet plan, you will not only lose weight but you will look and feel better about yourself. Sticking to a new diet plan is not always the easiest thing to do but it can really help you reach your weight goals.
These tips will help you reach your weight goals in no time. Please tell us if you have any more tips and tricks up your sleeve that you would like to share with us.
* The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment
