Here’s the bad news. No study has yet to significantly show that exercise keeps your weight down over the long term. But, there is a growing body of research showing that physical activity has health benefits completely independent of weight loss. So, the big question is – what’s the secret to keeping weight off?
First, research is showing that you don’t need to spend hours doing cardio to get the all the health benefits of a regular exercise program.. Doctors believe that just 30 minutes of moderate exercise is enough to improve your health.
With that, it should be easy to get your daily exercise in. The problem is, if your weight loss program was a combination of diet and exercise, and you finally hit your target weight, exercise alone isn’t the key to keeping your weight off. Too many people hit their target weight, then go back to their old diet habits, hoping that since they are now exercising, that the weight won’t come back.
Why is this? Simple. Your body is designed to adapt to change. So, you need to change things up from time to time. Change up your diet. Do a different workout. If you’ve been doing cardio for the last few months, add weight training for awhile to your workouts. And, try to following these simple suggestions to also keep your body primed for burning fat and keeping your weight down.
Tip #1 – Get Enough Sleep – If you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol, which can cause you to put those pounds back on. And, you’re more likely to stray off your diet and eat unhealthy stuff. Sleep helps your body recharge, you’ll deal with stress better, and you’ll have less cravings for unhealthy stuff.
Tip #2 – Stay Consistent With Your Workouts – 30 minutes a day at a minimum, every day, at a moderate level can help your body deal not only with stress, but those days where you may have slipped from your diet a bit.
Tip #3 – Try New, Healthy Foods – As mentioned above, your body adapts to change. So, changing up your diet to more healthy choices that you’ve not tried before not only adds variety to your diet, but keeps your body from getting used to your diet plan.
And, if you find it difficult to find time to hit the gym for those workouts, try putting together a basic home gym. Workouts in the convenience of your home can help you keep your workouts consistent. At Fitness 4 Home Superstore, we carry a wide variety of cardio & Strength equipment, as well as fitness accessories for your home gym workouts. Stop into any of our three Phoenix area stores today!
