Words: Mahesh Kurhade
Certified personal trainer, Certified contest preparation coach, Fitness model, National level men’s physique athlete and Mechanical engineer
If your stomach is looking more like a keg than a six pack, I have good news for you: science shows there are proven ways to slim up and get in shape in time for summer. Here are a few of them you can start using today.
Drink water
It is often claimed that drinking can help with weight loss — and that’s true. Drinking water can boost metabolism by 24–30% over a period of 1–1.5 hours, helping you burn off a few more calories
Eat protein
Studies show that replacing a grain-based breakfast with eggs can help you eat fewer calories for the next 36 hours as well as lose more weight and body fat. If you don’t eat eggs, that’s fine. Any source of quality protein for breakfast should do the trick.
Know what you eat
Portion control — simply eating less — or counting calories can be very useful, for obvious reasons. Some studies show that keeping a food diary or taking pictures of your meals can help you lose weight.
Eat spicy food
Chilli peppers contain capsaicin, a spicy compound that can boost metabolism and reduce your appetite slightly. However, people may develop tolerance to the effects of capsaicin over time, which may limit its long-term effectiveness.
No more eating out
The average restaurant meal has over 1,100 calories, and that doesn’t include drinks, appetizers and dessert! When you take into account all those things, you’re looking at around 2,000 calories for a single night eating out. Stay in and cook your own meal instead, or order a healthier option.
Chew slowly
Your brain may take a while to register that you’ve had enough to eat. Some studies show that chewing more slowly can help you eat fewer calories and increase the production of hormones linked to weight loss.
Keep healthy food around
Keeping healthy food nearby can help prevent you from eating something unhealthy if you become excessively hungry. Snacks that are easy to carry include whole fruits, nuts, carrots, yogurt, buttermilk and hard-boiled eggs.
Say no to sugary Drinks
Sugar is bad, but sugar in liquid form is even worse. Studies show that calories from liquid sugar may be the single most fattening aspect of the modern diet. Eat whole fruit, but limit or avoid fruit juice altogether.
Use a lot of herbs
Cooking with oil, butter and salt leads to weight gain and potential health problems. Use lemons, limes and fresh herbs instead. Try to prefer grilled or boiled food over fried.
Eat more protein
Protein is the single most important nutrient for losing weight. Eating a high protein diet has been shown to boost metabolism by 80–100 calories per day while shaving 441 calories per day off your diet.
Get deep and good sleep
Sleep is highly underrated but may be just as important as eating healthy and exercising. Studies show that poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity, as it’s linked to an 89% increased risk of obesity in children and 55% in adults.
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