Are your eyes playing tricks on you, or is that weighing scale broken? How could you have not lost any weight – or even more shockingly, GAINED some weight – with all that exercise you have been putting in? Yes girl, we hear your frustration. Hitting it up in the gym 5, even 6 times a week *should* reduce your weight significantly, right?
Sorry ladies. We hate to break it to you but sometimes, exercise just ain’t enough. That’s why we advocate a holistic approach to healthy living that includes a balanced diet and also lots of TLC for your body, mind and soul. Wellness certainly begins from within and if you don’t feel good, you’d be hard-pressed to look good.
So, why is exercise not enough?
Multiple studies have shown that people who exercise consistently tend to hit a plateau when it comes to losing weight. In the initial weeks of the regime, the weight seems to just melt off, but after a few weeks in, the weight loss suddenly halts. The reason for this is that the body has gotten used to the intensity of the workout and so requires less effort to complete it – hence burning less calories.
Another possible reason why the exercise isn’t helping to drop those pounds is that you simply aren’t exercising enough. Did you know that one 45 minute run or 2-3 20 min runs a week won’t burn you enough calories to help you lose weight? In order to lose weight through exercise, you’d actually need to do cardio 4 times a week and metabolism-boosting strength training the other 3 days. That’s 7 days a week, honey! Anyone would be hard-pressed to keep up with such a gruelling schedule and it is no wonder why exercise alone is not the answer to weight loss.
The spike in your metabolism after a workout also lends itself to unhealthy eating habits, as people tend to compensate themselves as a reward. You may want to treat yourself to a high-calorie snack that contains more calories and junk than what was actually burned off during the workout session (and we wouldn’t blame you, really!) Or you may eat more after a workout cos exercise naturally increases the appetite. After all, haven’t you heard of the phrase “working up an appetite”?
Don’t get us wrong, exercise is an integral part of your weight loss plan and healthy lifestyle! You just need to pay attention to other things too if you want to make weight loss a long term lifestyle and not a short term solution.
Here are 3 things you need to do on top of that hard-hitting exercise regime in order to stay svelte and happy!
1) Eat well
And when we say this, we mean keeping to a balanced diet comprising all the food groups and one that is full of fresh produce. Low calorie diets that totally eliminate a particular food group are a bad idea, as foods from the different food groups are sources of specific nutrients. Protein builds and repairs cells. Carbohydrates are your body’s main energy source. Fibre keeps your digestive system healthy. Skipping out on any of these will mean your body isn’t getting the fuel it needs to function well. Plus, you’ll feel lousy due to the nutrient imbalance. Don’t put yourself through a fad diet and focus on eating healthy options from each food group instead. Whole and unrefined grains such as brown rice and quinoa, as well as complex starches like sweet potato, are healthy carbs you can include in your diet. Lean meats like chicken breast and fish are a healthy protein option.
2) Sleep well
Bad sleep is, quite simply put, the biggest culprit in hindering your weight loss efforts. Sleep is the miracle balm that your body needs to repair its cells and reset the neural pathways in your brain. When you don’t get enough of it, your tiredness will inevitably lead you to eat more so that you have enough energy to keep up with your day. Insufficient sleep also ups the production of cortisol in your body, so your body ends up hanging on to all that belly fat and your appetite goes on a rampage. So sleep, ladies. Make it a priority and not something you do with the leftover time in your schedule.
3) Love yourself
So of course, it all boils down to loving yourself enough to take care of your health – all aspects of it.
Set up massage appointments to pamper yourself and treatments to prime your body to be in the best shape it can be. Our menu of massages and treatments are perfect for this! Our latest promotion on offer in the month of May is a package of 3 sessions for $88: 2 sessions of Fat Freeze treatments to zap those fat cells with targeted cold plates + 1 session of our signature Flush treatment to detox your body. Fat Freeze works to help you lose weight from within, as the targeted fat bulge is held within 2 plates that have been cooled to a point where fat cells will be broken down and destroyed. It is quick and non-invasive, and really works well if you have specific fatty areas you want to treat as fat cells in targeted areas will be reduced by about 20-25%! This treatment is the perfect accompaniment to your weight loss journey and quest for wellness from within.
Make time in your calendar to recharge with a relaxing holiday. Unplug from social media and electronics for a day to really let your soul and mind detox. Your body will be sure to thank you for giving it the best chance to be its best self with these treatments and little changes to love yourself more!