The pressures of weight management are, unfortunately, increased several times over for women. For a range of reasons, societal pressures have dictated that a woman feels somehow more responsible for staying in shape than a man, and whilst we should all be completely happy in our own bodies (ignoring what anyone tells us) there is nothing wrong if you, as a woman, want to lose a few pounds. Here are a few ways to speed that process up.
The first step is to have a detox if possible that involves plenty of hydration and fibrous, low fat foods. Very often, what we consider to be excess weight is bloat from toxins. Wash them out with water, leafy greens, grains and bran based products and you’ll be surprised how quickly the scales change.
Secondly, work out a strict diet. Exercise and a diet go hand in hand; one doesn’t work anywhere near as well without the other. It’s very easy, especially with the pressures of modern life and family commitments, to resort to processed foods and trans fats. But these are the number one cause of excess weight, probably even more so than a sedentary lifestyle by itself. If you must go for processed foods, try going for organic and low fat variants, or batch cook meals so that convenience food in the house is healthier. Aim for plenty of leafy greens and fresh vegetables; not just because of the nutritional value, but because you’re likely to feel hungry on your new journey, and plenty of raw veg will bulk you up without the weight that comes with your usual food.
For exercise, if you’re looking for the fastest way to get in shape, it’s all about intensity. HIT (High intensity training) is an excellent starting point; regular, short bursts of intense energy will ensure that you really work up a sweat, get the muscle groups working and start to burn off any excess fat. There are some exercises, however, that will yield more results because of the parts of the body they work the hardest. Cycling, for instance, is fantastic for shedding abdominal fat, and along with sit ups, this is going to be one of the quickest ways to get in shape if you feel your belly needs a little trimming. There are also a range of exercises that will firm up and tone the gluteal muscles (the bum for anyone not sure what they are.) Kettle bell squats, donkey kicks (weighted) and reverse lunges with knee drives are just some of the exercises you need to be looking at for an intense, quick result.
Perhaps the best way, however, is to maximise your available time by fitting in exercise where you previously didn’t. This sounds like a no brainer, and it probably is, but is often forgotten. Run or cycle instead of driving; this burns calories without you even noticing (and saves on fuel!) If you’re sat at a desk, get a foot cycle machine and get a few hundred yards in whilst taking calls or filling out paperwork. It’s partly a sedentary lifestyle that gets us stuck in a hole of being ‘out of shape’, so bucking the trend and slipping exercise in is the number one way to take back your body and get it in shape quickly.
It’s OK to admit that we want to ‘firm up’ and change a little bit about ourselves and it’s totally OK to want quick, lasting results. Intense exercise and a full on, ‘top down’ change of diet that eliminates trans fats, sugars and preservatives and additives will probably give your body a little bit of a hit; you’re going to feel hungry, but learn to bulk up with healthy foods instead of convenient ones, and when you’re about to drive a short distance, look at whether it can be a chance to get there through intense exercise. You may feel tired, but that’s fine; it means you’re doing the work (but learn to rest!) These lifestyle changes will see the pounds fall off and an actual toned, muscular appearance develop.