There’s no denying that weight loss has its challenges. Chief among them are our bad eating habits and the difficulty of establishing a beneficial, keep-update healthy exercise routine. But recognizing these challenges for what they are is half the battle: Sun Tzu wrote in his great military treatise, The Art of War, know thy enemy.
So once we have established that you have bad eating habits that require attention, you can set about reducing your portions and number of snacks, reducing your sugar and salt intake, and upping your water consumption. Then there’s the exercise.
The problem with exercise is often the lack of fun. It’s not the activity itself, but the idea of it – picking yourself up after a day’s work to dutifully head to the gym can seem like such an uphill task, it’s no wonder that most of us struggle to keep it up after a few months or the first break in that new routine. What’s needed then is simple, something that’s not too much of a drag, something you can do at home throughout the day.
Here are three fantastic exercises you can do in the morning when you get up, during a lazy afternoon at home, in the evening before settling down for dinner, or even in the park if you’re one of those types that don’t mind a little physical activity in the public sphere once in a while.
First, the squat. We love the squat because it not only ticks all the above boxes in terms of sheer easiness but also because it’s a great all-around workout for your entire midriff. You’ll get the benefit of this in your waist, your behind, and your thighs. It’s also the kind of exercise you can do in less than 5 minutes and feel that you’ve put yourself through your paces.
To get the most out of your squats, have your feet at shoulder’s width apart, keep your back straight throughout, carefully sink into the sitting position, rinse, and repeat. Start with 10-15 reps and three sets, then gradually bring yourself up to 30-45 at a time, a minimum of three times a day, with one day’s break every 3 or 4 days.
Press-ups come next. Press-ups, or push-ups, are fantastic because you work so many muscle groups to perform them. You’ll notice your shoulders, triceps, and forearms become more defined, as well as your chest muscles. Do them right with a flat belly, and you’ll also improve your core strength and abdominals. Vary your press-ups by placing your feet up on a seat. You can also change your hand position and width to exercise different parts of your chest and upper arms. Do three sets of reps until failure, three times a day, with 1 or 2 days break every 4 or 5 days.
Finally, the plank. This is a fantastic exercise because, like the push-up, you’re working for so many upper-body muscle groups. Primarily, though, you put your core to the task – and do so without putting any strain on your back, which is often the problem with core or abdominal-focused exercises. Please don’t overdo it and start with 30 seconds, remaining very concentrated on your body shape. If you deviate from the correct position, you’ll lose much of the benefit – which is why it’s best to underdo it while you build up your strength. Again, sets of 3, 3 times a day with a break every 3 or 4 days – you’ll soon see those pounds come shedding off!
