5 Tips for Losing Weight and Toning Up (Even if You have a Busy Family Life)

A healthy weight and an admirable muscle tone are one of the most common goals among health-conscious individuals, especially those who feel a bit flabby and “out of shape”. But to so many people, achieving this often means putting some work into it, from spending time in the gym to jogging, watching what you eat, and so forth.

And in most cases, the busy schedules of the modern day at work and at home can come in the way, sometimes enough to make you abandon your fitness goals. But there’s no doubt that with a little commitment, motivation, and creativity, there are several ways to shed those extra pounds and get toned up.

If you feel psyched up enough to embark on your fitness journey, below are five tips that could help you lose weight and achieve that toned-up physique that you so badly desire.

1. Start an Exercise Regimen 

While you might have come across numerous products promoted as weight loss pills, supplements, and all, regular exercise is by far the best and healthiest scientifically proven way to lose weight. From cardio to lifting weights, sweating it out allows you to burn fat and enhances protein synthesis – which is required to gain lean mass.

From lunges to jumping jacks, push-ups, planks, sit-ups, and squats, there are also numerous body-weight exercises that you can do from home for a tone-up body. Most of these exercises will also help build core strength even during those 30 minutes or so you get when the baby finally falls asleep.

2. Include More Protein in Your Diet 

Of course, it is counterproductive to expect to lose significant weight without keeping your diet in check. But why do bodybuilders and athletes prioritize protein in their diets? It’s very simple; proteins are the building blocks of muscles and body tissues. Besides helping to increase muscle mass and strength, taking in more dietary protein can help eliminate fat mass while preserving fat-free muscle mass.

While plant-based protein sources like nuts, seeds, and legumes, are considered healthier, you can also get some high-quality protein from animals and animal products like eggs, milk, beef, and oily fish. There are also many protein snacks that you can prepare or stock up on in advance if you live a busy lifestyle.

3. Eat at Maintenance Calories 

Observing your diet doesn’t mean starving yourself in the name of losing weight. And while some nutritional approaches like ketogenic diets actually work, overdoing it can have harmful effects on your body.

Moreover, eating at a caloric deficit allows you to burn fat but doesn’t gain you any new muscle if you’re working out. This brings to light the importance of eating at maintenance calories. As explained in Cellucor’s piece on what is body recomposition, eating at maintenance allows you to gain muscle while burning fat for fuel without necessarily leaning out more than you should. 

And you never know, observing your calorie intake could even help minimize your trips to the grocery store!

4. Take More Water 

Water is extremely important in a healthful diet for maintaining the body’s hydration level, which plays a key role in processing food, regulating body temperature, and a whole bunch of other biological body processes like flushing out toxins. Getting adequate amounts of water every day not only helps keep you healthy but also helps you shed those extra pounds.

Additionally, ingesting electrolytes, like sodium, potassium, and calcium, is also very important in building muscle mass as well as burning fat. They are also great at suppressing hunger hormones and increasing fat loss, according to a study published in the National Medical Association Journal.

5. Set Realistic Goals 

Finally, if you are truly serious about your weight loss journey, it pays to take a step back and create attainable goals. For instance, you might be lying to yourself by setting a goal like “work out for four hours a day when indeed you work three shifts, two jobs, or spend 12 hours at work without considering time for commuting and the time you have to spend with your family in the evening.

While starting small and setting huge targets can help increase your motivation, one thing is for sure. Getting a head start in your weight loss journey by reaching for more real and achievable goals will take the pressure off and prevent you from becoming demoralized at some point down the line. You can always go for nearby Semaglitude injections.

These are just a few of the ways you can shed those extra pounds and get toned up even if you live a busy family life. While at it, make sure to minimize alcohol intake, get adequate quality sleep, avoid stressors, and possibly find a workout partner.