KESEHATAN
According to medical experts and nutritionists, there is an optimum weight condition, which is in proportion to your height. When the fat content of your body exceeds the normal values, it tends to make you overweight. This problem is mostly attributed to poor lifestyle choices, such as eating processed foods high in fat, oversized food portions, overeating, excessive drinking, lack of physical activity, lack of sleep, and other similar habits. Genetic factors and hormonal problems also tend to increase the risk of developing obesity.
Obesity is a great concern not merely because of the excess weight, but also because it makes you susceptible to a number of serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and others. It is important to adopt healthy lifestyle changes to combat this problem. In addition, you can use some easy yet effective natural remedies to help with your weight loss efforts.
Simple Home Remedies For Weight Loss
1. Lemon Water
Lemon water is an excellent detox drink for weight loss. Lemon juice helps your body get the nutrients required to burn fat for energy and suppress weight gain. Plus, being rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, it aids in removing toxins from the body that slow down your metabolism. Be sure to continue drinking lemon water even after you lose weight to help maintain your weight. Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into a glass of lukewarm water. Optionally, add a little raw honey. You can also add a little black pepper powder as it helps with fat burning and suppresses fat accumulation. Drink this solution daily.
Note: Use fresh lemon juice rather than the bottled version. Do not use processed honey as it will do more harm than good.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar assists in weight loss due to its acetic acid content. Acetic acid has been found to help prevent the accumulation of body fat. Apple cider vinegar also helps your body absorb nutrients from the food you eat, treats digestive issues and fights infections. Mix 1 to 2 teaspoons of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Drink it once daily in the evening.
You can gradually increase the amount of apple cider vinegar up to 2 tablespoons per glass. Do not drink it in excess, though.
3. Green Tea
In addition to lemon water and apple cider vinegar, also drink green tea. It has a massive range of antioxidants that help boost metabolism and aid in losing weight. The catechins in green tea are particularly good for increasing fat burning by releasing fat from fat cells. They also help fight free radicals and prevent diseases. Replace your daily cup of regular tea or coffee with a cup of organic green tea. You can drink 3 to 4 cups of green tea a day.
4. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper helps control obesity and aids in weight loss. It contains capsaicin that stimulates your body to burn fat and increase energy expenditure. In addition, it stimulates digestion and suppresses excess appetite caused by malabsorption of nutrients in the body. Make cayenne pepper tea by pouring a glass of hot water over cayenne pepper (start with one-tenth of a teaspoon or just a dash of cayenne pepper and gradually increase its quantity to one teaspoon). Squeeze the juice from half a lemon in it. Drink this tea regularly at least for a month. Mix two tablespoons each of lemon juice and maple syrup in 10 ounces of water (one glass contains 8 ounces). Stir in a dash of cayenne pepper and drink it. Use cayenne pepper and other spices, such as ginger, black pepper, and mustard seeds, generously in your meal preparations.
5. Tomatoes
Eat a couple of tomatoes every morning on an empty stomach. Make sure you eat the peels and seeds as well because they contain dietary fiber. Tomatoes contain compounds that tend to alter the levels of hormones that affect your appetite.
Furthermore, being rich in vitamins A, C, and K, and magnesium, manganese, choline, folate, and other nutrients, they are good for your health. Also, they are packed with antioxidants that protect against cancers.
6. Drink Plenty of Water
Drink plenty of water throughout the day to help your body flush out toxins. It is recommended to drink 8 to 10 glasses of fluids a day. In addition to detoxification, it increases the rate at which the body burns fat. Plus, it aids digestion, relieves fatigue, improves mood and beats bad breath. When increasing your fluid intake, keep the following in mind:
Do not drink water during or immediately after a meal as it may impair digestion. It is best to drink water about 30 minutes after eating a meal. Do not substitute water with soft drinks and colas that contain calories. Eat more water-rich fruits and vegetables.
7. Exercise
If you are serious about losing weight in a healthy way, then there is no escape from regular exercise and physical activity. A combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity will help you lose as well as control your weight effectively. Running, for instance, is excellent for weight loss as it burns calories while you are doing it as well as afterwards.
Do a treadmill workout for at least 25 minutes daily. Alternatively, do brisk walking for at least 30 minutes and running for a few minutes in a nearby park.
8. Get Proper Sleep
Proper sleep and relaxation also play an important role in promoting weight loss. In fact, not getting enough or quality sleep impacts your hunger and fullness hormones, affects your metabolism adversely and alters the way your genetics influence your body mass index (BMI).
Sleep deprivation encourages late-night snacking, makes you crave comfort foods and leaves you too tired for regular physical exercise. Plus, studies suggest that lack of sleep can compromise the effectiveness of weight loss efforts.
Get a good night’s sleep of 6 to 8 hours daily. The best way to do this is to stick to a schedule, going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day.
Additional Tips
- Enjoy swimming, tennis, football, basketball, racquetball, heavy gardening, cycling and other physical activities to help burn fat.
- Be more active in your daily life by parking your car further away from your office, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking while talking on your cell phone instead of sitting on your couch.
- You can also try yoga.
- Enjoy an 8-ounce glass of fresh coconut water 3 or 4 times a week. Do not drink it in excess though, as it may add more calories than you want.
- If possible, include more spices like chili pepper, black pepper, ginger, garlic and cinnamon in your food. They help boost metabolism and aid in losing weight. Cayenne pepper, in particular, contains a compound called capsaicin that helps increase the metabolic rate, suppresses appetite and fights fat buildup.
