Eating boring foods, jogging ad nauseum and going to gym doesn't sound like fun. For anyone. That's why I've compiled this quick guide to help you have fun while losing weight. I'll look over some recipes, activities and lifestyle changes that can make your weight loss journey a bit more fun.
While I was trying to lose weight, the only fun part was starting something new. I'd buy cookbooks, exercise equipment, new jogging shoes, not too mention expensive club memberships. All my new toys and gadgets would enjoyable until they became work, which usually happened after using them three of four times. I decided that I needed to find something genuinely entertaining to stick with. I gradually began integrating weight loss into my hobbies and favorite activities. I would like to share with the world my techniques.
Watching TV - I really like watching TV, I'm not going to lie. What I don't like watching is the commercials. So I decided to set up a little fitness area in front of my TV. During the ~15 of commercials per show, I would exercise. Each commercial break gave me the chance to do a set of a certain exercise. In one episode of Law & Order, I could do one set of crunches, another of push-ups, and finally one light weight training session. Between shows is a good time to grab a glass of water and a very, very light snack.
I typically watch 3 hours of television per day, meaning I am exposed to roughly 45 minutes of advertising. This gives me enough time to do a complete workout without needing to miss any of my favorite shows.
International Cuisine - Coming from the northern US means I more or less eat Americanized European food. Pasta, mashed potatoes, large pieces of meat, fried vegetables and lots of salt. I knew my diet was one of the leading factors of my obesity. After hearing about the Mediterranean diet, Japanese and French diets, I decided to try it out for myself. What a discovered, quite literally, was an entirely new world of food. I really got into Indian food, and its very easy to make. Here is a dish I made last night. It has next to no fat, lots of nutrients, protein and its very filling.
Healthy Curry
3 medium yellow onions, diced
3 medium potatoes, cut into very small wedges
1 chicken breast - I used a blender to turn it into a paste for texture
1 can of peas
2 cups water
3 Tbsp of oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed chiles
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
Here comes the best part. Just place it all in a big pot and cook on high heat. Blend and mash occasionally. Done!
Explore & Shop - Another way I was able to combine my love of shopping and eating was by exploring ethnic markets in my city. These markets feature foods native to other countries, which means they are typically unprocessed and very nutritious. It fun to head down to a given ethnic area and go for a stroll. Carrying heavy shopping bags is work in itself. It was also nice to talk to store owners about their traditional foods and practices. They are always very welcoming and honored that a local wants to learn about their cuisine. These shops will often feature native herbal supplement s and remedies that have been part of their culture for centuries. If you're adventurous and looking to try new things, I highly recommend visiting ethnic grocers.
Travel - While vacations often lead to indulgence, they are an excellent way to exercise. Go visit the closest city and walk, all day! Grab a good pair of shoes and visit parks, landmarks, shops and points of interest. The lack of familiarity will distract you from hunger. Larger cities often have walking tours with points of interest along the way.
Sports - While not everyone enjoys them, I found they were a great way to get in shape while enjoying myself. My local community center has loosely organized sports leagues. For a small fee, I was able to join a pickup flag football league. And don't worry, most people there are in the same boat as you. If team sports aren't you're thing, the same organizations almost always offer yoga, pilates and other individual activities. Its also good way to make friends.
These are the methods that helped me have fun losing weight an stay in shape. I'm also always looking to have fun. In order to help others online, I've started a funny weight loss [http://www.100diets.com] blog at 100diets.com.
Nora Walker
Lansing, MI
Writer for 100diets.com
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