6 Tips to Measure and Control Portion Sizes for Weight Loss

Controlling portion sizes is one of the intuitive ways to maintain or lose weight. It is universally acknowledged that controlling your calorie intake and having small meals will result in weight loss. Still, this is often easier said than done. Research has shown that we cannot always rely on our own judgement to limit our meals. When people eat the occasional big meal, they might not see any immediate difference, making it easy to understate the effects and continue to overeat.

The misconceptions

When people hear the oft-discussed “portion size”, they usually imagine a physical amount of food. However, portion size actually refers more to the caloric intake of the food consumed as opposed to the physical quantity. This is why eating a big bowl of a vegetable salad may still be more portion-accurate than that unassuming slice of pizza.

Asking the right questions

To start your journey on eating mindfully, ask yourself these questions: what, when, where, why, and how much you eat.

We should also extend that to who— who is eating? The ideal calorie intake varies with factors such as age, height, body size, gender, genetics, hormonal imbalances, level of physical activity and more.

Based on the average Singaporean’s weight and physical activity, the recommended daily intake is 2200 calories for males and 1800 calories for females. With that wrapped up, we can now share with you these simple tips on how to cut back and control on your portion sizes.

1. Use smaller plates

The size of your dinnerware influences how much food you heap on it. Swap your plate and bowls with smaller alternatives to control yourself. Use your plate to portion a well-balanced meal: vegetables and salads should occupy half the plate, and high-quality protein and complex carbs should each take up the remaining quarters. Ideally, high-fat food and added sugar should not exceed a tablespoon each.

2. Measure accurately

It would also help to make the most of your measuring cups, tablespoons, and other meal prep containers to get accurate and reliable amounts of the foods you are consuming.

3. Don’t eat straight from the container

Dish out your servings separately in small bowls and plates. Refrain from eating directly from jumbo-sized packages or family meal-servings. This will only encourage overeating and second helpings.

4. Keep a food journal

Over time, you will be able to approximate food portions on your own. But tracking your meals is a great way to start out. The goal is not to obsess over every single calorie, but rather to monitor your goals and increase awareness of what and how much you are eating.

5. Don’t skip meals

Always eat your meals at regular times. When you delay or skip meals, you may overeat at some point during the day.

6. Practice mindful eating

This is where the 5 W’s and 1H questions come in. Do not just snack mindlessly. Instead, question yourself on why you are eating and whether you are really hungry.

Try not to help yourself to second servings rashly. Try to employ the 20-minute rule — it may take a while for you to feel full after a meal, so try and wait for 20 minutes before you reach for second helpings.

Lastly, take it slow. Eating quickly increases the likelihood of overeating. Take smaller bites and slowly savour every mouthful. Not only would this help with eliminating the possibilities of overeating, but you are also more likely to enjoy your meal more!

The bottom line

Portion control is not a type of diet but a lifestyle. It must be observed steadfastly to promise results. While eating mindfully does indeed improve your quality of life, the bottom line is that it maintains rather than actively reduces body fat after a certain point. For a more comprehensive weight loss journey, you would have to partake in more active measures, such as TCM slimming.

Slim Couture is the best slimming centre to help you in your weight loss journey. We dedicate ourselves to following the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and providing successful slimming solutions and weight loss programs for you to live your best life starting today.

Contact us to learn more about TCM weight loss in Singapore today.

Your Ultimate Guide To Building A Workout Playlist

Unless you prefer listening to the sound of your own heavy breathing, most of us listen to music whilst working out. Research has found that doing physical activities accompanied by music can elevate your mood, increase your productivity and boost your athletic performance. If there is anything that you can do to make working out more enjoyable, it is certainly the right workout playlist!

Music is a great way to have fun while losing weight— whether it’s to give yourself the push you need to keep going or pumping yourself up, music can help ignite your motivation. Unfortunately, making a suitable workout playlist goes beyond just choosing all your favourite songs and compiling them into a playlist. If you are unsure what songs to include, check out this ultimate guide to creating your workout playlist!

Assess your pace

The rhythm of your movement as you work out should match the beats per minute of your song selection. If you are running or cycling, you may count your movements over a 60-second period. Even if you’re lifting weights or doing strength work that doesn’t involve much movement, your heart rate will still match the music you play, so it’s good to keep it upbeat and energetic. If you are a beginner, try counting the number of steps you can take in a minute and match that to the beat of any song.

Arrange your playlist

As you begin your workout, you are likely to gradually start in simple routines and move your way up to intense ones. Thus, it would be beneficial to make sure that your playlist is arranged accordingly. The songs you are listening to are a way of bringing the entire session together — from warming up to transitioning from different moves and cooling down, so it’s important that you focus on curating a playlist for your whole workout routine. If you’re doing movement routines, choose songs that are continuous so the silence between each song doesn’t affect your pace.

Create a backup playlist

It’s perfectly normal to feel extremely tired when working out. Instead of forcing yourself through your upbeat and high-intensity routines, try building a backup playlist with less intense songs so you do not feel like you are struggling to catch your breath.

Play with the beats

Something as simple as a beat could push your routine such as cycling or running to the next level. So, when you plan on stepping up your game, create a playlist with songs that are slightly faster than your natural pace — remember that just a few extra beats per minute already make a difference. With a faster music pace, you will be able to do more work and not notice or mind the increase in workload.

Slimming comes in many ways, such as TCM slimming

There’s no doubt that listening to your favourite songs can make working out more fun, but the right playlist can certainly boost your performance and make your session even more productive! Still, slimming isn’t all about just working out – it also comes in many ways, with the most common methods being adopting plant-based diets and portion control.

Besides the methods mentioned above, you could also try TCM slimming to achieve your goal in no time! TCM slimming is a healthy alternative to slimming methods such as crash dieting, pills, or excessive exercise. This all-natural technique has zero dangerous potential side effects and will be able to produce results that are long-lasting.

Conclusion

Here at Slim Couture, we use traditional Chinese medicine techniques to help you shed some extra pounds, speed up your metabolism, and obtain the slimmed-down body you’ve always dreamed of! Offering a money-back guarantee on the results of your weight loss, we promise that you will get what you pay for. Our dedicated team of experts are with you every step of the way and will even provide you with comprehensive diet plans as part of our post-treatment support.

Contact us today to get started on your weight loss journey with the best slimming centre in Singapore.

Weight Loss: Effective Ways to Lose Stubborn Arm Fat

As everyone’s bodies are completely different, we all hold onto fat differently. Some carry excess weight proportionately, while others tend to carry them in specific areas such as the belly, thighs, and arms. The arms are one of the most common areas of concern for many people.

What causes arm fat?

Arm fat is one of the many side effects of growing older. As you grow older, your metabolism decreases and excess fat could get stored in your arms, especially if you are not following a physically active lifestyle.

Research has shown that excess arm fat can also arise from low testosterone levels. As women grow older, their testosterone levels begin to decrease, making it increasingly difficult to lose the stubborn arm fat.

So, the question lies, is there a sure-fire way to lose flabby arms? To help you out, we have compiled a list of some effective ways you can reduce arm fat.

Focusing on overall weight loss

Spot reduction is a type of targeted exercise intended to burn fat in specific areas of the body. While it has been popular in the health and fitness industry, most studies have found it to be ineffective. According to a study involving 104 adults who completed a 3 month training program, focusing the training on one arm resulted in decreased overall body fat, but had little effect on the specific area being exercised.

Hence, it would be best to not zero in on your arms, but to focus on a full-scale and all-inclusive weight loss program. Cardio is a great way to get your heart rate up to burn extra calories. Activities such as running, swimming and even dancing are excellent ways to have fun while losing weight!

Building strength in your arms

Instead of focusing on only reducing fat, you could switch your focus to building strength in your arms. Resistance training is a type of exercise that builds muscle mass and strength. Lifting weights, in particular, can tone your arms and make them look slimmer.

Some examples of exercises you could do are bicep curls, triceps kickbacks and overhead presses with barbells, dumbbells, and resistance bands. However, it is also possible to exercise without weights and equipment. Exercises such as arm circles, push-ups, inchworms, and planks can be easily integrated into your morning routine. They help build muscle strength, giving you toned and sculpted arms.

Eating clean and staying hydrated

Eating clean is one of the most effective ways to lose stubborn arm fat. Watching your diet can help to boost metabolism and promote good digestion. Easing up on refined carbohydrates, reducing sugar intake and incorporating more fibre and protein into your diet can support weight management and help you lose excess body fat.

Additionally, it would help to make a mental note to always stay hydrated! Research has shown that drinking plenty of water each day can increase one’s metabolism. Water is also a healthier alternative to high calorie drinks such as sodas.

Conclusion

There are many methods that can help with losing stubborn arm fat effectively.  Switching up your diet, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are just some ways to regulate your body composition.

Another novel method that is gaining traction, especially for those struggling with the above methods, is TCM slimming. Here at Slim Couture, we incorporate traditional Chinese medicine methods into our slimming program to help you lose weight naturally. This therapy helps remove toxins from your body, stimulating your metabolism and allows you to maintain a fit body. To learn more, contact us at Slim Couture to get you started on your weight loss journey with the best slimming centre in Singapore.

4 Amazing Health Benefits Of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Have you ever noticed someone with several red marks on their back from cupping? Perhaps you know someone who has tried acupuncture to ease their back pain or made herbal teas to treat colds. Nowadays, people are using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practices to not just ease body pains and aches, but also to prevent them!

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a type of natural and comprehensive medical system that has been in practice for over two thousand years. This method is designed to restore the body’s healing mechanisms and benefits the body both physically and psychologically.

Whether you’re a newbie or have already incorporated these practices into your lifestyle, check out 4 amazing health benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)!

Reduces inflammation

Inflammation is often the root cause of a variety of diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer. Thus, it is of paramount importance that we do our best to reduce inflammation in our bodies.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practices such as acupuncture and acupressure trigger nerve pathways in the body that can suppress swelling and inflammation. Chinese herbal treatments such as scutellaria baicalensis, or more commonly known as Chinese skullcap, have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties that can combat diseases and boost one’s immunity.

Enhances flexibility and muscle strength

Most people usually engage in exercises to melt unwanted body fat or gain muscle. While exercise is indeed effective, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is another way to improve your flexibility and muscle strength.

A particular pillar of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Tai Chi, is an effective way to enhance your balance and overall strength. The movements in Tai Chi are designed to cultivate your energy, or qi, to flow seamlessly throughout your body. It is said that a healthy balance of qi strengthens your immune system and allows your body to function at its best. Tai Chi is an effective aerobic workout to improve posture, balance, general mobility and build muscle strength.

Improves the quality of your sleep

It may come as a surprise to you, but Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can help improve the overall quality of your sleep. An adult typically requires an average of eight hours of quality sleep every night. Sufficient sleep helps to improve blood circulation, boost cognitive strength, and reduce stress.

Chinese herbs and teas, such as the jujube seeds, are a natural way to treat sleep issues such as insomnia. They regulate the nervous system and calm the mind — reducing fatigue. Acupuncture treatments regulate the qi in the body, eliminating harmful pathogens and reinforcing health. Stimulating certain pressure points can help reduce anxiety, promote melatonin production, and minimise disruption in one’s sleep overall.

Boosts cognitive health

The benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) do not end with just improving your physical health, they can also help with your mental health! Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) regulates hormones in the body, thus improving one’s mood. Researchers have discovered through an eight-week study involving 151 men and women, that depressive symptoms improved significantly for those who received acupuncture.

Chinese herbs such as the ginkgo biloba, are commonly used to treat age-related cognitive disorders as they have properties that improve one’s memory. Acupressure also appears to be useful in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment, which if left untreated, may lead to dementia.

Conclusion

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a system of health and wellness that focuses on the balance and harmony of energy in the body. There are various TCM practices, and the list above are just some of the health benefits they can offer.

Incorporating Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) into your weight loss routine can help your reach your goal in no time. Here at Slim Couture, we offer an all-natural TCM slimming treatment to help you slim down effectively. Our treatment aids in the removal of toxins from your body and boosts your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight safely. Feel free to contact us for more information or if you wish to start your weight loss journey for a healthier body!