A Beginner’s Step-By-Step Guide To Working Out Effectively

Starting a workout routine is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health. Physical activity offers several benefits to your body such as reducing the risk of serious diseases, improving your balance and coordination, overall weight loss and increasing your self-esteem!

Regular exercise doesn’t just help you lose weight and stay fit but also protects your body from falling ill. However, this process is not as easy as it sounds: it requires a lot of determination, hard work, and discipline. If you’re considering starting your journey to a fit and healthier lifestyle, check out this step-by-step guide to creating an effective workout routine!

Step 1: Determine your fitness level

Assessing and recording your baseline fitness scores can help you come up with a better routine and how to measure your progress. To evaluate your cardio and muscular fitness, body composition and flexibility, try recording these certain factors:

• Your pulse rate before and after walking a mile
• Duration of how long it took you to walk a mile
• Number of pushups you can do in one minute
• Your waist circumference
• Your body mass index (BMI)
• Length of your forward reach while seated on the floor

Step 2: Plan your fitness program

It’s easy to say that you’ll exercise every day, but planning a program that you will stick to is more important as a beginner. As you design your plan, remember these points:

• Think about your fitness goals – Decide why you want to follow a fitness goal – is it to lose weight or prepare for an event? Setting a goal can help you check your progress and stay on track.
• Plan a balanced routine – Create a balanced routine to give your body time to rest. Alternate between moderate and intense workout sessions or split your workouts according to specific areas to focus on: for example, Abs + Legs or Chest + Shoulders.
• Start slow and progress slowly – If you’re a total beginner to working out regularly, start slow and avoid pushing yourself too hard. You can work to enhance your routine when you begin to see little progress or when your weight starts to plateau.
• Allow time for recovery – Some people start exercising by working out intensely for long periods and give up when their muscles start to feel sore. A healthy workout program includes time to rest and recover in between.
• Write it down – Writing down your routines and goals is one of the best ways to encourage yourself to stay on track.

Step 3: Prepare the necessary equipment

You probably want to start with buying athletic shoes – make sure you choose the shoes that are designed for the specific activity you have in mind. The fun part about working out is that there are a plethora of exercises and tools to try – find one that provides the right balance of fun and intensity! Lastly, you might also want to consider using fitness applications for smartphone devices to track your progress and calories burned.

Step 4: Monitor your progress

Monitor your progress after six weeks to see how far you’ve come! It generally takes about 4-8 weeks to start seeing results, so don’t lose hope if you aren’t seeing significant changes yet!

As you check your progress, you may notice that you need to adjust the intensity and switch up your routine from time to time to continue improving. If you don’t find any progress or lose the motivation to continue, set new goals or try out new routines!

Conclusion

If you are struggling to come up with a fitness program or stick with it, you are not alone! A huge number of people find it challenging to create a diet program and workout routine, and the discipline to follow a schedule.

If you wish to reach your body goals but have yet to see any progress – try including TCM slimming into your routine! Here at Slim Couture, we utilise traditional Chinese medicine methods in our weight loss programs to perfectly complement your current workout routine and boost your natural metabolism to help you shed those extra pounds safely and effectively!

3 Bad Eating Habits That Lead To Unintentional Weight Gain

It’s a well-known fact that losing weight doesn’t come easy for everyone. If that wasn’t the case, then more than 2 billion people worldwide would be physically fit by now. The challenge with losing weight lies not just in a person’s diet but also in their unhealthy eating habits. Despite doing a lot of cardio and other exercises, shedding those pounds will take longer than usual if those habits are left unchecked.

If you want to achieve a slim body, you need to put in a bit more effort by eliminating all of your bad eating habits and replacing them with better ones. If you’re serious about making significant progress ASAP, below are some of the unhealthiest eating habits you should give up today.

1. Eating big portions

Eating a small portion size may not feel satisfying for most, especially during important meals like breakfast and lunch, but moderation is key to losing weight. Way too often, it isn’t uncommon for people to be surprised at how their portion sizes are way bigger than the recommended intake!

A simple psychological trick is to use a smaller bowl – this will tell your brain that you are eating a bigger portion. In addition to portion size, make sure you are eating a variety of foods to ensure that you are getting enough nutrients and energy for the day.

2. Eating too quickly

Eating hastily is another bad habit that can ruin your efforts to lose weight. Although being quick in gulping down your meal can prove tempting or even feel necessary at times, especially on busy days, it’s still best to take it slow and chew your food properly.

For one, swiftly eating your food can cause you to overeat and potentially lead you to put on more weight. This is because when you eat rapidly, it becomes easier to eat a lot more food than your body needs. Over time, the excess food consumed is stored in the form of fat, causing weight gain. Besides this issue, eating fast can also result in digestive problems, such as poor digestion, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. Therefore, stick to the recommendation of health experts and reserve at least 20 minutes to chow down on your meals.

3. Skipping your meals

Many people skip their meals believing that it will help accelerate the weight loss process. But, unfortunately, this assumption is incorrect. In reality, skipping meals can be counterproductive by adding more pounds instead of losing them. When you skip meals, you miss out on a lot of essential nutrients that your body needs. As a result, you’ll constantly feel tired, and it may even lead you to turn to eat unhealthy foods to satisfy your hunger, especially now that getting your hands on them is more convenient compared to preparing a nutritious meal yourself.

To lose weight effectively, you need to reduce the calories you consume, not skip your meals altogether. When you don’t eat your meals on time, you increase the risk of damaging your metabolism and developing the inclination to overeat later on.

Conclusion

Losing weight requires perseverance and a strong dedication to change for the better. So if you want to make some good progress on getting that slim body, you also need to focus on your eating habits and not just your diet.

If you wish to reach your body goal much sooner than later, then try including TCM slimming into your weight loss routine! At Slim Couture, we’ve incorporated traditional Chinese medicine methods into our weight loss programs to help you slim down effectively with no adverse side effects. Not only does the treatment help remove body toxins from your system and eliminate water tension, but it also boosts your natural metabolism to shed those pounds safely and reliably!

5 Fruits To Incorporate In Your Diet For Faster Weight Loss

When it comes to losing weight, one ubiquitous challenge that most people struggle with during their weight loss journey is to curb their dessert cravings. Granted, the initial stages of kicking your sugar habit will be tough, but nothing worth having comes easy – and losing weight is no exception. Research has proven that with a reduced intake of high sugar content, you will be able to speed up the weight loss process, prevent obesity, and attain a healthier, slimmer body.

While your diet may have strict rules against consuming refined sugars in treats like cakes and cookies, natural sugars in fruits are not off-limits. Fruits are excellent snack alternatives chock-full of vitamins, fibre, and other beneficial nutrients that support quick weight loss – all while possessing the same sweetness you are so desperately craving!

Combined with a regular exercise routine, nourishing your body with the various health benefits of fruits are sure to help you achieve your body goals in no time. Here is a comprehensive list of the top five fruits you should be incorporating into your daily diet for a speedy weight loss process.

1. Apples

There is no denying the importance of having a reduced calorie intake when trying to slim down. Apples are associated with weight loss as this fruit is low in calories – making for a fantastic dietary snack. By replacing high-calorie treats with an apple, your net calorie intake will be lowered, leading to weight loss.

Additionally, apples are high in fibre. For the uninitiated, fibre is an essential dietary component that slows down your digestion process and induces a feeling of fullness, effectively curbing your appetite. Plus, the more fibre you consume from apples, the more you boost your body’s metabolism! As such, apples are great to munch on if you are trying to lose weight quickly.

2. Grapefruits

Grapefruits are rich in nutrients, antioxidants, and fibre. Hence, it is one of the healthiest citrus fruits to consume. Furthermore, did you know that half a grapefruit contains only 39 calories and provides 65% of your reference daily intake (RDI) for vitamin C? Studies have also shown that individuals who consume grapefruits lose considerably more weight compared to those who do not.

Aside from their low calories, grapefruits are also extremely high in water content to suppress your appetite and keep your body well-hydrated. While grapefruits can be eaten whole on their own, you can enjoy them better if you add them to salads or dishes. A tip is to consume the citrus along with large servings of veggies to maximise its weight loss benefits.

3. Mangoes

Not only do mangoes tickle your tastebuds with a delightful tropical experience, but this popular summer fruit also comes with a host of health benefits. Scientists have declared that the bioactive compounds and phytochemicals in mangoes can suppress the fat cells present in your body, which is beneficial for weight control.

Mangoes are also high in water content and dietary fibre, promoting optimal digestive health. Moreover, they help boost your body’s metabolism by lowering the risks of high blood pressure and regulating your blood sugar levels. Lastly, consuming such a high-fibre fruit aids in shedding your extra pounds as its properties allow you to stay satiated for longer.

4. Avocadoes

Regularly consuming avocadoes is a good dietary habit to adopt when it comes to weight loss. This is because avocadoes are rich in nutrients, fibre, and antioxidants that strengthen your immune system and keep your critical organs healthy.

Although these fruits are deemed one of the fattiest plant foods around, they consist of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids that reduce your odds of suffering from cardiovascular inflammation and high cholesterol levels. Because they are rich in fatty acids and calorie-dense, avocadoes can promote a feeling of fullness and squash your appetite throughout the day.

5. Bananas

Those striving to achieve weight loss or on a low-carb diet tend to avoid bananas in fear of gaining weight due to their high sugar, carbohydrate, and calorie content. Although bananas are considerably higher in calories than other fruits, research has yet to prove that it causes weight gain.

To debunk that myth, did you know that bananas are jam-packed with an array of nutrients like fibre, potassium, and vitamins A, B6, and C that aid in weight loss? Many dietitians have even shared that bananas are one of the best fruits to eat while on a diet. Besides, these superior fruits also boast a low to medium level of glycaemic index (GI), which helps reduce your blood sugar levels and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion

In your quest to achieve weight loss, do remember to include fruits in your daily diet. Not only do they provide the essential nutrients and vitamins to attain a healthier body, but they are also wonderful snack alternatives that curb your cravings for sugary foods.

Beyond sticking to a well-balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, actively engaging in a regular workout routine can aid in quick weight loss. Alternatively, you can also opt for our all-natural TCM slimming treatment to boost your results – our highly effective weight loss treatments are proven to help you increase your metabolism, shed extra pounds, and achieve the slim body you so desire!

TCM Tips: 6 Eating Habits You Must Do to Lose Weight

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) provides ways to treat the mind, body, and spirit. However, the power of TCM is not just limited to treating the mental, physical, and spiritual aspects of a person, but it also applies to a wide variety of things, such as weight loss. TCM has a completely different way of viewing weight gain. According to it, weight gain is not a problem but rather a symptom of an underlying cause or condition you might have.

Due to its distinct view on weight gain, TCM has unique methods for dealing with weight loss effectively, most of which revolve around changing your diet. To learn more, below are some eating habits that traditional Chinese medicine suggests you should do to achieve the slim body you have been dreaming of.

1. Avoid sweet and greasy foods

If you’re serious about losing weight, you’ll have to rein in your sweet tooth as well as completely avoid foods that are far too greasy for comfort.

Indulging a tad too much on the former can cause a significant spike in your blood sugar, while the latter’s high-calorie count can spell disaster to your weight loss progress. Aside from hindering your weight loss, consuming too many sweet and greasy food items can also lead to inflammation in your stomach.

2. Stay away from cold foods and drinks

Consuming cold foods and drinks beyond moderation can harm your digestive function. By eating cold foods excessively, you’re compromising your digestion and forcing your body to produce plenty of internal phlegm.

Such inflammation can and will hamper your chance of losing weight fast. Since your stomach and spleen prefer warmth, consuming food and drinks of such temperature should be done instead.

3. Cook and prepare your meals properly

Eating far too many raw food items can also be one of the main reasons why you’ve been unnecessarily gaining weight. Although sushi and other similar dishes can be just so tantalizing, eating plenty of them has the tendency to promote congestion, mucus, fatigue, abdominal pain, and bloating after the meal.

By reducing the number of raw fruits and vegetables you consume daily, you’re not just making the weight loss process easier, but you’re also improving the level of your after-meal comfort.

4. Don’t eat until you’re completely full

As a rule of thumb, always eat until you’re no longer hungry, not until you’re full. Although it may not seem like it, filling yourself up until you feel full is considered overeating, something that won’t help you make progress on your weight loss anytime soon. Eating till full simply entails that your system would need to use up a lot more energy to digest food.

When your digestive system can’t completely digest food, it tends to accumulate and turn into toxins. So, according to TCM, eating only until you’re 70% full is highly recommended to prevent weight gain.

5. Schedule your meals

Just like sleeping, there are certain hours of the day when your body processes food more efficiently. Because of this, scheduling your meals around these hours can greatly help you shed a few more extra pounds.

According to TCM, you should have your heavy meal between 7 am to 11 pm because your digestive system is at its strongest point around these times. On the other hand, you must avoid eating beyond 6pm because your body doesn’t deal with food well during these hours.

6. Use Chinese herbal medicines

Chinese herbal medicines are a part of TCM that is often used for weight loss. Different herbs can help you slim down by suppressing your appetite, boosting your metabolism, and burning fats. To lose weight quickly and effectively, it’s recommended to try out these medicines that now come in the form of capsules.

However, the herbs for this traditional Chinese method vary from person to person. Thus, it’s best to rely on a TCM expert’s recommendation after they assess several key factors like your pulse, tongue, and other organs.

Conclusion

When you want to slim down and tone your body, there are plenty of ways to achieve your goal. These techniques focus on what foods you should eat, how to eat them, and when to do so. Apart from treating the mind and the body, TCM provides wisdom and advice proven to be effective in helping people attain their fitness goals.

If you’re interested in starting a weight loss treatment, Slim Couture is here to help you out! We provide an all-natural TCM slimming treatment that’s proven effective to trim your waistline by increasing your metabolism, burning your fats, and improving your overall health. In addition, our treatments incorporate effective TCM techniques in our weight loss programs to ensure that you achieve your dream body fast and in a healthy way.