5 Important Factors For A Successful Weight Loss Journey

Unfortunately, reaching your weight loss goal isn’t always the reality once you’ve reached the end of your weight loss journey. It’s a journey that’s full rewarding up and frustrating downs; and at times, you’d be tempted to go on a crash diet for the ‘easy’ results. However, science and personal anecdotes have denounced this method as not only will you regain back the weight you’ve worked hard to lose, but it also changes the entire physiological composition of your body, including increasing metabolic and sex hormones.

If you wish to lose weight in a safer and lasting manner, you can’t run away from making gradual and permanent lifestyle changes that are beneficial to your wellbeing. Here are 5 vital factors to help you start losing weight successfully in a healthy and sustainable manner.

1. Eat clean

It’s no secret that healthy meals make up the foundation of your weight loss efforts. Depending on the diet of your choice, you’ll need to alter your current diet accordingly. For instance, you’ll want to abandon all processed sugar, processed foods, grains and dairy if you’re opting to incorporate the Paleo diet. If you’re going for the ketogenic diet, your diet will involve reducing your carbohydrate intake whilst increasing your fat intake.

Of course, not every diet can give you your desired results. You’ll need to figure out which diet works best for you and your body. At the end of the day, ensure that you don’t neglect the essentials required for bodily functions. Besides, also take note of your portion and cut down if you exceed your maximum calorie intake for the day.

2. Exercise regularly

A weightloss journey is not complete without any physical activity to burn the calories stored in your body. This coupled with the decrease in the number of calories you eat, your body will end up in a calorie deficit, resulting in weight loss.

If engaging in a full workout sounds intimidating, you can begin by doing light exercise such as taking on long walks or even doing your daily household chores! Refrain from being inactive at all times, and increase your exercise levels gradually. 

3. Drink up

There have been studies that support the theory that drinking water is the fundamental keys to losing weight. Apart from being a natural appetite suppressant, drinking water also promotes the thermogenic state, which increases the rate of your metabolism. This means your body’s resting energy expenditure also increases, thus you’ll burn more calories even whilst you’re resting. More importantly, the burning of fat cannot be done without water. The metabolising of fat requires hydrolysis, whereby water molecules will interact with fats to create glycerol and fatty acids.

On the flip side, numerous drinks people sip on regularly like fruit juice, soda and energy can result in weight gain and therefore, sticking to water will be beneficial.

4. Get sufficient sleep

Apart from clocking a full 8 hours of interrupted sleep, you’ll want to ensure that your circadian rhythm is not disturbed either. The circadian rhythm refers to the 24-hour body clock, which helps control your daily schedule for sleep and wakefulness. Changes to the circadian clock are associated with temporal alterations in eating patterns and increased weight gain.

5. Stress less

High levels of stress have a positive correlation to gaining weight for a few reasons. High levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, will cause a surge in insulin levels. As a result, your blood sugar drops, and you’ll naturally crave sugary, fatty foods. Moreover, to abate the stress, you may also turn into indulging in foods, ultimately increasing your portions.

Consider other methods to reduce your stress by exercising or confiding in your loved ones in stressful situations.

Here at Slim Couture, we focus on both the physical and mental. Our approach to weight loss includes adopting Traditional Chinese Medicine that aids in not just in the physical journey, but also in mental wellness as well. For one, our renowned TCM slimming treatment stimulates blood flow and increases your metabolism to eliminate body toxins and lose weight. Attain your desired body and start your weight loss journey with us today.

Top 5 Weight-Loss Friendly Foods To Indulge In Your Diet

For an effective weight loss solution, what you consume undoubtedly plays a pivotal role. Research has also revealed that some foods do have an impact on your appetite. By extension, certain foods hold greater influence in your weight loss pursuits more than others.

If you’re on a mission to shed a couple of those stubborn pounds, you’ll definitely want to start incorporating these weight loss friendly foods in your healthy diet! On top of being effective when it comes to weight loss, they offer numerous benefits that aid and support healthy living! Without further ado, get to know the top 5 weight loss friendly foods you should indulge in your diet!

1. Whole Eggs 

Once feared for being high cholesterol, eggs have made a complete comeback! Research has shown that their high levels of cholesterol aren’t as bad as you might think – so long as you eat your eggs in moderation. Our body requires cholesterol to make testosterone, the hormone that is responsible for building muscles and increase energy levels. Thus, doing away with cholesterol altogether is not a viable option.

In comparison to regular eggs, whole eggs are low in calories. Moreover, they offer dietary fats that allow for quick absorption of protein and are very satiating. By including this nutrient-dense ingredient into your diet, you would be able to suppress your appetite whilst still benefit from its numerous nutrients!

2.Leafy Greens

It certainly comes as no surprise to see leafy greens on the list. After all, emblematic diet dish, salads, are made out of primarily leafy greens. They carry numerous properties that make them an ideal addition to your weight loss diet, mainly being low in both carbohydrates and calories, and high in dietary fibre to keep you feeling full throughout the day. They’re also high in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, which are proven to aid in fat burning. No wonder salads are the number one go-to diet meal!

3.Salmon

Healthy yet incredibly satisfying, fatty fish like salmon keeps you full for numerous hours with a low amount of calories. Salmon is loaded with healthy fats, high-quality protein and various vital nutrients like iodine, which are crucial for your metabolism to run optimally.

On top of that, salmon is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats play a prominent role in the reduction of inflammation; thus, inhibiting the development of any metabolic disease and obesity. Other examples of fatty fish include sardines, mackerel and herring.

4.Nuts 

Many are under the impression that nuts are extremely fattening, but that’s simply isn’t true! Nuts are a good source of protein, healthy fats and fibre; and all of these nutrients are shown to boost metabolic health and promote weight loss.

Additionally, studies have found that people who regularly include nuts in their diet are often leaner and healthier compared to those that don’t. However, ensure that you moderate your nut indulgence as they’re fairly high in calories.

5.Fruits

It’s a well-known fact that sugar should be avoided whenever possible during a weight loss pursuit, but fruits don’t contain just any sugar, but natural sugar! Natural sources of sugar not only require a longer time to be digested, but it also helps to stabilise your metabolic rate.

These high-fibre fruits also help to prevent sugar from entering into your bloodstream too quickly after a meal. Blood sugar spikes often cause lethargy and hunger, and even type 2 diabetes in the long run.

Conclusion

You can easily find healthy foods like the 5 above to include in your weight loss diet without any hassle. Together with moderation and regular exercise, these nutritious foods will pave your way to a healthier you.

Alternatively, you can opt for our TCM slimming in Singapore to get rid of excess weight. We’ve incorporated traditional Chinese medicine techniques in our weight loss programs to help you in slimming down effectively.

4 Common Foods You Must Avoid In Your Weight Loss Journey

When you’re trying to lose weight effectively, your diet plays a prominent role in contributing to your results. This is because the foods you consume or avoid have a major effect on your weight. In general, it is ideal to avoid or reduce the consumption of foods that are calorie-dense. However, the number of calories is not the only factor that comes into play.

For instance, low-calorie foods that do not contain sufficient nutrients such as fibre and protein can result in one feeling unsatisfied and hungry, which in turn, make it more challenging to resist snacking. With that said, here are 4 common foods you should reduce or avoid consuming for a successful weight loss journey. 

1. Foods with added sugar

 Despite providing empty calories, foods rich in added sugar are not filling, and have been linked to various health problems including obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Examples of such foods include sweetened drinks, dairy desserts and candy.

A study also found that there is a correlation between consuming beverages with added sugar and excess weight gain in adolescents and children. Be extra careful when consuming products that are low in fat or fat-free, as food manufacturers usually add a lot more sugar to account for the loss of flavour.

2. French fries

As tempting and readily available they might be, French fries are incredibly high in calories, unhealthy fats and salt. Numerous restaurants usually cook their fries in deep fryers to obtain that crispy texture, which also adds a great number of calories and fat. On top of that, French fries can be addictive and this leads to people consuming many at one go.

When dining out, opt for fresh fruits or salad as your snack, instead of fries. You can also consider whole, boiled potatoes that can easily fill you up and most importantly, are a much healthier option.

3. White rice

As rice is a staple food in most countries, consuming rice daily comes as no surprise. Despite being very low in fat, white rice also contains minimal protein and fibre. It was found that the more white rice one consumes, the higher risk of obesity in female adolescents. With a high glycemic index, white rice can also potentially cause a spike in one’s blood sugar levels.

For a healthier alternative, choose brown or cauliflower rice instead, which are richer in dietary fibre to keep you fuller for a longer time.

4. Ice cream

Everyone’s guilty pleasure! Ice cream is definitely mouthwatering, and you’ll probably find yourself craving it from time to time, but it’s especially unhealthy as it is high in calories. Plus, most store-bought ice cream is packed with excessive sugar. A small portion is forgivable once in a while, but it’s easy to consume large amounts of sugar, especially if you’re having more than one scoop with additional toppings.

To make things fun and exciting yet healthy, you can make your own ice cream using less sugar and much healthier ingredients such as fruits and full-fat yoghurt.

Here at Slim Couture, our well-loved and established TCM slimming treatment is also another healthier approach you can take to achieve results in your weight loss efforts. Using Traditional Chinese Medicine slimming techniques, this procedure will help remove body toxins, eliminate water tension and boost metabolism so you can lose weight safely without negative side effects. Our slimming experts will also advise you on your diet and nutrition, so you are more confident in what you should be consuming.

5 Fat Burning Low-Impact Exercises For Weight Loss

You’ve probably heard that heart-pumping cardio exercises like running and jump rope are great for burning fat. While that is true, these high-impact exercises put significant strain on your joints and might cause an overuse injury.

But not to worry! There are low-impact exercises that will get your heart pumping and give you a good sweat without putting stress on your joints. These exercises are great for people who are new to working out, recovering from injury or simply want a lighter workout. Don’t be fooled though; you’ll still feel the burn in your muscles.

Keep reading to find out the best low-impact exercises for weight loss.

1. Brisk walking

Walking is the easiest way to torch calories. Whether it’s on the ground or the treadmill, an hour of brisk walking can burn 200 – 500 calories. To boost your workout, you can wear a weighted vest or carry light dumbbells as you walk. Walking uphill can also help you burn as many calories as you would while running.

Keep your walks fun by exploring a new area around your neighbourhood or going on a hike with a friend! You’d be surprised at how effective this simple activity can be for weight loss and maintenance.

 2. Swimming

 Swimming tops the list when it comes to being joint-friendly. Nonetheless, it offers a full-body workout that works on your strength, cardio and flexibility all at the same time. The water provides resistance that pushes your muscles to work hard, but with barely any stress on your joints.

Depending on your weight, an hour in the pool can help you burn 300 – 500 calories.

 3. Power yoga 

Power yoga involves quick transitions between traditional yoga poses. The swift movements speed up your heart rate and get you sweating in no time. On average, a one-hour session of power yoga can burn about 400 calories.

The poses are a workout for your entire body, improving your strength and flexibility. Power yoga also builds lean muscle mass which boosts your metabolism as well. This intense form of yoga is a popular option for those working towards weight loss.

 4. Pilates

Pilates is a popular low-impact exercise that focuses on strengthening your core. Pilates improves your flexibility, posture, balance and overall strength. At the same time, it builds muscle and burns fat, which enhances your metabolism.

There are many pilates studios in Singapore that offer classes using a reformer, which is a resistance device that is customisable to your capacity. But if going to a studio sounds intimidating for you, there are plenty of pilates workouts on YouTube that you can follow at home. All you need is an exercise mat!

An hour of pilates typically burns about 360 calories.

5. Cycling

Cycling is another low-impact cardio exercise if done at a moderate pace. Riding with the correct amount of resistance will not only alleviate stress from your joints but burn 400 – 600+ calories in an hour. Make your rides more exciting by alternating between hilly terrains, flat ground and sprints. Cycling can be done outdoors on a bicycle or in the gym on a stationary one.

Exercise is essential for weight loss and overall health. However, it takes time before your efforts pay off. If you’d like to maximise the results a little quicker, consider a slimming treatment to supplement your workouts.

At Slim Couture, we offer an all-natural TCM slimming treatment that boosts your metabolism and improves your overall health without any side effects. Taking care of your body inside and out is the key to reaching your health goals!