Unusual Things That Can Help Improve Weight Loss Results
When you think of weight loss, what are some common things that come to mind? Probably cardio, diet, and supplements, right? All of these things can help improve weight loss and get you the results you desire. However, there are a few things that not many people think about or may not have even known can play a role in your progress and results.
Related Article: Eating Too Little Can Extinguish Your Fat-Burning Potential
This article will look at five things that you should pay particular attention to in order to help propel and improve weight loss and strip away unwanted layers of body fat. These things may seem insignificant compared to the three mentioned above, but every little edge you can have will get you that much closer to achieving your goal.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, changing your daily nutrition, or adding any supplements to your regimen.
Table of contents
Try These Strange But Useful Ways to Help Improve Weight Loss Results
Give the below a try and see if it helps improve weight loss.
1. Bed and Pillow
The power of sleep is one of the main contributors to whether or not people can effectively lose weight. It is recommended to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep each night. If you find yourself getting less, it could stall your weight loss.
When not getting the recommended amount of sleep, you risk not fully recovering from workouts, as well as the possibility of increasing cortisol levels (a stress hormone). When cortisol rises, it can increase ghrelin levels (a hunger hormone), slow down your metabolism, and cause your body to store body fat.
On top of getting enough sleep comes your bed and pillow. They should be a priority and something you look at closely. If you’re not sleeping enough, wake up throughout the night, wake up with neck or back pain, or toss and turn all night, it may be a sign that your bed and pillow are not right for you. Upgrading your bed and pillow is a great way to improve your sleep quality, which can help improve weight loss.
2. Shoes
Many look at shoes as a fashion statement — and they are. However, your shoes can also play a role and help improve weight loss. If you find your feet, ankles, knees, hips, or lower back hurt, that pain could stem from the shoes you lace up on your feet.
Wearing the wrong type of shoes (for example, not meeting the needs of your foot, such as arch support) can cause pain, which can sideline you from putting in the necessary work needed to fit in your workouts and cardio.
Related Article: What to Look for When Buying New Running Shoes
Buying the latest hyped shoes may give you street cred, but they may not be ideal for the pounding you put on them and your body when exercising. It is recommended that you go to an athletic shoe store and speak with the clerks or specialists there. Mention what you would be purchasing the shoes for (such as running, walking, etc.). They will be able to measure your foot, check your arches, and determine which brand and style of shoe best suit your needs and foot type.
Buying the wrong shoe is like putting a shoe on the wrong foot, and if your shoes aren’t comfortable for the work you’re putting them under, you’re less likely to enjoy the process and risk giving up because of it, which is the complete opposite of trying to improve weight loss.
3. Apparel
Name brands are great, but seeing the results you want from your weight loss efforts is even better. You want to dress appropriately for the style of workout you’re engaging in. For instance, jeans will never be a good choice as workout apparel. They’re restrictive and uncomfortable when exercising.
You want to be comfortable when exercising, while also having the articles of apparel be functional when trying to improve weight loss results. For instance, if running in cold weather, buying pieces of apparel that would help keep you warm while not being restrictive would be ideal. Running in an oversized, baggy winter coat can throw off your mechanics and could even lead to injury.
Related Article: Is Semaglutide the New Weight Loss Miracle?
Look for apparel that aids in your performance and does not hinder it. If you have issues keeping your muscles warm, look for compression apparel that can keep your muscles loose and encourage blood flow. Just like with your shoes, asking a clerk or specialist at an athletic apparel store what they would recommend can point you in the right direction and help you effectively and efficiently work towards hitting your weight loss goals.
4. Hydration
Your body is made up of primarily water. In fact, every cell in your body demands it in order to function properly. If you are even the slightest bit dehydrated, your performance will suffer, and your efforts to lose weight can suffer.
To maintain proper hydration levels, investing in a refillable water bottle that you can take with you everywhere you go throughout the day would be beneficial. This will allow you to sip from it during the day and easily refill it once you drink it all. You also want to drink plenty of water during your workout to maintain proper hydration and help prevent a decrease in performance.
Related Article: Is Your Best Weight Loss Secret Going for a Walk?
Water can also help keep you satiated and boost your metabolism — two things that can directly help improve weight loss. Many times, when you feel hungry, it’s simply your body telling you it needs water. If you feel hungry and it’s not time for your next meal, drink a glass of water and wait a little to see if your hunger subsides. Additionally, drinking a glass of water before meals can also help trick your body into feeling full so you don’t overconsume calories during meals.
These little hydration tips can absolutely help you improve your weight loss results. It should also go without saying that water should be your preferred choice of beverage over calorie-filled beverages such as soda, tea, and juice.
5. Mentality and Motivation
The final thing on our list to help improve weight loss cannot be purchased in a store or online. There is no Amazon Prime that can have it at your doorstep in two days or less. Your mentality and motivation needs to come from within you. How badly do you want to hit your weight loss goal? What made you want to put in the work and effort in the first place?
Many people fail to achieve their weight loss goal because it was never their goal to begin with. It could be a doctor telling them to lose weight, a friend mentioning they could lose a few pounds, or a family member or spouse pressuring them to lose weight — nothing from which has any intrinsic meaning to them personally. If you want to lose weight, you need to do it because YOU wish to do so.
When external forces are essentially pushing you to do something you don’t want to do, you’ll be less motivated to do it and stay committed. Your mentality and motivation should come from within and help you improve weight loss results.
Related Article: Weight Loss Advice You Should Completely Ignore
While weight loss can be somewhat vain in nature, it absolutely has health advantages as well. Find your “why.” Are you doing it because you want to improve your health? Are you doing it to feel better about yourself? Are you doing it so that you extend your life expectancy, so you can watch your kids grow up? Only you know the reason why you want to lose weight and improve weight loss results. You can make your reason public to have others help hold you accountable and support you, or you can keep it private and to yourself. But you need to establish why you started in the first place.
*Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links or ads, which means we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase through these links. These commissions help support the operation and maintenance of our website, allowing us to continue producing free valuable content. Your support is genuinely appreciated, whether you choose to use our links or not. Thank you for being a part of our community and enjoying our content.
PLEASE CONSIDER SHARING THIS ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA TO HELP OTHERS LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC. SIMPLY CLICK BELOW!
