Here's how to lose weight FAST!

Follow these simple tips by fitness expert Brinda Sapat to accelerate your weight loss programme.

An exercise regime and a diet plan are the mainstays of a weight loss programme. But in the magnanimity of that, what is often lost are the small significant changes you can make which really accelerate that process.

Getting fit requires a change of lifestyle, and when you alter these small habits, it will be far easier to maintain the weight loss.

Please note that these are tips to assist the exercise and diet regime, and are not in themself a weight loss programme.

Use the stairs

Taking the stairs everyday instead of the lift will burn extra calories and work your lower body muscles. Try it for 10 days and you will feel the difference.

Brinda Sapat is Group Exercise Instructor at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for over a decade.

Walk it

Walk short distances a few times in the day. Walking even 15 minutes twice a day has cardiovascular benefits. Habituate yourself to walking these distances and give your fat burn a big boost.

Stay mobile

Be on your feet as much as you can. For eg, at work, if you need to say something to your co-worker, physically go over. Avoid lying down on the bed and do some house chores if you stay home all day.

Plan active outings

It may not be possible to give up the routine lunch, dinner or movie; but occasionally pick something more active whether you are going out alone, with family, friends; whoever. Go shopping, for a picnic, bowling, the beach, try a sport. Everyone gets healthy and adds a fun factor too!

Cut the sugar

If you are used to having your cuppa with sugar and full fat milk; multiplied by a number of cups a day, that is a lot of empty calories! Cut out the sugar.

Go green

Green tea raises metabolic levels and is also an anti oxidant. Try replacing at least one of your regular teas with green tea.

Eating out

Everytime you eat out, you are surely eating more calories than you would at home. But you can make healthy selections:

• Indian- tandoori foods, tandoori rotis and salads
• Asian- soups and anything steamed and stir fried
• Continental- Soups (avoid the cream ones), salads, grilled foods
  

Spritzers

When you find it hard to resist drinks, opt for a spritzer. The alcohol is in low quantities, mixed with club soda. Same applies for non alcoholic syrups.

Snack bags

Having a bag of healthy snacks handy in your bag, office drawer, kitchen cupboard and car will make you resist the temptation of snacking on junk foods.

Fill a zip lock bag with nuts, dry fruits, soya sticks, etc. Wash it down with pure fruit juice or flavoured water.

Concentrate on your workout

Not many people realize this but concentrating on the exercise you are doing adds to the quality of performance giving you greater results.

Focus on your muscle, your speed, agility, balance, coordination, strength; etc.

Vary the exercise

Constant repetition of the same exercise gets the body conditioned and immune to it. Amp it up by either increasing the intensity or substituting it with another exercise.

Dress to workout

It may sound lame but wearing good gym attire has a positive effect. It makes you hold yourself up better and work harder.

Thumping music

Exercise to music that really gets you going! Music makes a BIG difference to performance.

Baby steps

Set yourself small, easy to achieve short term goals along with your big goal. This keeps you motivated and gives you a sense of achievement.

For eg, the first signs to getting fit is feeling good and better complexion, the next is about being able to complete the exercise session while you begin to start feeling fit from within, a month into your weight loss programme you will have lost a small amount of fat... and so on.

Make note of these achievements and feel proud! Maintaining this attitude will keep you on track and it will be easier to get to your long term target.