Maybe this will not be as effective as a gym but you can maintain fitness and health by using the household items.

You have plenty of the objects around your home for helping you get fit. Here is the list of various items with you to do weight training and tone your muscles:

1.            COUCH

2.            BUCKET FULL OF WATER

3.            PLASTIC BAGS FULL OF SOIL

4.            CHAIR/TABLE

5.            FLOWER POTS

6.            TOWEL

COUCH

To add some resistance in leg workout, it will be a good option for a beginner in lifting weights. With the help of a couch, you can do leg press at home. All you have to do is lie down on the floor. Use the corner of a couch and your foot sole to lift the couch towards the ceiling then get down slowly and if you want to add more resistance in it then ask someone to sit on the couch and then lift it. This exercise targets quads, hamstring, and glutes.

BUCKET FULL OF WATER

The next weight workout comes at home is from Bucket of water. The more you fill water in a bucket the heavier the weight you will get to lift. With this type of technique, you can perform multiple exercises or can target different muscles.  You can perform bucket biceps curls or you can train your traps by doing shoulder shrugs.

PLASTIC BAG FULL OF SOIL

If you are crazy about weight training and want to lift more heavy weights or want to add more resistance in your workout routine, then a plastic bag full of soil is a better option. Soil contains loads of weight. The more you add soil in bags, the more resistance you will get. By this, you can do front squats by lifting the bag in both the hands and place at the front deltoid.

CHAIR/TABLE

Chair and table, these two furniture items almost exist in every house. You can use these as your workout equipment. With the help of these, you can strengthen the triceps. You can do triceps dips with the help of a chair or table.

All you have to do is just place your hands behind the back on the seat of a chair or on the corner of the table. Make sure both these items are strong enough to hold your weight. You can do up and down movement to do bodyweight triceps dips or you can do step-ups on these both items.

FLOWER POTS

Flower pots! The next household item for weight training is a flower pot. If you want to lift a baby weight just for toning your muscles then flower pot is a very convenient and easy option to do. Flower pots contain less weight as a comparison to other household items. With the help of flower pots you can do triceps kickbacks, alternate biceps curl, hammer, and side lateral for endurance.

TOWEL

The sixth household item for weight training is a towel. You may think it’s a joke, how a person can do weight training with a towel, it may not contain so much weight but you can add resistance to train your core muscles with a towel.

All you have to do is hold both ends of the towel straight in both hands. Then sit on the floor and tilt your upper body from left to right and right to left to train obliques and abs just like Russian twists. You can also tone your triceps by the towel. Place your hands behind the back. One hand will be downward and another one will be in an upward position like you rub and clean your back with a towel.

PRO TIP:= when you do any type of weight training or you train any of the body parts then make sure your back must be straight and you take an accurate breath.

 Your weight loss plan needs the motivation to start and consistency to follow it. Often, people lack on one of these.

Motivation is a feeling which encourages the person to give the best performance and help to achieve the target. It can be internal or external.  So if you want to lose your weight then first motivate yourself.

Here are the 12 ways to motivate yourself to lose weight:

Find out the reason to lose weight – First of all, ask yourself why you want to lose weight and make a list of all the probable answers. Your answers will give you the motivation to start the weight loss plan. Reread them whenever you feel like quitting the weight management program.

Set an attainable goal – After getting your answer, make a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and, time-based. Always make a goal that you can achieve in a specific time because an unattained goal can make you frustrated.

Focus on your plan – After setting an attainable goal, start planning on how you will make to it. It helps you to focus on your goal and keeps you motivated.

Maintain your diet journal – from the starting of your weight loss planning, keep a diet journal or diary with you. Note the food, calories, meal you have during a day, and then calculate the progress.

Reward your success – When you accomplish any goal then give a reward to yourself for future motivation. Whenever you feel pride in yourself, you will increase your workout motivation.

Make a group of like-minded people: It’s so great to combine exercise with social time – people who are trying to lose weight just like you can motivate and help you push through a tough workout. So, get your group on board and get moving. Weight loss plan always seems easy when you do it as a group activity. Competition can increase your motivation.

Get a trainer if required – If you think that you’re not capable of losing weight of your own, get a trainer or join any gym or yoga classes to lose weight. They will guide you at every step and make it easy for you to achieve your target. They will encourage and show you the right direction towards your goal.

 Commit yourself – Commit to yourself to achieve your target. Make a promise to yourself and to your family and friends because when you share the promise, your accountability increases, and then you will give your 100% to lose your weight. 

Choose the exercise you enjoy – Weight loss will occur when you enjoy doing it. So, do the physical activity you like but keep on changing exercise patterns frequently. Physical activity is an important part of weight loss.

 Be positive – Always feel motivated and positive while you lose weight or not. If you don’t achieve your target then don’t get upset with the results. You have to feel motivated by the results and start doing more hard work towards your goal. 

 Love and appreciate your body – Love yourself as you are. Don’t compare yourself to others. It will only bring negativity and sadness. Keep on appreciating yourself and love your body only then you will feel motivated to lose weight.

Accept the flaws:  No one is perfect but with practice anyone can be. So, don’t blame yourself for any mistake. Mistakes are part and parcel of your life. Self-defeating thoughts can cause an obstruction in your weight loss plan. To accept the mistakes, forgive yourself and move on with more determination towards your target.

For long-term weight loss success, motivation is important. No one is alike so as their factors to motivation, so it’s important to find out what helps motivate you, specifically.

Take help from friends, family, and professional trainer when needed, and reach the weight loss target with enthusiasm.

1. Focus on full body fat loss

As described above, you can’t reduce your belly fat unless you focus on the reduction of full body fat.

In males lower chest, love handles, and belly are common areas in which the excess fat is stored and in females mainly lower body, love handles, and arms are common areas in which the excess fat is stored and this fat become stubborn fat when people does not take care of their fitness. Some people focus on that particular area where there is excess fat and ignored the other body parts and once in a while the time comes when they failed to get wanted results from that area. When you start focusing on full-body fat loss then your belly fat automatically starts reducing.

2. Don’t take heavy meals at night

Eating heavy meals at night has many bad effects on the stomach as well as on your health. Eating at late night is the main cause of obesity. At night, your body goes to rest and the high level of glycogen convert into fat and unfortunately you got that unwanted inches on your waist and belly. So don’t take heavy meals at night.  Our ancestors have also given a quote that “we should have the morning meal like a king – lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. To reduce your belly fat take your last meal before 8 pm.

3. Consume large amount of soluble fiber

Fiber is the part of plant-based food and is found in fruits and grains. The body can’t break down it easily. It takes a long time to break down the fiber in the body. Having fiber in your meals is advantageous. When you consume soluble fiber-rich foods, you feel full and don’t crave for something more to eat.

There are two types of fibers :-

INSOLUBLE FIBER- This type of fiber does not dissolve in water.

SOLUBLE FIBER- This type of fiber gets easily dissolved in water. It gets digested fast and helps to control blood sugar level which causes a reduction in belly fat.

4. Drink plenty of water

Water is the most important factor in each and every goal of fitness or health for the body. Whether you have weight loss or weight gain goal, in both the cases water has importance because around 70 % of the body is made of water. We need water in every situation. If you want to reduce your belly fat then you must drink 4-5 liters of water every day because water has no calories. It helps to burn more fat because drinking plenty of water tends to increase the metabolic rate which means your body burns more fat at rest. Drink water before having any meal because it calms down the hunger and then you will eat less which means you will take low calories and then your body use stored fat as an energy source in physical activity and you will be able to lose fat from belly or from other parts of the body.

5.  Add high protein food in every meal

Protein, carbohydrates, and fats are the essential macronutrients that help to gain muscles or reduce belly fat. Macronutrients play an important role in each type of fitness goal.

In these three macronutrients, protein works as a fuel for muscles, bones, and tissue. Protein is the main source of muscle gain or fat loss. But carbohydrates are given more importance than protein. Carbohydrates provide energy to the body but an excess of carbs can make you fat and you tend to gain unwanted inches whereas protein is a chain of amino acids that your body needs for repairing tissues, building muscles, and most importantly it increases the metabolic rate which is good for fat loss. That’s why you should always take a high protein diet.

6. Reduce the consumption of refined oil

Almost half of the population of India consumes refined oil to cook or prepare meals because it’s cheap and easily available. Refined oil means the oil that has been refined with chemicals. The more you consume refined oil the more you get fat and several other health problems.

Replace your refined oil with olive oil or coconut oil as these both oils are a good source of fats. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). These fatty acids help to keep your heart healthy and control blood sugar level which is helpful in fat loss or weight loss.

7. Consume enough amounts of good fats

“Eat fats to burn fat” Yes, you read that right. Enough consumption of good fats helps to fat loss and gives you many health benefits. Fat is an essential nutrient that your body can’t produce, you have to consume good fat from foods. There are a lot of good sources of fat like olive oil, peanuts, peanut butter, cashew, and all type of nuts.

Fat contains omega-3, omega-6, omega-9, and monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fat which are healthy for brain and heart. According to the food-drug association (F.D.A) you need to consume 20% of fat daily.

8. Workout at least 5 days in a week

As practicing makes a man perfect same consistency in workout makes the body perfect. You can get a perfect body shape with exercising. You should workout daily but with your busy schedule you may not get to manage your workout routine.

If you want to lose fat from belly then you must do workout for at least 5 days in a week alternately or continuously depending upon you. Consistency in workout produces a high level of testosterone in the body and vice versa. It’s easy to find excuses to not do a workout that’s why only a few have the efficiency to win his laziness over activeness.

9. Do intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is the oldest and effective technique and still trending to burn fat from the belly. People who want to lose some pounds or want to get thinner in a short period of time, than this technique is very beneficial to them. Intermittent fasting means having less no. of the meal during a day with long time intervals along with a balanced macronutrient. In simple words, eat-break-eat-break eating plan with having 3 or 4 nutritious meals in a day. This is the best and natural way to lose belly fat.

10. Consume loads of green veggies

Veggies are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, magnesium, iron, and most importantly proteins which cleanse or detoxify and help in the recovery of muscles. The person who consumes a lot of green veggies in their daily routine, their immune system becomes strong.

Consumption of green veggies along with exercising helps to lose fat from belly and provide many health benefits like prevention from heart diseases, keep lungs healthy, and boost the metabolism and help in weight management.

11.  Always count your macros

Normally people don’t care about macros. They just want to calm their hunger with the food they like. Whether it is causing harm to their body or makes them fat, they don’t care about that. Many health problems arise when people don’t count their macros.

Macro means protein, carbohydrates, and fats in a balanced form. If we talk about a person, his macro diet must look like this ( protein intake = 0.7 gms to 1 gm per pound and fat intake=  0.25 gm to 0.4 gm per pound of your body weight and rest of the calories are allotted to carbs). If you want to reduce your belly fat then you must count your macros in every meal.

12.  Reduce stress level

Stress has a big role to play in making you fat and look ugly. Stress hormones make you obese. A stress hormone called cortisol distracts you from losing weight.  When the level of cortisol increases, you stop thinking about what you eat. Your hunger tends to increase and you started eating unhealthy foods that can harm you as well as makes you fat. Cortisol rises when you start taking tension. You can say that stress can be a reason that you can’t rid of belly fat. For that, you have to put effort into reducing your stress level to lose fat.

13.  Don’t stick to clean diet always

Nutrition is the key to achieving your fitness goals whether it’s a weight gain or fat loss. The perfect diet plan helps you to achieve your fitness goal but most of the people who want to lose some pounds or want to reduce the fat percentage from the body, make a strict clean diet plan and follow it for a longer period of time. Due to this, their body gets adapted to that diet and if they do cheat themselves someday than their body won’t digest the thing and they may get suffer from stomach problems. It can also lower the rate of your metabolism.

In fact, once in a week you should cheat on your diet as it can be really good for your fat loss and prevents craving and also satisfy the mental health and rise up the metabolism.

14. Customize your meals from time to time

When you set some fitness goals then you make a diet plan which is perfectly suitable for your goal and you started to follow the same diet plan for a long period of time even when you get your results. But at the time, it would happen that the meal will stop supporting your fitness goals. This is the time when you should start customizing your meals and go on with achieving those goals you have set earlier.

The benefit of customization meals is that it calms your stress hormones and improves mental health and makes the tummy happy.

15. Train your abs 3 times in a week

When you decide to lose fat form belly, you start training your abs daily and think that your fat will reduce by doing this. You are wrong, you must consider these four factors first when you want to lose belly fat :-

Only with abs training, you can’t get rid of belly fat because it will train your muscles not fat. You must consider the above-mentioned factors but you must train your abs 3 times in a week not in a row but with a one day gap between the week days then you can be successful in losing so much fat.

Abs is the workout of the abdomen muscles like any other body part. Abs training makes your core muscles strong and gives you an attractive look and builds self-confidence and helps in reducing belly fat with the coordination of other factors.

16. Do cardio

Cardio is a workout for your heart but it can be a factor of burning belly fat along with overall diet plan.

Cardio works in fat loss when you start doing caloric deficit. It means you have to drop some carbs from your diet before starting cardio. It tends to reduce the level of glycogen in your body and your blood sugar level goes down. In this situation, your body energy requirement goes high. This excess of energy can be taken from fats stored in the body. Your body uses fat cells as fuel for energy and you lose fat from your belly.

17. Practice yoga

If you want to lose fat from belly than yoga is an easy and guaranteed result given choice. There are lots of benefits to doing yoga. It can help to enhance flexibility and relieves mental stress and most importantly it burns fat. Just 20 minutes of yoga in a day has the capability in burning a lot of calories.

There are some poses you can do at home or gym to burn large amount of calories and lose weight

This poses will burn out your fat at a fast rate like any no other source can do. If you want your body to get back in shape or want to reduce ugly fat from your belly or any spot reduction area then yoga is a very effective way to burn fat.

18. Don’t depend too much on packed foods

Packed food contains a lot of calories and harmful chemicals that are not beneficial to your body.  Not all the packed foods are bad, some packed food contains fewer calories and more nutrition. Packed food contains saturated fats that are harmful to your health. Always try to make food at home because self-cooking is an art you can express it by making your meals healthy and fat-free.

19. Lower the consumption of sugar and salt

If you want to reduce your belly fat and want to make your skin thin like paper then you must lower the consumption of salt and sugar. Now a day meals contain a large amount of sugar and salt which is not good for health.

Salt increases the absorption of fluids which makes you look fatty and sugar contains loads of calories which lower the pace of metabolism and hence you gain weight. So, lower the salt and sugar intake to lose fat.

20. Avoid junk foods

Eating junk food makes you fat and it gives you a lot of unwanted calories which encourages weight gain. Even if the sugar and salt content is low in junk food it then also harms your body. Junk food directly targets your metabolism as it contains an excess of calories, bad carbs, and fats. You can avoid sugar cravings by following some habits.

So avoid eating junk food. Make a habit of eating a nutritious meal and stay fit and healthy.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. Jugaadin.com does not claim responsibility for this information.

Obesity or weight gain is the biggest problem mankind is suffering from. You may have wondered sometime that in spite of eating and drinking less, you are gaining weight. Why is it so happen? What causes obesity? The main reason is -your weight depends on how many calories you eat, how many calories you save, and how many calories you burn. The more you eat, and the less you burn will make you obese.

Gaining weight has many negative effects on your body such as –

• Less confidence
• Obesity
• Cardiovascular problems
• Stress and anxiety
• Breathing problem
• Slow down your efficiency of work and energy

Eating fruits and vegetables, doing exercise, and yoga, you can lose weight but here arises a question what are the reasons behind your weight gain?  When you get answers to this question, only then weight loss planning becomes easier.

 So let’s discuss various reasons behind weight gain.

Reasons why people gain weight:

1.Metabolism factor – Metabolism is the process by which your body gets energy from the food you eat and drink. Even when you’re at rest, your body needs energy for breathing, blood circulation, digestive system, and repairing cells. The number of calories your body uses to run these basic functions in the body is known as the basic metabolic rate or metabolism.

If you continue to burn all the calories you consume in the course of a day, you will be able to maintain your weight but if you consume more energy or calories than you spend, you will gain weight. Excess calories are stored as fat throughout your body. These excess calories are responsible for your weight gain.

2. Genetic problem – Those people who are gaining weight frequently even after trying all the things of losing weight, their gene structure may be responsible for that.

Genes are probably a contributor to your obesity if you have been overweight for much of your life. If one or both of your parents are significantly overweight and you are not able to lose weight even when you do regular physical activity and stick to a low-calorie diet for many months.

3. Environmental causes – Environmental factors are the external factors that help you gain weight. Obesity depends upon your particular environment in which you live, work, and do physical activity. If your family is a junk food eater, you also become one. If your working hours demand more sitting and less walking, it can also aid in your weight gain and third, if you only eat, sleep and repeat and don’t work out, then surely you will become obese.

4. Medical issues – Medical issues are problems related to health.  An individual can gain weight due to medical issues such as underactive thyroid, diabetes, aging, fluid retention, steroid treatment, Cushing’s syndrome, tiredness, and PCOD in girls.  

All these are some of the medical issues that can increase the obesity rate in your body. So, if you are fed up with trying all the efforts for reducing weight,  then consult your doctor once.

5. Exercise factor – If you eat more and don’t do any physical exercise then you will automatically gain weight. It affects your metabolism factor.  The number of calories you take and burn is equal only then you will be able to maintain your weight but if you don’t burn your calories as compare to the consumption then it will increase your weight and make you obese. So, for the burning of calories, you have to do more and more physical activity and exercise. 

6. Stress-related issues – People behave differently in stress and anxiety situations. Some lose weight as they couldn’t eat anything in stress whereas others may eat more during an anxious situation.  So, whenever you are in the stress, divert your mind to other things like physical activities, exercise, meditation which relaxes your mind and helps to figure out the stress. 

7. Food factor – Spicy and lip-smacking food always attracts you and this is the reason for your being overweight.

Over-eating and late-night cravings are also one of the reasons behind weight gain. Maybe you have eaten the right food at night but your timings matter to digest the food. So, always eat your dinner two hours before going to sleep which will help you to digest your food easily.

So, these are some of the reasons that can increase your weight. Try to work on factors that are under your control to live a healthy and fat- free life.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. Jugaadin.com does not claim responsibility for this information.

Fruits contain numerous vitamins, fibers, minerals, and nutrients that support a healthy diet. Fruits are beneficial in lowering the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease. Fruits are low in calories and rich in fiber which helps you to lose weight with a proper diet.

11 Best fruits which helps you to reduce weight:

Grapefruit – Grapefruit has a low glycemic index which means it releases sugar slowly into your bloodstream which helps in weight loss and weight maintenance. It has a high level of vitamin A and C and a low level of calories. You can take it before your meals to reduce the main course intake.

Apples – Apples are low in calories and high in fibers.  Due to high fiber content, if you eat an apple a day, it gives you stomach filled feeling, ultimately you will eat less and reduce weight.  You can intake apple as cooked as well as raw also.   

Bananas – Usually people who are trying to lose weight ignore Bananas due to high sugar and calorie content. But it includes a low glycemic index which helps to control insulin level and regulate weight. It also includes potassium, magnesium, fiber, manganese, natural antioxidants, and Vitamin A, B6, and C. According to research, eating a banana per day helps to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol. 

Passion Fruit – Passion fruit originated in South America. It is a fruit that has a tough outer rind with an edible, pulpy seed mass inside. Passion fruit has fewer calories and more fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, and potassium. It provides piceatannol which helps to reduce blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity in overweight. It holds ample dietary fiber which slows down your digestion and controls appetite. 

Berries – Berries is a low-calorie nutrient powerhouse that contains numerous nutrients. Half cup of berries contains 42 calories, 12% of reference of daily intake of Vitamin C and manganese, 18% of reference of daily intake of Vitamin K. One cup of strawberries includes 50 calories, 150% of reference of daily intake of Vitamin C and 30% of manganese. All these nutrients help to decrease cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and lower inflammation. 

Melons – Melons are high water content fruit which is beneficial to reduce weight. It has low calories as 1 cup of melon contains 46-61 calories. Melons are rich in fiber, potassium, beta-carotene, antioxidants like Vitamin C and lycopene. It has a high glycemic index, so controlled intake is important. 

Stone fruits – Stone fruit is a seasonal fruit that is also known as drupes. It has a fleshy exterior and a stone inside it. They are low in glycemic index, calories, and rich in Vitamin A and Vitamin C which helps to reduce weight. Stone fruits include plums, peaches, cherries, and apricots. In this, one peach contains 58 calories, one cup cherries include 87 calories and two small plums contain 60 calories. 

Kiwi Fruit – Kiwifruit is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, folate, and fiber. One medium size of kiwifruit contains 2 gm of fiber. It helps to reduce blood pressure, control blood sugar, improve cholesterol, and support gut health. It contains sugar as well as a low glycemic index which helps to reduce weight.  

Avocados – Avocados are fatty and caloric-dense fruit which contains 160 calories, 25% of the reference daily intake of Vitamin K, and 20% of folate which helps to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, decrease appetite and improve cholesterol level. It is also known as one of the most calorie-dense fruit. 

Rhubarb – Rhubarb is a vegetable but it is prepared like a fruit. It has only 11 calories per stalk, 1 gm of fiber, and 20% of the reference daily intake of Vitamin K. It helps to reduce cholesterol and weight. It also improves arteries disease and blood vessel function. 

Oranges – Orange is a fruit that is low in calories but high in Vitamin C, fiber, copper, potassium, and calcium. Except for all these numerous nutrients, it is rich in Carotenoids which is highly beneficial to reduce the belly fat. 

All these are the fruits that can help you to reduce weight and maintenance body shape. These fruits not only decrease the weight or fat but also provide other essential vitamins and minerals to the body. The Fruits when eat raw gives more benefits as compared to its liquid form.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. Jugaadin.com does not claim responsibility for this information.