5 things you can do for 'Instant weight loss'

So, the holiday season is over and we've all heaved our protesting bodies and groaning minds back to work and back to the start of a new year, a few additional kilos in tow (for most of us) due to Christmas feasts, New year feasts, extended vacation and sheer laziness. Many of you have written to me asking me to write about my fitness routine and how I maintain my weight and what is my 'secret'? :-)

I don't claim to be an expert and I'd recommend checking with your Doctor if you have any health issues. These are the simple things I do to maintain my weight.

1. Say no to Sugar: Sugar in your tea and Coffee are really big culprits when it comes to gaining weight. These are really unnecessary empty calories that you are loading your system with. Refer this article for further information.The same is applicable to the Indian Diet  and food habits as well.

2. Say NO to fizzy drinks:  I really think the colas are one of the worst things invented on Earth. Clever advertising brainwashes people into believing it is 'cool' to be seen sipping one.The only thing it does is fattens (apart from you) the company who manufactures it and gives the Actor who models in the advertisement a huge pay packet.
Look at this site. I am sure you won't reach for that cola can again. :-)

3. Eat a balanced meal: Balance your meal with fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables, Protein and Carbs. In UK, the Government is making a big effort to promote '5 a day' for staying healthy. Click here for more information.

4. Count your calories. Losing weight is simple math. If you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. Else you gain! See this calorie counter. If you eat one medium sized samosa be aware that you would need to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes at a high speed to burn it off, depending on your body weight and speed chosen. Choose to eat foods that are healthy and low in calories.Be smart and read the labels for nutritional information and amount of fat it contains. See this very useful article to interpret labels while making healthy choices.

5. Yoga and exercise : Personally I am a big fan of both Yoga and exercise. I don't have a fixed routine but I ensure that I get some kind of exercise every single day. Similarly I have been doing Yoga ever since my school days. If you live in India, it is really not hard to find a yoga class and enrol.

The above tips are really simple and 'obvious' tips. But the key is to follow it and adhere to it. You should ideally begin seeing results in about 10 days. Be patient. Yo-yo diets really do not work and if you starve you will only gain back all the weight you lost when you go off the diet.

I had written earlier too about weight loss and fitness. This and  also this are the two earlier posts I wrote.

I just re-read them and I feel good to say that I still weigh the same as I did back then. :-)

All I have been doing are the above five things.