Gaming has become huge business, and while this is certainly great news for the games industry, it is not helping the growing obesity epidemic that the world is facing. Every week from speaking with martial arts club owners, youth football coaches and other fitness professionals, we hear the same story – there are fewer and fewer kids signing up. The reason is gaming – everybody is playing Fortnite, Rocket League, Call of Duty or the latest FIFA release. The most ironic thing is that all these games feature people at the peak of their physical fitness – soldiers, survivors, professional soccer players – while those playing the games often resemble anything but… read this article on the National Obesity Forum to learn how big a problem this has become.
Of course, many gamers are looking for ways to lose weight and stay in shape, especially those who are aware that they have gained a few too many pounds! So today we run through some tips for people who live a sedentary lifestyle – the same advice applies to office workers too!
The Weight Loss Battle
While gamers may win on the battlefields, they often lose when it comes to the battle of the bulge. One of the most common reasons for failure is the inability to find and stick to a genuine weight loss routine. So today we’ll look at some simple weight loss programs with fast and easy health boosters that don’t require any gym membership or equipment. They can be done at home, and what’s more they are proven to work. Here are some of them:
Get More Active
First and foremost, you need to get a bit more active. Gaming may be your life, but if you don’t move, it will also send you to an early grave. Luckily, science now tells us that we don’t have to be extremely active to stay healthy, just 15-30 minutes of exercise a day is enough. A combination cardio and resistance training works wonders. Brisk walking and a few weight training exercises every day will make a huge difference if you’ve been doing no exercise for years. You in get one life in the real world, so don’t lose it!
Eliminate Processed Foods
This is the toughest challenge by far – dump the junk! Processed foods contain high amounts of sugar, fats, and calories. These are, of course, a NO when you are trying to lose weight. Furthermore, processed foods are engineered in a way that they make you want to eat more. Our own Low GI Diet plan is one of the best ways to eat healthy and lose weight.
Focus on Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods
An easy way to become healthier is to eat more of the whole, single-ingredient foods. This way, a vast majority of added sugar, added fat, and processed food is eliminated from your diet. Whole foods are generally very filling making it the best way by which you can control your calorie consumption. Additionally, whole foods give your body the essential nutrients it requires for proper functioning.
Eat More Protein
Protein is the king of nutrients when you are looking at weight loss. Your body metabolizes the protein you eat and uses it to burn calories during digestion. This means that an increased consumption of protein can boost your metabolism by around 80 to 100 calories in a day.
A high-protein diet also helps to reduce your appetite. It makes you feel fuller, thereby, reducing the number of calories you eat in a day.
Keep only Healthy Foods and Snacks at Home
If the junk is not within reach, you can’t snack on it! According to various studies, the food you store at home significantly affects your eating patterns. If you always have healthy foods lying in your pantry and refrigerator, chances that you and your family members will consume healthy foods are high. There are also many natural and healthy snacks that you can carry on the go. You can take a look at the refrigerator of supermodel Bella Hadid to understand the diet followed by her and take inspiration from the same.
Restrict the Consumption of Added Sugar
The consumption of added sugar leads to some of the most popular diseases in the world, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Estimating the amount of sugar you consume is difficult since a lot of it is hidden in processed foods and you don’t even realize when you consumed it. This videos shows some of the health problems that sugar causes:
Restricting and reducing the quantity of added sugar you consume is one of the best ways to improve your diet – so keep fruit and nuts next to your gaming chair, rather than chips and candy!