In the last couple of years, many of us have had the time to rethink how we take care of our bodies and make changes in our current lifestyle. For some people, taking better care of themselves involves basic but important changes such as losing weight. After all, maintaining a healthy weight is good not just for the body but for mental health as well.

But before we dive in, let us say in full disclosure that you’re allowed to be happy with your size and still want to lose weight especially if it helps improve the quality of your life. With this in mind, we listed natural and feasible ways in sustaining a healthy weight loss journey.

1. Balance your meals and cravings, and reevaluate your relationship with food

Any sensible weight management guide will tell you that eating nutritious food and cutting back on sugar will help mitigate weight gain. However, it’s also important to eat adequately and on time so that you don’t end up binging to make up for say, skipping breakfast. Add plenty of green, leafy vegetables and fruits to your daily diet and use lean meats and eggs for your favorite dishes. It also helps to minimize intake of products that are high in sugar, cholesterol, trans fats, and sodium if they can’t be avoided altogether.

With that being said, eating healthy is also about balance; just because you’re eating what your body needs doesn’t mean you can’t eat what you want. A good reminder to tell yourself is that food is not your enemy, and it’s okay to enjoy the food that you like now and then instead of depriving yourself. It’ll nonetheless be worth trying alternatives that have fewer calories (think fun-sized candy bars vs the full-sized ones), but some days you just have to have that glazed donut without feeling guilty, and that’s perfectly okay too!

2. Break a sweat—literally.

Science has already established that exercise is a key player in the weight management game, whether you’re trying to gain or lose pounds. And not only does exercising help get you in good shape, it also makes you strong. On top of that, exercising does wonders for mental health because the adrenaline switches on neurotransmitters in your brain which in turn releases happy hormones.

But the thing with exercise is while it’s generally recommended for all, it’s not necessarily for everyone. While there are people who prefer traditional workout routines like the ones you see in the gym, some find their rhythm, fun even, in other forms of exercises like yoga, walking, running, cycling, and dancing. Whether you’ve picked up a few moves already or you’ve yet to find a routine to help you achieve your weight goals, work on establishing an exercise routine. You can start a cycling group with your friends or find one that you can join. This way you get to have people to encourage you and track progress with. If you’d rather do it alone, carve a space in your home where you can exercise without distractions and focus on a video tutorial or two you find online.

3. Boost your diet with apple cider vinegar supplements.

You may be familiar with apple cider vinegar, the kitchen staple, but did you know that apart from adding flavor to salads and sauces it can also help you lose weight? Apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid, which according to a 2009 study contributed to participants’s weight loss after taking it every day for twelve weeks. As it turns out, daily intake of vinegar helped lower the body weight, waist circumference, BMI, visceral fat area, and triglyceride levels of the participants for the entire duration of the trial. Apple cider vinegar is also rich in probiotics which help keep your gut and immune system healthy by fighting cell damage.

Apple cider vinegar can be taken in its raw, liquid format but some find the sour aftertaste off-putting. The good news is you can take apple cider vinegar supplements and still reap all the benefits of ACV without the sour aftertaste and the risk of eroding your teeth’s enamel.

4. PRACTICE GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE

All-nighters–intentional or otherwise–we all have them once in a while but prolonged lack of quality sleep doesn’t just impact your productivity, it can also cause weight gain. According to research, sleep deprivation can increase your appetite such that you crave starchy, salty, and calorie-dense food, and that the lethargy makes it easier to give in to these cravings. Some experts believe that poor sleep hygiene affects how the brain’s neurotransmitters work and thwart the processes of our appetite-centric hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is responsible for signaling your body that you’re hungry while leptin is the hormone that helps make you feel full. If you’re not getting proper sleep on a regular basis, these hormones may reach an imbalance such that your appetite is increased and feeling of fullness is diminished thus making you consume more food.

Reinforce your healthy diet by creating a bedtime routine that allows you to get adequate, restful sleep, and do your best to stick to your schedule until it becomes natural to you.

5. MANAGE STRESS LEVES

Trust us when we say we realize how challenging it is to pull this one off in a time where stress is as inevitable as bad television. But it’s also definitely worth a try because being able to handle stress is good not just for weight management but to overall health as well. Stress can generally be disruptive and it can get in the way of natural habits such as eating and sleeping on time, which in turn upsets our appetite and may even mess up what we’re eating and when.

But the good news is there are several ways to manage stress without having to give up on your health routine. Do your best to eat healthy and get enough sleep so you can maintain control over your appetite. Some people find relaxation exercises such as yoga, running, or even just walking to help clear their minds, while others find solace in their support group such as family and friends. It is also always a good idea to seek professional help or counseling if you feel that you need more than simple stress management techniques.

As more experts conduct studies to substantiate its health benefits, apple cider vinegar and the benefits it yields are here to stay. And while ACV is generally safe to take, remember that it’s always best to consult with your physician if there are specific health goals or conditions that you wish to address so that you may be guided professionally on how to incorporate ACV in your routine. It will be worth your while to commit to a healthy lifestyle so that you can maximize the benefits of apple cider vinegar or any supplement of your choice.

Are you ready to get in your best shape? We got your back and well, your entire body. BestShape is a trusted apple cider vinegar supplement rich in natural probiotics to keep your gut and heart healthy. Skip the sour taste and enjoy the benefits of ACV today! Shop BestShape Apple Cider Vinegar supplement today by clicking here.

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