Lifestyle - No time for gym?Tips to lose weight

Charu Amar

"It often happens that we end up missing on time to indulge in calorie-burning in an anticipation of triggering off a full-on fitness regime," says fitness exert Kiran Swahney.

So, why not dig out occasions some where in the course of the day and cash in some real time to burn the fat. We recommend you 20 physical and foodie alterations for weight loss... embrace them and staying fit won't be a long cherished dream any more!

"On foot is a stylish way to exercise as its easy, versatile, kind to your joints and doesn't require conjuring too much of paraphernalia. So involve walking as much as you can in your routine." says L.Balasubramaniam, Technogym Olympic Master Trainer.

1. Get up and walk around your office or home: This should happen at least every two hours for 5 minutes. This brisk five-minute walk every two hours will give you an extra 20-minute walk by the end of the day without making any special efforts.

2. Wash something thoroughly once a week: Be it the floor, a couple of windows, the shower stall, bathroom tiles or your car...anything that makes you don your cleaning gloves and exert some pressure on your hands and elbows burns nearly four calories for every minute spent on cleaning. A washing session of 30 minutes and you've worked off nearly 120 calories.

3. Drop a movie for an active date: Yes, it's a weekend and you're planning to spend time with your love. Why not head to the local park rather than sit idle in a movie hall? This will not only give you a chance of walking hand in hand, but will also avoid the calories that a large bucket of butter popcorns holds in. What's more? Explore other active dating ideas like cycling together; enjoying a tennis match or a swimming championship...even losing to your love will be fun here!

4. Take a walk before dinner: Yes, you are reading it right! Walking post dinner helps in digestion and burning calories, walking before gorging on your favourite dinner cuts down on your appetite. "Twenty minutes of walking reduces appetite and increases sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal," informs Balasubramaniam.

5. Make the most of your TV time: This one is for the cricket crazy men and soap obsessed women who spend hours being a couch potato. Now make the most out of the commercial breaks to burn some calories and tone-up your body with the following set of exercises:
• As the break starts, do 25 jumping jacks.
• Then jog on the spot for the count of 30.
• Do 25 abdominal crunches.
• Lastly, get on the floor and place your feet up on your coffee table and do 25 hip lifts. By the time the break ends, you would have burnt a major chunk of calories.

6. Kiss your partner passionately: Lock your lips in passion at least 10 times a day. Not only it will keep your love life buzzing, but every minute spent kissing will burn 6.4 calories. Ten minutes a day of kissing can burn approximately 23,000 calories in a year...that's the power of love!

7. Anywhere tummy workout: For this you have to create a vacuum in your belly by sucking it in and holding it for as long as you can. "Your No time for gym? Lose weight anyway (Getty Images)

tummy will be exposed to powerful isometric tension rather than the normal concentric tension, which you get from your regular crunches and sit-ups. This adds up to quicker results as the sucking focuses on the lower abdominal and not your upper abdominal," explains Balasubramaniam. Holding it for anything more than 15 seconds gives good results.

8. Shrink your stomach fat: Rub your hands together vigorously until they become hot. Now, rub the hot hands on your belly for about 30 seconds. Repeat the procedure for a total of 3 minutes, twice a day. This should be the first thing you do as you wake up in the morning and last thing you do before going to bed. "The heat from your hands reaches the fat cells of your stomach and destroys them. Also, this practice improves digestion and you end up losing weight," explains Balasubramaniam.

9. Love the stairs: If you are an elevator lover, opt for the stairs now! Instead of regular climbing, try these variations:
• Take two stairs at a time for one flight and then one step at a time for the next.
• Turn sideways and go up the stairs one step at a time using the leg that faces the top of the stairs. Switch directions on the next flight.
• Start on one side of the steps and as you step up, step all the way to the other side of the next step up, like a zigzag. Continue this until you reach the top.
• For a more advanced variation, hop up one step at a time.

10. Happy baby exercise: This can be done at your bedtime, sans any extra effort. Lie on the bed; hold your legs close to your chest in bent-knee position by clasping your hands together across your shins. In this small "ball" position, close your eyes and breathe slowly for 10 seconds, then release the position and lie flat on the bed for 10 seconds (continuing to breathe slowly with your eyes closed). Repeat this sequence 5 to 10 times.

Ten food variations to help you fit into that treasured 'hope' couture:

1. Water your flab away: Drinking water is the easiest way to put your body in the weight losing mode. It boosts your metabolism, and higher metabolism helps you lose weight even while you sleep. Water acts as a natural appetite suppressant and replaces false sensation of hunger. Drink a good amount of water during the day, especially in the evening to raise your metabolism while you sleep.

2. Let high-calorie foods be moderated: Want to eat fruit cream or fruit salad with ice cream? Let a spoonful of ice cream be the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. In case of salad, make veggies the crown and cheese the jewel. When munching on chips, pair each bite with veggie dip and fresh salsa.

3. Instead of three, eat five or six small meals: Distributing the same number of calories into six meals keeps you full through out the day.

4. Go for restaurant eating even at home: Keep those bowls off and stick only to the plate and as the plate goes empty, don't reach for second round.

5. Most calories before noon: Go heavy in the morning so that you don't crave for food at night. Following this routine will help you ensure that the body consumes the morning calories rather than working on the evening ones.

6. Fruit instead of fruit juice: Eating whole fruits not only keeps you satisfied for longer hours than a mere glass of milk but also adds fibre to your diet.

7. Go for loads of vegetables: Another way to include water in your diet is to gorge on water-rich veggies. Start eating tomatoes, soups, salads and cucumbers during meals to reduce your overall calorie consumption.

8. Don't eat by time, but by feeling the hunger: Eating should be induced by actual hunger rather than boredom, nervousness, habit or frustration. So, the next time you plan on eating wait until your stomach is growling.

9. Avoid white foods: Chuck the white flour, white breads, white rice and sugar from your diet and indulge in plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice.

10. Carry a notebook: Do this for 10 days. Write down every single thing that you eat or drink - even water in your diary. By the end of ten days you'll know why you are putting on weight.