If you want to lose weight, there’s no easy way to go about it if you want to keep it off in the long term. It takes dedication and determination, and it’s unlikely that you’ll see results right away. Putting weight on is usually easy enough, but it’s often much harder to get it all off. Whether it be lifestyle or diet, there’s always something you can do to become healthier. No matter what stage you’re at, there’s a lot you can do to lose a few pounds along the way. One of the problems is the sheer amount of conflicting information about losing weight out there. So many people want you to buy a product or subscribe to a service, and it’s hard to know what to do. With that in mind, we’ve created a simple guide with everything you need to know to lose weight with assistance from your Android device.
Getting Started
Getting started is often the easiest part. If you really want to lose weight, sticking to your plans in the long term can be difficult. Moderating your expectations is also key. No matter what people say, it isn’t healthy to drop weight too quickly, and there’s no point in expecting miracles. Steady weight loss is always the best bet, and the discipline will help you to keep it off in future if you’ve battled with weight issues over the years. There are lots of people out there who will promise anything and everything in a bid to take your money, and many people are caught up in the scams because they’re just so desperate to lose weight quickly. (Be wary, and don’t just go for the first one you like the sound of. Research everything before investing money in a service that might be available for free.) First of all, you’ll need to grab a few apps and services to help you along the way. Get your phone out, and have a look through the Play Store. There’s so many to choose from, so hold off for now, but be ready to get downloading later on in this list. We’ve listed more in a section below, but first you need to identify what you need to do to lose weight.
Identifying what you need to do
It can sometimes be easier said than done, but you have to identify just what it is that you’re aiming to improve. Whether it’s a change in your metabolism, or you’re just eating too much, you have to identify exactly what it is that is stopping you from losing weight right now. For example, if you snack too much at your desk while working, it could be good to use a calorie counter to get a rough idea of just how much you would have to exercise to work off the excess. We’ve linked to a popular app below.
Calorie Counter is one of the most popular apps on the store, and it’ll help you keep track of things. It’s worth a download. If you don’t eat that much, maybe you just need to exercise a little more, or make a few alterations to what you actually put in your mouth. Fruit and vegetables are always going to be better for you than double cheeseburgers, so try and go for healthier options if possible.
Above all, being overweight tends to be because of your lifestyle. It’s a good thing, because it means you have the ability to make the changes needed. You’ll probably have to sacrifice a few treats throughout the day, but it’s possible if you really want to do it. If you want help with losing weight, here’s a list with 5 of the best apps to assist you. From a seven-minute workout app to a weight loss tracker, there are lots of apps out there that can help you once you’ve identified things that you want to change.
Dieting and calorie control
Fad diets should have died with the Crazy Frog and everything else that was terrible about the early 2000’s. There are still lots of good diets to choose from, although doctors and nutritionists can’t seem to agree on what’s best for you all of the time. Either way, some of the advice they give is pretty much universally accepted, so here are some of the main points to remember: NHS weight loss surgeon Dr Sally Norton made a great point in a piece for the Daily Mail: “Research shows that when women, in particular, want to lose weight they turn to dieting. Unfortunately, research also shows that this is highly unlikely to lead to long-term weight-loss. More than 85 per cent of people regain all of the weight they have lost, and more, by a year after the diet. This can then lead to the misery of yo-yo dieting, which has led many women to lose sight of normal eating behaviour. What’s more, it may affect your body too with recent evidence suggesting an increased risk of diabetes over and above that related to actual body weight.” Her advice is to exercise, cut out snacks between meals, and sleep more. It sounds like a good combination if you want to be healthier, but sometimes it can be easier said than done. If you want to start regulating your sleeping patterns, there are lots of apps you can use to help.
SleepBot is a free option with a lot of settings and features to play with. There are lots available, so take a look on the store. I’m often too busy to eat at normal meal times during the day, and I’m guilty of snacking all the time. If I wanted to lose weight, it would be the first place I’d start, and keeping a record of just how much I eat would help me to regulate it and manage it more effectively. (I’d probably use an app to do so.) Downloading a diet diary app is helpful if you’re trying to lose weight, or trying to put some on! Here’s one of the best diet diary apps you can download. Small, simple steps such as these will often start to reap benefits in time, and it’ll eventually become second nature. (Hopefully.)
The Benefits of Exercise
Sometimes it’s difficult to understand why people love exercising. Deep down, it’s pretty repetitive and it’s boring to do for extended periods. Of course, people always mention endorphins…
It’s scientifically proven that exercise will make you feel good, as the endorphins are produced to block pain. It’s a great natural high, and it can often be addictive. That’s why everybody knows someone who suddenly turned the gym into a second home, as their lives now revolve around workouts.
You don’t have to be like that to feel the positives of having a healthier body, and even five minutes here and there throughout your day could make a difference. If it’s all you can spare, try this great five-minute workout app for Android.
It’s true that you don’t need to exercise to lose weight, but they often go hand in hand. If you’re just trying to lose weight you could eat less, but exercise will help you to tone up and gain muscle at the same time. If you’re looking for a new fitness app, here’s a list with ten of the best ones available on the store. (Paid versions tend to have more features, so it’s worth spending a few bucks if you want to take it especially seriously.)
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is also more important than we tend to give credit for. It allows us to recover, and it even burns calories, but did you know that it also helps you to lose weight in more indirect ways? Tired people tend to eat more, and studies show that insufficient sleep only increases daily activity by roughly 5 per cent. Participants in the study ate more food because they were tired, and the “findings provide evidence that sleep plays a key role in energy metabolism. Importantly, they demonstrate physiological and behavioural mechanisms by which insufficient sleep may contribute to overweight and obesity.”
In other words, a good night’s sleep could be the difference if you’re not seeing any results from dieting and exercise alone, and staying up late will increase your overall calorie consumption. Mobile phone overuse has also been attributed to lack of sleep, as we just can’t tear ourselves away from the screen at night. Try putting your phone away for an hour before you lie down. The artificial light can mess with your brain, and being tired will affect you in the long term. If you’re not sure how much sleep you should be getting, just try to make sure you get into a regular sleeping pattern. (I tend to wake up just before my alarm goes off, and that’s generally a good sign.)
Which apps should I use?
Given the sheer number of options available, it can be hard to find the best ones out there on the Play Store. Most of the apps on the lists below are completely free of charge, so have a look through if you see something that’s applicable to you. We’ve done quite a lot of work on this subject in the past so here are some links if you’re looking for a specific app.
20 Android Apps to Keep Fit 5 of the Best Android Dieting Apps 10 Best Calorie Counting Apps Noom vs Instant Heart Rate vs My Fitness Pal How to Track my Complete Health Using Android
If you need a suggestion for something that we haven’t covered, let us know in the comments section below!
Communities and other help
You shouldn’t rely solely on your device to get you where you need to be. There are so many groups online (and out there in the real world) that can help you when you’re feeling low, or if you’re feeling tempted to pack it all in if you’re not seeing great results. Losing weight with a friend or partner can also be a great way to stick to it, and it’s sometimes good to add a friendly competitive element to weight loss or exercise. Going to the gym can be a scary experience the first few times, and there’s always safety in numbers. If you’re not sure where to start, you could always consult your physician, while there are dedicated forums online if you want to ask questions, find out more or document your progress. You can use an app like Feedly to keep up with the latest trends and exercise articles, and it can help you to get inspired each day with tailored news feeds.
An app will only get you so far, and you should see it as something that will help to record or supplement your progress as you lose weight. You have to make your targets attainable, and don’t worry if you don’t see instant results.
Conclusion
If you want to lose weight, it’s possible as long as you plan properly and do your very best to stick to it. Often, you’ll have to alter your lifestyle ever so slightly if you want to see differences, so there’s no point in investing time and money if you’re not really bothered to stick at it in the long run. Either way, more sleep and a better diet will always keep you feeling good, so try it out if you’re feeling a little run down. It could take a while to notice the differences, but it’ll be worth it. Keeping the weight off can be just as hard, so don’t think the job will be complete once you hit your target. Maintenance is easier than doing it all again, and yo-yo dieting can be extremely bad for your health. Did we help to inspire you to start losing weight? Do you have any tips for other people trying to lose weight? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Join up and have your say with a Joy of Android User Account!
Featured Image Credit
