Don't you just envy those who can just eat and eat yet never pack the pounds? They never seem to do any exercise yet they never gain any weight? What's their secret? Good genetics? Going for a jog when everyone else is asleep? Possibly. We have a much simpler answer, however, and it might shock you!
When you strip it down, weight-loss is all about calories in and calories out. Forget about low fat versus low carbs, weights versus cardio, High-intensity interval training (HIIT) versus endurance training. These are all very valid debates but the basic fact of the matter is that you need to be burning off more calories than you put in. So what's the secret to staying slim effortlessly? Background activity.
1. Stand for 3 hours (extra) per day
According to a study done in the 1950s that was published in the Lancet, bus conductors (who stand) had half the risk of developing heart disease as bus drivers (who sit). Since then, prolonged sitting has not only been linked to problems with blood glucose control, but also a sharp reduction in the activity of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which breaks down blood fats and makes them available as a fuel to the muscles.
A more recent study done in Chester found that standing resulted in heart rates about 10 beats per minute higher, which equates to about a difference of 0.7 calories per minute. This may not sound like much but it works up to 50 additional calories per hour versus sitting. Stand 3 hours per day more, and you would have burnt 750 additional calories in a work week and 30,000 extra calories in a year. That's 8lb of fat!
2. Walk at least 10,000 steps per day
First off, let us get it out of the way that 10,000 is just an arbitrary number that a Japanese company came up with to sell their pedometers. That said, 10,000 steps a day is estimated to burn off 20% of our daily caloric intake through activity. Taking the stairs, walking to the copier machine a bit more, parking further away from the office, these simple background lifestyle changes help us achieve the 10,000 step goal and burn calories without us noticing. If you're looking for a good no-frills pedometer, we recommend the Noom Walk app on your phone - just download and watch it go!
It is also interesting to note that taking public transport also keeps us fitter than driving around in a car. Brits who take public transport are on average 5 to 7 lbs lighter than those who drive around in a car. Surprising given that you would probably be sitting down either way.
3. Fidget!
A study done by Mayo Clinic found that fidgeting resulted in burning up to 350 calories a day more! Small changes to our daily activities - like wiggling our toes and tapping our feet could play a critical role in weight loss.
Final Thoughts
In this article, i didn't cover the other major pillar of fat loss - diet. In my opinion, diet is even more important than exercise. It's almost impossible to "outrun a bad diet" unless you're a professional athlete. Having said that, if you're aiming to lose fat, it need not be that complicated. Keep your calorie intake about 400-500 calories less than your daily requirement. This can suffice till you're sub-ten % body fat, after which you might need to adjust, depending on your goals.
Thanks for reading the article, I hope you will find it useful. There are some interesting studies linked and they're quite an interesting read as well.