Don’t develop tunnel vision for your weight loss goals, hyperfocusing only on the basics like hitting the gym every day or checking the gap between consumed and burned calories (also called calorie deficit eating plan). Actual, lasting results commonly come from a few underrated habits. While these are occasionally part of the conversation, they are not always put into practice. Even if you are meeting the obvious goals, like hitting the gym every day, it’s time to become a bit more specific with your goals.
Weight loss with some simple hacks can be accomplished easily. (Shutterstock)
Gina Amin, a fitness trainer who frequently shares her insights about weight loss and fitness, in a July 31 post, revealed what she did to make her weight loss journey easier.
Here are some of the things that helped with the fitness trainer’s weight loss journey:
1. Walking a lot
Exercise is emphasised for a smooth progress on your weight loss journey. But this doesn’t necessarily mean only long gym sessions or intense running. It can be as simple as clocking in your steps.
Giani addressed this and shared her take, “Not every day was perfect, but I prioritised movement outside the gym and aimed for 10k steps a day. I stopped treating cardio like punishment and just focused on walking more. Walks after meals. Walk while on calls, walk instead of scrolling.”
In other words, movement is what you should ideally prioritise. Movement is not confined to gym sessions only- can also be as simple as walking while on phone. Being more active can make a big impact on fat loss.
2. Protein with every meal
While talks of intermittent fasting and eliminating snacking may seem doable on paper, when your stomach growls mid-morning after a light breakfast, it can toss your eating plans out the window real quick.
So what is the solution to cravings? Protein. There’s a misconception that protein is only for getting shredded, but it helps to curb your hunger, too. Gina also acknowledged the value of protein as it limits frequent snacking. She also stopped craving sugar.
Gina further elaborated the benefits along with some meal options, “I stayed full longer, stopping snacking mindlessly, and my energy felt more stable throughout the day. I did not complicate it: eggs or Greek yoghurt in the morning, chicken or ground beef at lunch, steak, chicken, or shrimp at dinner, and a protein shake when I needed something quick. I wasn’t perfect, but I was consistent, and that made a difference.”
3. Lifting heavy
Growing muscle comes with many perks. Yes, your physique looks more toned, but it also makes weight loss easier. How?
Here’s what the trainer revealed: “Build muscle so my body burns more at rest. I focused on compound lifts, progressive overload, and consistency.” Lifting helped shape her body.
4. Fixed sleep
Sleep, before medical experts revealed its benefits, was often regarded as laziness. Remember how your parents would wake you up early on weekends to be ‘productive’? In reality, sleep has many strong health benefits, including supporting weight loss goals. Gina shared that when she was sleep-deprived, she would eat more junk food, skip workouts, and feel emotionally low. Prioritising sleep changed all of that for good.
Gina shared, “Once I made sleep a priority, everything changed. I aimed for at least 7 hours a night, cut off screen time before bed, and stopped scheduling early workouts when I knew I would be exhausted. My hinger signals levelled out, my lifts improved, and mood stabilized. Sleep was not just recovery anymore, it became a fat loss tool.”
5. Avoid the f*ck it mindset
Fitness plan can derail when you impulsively give in to temptation for the good old ‘do it for the plot,’ whether it’s eating that greasy cheeseburger on cheat day or skipping the gym for a weekend movie marathon- maybe even throwing in some booze to this mix of bad decisions for Friday evening plans. But this will catch up to you in the future. Gina rectified this mindset.
She explained, “One off meal used to ruin my entire week. I would eat something unplanned, feel guilty and spiral. Eventually, I realized fat loss isn’t about being perfect; it is about how fast you bounce back. I stopped overthinking every bite and just got back to my routine without guilt or punishment. That one shift made everything feel easier and way more sustainable.”
From Gina’s fitness journey, the takeaway is that you don’t have to resort to extreme measures for fitness. Simple plan also works, making the weight loss process easier and effective.
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.