Staying In Shape — What Works Best?

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When it comes to being in good shape and loving it, it all depends on the individual's preference as both dieting and exercising are perfect ways to make that happen. If you do exercise, there will be that slight difference, of course, you can't expect a result to happen overnight, one has to be consistent with it for several weeks to see that transformation. So, also is dieting which means watching and controlling what you eat.

It has been years now that I have been wanting to reduce my big tummy that keeps shooting out and has deprived me of putting on tight gowns which would expose my tummy's rounded shape which is why I go for loosed outfits to push it inside. I have gone through a series of exercises, downloading different videos to reduce tummy fat and sticking to it for a month or so. I even had to join a WhatsApp fitness group created by a friend who was our accountability partner.

This lasted for 3 months and I couldn't believe I could stick to it. There was a big difference in my tummy. I was so happy. I could see how powerful having an accountability partner could be. When it stopped, I went back to not having any exercise but would always drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. I also started to walk longer miles to remove some calories. Still, I find myself deviating and falling back from exercising.

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What am I saying? Exercising is a good technique to stay in shape when you are intentional about it. You just have to find the right ones for you and not one where you go hard on yourself to the extent that instead of staying in good shape, you end up treating sickness because you aren't doing good to yourself. Someone even told me that whether exercise or not, if you want to lose and stay in shape which you would love, you will.

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Another best thing is to watch what you eat. Dieting is a great way to stay in shape and love what you get in return. There was a time I asked online if it's even possible to reduce fat in one's body without engaging in exercise except for the simple ones like taking a walk, stretching and jumping. I was told that one needs to control what they eat.

I observed something about me that I tried to experiment with for two weeks. I cautioned myself not to eat too much, I took away those big plates in my kitchen and left the small ones. I started watching what I eat. I eat only when I am too hungry and still eat little by little and do not rush when eating. I did this for two weeks and saw that my tummy had gone down, I wore a gown and saw myself in the mirror how I was in good shape. I couldn't control my excitement that day.

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This is why I pity those wanting to be in shape and eat late at night because I was made to know that it is good to eat early to aid in digestion before sleeping. Aside from that, when one is rushing their food, it causes stomach bloating which causes a big tummy. I learnt this and had to watch what I eat and when I eat my food. My last food for the day ends at 5-6 pm and anything after that would be drinking water to stay hydrated and not feel hungry.

Dieting comes with the right proportion amount of the classes of food where carbohydrates should not be too much. Adding proteins and vitamins helps too and this I try not to ignore when it comes to eating my meal. Eating lots of vegetables and fruits helps in staying in shape also.

With this, I would say both exercise and dieting are effective once we are intentional about our bodies and want to be in good shape. The tip is not to go hard on oneself but to figure out the right exercise for you. Doing it bit by bit and sticking to it for some weeks would make a big change. Remember the Atomic Habits by James Clear?