Want to lose weight without hitting the gym? These tips are all you need for your workout plan at home

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Home workouts have become a go-to for many who are reluctant to spend a large sum of money on gym memberships. Hitting the gym is no longer quintessential to losing weight. While it is totally possible to lose weight by working out at home, many individuals seldom know the right way to go about it. If you are looking to embark on a weight-loss journey through home workouts, you have arrived at the right destination.

Mid-day online brings to you tips from experts that will help you in your weight loss journey from within the comfort of your home.

Dr Meenal Kulkarni, a physiotherapist with Ruby Hall Clinic having more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry speaks largely about the right ways to workout at home and Dr Rohini Patil, MBBS and certified nutritionist with over eight years of experience in the field of diet and nutrition sheds light on the role diet plays in the process of losing weight.

Basics of exercising at home
When starting out, you should perform exercises which are less intense and gradually upgrade the workout sessions as per one's endurance level, says Kulkarni. You must start by incorporating cardio exercises like jumping jacks and T jumps in order to improve your endurance capacity and later start with intermediate workouts followed by a core strengthening programme.

When working out at home, it is very important to perform the exercises correctly since home workouts rob you of the personal attention of a professional gym trainer or fitness coach. The lack of professional guidance can result in performing exercises incorrectly. Wrong movements during exercise can end up causing injuries. A lot of people start with heavy exercises like crunches with 5 to 6 sets right from the beginning. This can cause severe harm to your back as well as your abdominal muscles. The most common mistake people make when working out at home is neglecting post-workout stretching exercises to relax the muscles.

Lunges, planks, jumping jacks, crunches, and hip movements are some exercises you can start with, Kulkarni suggests. Initially, you won't need any exercise equipment, but once you undertake advanced-level exercises, you can invest in equipment like resistance bands, and weights.

According to Kulkarni, the best time to work out is in the early morning for over 30 to 60 minutes depending on the person's endurance level.

Treating post-workout muscle pain
We all experience gnawing pain after we start exercising, even if it is at home. Kulkarni suggests warm-up and cool-down exercises pre and post-workout sessions.

This helps the body in dealing well with the rapid movements of the exercises. You can also make use of ice packs to soothe sore muscles after the workout. An ice bath is the best to reduce soreness. Along with that, an adequate amount of rest and relaxed sitting and sleeping positions are also a key.

Common misconceptions about home workouts
Though staying fit should be the main goal when trying to reduce weight, there are still some individuals who stress their bodies beyond capacity to build a certain body type as they believe that is the right way to go about it. People have these common misconceptions regarding weight loss. Some of them include: Exercising rigorously speeds up the weight loss process, starving yourself guarantees weight loss and slimming pills are a game changer in the weight loss journey.

Kulkarni says, "It is wrong to expect quick results when losing weight. You should be consistent with your workout to gain the desired results. I believe one should have a strong metabolism as it greatly helps one lose weight. Following a fad diet has the chance of causing poor metabolism in individuals.

Making the necessary lifestyle changes also helps
Kulkarni suggests getting a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of daily sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating high protein breakfast, exposing yourself to morning sunlight and consuming four meals a day. Incorporating these habits into your daily lifestyle aids weight loss.

Alternatives to working out
If you are someone who does not like working out but wishes to lose weight, you can also do the following:
Brisk walking
Swimming
Cycling
Breathing exercises

Your weight loss efforts are worthless if your workout is not complemented with the right diet. Nutritionist Patil says, "When you are working out at home, the most important thing about having food is to make sure the quality of it is supporting your workout regime. For example, you might need more calories and protein if the intensity of your workout is high."

Consuming the right kind of food in the right way
When on a weight loss journey without professional help, you must focus on whole foods, minimise consuming processed foods, and limit the intake of simple sugars. Further, many people complain of energy loss or exhaustion when they start working out. To regain strength, you can have a combination of high-quality protein with healthy fats. You can also hydrate yourself with electrolytes like lemon water with a pinch of pink salt. The nutritionist suggests gulping down a beverage like nimbu pani (lime water) 30 minutes before working out to help gain a quick energy boost.

Patil lists down foods you should eat and avoid:

Foods to eat
Lean protein
Ghee
Lentils
Nuts and oil seeds
Cooked vegetables
Leafy greens
Whole eggs
Flaxseeds
Sprouts

Foods to avoid
Packed foods with sugars
Deep-fried items
Refined vegetable oil
Soda

It is natural to feel hungry during the day. Instead of munching on unhealthy snack, the nutritionist suggests healthy alternatives like soaked nuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and makhanas.

A false belief among many about diet and exercise
Patil says, "While regular exercise can be beneficial for weight management and overall health, it's not necessarily true that you can eat anything and everything if you work out daily. Calories consumed and burned are two different things. Exercise can help you burn calories and increase your metabolism, but consuming more calories than you burn can still lead to weight gain."

Further, the quality of the food you eat also matters. Eating a diet high in processed foods and saturated fats, even if you work out regularly, can still negatively impact your health and increase the risk of chronic diseases. It's also important to listen to your body and eat when you are hungry while stopping when you feel satisfied.

To achieve optimal health and weight management, it's important to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet, along with regular exercise.

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