Working towards your fitness and weight loss goals can feel exhausting, especially when you are putting in the effort but the number on the scale refuses to budge. In a world filled with crash diets, quick fixes and viral weight loss challenges promising overnight results, it can be tempting to keep jumping from one solution to another. But sustainable progress is rarely about finding the perfect diet or the hardest workout – it is about building healthy habits and sticking with them consistently.
Chennai-based fitness coach Raj Ganpath, who has more than 18 years of experience and is the founder of the Slow Burn Method, co-founder and head coach at Quad Fitness, and author of Simple, Not Easy, is highlighting six practical habits that can help support your weight loss goals. In an Instagram video shared on August 9, the fitness coach highlights, “If you really want to lose weight or improve your health or get fitter, you need to stop messing around with diets, programs, and supplements. Instead, you need to do these six simple things.”
Walk every day
Walking is one of the most underrated forms of exercise and one of the simplest ways to add more movement to your day. The best part? Increasing your step count does not necessarily require setting aside extra time for a workout. You can move more around the house, walk short distances instead of taking a vehicle, run errands, shop for groceries or simply incorporate more steps into everyday tasks.
Raj explains, “You need to walk every day, about 8,000 to 12,000 steps. Doesn’t matter where you are right now. Gradually make your way into the zone. And you don’t have to do it in one shot. You can spread it out throughout the day. And you don’t have to be at that 12,000 mark every day. Just get into the zone and try to be as consistent as you can.”
Exercise every week
When it comes to weight loss, consistency is key. Crushing an intense workout one day and then spending the rest of the week ignoring movement is unlikely to deliver meaningful results. Instead, Raj recommends staying active throughout the week. Your workouts do not have to be intense every single day – what matters most is showing up regularly and putting in the effort.
The fitness coach highlights, “You have to exercise every week. This is necessary. This is mandatory. Stop fighting it. You need about two to three days of strength work and two to three days of endurance work. Nothing crazy, nothing intense, but you have to be consistent.”
Maximise intake of protein and veggies
Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle, supporting strength and keeping you feeling fuller for longer. Vegetables, meanwhile, provide different types of fibre – an often-overlooked nutrient that adds bulk to meals and helps promote satiety. Fibre also plays an important role in supporting gut health, healthy digestion and better blood sugar regulation.
Raj emphasises, “You need to maximise the amount of protein and vegetables you eat. That means every meal you eat should contain some form of protein and some form of vegetable. And most of your meal should be filled with these two things.”
Minimise starchy and fatty foods
Improving your nutrition comes down to two key steps: eating more of the foods that nourish your body and cutting back on those that offer less nutritional value. Raj recommends reducing foods high in unhealthy fats and added sugars. This does not mean you have to eliminate your favourite treats altogether – simply eating them less frequently and in smaller quantities makes a difference.
The fitness coach highlights, “You need to minimise the amount of starchy, fried, sugary foods you eat. You don’t have to eliminate them. You don’t have to give them up. But you need to remember – anything that is starchy, fried, creamy, rich, or sugary, you need to eat less of. Anything that is rich in protein and fibre, you should eat more of.”
Stop overeating
Weight loss requires maintaining a calorie deficit, which can sometimes come with increased hunger and cravings. However, Raj emphasises that being mindful of portion sizes and overall intake is crucial. Regardless of how healthy your food choices are, your overall calorie intake ultimately plays a key role in determining changes in body weight.
He notes, “Regardless of what you eat, you need to not overeat because what you eat determines your health. How much you eat determines your body weight, body size, and body composition.”
Prioritise sleep
While nutrition and physical activity often take centre stage during a weight-loss journey, sleep is an equally important – yet frequently overlooked – piece of the puzzle. Good-quality sleep is essential for recovery and healthy energy levels.
When you are sleep-deprived, making mindful food choices, staying active and sticking to your routine can become considerably more challenging. Raj stresses, “To make these five things possible, you have to sleep at least six hours, ideally seven to eight hours. Don’t fight this. Find a way to make it happen.”
