Sydney Guide For Those Who Are Trying to Lose Weight

By Jennifer Hong

If you are just starting to get into fitness (congrats, first of all), it might be a bit daunting for you to know where to start. Where should you work out? How do you figure out what to eat? Is there a community that you can join to keep you in check? What can you do to really sculpt your body?

I recently moved to Sydney and have made a (soft) commitment to tone my body. After speaking with a few Sydney locals I've found some interesting ideas on how to get fit and healthy such as:

Sydney tends to have a focus on fresh produce as well as extremely nutrition-conscious restaurants, not just in the CBD but the suburbs as well.

Since it is not convenient to cook all the time, I recommend you do some research and find restaurants that offer healthier options near your home and use as your go-to. Another option is to join weight loss programs (e.g. Vibrant Nutrition’s Individual 12 Week Weight Loss program) where you will be given a customised meal / nutrition plan with recipes. Having a coach checking your adherence to the predetermined plan on a regular basis could make it easier for you to stay on track. Consultations with nutritionists are often covered by health funds as well.

A less intense alternative (besides DIY - Do It Yourself) might be getting a meal kit to help you eat smarter without having to hunt down all the ingredients you need. There are brands such as Dietlicious that creates meals specifically for weight loss. You can also try Soulara, Australia’s first 100% plant based meal-kit service.

Finding a gym you like it not always easy and it also depends on how you exercise. For instance, if you prefer classes over using the weight equipment you might want to find a gym that focuses on group workout sessions.

While changing what and how much you eat has more impact on the the initial weight loss than exercising, you’d never be able to sustain your weight loss without an established exercise routine. At the end of the day, your body has to burn more calories than it consumes and if you simply starve yourself, your metabolism will slow down causing the body to store more fat.

Many gyms or fitness centers offer workout challenges such as the one offered by SigFit in Bondi. They often range from 8 to 16 weeks. If this is too much of a commitment for you, consider ClassPass which allows you to access a variety of classes each month.

Whether you are dealing with real stubborn fat or trying to polish your muscles further, there are many body sculpting clinics that can help you reach your goals. I was always hesitant about these procedures until I saw a friend of mine go through amazing transformation. It gave her the right starting point by removing the fat and she was able to quickly sculpt her body and maintain her figure.

These clinics offer more than just liposuction with a wide range of body sculpting services that can help define your muscle tone so you can show off those abs!

It never hurts to know all the options available to you.

There are many community-organised groups who get together to play sports such as volleyball, touch football and tennis or meet to go hiking. It helps to have people around you with similar interests who will push and encourage you.

You can easily find these groups on Meetup.