What are the best ways to lose weight?
Best ways to lose weight – this is a question, most over-weight and obese people ask themselves or their family, their doctor or dietitian.
Myths of losing weight
1. A steady way
If you think losing weight is a steady road, that once you identify, will lead you to a healthy living. You are without doubt fooling yourself.
2. One plan fits all
A lot of people I know, and even more people I do not know think that one diet plan that was effective for a certain person will help them achieve same goals. What they do not know is that each diet plan is made according to a specific caloric requirement based on person’s age, height, weight, and gender.
So, you are following a diet plan borrowed from your friend, cousin or some colleague, thing again before following it. You might not achieve same results, or you might nit achieve any result at all.
3. The Magazine Temptations
I love reading magazines, so I know that every magazine has a special column that includes health tips. Some of the general recommendations are definitely very useful, but only if they remain general.
No specific drink or medicine or food can you loose pounds of weight. Those are paid promotion every other over-weight or obese person eats that food or drinks that promoted drink hoping to lose weight. But most of them are disappointed.
4. Asking to lose weight is “Body shamming”
I do not endorse the lean body image that some of the desi people around us do. If someone is laughing at you, mocking you or humiliating you in gatherings for being overweight, that is without doubt body shamming.
But, if someone out of concern suggests you lose weight. That is not at all body shamming. Why? Because a suggestion is not at all shamming. You need to understand that being over-weight or obese comes with hundreds and thousands of complications. There are a lot of health risks and metabolic disorders associated with obesity. You can become a patient of diabetes, hypertension, or increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Factors effecting weight loss
There is no one factor that enhance or prevent weight loss. There are several variables mentioned below
1. Age
Every person of a specific age has his/her own nutrient needs. A baby needs more kcals because he is in his developmental stage of life. Your nutrient needs are also increased in adolescent age but start decreasing when you become old or when you become old or of 60+ years of age.
2. Gender
Gender is a major factor determining weight loss journey. A USA based study shows that men have more tendency to gain weight between the age of 29 to 35 years, but women are more susceptible to being overweight at 45-49 years of age. Women also gain on average 1 kg per pregnancy.
3. Culture
Culture strongly influences the eating habits. The American diet is mostly based on junk and processed foods while those living on the coast of Mediterranean follow a diet that is now known as Mediterranean diet.
4. Genetics
Next them, when someone tells you that they have a genetic tendency to gain weight, well, believe them.
Two studies based on the weight correlation of identical twins showed that despite having different diets, the genetics determine 50 – 60 percent of an individual’s weight.
5. Certain drugs
Use of certain drugs like corticosteroids, contraceptives, p-adrenergic blockers etc. can cause an uncontrolled weight gain.
6. Psychological factors
There are certain psychological diseases that either leads to extreme weight loss or weight gain. Binge Eating Disorder (BED) is one of the diseases that involves periods of strong desire to eat sugary and fatty foods. this condition requires serious medical attention.
Stress is one of the psychological factors that leads to a sedentary lifestyle and drug abuse that eventually leads to obesity.
Lifestyle modifications
1. Consistency and motivation
If you are trying to lose weight, you must try not to lose patience. This is something that requires seriousness and continuous determination because achieving a required goal may take months.
2. Add breakfast to your diet
This is the most important lifestyle modification you need to make. You need to understand that body has to go through workload from morning to evening. So, consuming a healthy breakfast in the morning will help you to actively participate in daily work activities, and these activities will help you consume those calories efficiently.
3. Carry a water bottle around
Stay hydrated! Your body needs 1ml of water per caloric intake. It means if you are following a 2000 kcals diet plan, you must consume 2 liters of water which is equal to 8 glasses. The requirement is increased in summer.
4. Sleep tight
Your sleep-awake pattern must be regular. Irregular sleep patterns increase body stress hormones that leads to inflammation and weight gain. Just regulating sleep does not means you will lose pounds, but it just lowers the level of stress hormones in body that may lead to weight gain.
5. Brisk walking
Brisk walk does not have a definite definition. It is measured by “steps per minute”. These steps vary based on gender. It is 100 steps per minute for female and 120 steps per minute for male.
6. Track what you eat
Keep a record of your calories and nutrients is something that you must learn either through your dietitian or by yourself. You can also use some app to keep record of your calories. This makes you less dependent on others. Just keeps a track and total the kcals. If you are looking for apps, MyFitnessPal is the best recommendation.
7. Read nutritional value labels of processed products
Today many people depend on processed or package foods. It is a good thing, you know, because nutritional labels on these packages contain every information, starting from net quantity to total calories, serving size and macronutrient count. some of the regular processed foods and almost all the fortified foods even provide micronutrient count.
Dietary modifications
1. Add non-starchy vegetables to your plate often
Non- starchy vegetables, including the salad vegetables and leafy vegetables, are low in calories but add volume to your plate. These are even rich in fiber and phytochemicals that helps you keep healthy. One cup of raw non-starchy vegetable contains 25 calories.
2. Consume fruits on daily basis
Fruits are high in water content and antioxidants. They prevent body from free radical’s damage and helps us keep hydrated. They are also rich in fibers. A cup of sliced fruit or a fruit that is of the size of closed fist provides us 60 calories.
3. Limit white poisons
White poison is what a lay man calls salt and sugar. Yes, they are poisonous to your body. This does not mean that you can never eat sweets or can not add salt to your food.
Salt
First talking about salt, you can add salt while cooking but say no to table salt. Table salt is the salt which we add tour foods after it is being cooked and served. This leads to hypertension.
Sugar
White sugar or crystal sugar is not the only sweet additive on earth. You can add honey or dates to your drinks to make them sweet. You can also add jaggery to your food products. It has same calories as white sugar but contains additional health benefits.
4. Add zero caloric drinks to diet
There are several zero caloric drinks one can add in diet. They help you stay hydrated and have complementary benefits that help lose weight.
Green tea
Rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals like catechins. It aids digestion hence helps lose weight.
Coffee
It contains caffeine that is said to increase body metabolism. No direct evidence is yet there to prove this claim.
Ginger tea
It contains active compound gingerol. It helps burn fat and raise body metabolism.
5. Whole wheat cereals
Wole grain cereals have additional fibrous property. They contain soluble and insoluble dietary fiber that helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol and keeps healthy and regular bowl movements.
6. Consume lean protein
Lean meat equal to the size of deck of cards contains just 45 calories. You can consume minced meat. To prepare lean meat at home, cut white fat portions from the raw meat.
7. Prefer low-fat milk
One glass of low-fat milk contains 100 calories. To prepare low fat milk at home, you just need to remove cream from top of milk before consuming it.
8. Consume nuts and seeds
You can add handful of nuts and seeds to your diet as they contain healthy fats for your body. 15 g or 1 tablespoon of these contain 45 calories.
Conclusion
There are several lifestyle and dietary modifications to lose weight. But first you need to accept that you have gained extra pounds. But be careful, not to fall for myths and consider all the factors that influence weight loss.