Defining Weight Loss:
Weight loss is the term mostly used in the fields of medicine and fitness of health and body, is a process of reducing one’s body weight. This is mainly achieved by methods such as losing the fluids, fats, and lean mass, which can be in the form of minerals getting deposited in ones muscles and tendons.
In today’s fast-paced world, where man has invented thousands of machines, appliances etc., which have reduced his work-load in a mammoth manner; there is a huge risk of more and more people becoming overweight. Being overweight not only reduces your physical activities, it also makes you prone to many health related problems. This can also be attributed to the trend of heavy consumption of fast foods, which is very prevalent these days.Invest time, you will see results quickly.
When one realizes that their body weight has exceeded the norm, one tends to press the panic button and goes on what is generally referred as a “crash diet”. One must realize the fact that they would not reduce weight by suddenly reducing their appetite, restricting oneself from taking meals, or consuming random supplements for weight loss. One has to have a plan for this. And sticking to that plan religiously is what would ensure a weight loss.
Defining Obesity
An informal definition of obesity would be that it is a health-related disease during which one’s body weight exceeds way beyond the norm, and is an abnormal condition of the body. The situation even worsens when several other ailments associate themselves with obesity. Abnormally high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, strokes, and several heart-related problems are just the tip of the iceberg. The sugar-level in one’s body also tends to be a constant rise and hence, the nervous system becomes prone to severe damages. The body becomes naïve to such ailments and one is always prone to falling sick. But all hope is not lost! As a matter of fact, this should serve as a motivation for weight loss. Be healthy, stay fit, and avoid such health-risks.
Analyze and Calculate
The first step towards weight loss is Analysis. One must initially have knowledge of how much overweight they are. And what is the percentage by which they should lose weight. What is the percentage of fat in their bodies? And to what level it should come down to. What is their average calorie intake? And what should the ideal intake be. All this analysis puts things in the right perspective and one raises the first step towards a successful weight loss. There are several “body fat calculators” available which help in this regard. The yardstick that these special calculators use is: body mass index. Another such factor could be body fat percentage. These devices are certain to help you out in your weight loss program.
Have a plan and stick to it!
As already stated, weight loss is not achieved by random methods: eating less all of a sudden, a bit of exercise here and there. One must have a well thought-out routine planned out. This would ensure weight loss in no time and before you know it, you would get the prefect shape you had always yearned for!
Get your basics right!
Here is a list of few basic things which we all are aware of, but unfortunately, seldom do we stick to them.
Eat wholemeal products with unsaturated fatty acids
A) Calorie intake:
The body has to burn more calories than its intake. The norm is an intake of about 500 calories a day. Don’t punish your body and starve it for food. Get a bit easy on it. Eat only as much as it wants. Know what is to be eaten and in what quantity. If one has a sweet tooth, they mustn’t quit eating sweets altogether. Instead, they can steadily reduce the intake or go for lesser-calorie alternatives. A good example of this would be sugar-free chocolates.
A sudden decrease in food intake would only weaken your body and you would not feel energetic while performing your daily chores. The metabolic rate in one’s body also tends to decrease in such a situation, and the body starts to store the extra fat. So you see, you would end up getting fatter than you were! So, one must not lower the calorie intake than the figure of 500. Stick to that and see for yourself how good you would feel from within!
B) Frequent, but lighter meals:
Another elementary basic for a successful weight loss is to have many meals in a day. What this means is, that instead of having 3 heavy meals in a day, one can opt for say, 6 meals, comparatively lighter in terms of fat and calorie content, and equally nutritious. These can be taken at a gap of about 3 hours each. This way, you would end up eating lesser than you used to do, and also, would not feel lost for energy. The body’s metabolic rate would not decrease and hence no excess fat is produced. This is so, as their will be a constant inflow of calories all day long.
This also helps the digestive process and no food content would be “stuck” inside your body. Most over-weight people have the problem of Constipation. Frequent meals come in very handy in this regard. Also, no bad toxins are inducted into the bloodstream as a result. Another benefit of frequent but lighter meals during weight loss program is that one could refrain themselves from the craving for fatty food.
C) A bit of regular exercise:
The prime objective is to burn calories that one has accumulated over the years. One must aim to burn 500 calories each day by means of regular work-out. One can start off with jogging, jump-roping, indulging in a sport, swimming, bicycling, etc. These are conventional methods and have proved very beneficial in weight loss. If you do not happen to find time for these, you can choose to burn calories with cardio exercises. This slows the metabolism in the body and hence produces faster results than most methods.
One of the best methods of ensuring weight loss via exercise is Walking. Seems to be simple doesn’t it? It actually is! What’s even better is the fact that it’s the most effective form of exercise as well! One can always find time for walking for at least half an hour a day. Regular walking regimen would ensure weight loss even without making significant changes to your diet! The best time for walking is before/after breakfast. The body is in its most active state at this hour. It also aids to ward off heart-related problems as well, which are very common in obese and over-weight people.
Always remember, fuel your body healthy.
D) Eat healthy:
Agreed that this is easier said than done. But you better do it in case you want to lose weight! One can begin with increasing the intake of fruits, salads, vegetables etc. The fast-food culture has severely dented our diet patterns. Of course, once in a while, say once every week, one can indulge into their favorite pizza, burgers, etc. But one should know where to draw the line. Drink fruit juices instead of sodas. When ordering sodas at a restaurant, try and order a small quantity. When ordering fries, order a smaller one. Limit the intake of alcohol. Avoid gulping the food. Don’t be in a hurry. Chew every bite and taste every flavor. By hogging food, one tends to devoid their bodies of a chance to digest the food in an efficient manner and thus, the stomach doesn’t seem to be full even when it actually is! Give your brain that much time to react!
While eating outdoors, one must always prefer starting with a bowl of soup and salad. These are rich in minerals and vitamins, which is not so much the case in fast foods. These minerals are essential for nourishment of one’s body. By doing this, by the time the main course arrives, one starts to feel full and hence does not over eat. Also, these are easier to digest.
E) Water:
The soft-drink culture has also led to skip/lessen the consumption of one of the most basic elements that ensure weight loss: Water. One must drink lots of water. This maintains a constant flow of fluids throughout the digestive system e.g., the intestinal tracts etc. This also helps in an indirect manner: The more the consumption of water is, the lesser hungry would you feel. The lesser hungry you feel, the lesser are the chances of eating excess food. Also, water helps the body to flush out the unwanted toxins from the bloodstream.
F) Shop smart!
This piece of advice goes out to the homemakers, commonly, the lady of the house. Whilst we all love to shop for our favorite food items, one must refrain from buying those food products in which corn syrups, hydrogenated oil, and fructose are present as ingredients. One should instead opt for low-fat oils, which also go easier on the heart, and aid in its proper functioning. There is a myriad number of sugar free alternatives for every consumable food item in every store, and hence this should not be a problem.
Follow the tips and you will see results quickly!
G) Keep track!
Maintain a diary, dedicated solely to the purpose of weight loss. Keep a track of your calorie intake, the exercise routine, and its effects on your net weight. Record your weight at the start of each week and compare it with the previous results. Observe the trend. In case it has increased, seek a reason for it.
One should also maintain a regime chart and affix it on the wall. Try and stick to it as religiously as possible. Remember, there is a lot of purpose behind what you are doing. Do not over-relax yourself. Also, do not go completely rash on yourself as well.
All in all, be consistent, watch what you eat, keep your mind open, eat healthy, and pave your way to a successful weight-loss and a trouble-free life!
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Links a a a a b b c c c d d d d d e e e e f f f f g g g h h i i i j k l l m n n n n o o o p p q q r s s t t t u v v v w w w x y y y z
Links a a a a b b c c c d d d d d e e e e f f f f g g g h h i i i j k l l m n n n n o o o p p q q r s s t t t u v v v w w w x y y y z