Stop having dinner, cut down on fat, you can skip meals if you are not hungry, workout as much as possible, eat protein supplements– I was told all these and more when I started my weight loss journey a few months back. Back then, I weighed a whopping 75 kilos. I was morbidly overweight and wanted to do all that it takes to lose the excess weight. I was surrounded by body shamers, I was embarrassed beyond words, and my self esteem was at an all time low. Weight loss, career, or life, a bad approach yields bad results, and I didn’t want to end up in tears or frustrated about not being able to shed the extra pounds. But self-confessed diet experts around me kept recommending all the misinformed and counterproductive ideas that have been repeatedly proven wrong. They kept tossing around those unscientific plans incessantly, and I knew that I had to figure out one on my own to deal with my weight gain woes. Let me share some of the insights that I’ve picked up.
At the outset, you needn’t drastically change your lifestyle or eating habits to lose weight. Let things happen in a natural progression and you'll get the needed results in no time. Excess weight is the end result of bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. It also depends on age, hormone changes, health problems, daily activities, stress, food preferences, and so on. Starting off by getting the facts right and change or fix what’s wrong, in a slow and steady pace. Let me also remind you that you needn’t shell out lots of money on gym memberships. Yes, you don’t need to slave away for long hours in the gym to lose weight. 45-60 minutes of brisk walk in the morning and evening is more than sufficient if you can stick to it diligently. Does walking alone help get fit and toned? No! You have to eat right, eat well, eat on time, drink ample amount of water, and say no to all junk food.
My first step was to deal with my stress eating disorder, and I have curbed it to a significant extent. I never used to hesitate mindlessly loading myself up on coffee and junk food or munching on chocolates when I used to get stressed and upset. I’ve changed it over the past few months and I am extremely happy about the results. Believe it or not, the whopping amounts of junk food I’ve gobbled over the years are not as tasty and enjoyable as what I currently enjoy having each day. That said; if you intent to completely cut out the bad food one fine morning, you shouldn’t. I’ve been there myself, and the impact is extremely dangerous, because, it can lead to uncontrollable cravings, and you will end up binge eating and falling off the track soon. One-size-fits-all diet plans too can rain on your parade, because, what’s right for me might not be right for you. Most of us battle food allergies, intolerances, and so on, the reason why a professional help from an expert dietician is indispensible to figure out a diet strategy based on your body and nutritional needs. Wrong diet plans can leave you unwell, weak, and perennially tired.
Here is another lesson that I have learned the hard way: never fall for any of those gimmicks that you read online; or pop pills and consume supplements with potentially dangerous side effects. Instead, go to a trained professional and seek and follow recommendations that are best for you. My friend Deepa George did a phenomenal job to help me decide my diet plan. In short, I didn’t adopt a caveman diet nor did I compel myself to avoid the indispensable morning and evening tea or breakfast. But I managed to shed 6 kilos in the first month and I continue to adhere to my chosen routine. Let me concisely put down what I’ve learned within this short yet significant time span - Always be realistic and realize that weight loss doesn't happen overnight, and no one can adopt that perfect eating habit to lose weight “in the blink of an eye”. Instead, you can make gradual alterations in what, how and when you eat, and stick to what you opt. Work smart and success will be yours.
My first step was to deal with my stress eating disorder, and I have curbed it to a significant extent. I never used to hesitate mindlessly loading myself up on coffee and junk food or munching on chocolates when I used to get stressed and upset. I’ve changed it over the past few months and I am extremely happy about the results. Believe it or not, the whopping amounts of junk food I’ve gobbled over the years are not as tasty and enjoyable as what I currently enjoy having each day. That said; if you intent to completely cut out the bad food one fine morning, you shouldn’t. I’ve been there myself, and the impact is extremely dangerous, because, it can lead to uncontrollable cravings, and you will end up binge eating and falling off the track soon. One-size-fits-all diet plans too can rain on your parade, because, what’s right for me might not be right for you. Most of us battle food allergies, intolerances, and so on, the reason why a professional help from an expert dietician is indispensible to figure out a diet strategy based on your body and nutritional needs. Wrong diet plans can leave you unwell, weak, and perennially tired.
Here is another lesson that I have learned the hard way: never fall for any of those gimmicks that you read online; or pop pills and consume supplements with potentially dangerous side effects. Instead, go to a trained professional and seek and follow recommendations that are best for you. My friend Deepa George did a phenomenal job to help me decide my diet plan. In short, I didn’t adopt a caveman diet nor did I compel myself to avoid the indispensable morning and evening tea or breakfast. But I managed to shed 6 kilos in the first month and I continue to adhere to my chosen routine. Let me concisely put down what I’ve learned within this short yet significant time span - Always be realistic and realize that weight loss doesn't happen overnight, and no one can adopt that perfect eating habit to lose weight “in the blink of an eye”. Instead, you can make gradual alterations in what, how and when you eat, and stick to what you opt. Work smart and success will be yours.
