Discover the Secrets to Successful Weight Loss!
Smart and attractive physique—who doesn’t want to gain this? But it is not as simple as we imagine. Being overweight is one of the most challenging determinants of achieving good physical and mental status. It is the root cause of various severe diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Besides this, being overweight is not only a reason for being criticized but also a matter of severe mental issues. So, there are a lot of reasons behind weight loss.
The ultimate planning for weight loss
Weight loss cannot happen instantly as it’s a gradual journey. You should follow an organized pattern that includes a lot of things. You need to plan your lifestyle modifications, dietary alterations, and physical activities1. Losing weight should not be the only objective; maintaining a standard weight is the most challenging part.
Early weight loss should be avoided!
There is a lot of information available on the internet about weight loss. However, evidence-based information is limited. Several experts gave the opinion that weekly weight loss of 1-2 pounds is safe and healthy2, but losing more than that is rapid weight loss, which could result in a variety of health issues such as the formation of gallstones, inadequate nutrition, impaired metabolic activity of the body, and muscle loss. So, you should be more conscious of your weight loss journey to avoid these complications.
How intermittent fasting helps in weight loss
The majority of us are used to taking our meals over the day. We often start our day with breakfast and finish with some light foods at night after dinner. But nowadays, ‘Fasting’ is a renowned word to everyone in various aspects. While some people fast for religious reasons, others do so to lose weight.
Intermittent fasting is an impactful approach to fasting. It refers to an eating plan that is supposed to lengthen the fasting condition of our body. It is voluntary abstinence from food for a certain period, and it is a very effective way to reduce weight. Intermittent fasting not only helps us to lose weight but also prevents inflammation and infection in our body and helps our body’s metabolism.
There are a lot of popular methods for doing intermittent fasting effectively. Among them, 16/8 fasting and the 5/2 approach are very effective3.
- The 16/8 fasting method for weight loss
This method refers to fasting for 16 hours a day and taking meals for the rest of the 8 hours. This 8-hour period is known as the window period between two consecutive fasting days. There are no food restrictions here. You can take any type of meal. But the motive is to shorten the window period so that our body becomes able to use the stored foods. Thus, it helps us to lose weight.
- The 5/2 fasting approach for weight loss
This method consists of taking regular meals five days a week and limiting them to around 500 to 600 calories on the other two days. In this approach, you don’t need to stay away from food for a longer period, but you are limiting your calorie intake, which is helping you to lose your weight.
Less processed food intake helps in weight loss
We usually intake processed foods in various forms, such as canning, freezing, cooking, and even drying, in our busy lives because these are tastier and easier to prepare. But the fact is, it triggers weight gain. It contains a lot of calories, sugars, fats, and less fibers. Highly processed foods lead to an average weight gain of 2 pounds, while unprocessed and healthy foods contain fewer calories and help you lose 2 pounds4. So, limiting processed foods will be more helpful in your weight loss journey.
Added sugar should be avoided
Added sugar is one of the most triggering factors for weight gain. Because more sugar means more calories, additional calories are stored in the body, and thus body weight increases. If you maintain a very healthy diet and plan to reduce your weight but are not limited to taking added sugars yet, your weight loss dream will never come true. The American Heart Association (AHA5) suggested taking up to 100 calories per day for adult females, which is equivalent to 6 teaspoons, and 150 calories per day for adult males, which is equivalent to 9 teaspoons. So, limit taking added sugars and be motivated to your track.
Add healthy fats to your meal.
Whenever we hear the word ‘Fat’ we become worried and think all fats are harmful to our bodies. Do you know some fats are really necessary for better health? Yes! I’m talking about the unsaturated fats. These fats increase good cholesterol, HDL, and decrease bad cholesterol, LDL. Thus, it reduces the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. So adding good fats such as almonds, olive oil, peanuts, and fish oil to your meal will help you avoid bad cholesterol-containing foods. It will help in your physical development and prevent you from gaining extra weight.
Try to take more plants and fiber-rich foods
Vegetables are the best sources of plant foods, which contain low calories but more water and fiber than animal sources of foods. 1 cup of vegetables contains not more than 40 to 50 calories. You are free to consume a sufficient amount of vegetables because they will not accelerate your weight gain. Its high fiber content plays a key role in weight loss as it passes slowly toward our intestines and doesn’t provide any calories. More calories are stored in our bodies, but excess fibers pass through the stool. So this effective dietary plan is going to be the best choice in your weight loss journey.
Be active in your daily life.
Exercise plays a vital role in weight loss and maintaining a healthy life. It can be quite frustrating when you counter it as a challenge. Staying active on a daily basis doesn’t necessarily mean engaging in intense workouts for extended periods of time. It’s about finding activities that are easy to do and that you feel motivated to participate in. You may go walking with your friends or family, or you can be active in your own way, such as dancing, cycling or swimming. If you turn your workout challenges into a matter of joy and interest, then it will be easier to meet your target.
Please keep moving with your plan
Losing weight is a continuous process, and it is very important to stay motivated. At the beginning of our weight loss journey, we are usually very serious and motivated. But after gaining the target weight, it’s more difficult to maintain it. The majority of us won’t be so serious in the long run. We give up. It will be so much easier if we start with a group of supportive people6. There are a lot of weight–loss groups. A connection with them will be helpful for us to be motivated and serious.
References
- Hall ME, Cohen JB, Ard JD, et al. Weight-Loss Strategies for Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Hypertension. 2021;78(5):e38-e50. doi:10.1161/HYP.0000000000000202
- Is It Bad to Lose Weight Too Quickly? Healthline. Published June 23, 2023. Accessed August 25, 2023. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/losing-weight-too-fast
- Intermittent Fasting: What is it, and how does it work? Published March 1, 2023. Accessed August 26, 2023. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/intermittent-fasting-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work
- Highly Processed Foods Linked to Weight Gain. NIH News in Health. Published June 26, 2019. Accessed August 26, 2023. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/07/highly-processed-foods-linked-weight-gain
- Avenue 677 Huntington, Boston, Ma 02115. Added Sugar. The Nutrition Source. Published August 5, 2013. Accessed August 26, 2023. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/added-sugar-in-the-diet/
- Kumar P. Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Weight Loss: A Comprehensive Guide”. Medium. Published February 11, 2023. Accessed August 27, 2023. https://medium.com/@sascreativegroups/unlocking-the-secrets-of-successful-weight-loss-a-comprehensive-guide-bf875d5c2a20
