Dr. Ahmed The 10 most important weight loss tips discussed here are presented by our clinical nutritionist. It is important to follow all these healthy weight loss tips so as to get the maximum benefit.
It is also important to lose calories via physical activity. A healthy low-calorie diet and physical activity are the first line of interventions for weight loss.
A brief overview of Obesity:
Obesity is widespread globally and its prevalence is rising so rapidly in both developed and under-developed countries that many refer to it as an epidemic.
There are a number of factors that count in while assessing the reasons for weight gain, which include genetics, diet, lack of exercise, factors in a person’s environment, rapid industrialization, and urbanization.
Why it is easier to become fat?
We are living in an environment that exposes us to an abundance of high-calorie, high-fat foods that are readily available, relatively inexpensive, heavily advertised, and reasonably tasty, which causes weight gain and obesity in all age groups from children to adults everyone is exposed to these kinds of foods.
We can find them easily everywhere as in our schools, malls, and airports, which is an alarming concern. On one side we are consuming high-calorie-dense foods and on the other, we are living a sedentary lifestyle in which we do not do any kind of physical activity.
Nowadays it is an era, in which automobiles take us across town, escalators carry us upstairs and remote controls change television channels from a distance.
Modern technology has replaced physical activity at home, at work, and in transportation. Inactivity contributes to weight gain and poor health.
It is generally assumed that obesity occurs as a result of an imbalance between food consumed and physical activity.
So, we have to manage and alter both of them to reduce our weight, as obesity is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes (Diabesity), hypertension, stroke, gallbladder disease, infertility, sleep apnea, hormonal cancers, and osteoarthritis.
Goals of Obesity treatment:
The goal of treatment for obesity should focus on weight management and attaining the best weight possible in the context of overall health.
Depending on the type and severity of the obesity and the age and lifestyle of the individual, successfully reducing body weight varies from being relatively simple to be virtually impossible.
Modest weight loss is beneficial, as small amounts of weight (5% to 10% of initial body weight) are likely to improve blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Previously, it was considered that a calorie-restricted diet or a lot of physical exertion is important in the treatment of obesity but over the years the treatment regimen has evolved.
Still, dietary management and physical activity have the main role in the treatment but the term has changed and is known as ”Lifestyle modification”, which includes behavioral modification along with dietary changes and physical activity.
People try the easiest ways of losing weight such as trying weight-loss medicines, however, without changes in diet and physical activity, weight loss pills may not work.
The recent FDA approval of Wegovy causes a weight loss of about 16% in a year when combined with lifestyle modification.
Diet types used for weight loss:
There are many kinds of diets that are being followed for weight loss. These include:
- Soup diet,
- Grapefruit diet,
- Low-carb diets,
- Low-fat diets,
- Paleo diet,
- Atkins diet,
- Weight Watchers, and
- keto diet.
Most of these diets are well-researched and are not recommended because of their long-term effects on health and relapse of weight gain.
These diets are called “fad diets”. Fad diets can be harmful to the body, as they involve eliminating foods that contain the necessary nutrients that the body needs to maintain good health.
The best way to lose weight and keep it off is by making small changes which are called “dietary modification”, there are a few tips that we can include in our daily routine to reduce our weight through a healthy approach.
10 Weight Loss Tips – a healthy approach:
Weight Loss Tip No. 01: Restrict Calories:
- It is important to give emphasis to a caloric restricted diet as caloric restriction, rather than macronutrient composition, is the key determinant of weight loss. It is recommended internationally, that a deficit of 500 kcal in our daily diet can help us reduce 1 pound of fat in 7 days.
Remove 500 Kcal daily from your diet and Lose One Pound of Fat in 7 Days
- Now how can we reduce 500 kcal in our daily routine? As 1 teaspoon of fat contains 90 calories and 1 tablespoon is equal to 3 teaspoons which means 1 tablespoon of oil consists of 270 calories.
- If we calculate it then we come to know how many extra calories we are taking on a daily basis.
- The same goes for sugar 1 teaspoon of sugar contains 20 calories, if we are consuming too much sugar it means that our caloric intake is too high.
- All these calories are called empty calories which means that they do not have any nutritive value and are not beneficial for our health.
- Examples of Empty Calorie Foods:
- deep-fried items such as French fries,
- spring rolls samosa and
- confectionary items
- These food items are very high in caloric content. If we skip them on daily basis we can reduce a lot of calories easily.
- Other than that paratha is also very high in caloric content and in the Asian population majority of people use to have paratha in their breakfast.
Weight Loss Tip No. 02: Increase Fiber Intake:
- Increase fiber intake in the diet. There are two types of fiber soluble and insoluble, for weight loss soluble fiber has more beneficial effects as fiber functions mostly as a bulking agent, adds content to your stool, is a powerful natural appetite suppressant, and reduces belly fat.
- Foods that are high in soluble fiber include:
- flaxseeds,
- sweet potatoes,
- fruits like apricots and oranges,
- brussels sprouts,
- legumes and
- grains like oatmeal.
- It is recommended that men aim to consume 30–38 grams of fiber per day, while women should aim for 21–25 grams per day.
Weight Loss Tip No. 03: Small frequent meals:
- Take small frequent meals which help in reducing weight faster and without giving the feeling of weakness or lethargy. It also helps in boosting metabolism, it keeps the stomach filled and reduces hunger.
- Include healthy snacks in between meals like fresh fruits, corn, skim milk, chickpeas salad, and pop-corns; chicken low-fat sandwiches are good options.
Weight Loss Tip No. 04: Increase water intake:
- Increase water intake as it helps in suppressing appetite, boosting metabolism, and making exercise easier and more efficient. It is recommended to drink at least 1-2 liters of water per day. It is also suggested that drinking water empty stomach or before meals and 2 hours after the meal has a more beneficial effect on weight loss.
Weight Loss Tip No. 05: Avoid extra salt:
- Avoid extra salt intake as eating a lot of salt can cause the body to retain more water, which can show up on the scale as extra weight.
- Added salt should be avoided as raw salt by sprinkling salt on fruits or vegetables, pickles, sauces, and processed foods that are high in salt content.
Weight Loss Tip No. 06: Increase Proteins in Diet:
- Increase protein-rich foods in the diet as it helps in weight loss by providing the feeling of fullness and reducing appetite.
- High protein food should be as low in fat as lean meat including chicken, lean mutton, fish, cottage cheese, and egg, skim dairy products like milk or yogurt, and lentils.
Weight Loss Tip No. 07: Control Portions:
- Portion control is also very important in weight loss, the portion is the amount of food put on a plate while a serving is an exact amount of food.
- We can control portions by using smaller plate sizes, making a plate model as a guide according to new recommendations “My plate model”, is used to guide people on how many portions of different food groups they should take at each meal, it also helps in weight control.
- My plate model is a plate that is divided into four sections, with each section representing how much of each food group should be eaten. Together, fruits and vegetables fill half the plate while proteins and grains fill the other half. Portions of different food groups can be easily controlled.
Weight Loss Tip No. 08: Substitute Simple refined sugars:
- Substitute simple refined carbohydrates for complex carbohydrates as they help in weight loss as they digest slowly and give a feeling of satiety.
- Try to substitute refined flour for whole wheat flour, skinned lentils for whole lentils, refined sugar for brown sugar, juices for whole fresh fruits, white rice for brown rice, and white bread for multigrain bread.
Weight Loss Tip No. 09: Use healthy unsaturated fats:
- Fats have many functions in our body as it gives energy to the body, protect organs from damage, and absorption of vital nutrients including fat-soluble vitamins.
- Try to choose healthy unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats or trans fats as they have many health hazards.
- Unsaturated fats are found in vegetables (avocado, olives, peanuts, and canola), nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), and seeds (pumpkin and sesame).
- Try to consume as little fats as possible to reduce fat intake rather than going on a fat-free diet which is harmful to overall health.
- Options are to use oil sprays, an air fryer, or shallow fry to reduce oil intake.
Weight Loss Tip No. 10: Do not skip breakfast:
- Do not skip breakfast as by skipping breakfast, the body functions slow down to preserve the fuel; the metabolism becomes slow. It results in fat accumulation in the body.
- There’s an old saying: “Breakfast like a king; lunch like a prince; dinner like a pauper.” So, breakfast should be good in terms of nutrients, containing all essential nutrients such as special protein which boosts our BMR rate.
In conclusion:
Developing new healthy behaviors by making these small dietary changes and setting realistic goals in daily routine to follow next month, in a year, and in a decade, will help in sustainable and successful weight loss.
There are no real shortcuts, and it requires hard work and patience to see results. The aim should be to lose no more than 1–2 lb per week to avoid potential health issues. Motivation is a key component; to lose weight, a person needs to be ready and willing to make lifestyle changes for a lifetime.
For greater benefit and weight loss, it is important to follow all the important weight loss tips at the same time.
