There are a number of reasons why people may wish to lose weight. Many want to slim down, feel better about their appearance and overall well-being, while others may want to lose weight to help cut the risk of developing health problems that are linked to being overweight. It is always advised to consult a qualified nutritionist to effectively change your eating habits to aid your weight-loss and weight management goals. A nutritionist can help you achieve a healthy weight-loss that can be maintained long-term.
Here are a few tips to follow when trying to achieve healthy, long-term weight-loss:
Portion-controlled and nutritionally balanced meals
A healthy, balanced diet will usually include lean proteins, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates including fibre and starches and nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Include nutritionally balanced meals along with right portion sizes will help you to avoid high-calorie intake. This will automatically lead to weight loss. Following a weekly meal plan will ensure better variety and keep a watch on total calorie intake.
Regular physical exercise
One of the most vital factors in managing weight is to do physical exercise. Exercise is, by definition, planned, structured, repetitive and intentional movement. Scheduled exercise is dedicating an amount of time for planned physical activity. Being physically active is different from physical exercise. It is highly recommended to include a minimum of 30- 45 minutes of planned moderate exercise in your daily routine to keep a healthy weight as it also promotes heart health and keeps stress under control.
Eat organic, local, and wholesome foods
To maintain good health, it is important to rely on local and more wholesome foods which are least processed and can provide more nutrient-dense meals. You must avoid canned, packed, and processed ready-to-eat food as they are loaded with preservatives, multiple additives to increase food shelf life which leads to nutrition loss and also make them high in calorie.
Drink plenty of water
Water is the primary requirement for the normal functioning of the body. Even to digest all the food that we consume we need to drink the same amount of water. When we drink less water, our metabolism is slowed down which lead to weight gain and building up of toxins.
Get plenty of sleep
Make every effort to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day. Quality and quantity of sleep is essential for optimal functioning of the body including our metabolism, brain health, maintain critical body functions, restore energy and repair muscle tissue. Getting enough quality and quantity sleep is crucial to overall health and well-being.
Being physically and socially active
Indulging in outdoor activities, lesser sitting hours, meeting family and friends occasionally keeps us more active and health-conscious. Reducing screen time which is associated with binge eating can help us maintain weight in long run.
Keeping a check on stress levels
Chronic Stress is not good for weight management. As our body perceives stress, our adrenal glands make and release the hormone cortisol into our bloodstream. Cortisol hormones are the ‘stress’ hormones. It’s our natural “flight or fight” response to stress. However, chronic stress leads to constant high levels of cortisol hormones in the body. This adversely affects our health and may lead to weight gain or prevent us from losing weight. Therefore, it is very important to keep our stress levels in check.
Practicing meditation, indulging in activities which relaxes your mind like listening to good music, taking a walk are ways to relax the mind and refresh your mood.
Stay Consistent with your efforts
Weight management is not just about physical appearance but has emotional wellness attached with it too. It is about lifestyle choices you make to live a healthy and long disease-free life. By adopting healthy choices and consistently practicing them as part of your daily life, you can maintain a healthy weight.
Consider weight management supplements
Sometimes it becomes difficult and frustrating to shed those extra stubborn kilos even after putting in the effort with dietary changes and exercise. At such times you may have to consider weight management supplements for boosting weight loss or weight management.
Different types of weight management supplements are being used in weight management plans offered by dieticians and nutritionists.
Lastly, make your health and weight management a family goal or join some support group to interact with like-minded people.
Approach to weight management should be based on sustainable lifestyle modifications and not on short-term fad diets or crash dieting. This short-term approach may harm more than doing any good and can adversely affect our body. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help for diet and workout plans. Before starting any major changes in your lifestyle, it is advisable to consult a medical practitioner or a qualified dietician who can rule out any underlying health issues which may be leading to weight gain or loss.
