There is a huge amount of support online & offline for weight loss. Still, only a very few succeed & Many fail. Apps to help plan the weight loss routine, diet advises, Multi level marketing companies with herbs from some forest, fancy named diets like palio and high fat diets, celebrity experts advising on yoga poses and daily routines, exercise trainers and gyms offering discounts and attractive schemes are all a normal scenario. There are people with badges in every street corner asking you on whether you want to loose weight and to ask them how?
Why all this chaos in the society on weight & loosing those few extra kilos?
Human body should be in a healthy state. Primarily healthy state means, ability to live happily by doing all activities of daily living, traveling, working & playing etc & to remain without any health discomfort or disease. Health related stress & work stress also complicates health. Childhood obesity when goes unattended can lead to a spectrum of disorders at early adult ages. At older ages these extra kilos might be the reason for health issues. From cardio vascular to metabolic disorders to skeletomuscular issues, Obesity can cause various troubles, that can affect the physical, mental, social & behavioural aspects of a person.
Body mass index is a scale by which people are classified as underweight, normal, overweight, obese & morbidly obese.
Calculate your BMI:
The formula is BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person’s weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared. A BMI of 25.0 or more is overweight, while the healthy range is 18.5 to 24.9. BMI applies to most adults 18-65 years.
For example, an adult who weighs 70 kg and whose height is 1.75 m will have a BMI of 22.9.
70 (kg)/1.752 (m2) = 22.9 BMI
For adults over 20 years old, BMI falls into one of the following categories.
Table 1. Nutritional status
| BMI | Nutritional status |
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5–24.9 | Normal weight |
| 25.0–29.9 | Pre-obesity |
| 30.0–34.9 | Obesity class I |
| 35.0–39.9 | Obesity class II |
| Above 40 | Obesity class III |
COURTESY:WHO
REF: https://www.who.int/europe/news-room/fact-sheets/item/a-healthy-lifestyle—who-recommendations
What one needs to know for a mindful, consistent weight loss journey?
Often due to work pressure and demands of the professional life, we tend to keep moving and focus less on what we consume. But unfortunately that’s the basic reason for our health issues. One such serious issue is obesity, due to consumption of snacks and colas in between meals and consumption of heavy fast food. Craving for food – As you don’t get enough nutrients by taking these junk foods.
Calorie Demand & Supply gap. When you don’t supply the extra calories that are not needed by your body, you take the 1st step. When you create a gap between the demand and supply of calories, ie., supply less than what’s needed, then the body tends to convert the stores to energy and that’s a way to loose weight.
Avoid living on processed foods and high sugar or carbohydrate foods. Have a balanced approach. Take more fibers, fruits and vegetables with different colours and avoid taking huge meals, instead break up your meals in to small portions and consume by giving intervals.
Set a goal. But a realistic goal. Don’t keep the bar too high, so you give up after some initial attempts. Have a mentor or a weight loss trainer to guide you. A goal should be S – specific, M – measurable, A – achievable, R – relevant, T – time bound, ie. SMART goal approach.
Ask for help when required or when you feel that you are going out of track from your set goals.
Have adequate sleep. Destress yourself by practicing yoga. Yoga helps bring mind, body & soul in a sync and helps you self motivate. Go for a walk. Walking has positive effects on health.
You can cut down on the calorie intake is one way. But be careful, it should not lead to craving for food.
You can increase the energy expenditure is another way. But again be careful that you don’t end up tired by overdoing.
Combine both these in an optimal manner without overdoing any one thing. A balanced approach can help control weight gain and help in your weight loss journey.
Read the label of the food products. Cut down on excess of anything, be it cola, salt, sugar or carbohydrates. You can do any of these drastically & there is a process to do any thing. A planned approach can help you stick to your weight loss routine longer. In weight loss consistency is success. Don’t keep your eyes on everyday weight loss. That’s no good. Focus on outcomes based on long term goals. There is no instant solution to loose weight. Cut down on snacks, fried items, plain maida & carbohydrate rich foods and sugary substances. Cut down on alcohol & control smoking.
No drastic steps in any of the above aspects can help. There are 1000 things that can be done to loose weight. But you are unique and so your process may differ and need not be the same as others follow. Based on your life style, your job, your needs and time available you can select methods.
Too ambitious targets in weight reduction is the step where many fail as its not a realistic approach.
Accept that it takes time. Accept that it’s a process. Accept that you are unique and believe that you can do it. Start the journey with all these awareness and there are good chances of you succeeding among a few. Take one step at a time.
You may start with consuming ACV, as step 1 & go for a walk in the morning & in the evening after dinner.
