A Healthy Approach to Weight Loss for Women

A collection of tips to help you lose weight effectively and healthfully — without losing your sanity

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There is no reason why your body cannot be the best it can be. We all can’t have the figure of super models or celebrities, but it is perfectly reasonable to maintain a healthy figure without succumbing to the pressures of societal expectationby opting for crash diets or weight loss surgery.

Have The Right Mindset

Losing weight isn’t only about looking good. People lose weight to improve their health by decreasing their blood pressure, their risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and their cholesterol levels. To lose weight, it’s important to understand why you gained it in the first place.

A lot of the time we eat when we are sad or stressed.

One way of overcoming mood-related obstacles is by engaging in mood-independent behavior. Some studies have revealed that a history of trauma negatively affected compliance with weight loss regimes, which probably stems from a skewed relationship between the individual and their food. Rewiring that relationship is important to lose weight.

Another important aspect of weight loss is motivation. Have you ever found yourself being thoroughly motivated to exercise on the first day, and then, due to your pain from a tough workout, a month has passed and you’re wondering why you’ve suddenly outgrown your jeans?

To avoid this cycle, create a system to motivate yourself every day, whether it’s through motivational posters, or little Post-Its reminding yourself why you want to lose weight. One important way of staying motivated is setting realistic goals. It isn’t possible to obtain a bikini-ready body in three weeks, even if online ‘quick fix’ methods try to convince you otherwise.

Try light exercises for the first week, instead of doing heavy lifting right off the bat.

Then ease your way into more moderate exercise for the next two weeks. Depending on how your body responds, you might be ready to do rigorous exercise by the fourth or fifth week.

When you measure your weight, you’re measuring more than simply body fat. If you engage in intense exercise, your weight may remain the same, but your body fat would’ve been replaced by your muscle mass. Focus on your body fat percentage instead of your overall weight. A convenient way to understand your body and figure out your weight loss goals is to use a BMI index — an algorithm that tells you if your weight is proportional to your height. It calculates your proneness to health risks as well. Ideally, your BMI should be below 25.

The Do’s of Weight Loss:

1. Eat on a regular schedule

A common misconception is that if you eat less you will loss more weight. In reality when you are starving yourself your body’s instinct is going into survival mode. That means your body thinks they will not be fed for a long time and thus will start holding on to the sugars, fats, and other important substances which actually you are trying to lose. To avoid this, eat regularly throughout the day to stabilize your metabolism instead of gobbling up junk foods to satiate hunger pangs.

2. Drink lots of water

The human body is 70% water. There are studies that show that water consumption increases the rate of calorie burning, so the next time you are on a weight loss plan, make sure you drink lots of water.

3. Create a meal plan

When you are on a strict diet regime, plan ahead. Do your grocery shopping and prep your meals for the week. If you wish, add a cheat day on your weekends as a treat for your hard work the rest of the week.

4. Cut down on simple carbs

Refined carbs are highly processed, fried or refined. Apart from their harmful effects on the body, these ‘bad carbs’ reduce the blood sugar content of your body which can result in hunger pangs and a pot belly. Ignore your cravings and restrict those white, processed breads, pasta and prepackaged foods. Instead, prepare meals full of whole grained products like oats, wheat germ and quinoa.

5. Increase protein content

Another common misconception is that all kinds of food contribute to your weight increase. But regular protein intake — especially from meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, etc. — helps to increase the feeling of fullness, thus indirectly reducing your weight.

6. Get regular sleep

Regular sleep is extremely important for weight loss. Studies show that women who get at least 7 hours of daily sleep are 33% more likely to lose weight.

7. Travel

Travelling enriches the mind and fulfils the soul. But travelling can also help you lose weight by decreasing your stress levels and improving your overall health. When you deliberately expose yourself to different environments and elements, your immune system gets a boost. A more immune body begets a healthier lifestyle. And a healthy lifestyle begets weight loss and fitness.

8. Be active

Movement is the key to losing weight. Hiking or adventure sports are a great way to reduce your weight. But any activity that gets your body moving will help you reach your weight goal.

The Don’ts of Weight Loss:

Eat empty calories
Consume weight loss pills
Replace water with soda, or any sugary drinks
Use a weighing scale
Get surgery (unless medically necessary)

If your weight becomes a health risk, and no other solution is providing results, then you may wish to check out options for weight loss surgery. You may also be interested in exploring the benefits of medical tourism to have surgical procedures performed in other countries.

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