Weight Management – INTERESTING!!
Weight management is an artistic science; to lose weight we need to understand our body, its metabolism, the type of foods that can be consumed based on our body’s ability to process it properly or not without stressing the tummy muscles. Once this basic understanding is established all that is required is loads of creativity as to how to manage weight without triggering boredom or an aversion towards a particular parameter of managing weight. Let’s say you want to lose weight, the very next moment you end up initiating a diet and exercise regimen for weight loss. But after some point of time monotony kicks in and you lose the drive and energy to execute the plan. Here’s where creative thinking comes into the picture.
Not able to exercise- let me think!!!
Yes, we might encounter times when exercising is not feasible-
- Our mood swings towards taking rest rather than doing exercise and works outs;
- Because of hectic work schedule; or
- Say the elders of the family cannot indulge in heavy physical exercise.
- Sometimes some physical ailments might deprive us of our exercise regimen.
So what could be done in such a scenario? How to shed extra pounds without exercising? Well, scroll further for some plausible answers.
The primary approach by which we can check weight is by working around our diet as the food we eat can make us or break us. Food can be refreshing or disturbing based on what is eaten and how much is consumed. Let’s look into the parameters to successfully manage a diet.
- Diet plan for the day
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar. This should be the diet chart for the day. Breakfast is the first meal of the day after a night of empty stomach. So, our body needs its glucose for performing activities. Skipping breakfast is detrimental to health and is not a healthy way to boost weight loss. We might end up with gastritis or ulcers depending upon our body metabolism. Therefore breakfast is important as the name suggests breakfast. The metabolic activity of the body is enhanced during the day than at night. What we eat also matters, eating healthy nutritive food laden with proteins in the form of vitamins like folates, vit B complex, Vit C, carbs, minerals, fiber and a decent amount of fat is necessary. All these biomolecules are required for growth, maintenance, and repair of the body. They also boost the immune system Porridge made with oats, whole-grain cereal, nuts, organic vegetables and fruits are some of the eatables that should be given preference instead of processed foods.
Similarly, lunch should also be rich in fiber, green leafy preferably boiled veggies like spinach, high in protein content like cooked pulses, legumes, soybean, and yogurt, etc. Fibers naturally tend to produce fullness feeling in the stomach thereby overeating can be avoided.
Also Read: What are the best diets plans to shed off body fat?
Late night dinner should be avoided at any cost. Having dinner by 6 or a maximum of 7pm is very much preferable. Dinner should be light on the stomach because at night the body’s metabolism is lowest. Hence the intensity/rate of digestion is poor at night than day. South Indians consume milk as it is light for the tummy.
Food intake in terms of quality and quantity plays a major role in restricting unnecessary weight gain and promotes weight loss.
- Health Drinks
Various health drinks are available nowadays which have been scientifically proven to aid weight to lose either by increasing metabolic rate of the body or decreasing hunger pangs like green tea, black tea, coffee, lemon drink with honey, and apple cider vinegar.
Green tea is very well known for its antioxidative property. It has been shown to decrease body weight and fat loss and boost the immune system. Matcha is a type of green tea which higher levels of antioxidants like catechin which makes a good candidate for weight loss. Similarly, studies have shown that drinking coffee helps to promote fat metabolism.
Again another candidate for promoting weight loss is Black tea. It checks weights by reducing calorie intake, stimulating fat breakdown, and boosting the growth of gut bacteria.
Drinking lemon juice with honey early morning in empty stomach hydrates the body improves metabolism and promotes weight loss and apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid which has shown to promote weight loss by decreasing insulin secretion. One should remember that health drinks are not a replacement for a balanced healthy diet.
Also Read: What are the health effects of honey and lemon water? Does it really help?
- Fasting/Intermittent fasting
Fasting/ intermittent fasting has many health benefits along with weight loss. Most of the food that we consume nowadays is highly processed and adulterated. They have toxic effects on our system. Even the so-called natural foods when consumed at wrong time and higher quantity cannot be processed by abdominal enzymes. Hence the tummy goes into a stress mode. To ease this stress it is important to empty the stomach periodically so that toxins can be washed out. This washing out procedure is possible by fasting once a while or following intermittent fasting. Some people eat food with a gap of 8 hrs and the rest 16 hrs keep the stomach empty. Therefore the nutritional content is low.
Also Read: How Intermittent Fasting is helpful in losing weight?
- Be stress FREE
Unwanted stress encourages binge eating or eating at irregular times; either leading to weight gain or weight loss, altering hormonal activity. In fact, stress induces a host of health complications. Hence it is better to stay away from stress inducers. Meditation can calm the mind, promote self-esteem, and positive attitude in us. Having a calm and steady mind also, in turn, encourages us to look and feel good indirectly helping in weight loss.
- Avoid processed foods
Various scientific studies prove that processed foods have no real nutritional value, they have high calories and toxic to our tummy and liver. Avoid refined sugar, refined oil, aerated beverages, junk food, and pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables. Thinning waistline and a youthful glow would take over eventually.
Having stated these, let me put forth clearly that weight loss is a complete package that integrates both exercise and well planned nutritious diet. Hence all diet and no exercise can make jack a dull boy. Hence “Move more and eat less.”