DO’S AND DON’TS OF WEIGHT LOSS
A. Do’s
1. Eat regularly
· Eat small portions at regular intervals throughout the day.
· The meal should contain food which is high in proteins and fibre such as egg white, whole grains and oats, pulses and beans, low fat milk and milk products,vegetables and fruits like broccoli, papaya, orange and guava.
· For non vegetarians, fish and low fat chicken without skin are good options.
· Stick to low-fat cooking, like grilled or roasted dishes.
· Choose cooking oils that are high in MUFA (monounsaturated fat) as these fatty acids control bad cholesterol.
· Oil such as canola or olive oil is the right option as it is healthy for the heart and free from bad cholesterol.
2. Take a walk at lunchtime
· Or you could even exercise at your desk.
3. Go shopping with a list
· Make sure you do your food shopping with a written list.
· Avoid shopping when you are hungry to avoid any temptation.
4. Don’t be fooled by marketing
· Low fat does not necessarily mean low calories.
· Many manufacturers lower the fat in dessert foods but increase the sugar to compensate.
· Make sure you read the labels on food stuffs so you know exactly what you are eating.
5. Get support
· Being with people who will eat the same foods and encourage you along the way is a good idea.
· Find a friend or someone in your family to boost your morale to avoid backing out.
6. Watch your portion sizes
· Compare your own food consumption with those of your friends to rectify your meal portions.
· Eat more fruits and vegetables, and less fatty and sugary foods.
7. Set yourself achievable goals
· Make achievable goals for feeling good upon reaching them.
· Reward yourself with small things after achieving them.
8. Don’t rely on food to tackle stress
· Don’t use food as a way of relieving stress.
· Also, don’t use it as a way to unwind when you are not even hungry.
9. There are only ‘good’ or ‘bad’ diets, not foods
· This means that you can have treats by developing a ‘flexible restraint’.
· Pick and choose when you have foods such as chocolate and chips.
10. Monitor your food intake and physical activity
· Use a diary or blog to record what you eat and how much you exercise.
· This helps you to understand where are your ‘danger periods’ on a daily basis.
· It is then easier to find ways to help yourself, like going for a walk instead of watching TV, etc.
· After regulating your food intake, break down the fats that are already in your body.
· The quickest way to do that is by following a regular workout regime.
· You can do that by doing aerobic exercises like running, swimming, cycling or anything that increases your heart rate and keeps it up.
· Abdominal crunches alone will not help you and will only tone the muscles.
· Staying active through the day is a great way to get some additional exercise.
· Simple things like walking a few extra steps everyday, or climbing the stairs, can keep you fitter than you think.
B. Don'ts
1. Don’t diet to reduce your weight
· Many fad diets promise great weight loss but are unbalanced.
· They only make you crave the foods that it advises against.
· Don’t eliminate fats completely from your diet as there are good fats such as omega 3 and mono- unsaturated fats which our bodies need.
· Avoid red meats like pork, mutton, ham and other meats with rich gravies.
3. Don't miss breakfast!
· Don’t think of missing your breakfast as it is the most important meal of the day.
· You are then more likely to go for unhealthy mid-morning snacks.
4. Don’t become obsessive about your diet
· Avoid fasting or skipping meals as it forces the body to go into a conservation mode.
· The basal metabolic rate (BMR) falls, which results in preservation of energy leading to no weight loss.
· On the other hand, small frequent meals keep the BMR boosted and exercise further raises it, thus leading to weight loss in the right way.