It’s January once again and it’s
that time when people start making resolutions and one of them is going on a
diet. Many industries also push and advertise dieting propaganda during this
time so a lot of people really to succumb to fad diets.
With fad diets, the lost weight
is usually regained. Sometimes a person ends up weighing more than what he or
she started with. This constant increase and decrease in weight stress out the
body and your mind.
Improve your health the right
way
Striving for a healthy weight is
a good goal to have in the new year. However, dieting is not the solution to
that problem. Here are several ways on how to lose weight safely and make the
excess pounds stay away permanently.
Be mindful of what you put
inside your body
You probably already know that
fast food and junk food are not good for you so why are you still eating them?
Sure, they’re convenient and most of the time, cheap. But, take a look at your
lifestyle. Do you wear designer clothes? Do you have the latest cellphone model?
How much did you spend on those? These are external things. Food is something
you put inside your body. Wouldn’t you want to put only the best inside your
body? Instead of spending money on expensive things, why not spend more for
quality food?
Being mindful of what you eat
starts with eliminating all processed food in your house. Out of sight, out of
mind. You will not eat chips if they are non-existent in your pantry, right?
Start buying organic fruits and
vegetables as much as your budget allows you. Regular produce is bombarded with
pesticides that are very harmful to the body. Switching to organic food allows
your liver and other detoxing organs to have a lighter load.
If you eat meat, buy only
grass-fed or organic meats. Aside from not being injected with hormones and
antibiotics, grass-fed meat contains higher amounts of CLA, a cancer-fighting
compound.
Start reading labels
Make it a habit to read the label
of any food that you want to put in your cart while grocery shopping. If you
are buying a bag of grapes, check where it’s from. If it’s from a farm near
you, that’s a good choice as the nutrients of the grapes have not depleted that
much compared to those that were shipped from overseas.
If you are buying food that comes
in a box, can or bag, check the ingredients list. Sometimes a frozen vegetarian
meal contains a lot of chemicals and additives that are bad for you. If you
can’t pronounce it, don’t buy it. The extra junk in the food you eat contribute
to weight gain.
Learn how to cook simple
dishes
There are many blogs and websites
that feature recipes that anyone - from beginners to experts, can cook. Think
of your favorite food. Chances are, there is a healthy version for that. Search
online for easy recipes that you can make at home. If you are helpless in the
kitchen, start with very simple things like boiling an egg, cooking rice,
roasting salmon, etc. Investing in a slow/instant cooker is also a great idea
for very busy people and those who are too lazy to cook. Just dump everything
in the slow cooker, turn it on and wait for your meal to be cooked.
By using natural, quality
ingredients you will lose weight and become healthier.
Always bring food
It’s easy to be tempted to buy
ice cream, hot dogs or burgers when you’re out and about the city. To be sure
that you are only feeding your body quality food, always bring snacks. Put some
grapes, sliced apples or any fruit that you like in a reusable lunch bag. Make
your own trail mix. If you know how to bake, make your own healthy goodies and
bring them with you to work. You will not only save money from eating out and
binge eating, you will also lose the extra pounds effortlessly because now, you
are loading up on healthy food.
Try intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting doesn’t mean
you have to starve yourself. Intermittent fasting means not eating for a period
of time (usually 12 to 16 hours) and only eating within a specific timeframe
within the day. For example, eat your
dinner at 6 pm then delay your breakfast the next day until 8 am. This easily
gives you a 14-hour fast. When you fast, your body burns ketones which is a
better kind of fuel for your body. Your body also goes into repair mode because
there is no food to digest. Your organs and your immune system will have more
time to detox and fix what needs to be fixed. Find a good health coach who can
guide you on doing intermittent fasting safely. If you have any conditions such
as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, etc. ask your primary healthcare
provider before embarking on any fasting regimen. if you are not sure if
intermittent fasting is for you, do not try it without the approval of your
primary healthcare provider.
Intermittent fasting is an
effective way to lose weight.
Find a sport or exercise that
you will truly enjoy
When you think of losing weight,
you might probably immediately think about hitting the gym but there are many
ways to move your body and lose weight outside the gym. You can try dancing,
playing badminton or table tennis with friends, running, walking, swimming,
biking, hiking, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and the list goes on
and on. You just need to be creative. Heck, even household chores make you lose
weight. So, the next time you clean your house, think about how it’s helping
you lose weight instead of thinking about it as a chore.
Find activities that make you
feel calm and centered
Yoga and tai chi are just some of
the exercises that can help you de-stress. Aside from helping you lose weight, these
exercises can also help you feel centered after a hectic day. They also help clear your mind so that you
can focus on what’s really important.
You can also try painting or buy
some adult coloring books. Start a new hobby like collecting vintage toys. Work
on a project that you’ve been putting off. Learn something new. Write a
journal. Find an activity that will make you forget about the daily stressors
of your life.
Do something that makes you
happy
Some people feel guilty about
taking a leave of absence from work or putting themselves first or going on a
vacation. You might not often hear it, but you deserve to be happy. Go out with
a friend, go shopping, have afternoon tea with your mom, adopt that dog you’ve
been seeing in the shelter on the way to work, travel the world or be a tourist
in your own country.
If your mind and heart are happy,
your body will work at its optimal level to get rid of free radicals and
toxins. For people who use food to escape loneliness and boredom, doing
something that makes them happy will stop this cycle of eating mindlessly.
Find a support group
It’s not easy to lose weight if
you are all alone doing it. You need the encouragement of your family and
friends and even your co-workers. Find people who understand you and who won’t
judge you if you slip and eat a bunch of doughnuts. It’s even better to find
people who are on the same journey so you can be accountable to each other. You
can keep track of each other’s progress and celebrate milestones together. At
the very least, find someone who will listen to you when you’re down and who
will give you practical and sensible advice.
Dieting is, at best, a waste of
time. At worst, harmful. Most people torture themselves by starving to lose
weight. The stress is not worth it. You can lose weight, but you can also get
sick in the long run because of the stress your body and mind are taking. When
a person is always stressed, the immune system becomes weaker, making them more
susceptible to disease and illness. Try the recommendations above and enjoy a
happier and safer way to lose weight.
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