Obesity has become a major health problem around the world. Many companies have brought diet pills, medicines, powders and weight-loss belts in the market. Though these products claim to aid weight-loss, the weight reduction is temporary. Besides, the pills and powders can adversely affect your health. Here we offer you some tips to reduce weight successfully, without any negative health effects.
1 Reduce fat intake: a) Eat low-fat versions of fish, meat, beef, chicken, turkey and other food items. b) Remove all traces of fat from your food. c) Reduce use of oil, margarine or butter while cooking. d) Use very little fat to smear your frying pan.
2 Reduce intake of sugar: a) Decrease your consumption of white sugar, white flour and potatoes. b) Add less sugar to your food. If possible, replace sugar with sugar-free sweeteners. c) Eat less quantity of bread, peas and beans. If possible, eat bread prepared from corn.
3 Decrease alcohol consumption: Energy in alcohol becomes fat when consumed in excess.
4 Stay away from processed, fast and junk foods since they are laden with fat and sugar. Eat foods in their natural form. Cook your own meals instead of buying readymade dishes.
5 Reduce quantity of food without going hungry: When you eliminate fat and sugar from your diet, you will feel starved, thus craving for more food. a) Reduce the total amount of food you eat. b) Do not starve yourself. It will cause sickness and illness. It can disrupt your attempts at slimming.
6 Adopt regular eating habits: When you follow regular eating habits, your blood sugar level will remain stable, controls your hunger and raises your fat burning ability. a) Eat three to four small meals a day. b) Include moderate quantity of sugar and fat in every meal. c) Include a protein source like fish, meat, eggs, seed or mushrooms in every meal to make it a complete meal.
7 Raise the amount of physical activity: An increased physical activity means more fat burnt. Besides it controls your hunger. a) Perform some exercises like jogging, cycling, swimming etc. to increase the amount of energy consumed. b) Weight train to increase the volume of the muscles. More muscle ensures more fat burnt.
8 Learn a new hobby or interest: Indulging in a new hobby or interest will relieve you of the boredom. Boredom is the primary cause why comfort-eaters overeat.
9 Improve your metabolism by eating natural foods: Many natural foods have negative calories. It means that your body actually burns calories to digest them. a) Eat natural foods like raw fruits, vegetables, whole-grain cereals etc. They contain proteins, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are crucial in burning fat. b) Take supplements of vitamins, minerals, herbs, antioxidants to improve your metabolism. c) Choose fats from sources like olive, peanuts, canola, fish, nuts, sun-flower, etc. This will ensure a healthy balance between monounsaturated fat (olive, canola, and peanuts), poly-unsaturated fats of omaga-3 (fish) and omega-6 (sunflower). d) Eat whole cereals or breads that use whole cereals.
10 Control your appetite: The methods described above are useful in curbing your hunger. However, if they fail, opt for either of the methods given below: a) Take medicines that control your appetite. These medicines can be either herbal or pharmaceutical. b) Meditate daily to relax and control your mind. c) Counseling can also be helpful.