Tips to lose weight
Muhammad Usman Naeem, Abdul Ghani MD
6 Habits to break
1- No TV while eating
Watching TV while eating leads to nibbling, increasing the plausibility of overeating. Recent research shows that watching TV increases the risk of weight gain due to reduced activity [1]. Setting a routine to avoid TV while eating and balancing screen time with exercise can aid in breaking the bad habit of nibbling. If you want to nibble, nibble on carrots and boiled vegetables.2- No sugar
Everyone knows that sugar contains high calories and lacks nutritional value. What’s often overlooked, however, are its direct negative health effects, such as raising blood sugar levels. It is also crucial to be aware of the various common names for sugar used on food labels, including high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sucrose, maltose, dextrose, glucose, turbinado, fructose, and molasses [2]. It’s best to eliminate sugar from your diet and substitute it with alternatives like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, unsweetened applesauce, nutmeg, and cloves.3- No snacks
Snacking on cookies, candies, and chips is linked to weight gain and maintaining weight, as they are high in calories and low in nutritional value. On the other hand, snacking on vegetables and nuts between meals can help with weight management. Whole foods high in fiber and protein such as nuts, prunes, and yogurt promote satiety when eaten as snacks. If emotions such as sadness or anger drive you to ice cream cravings, try visiting a friend or taking a walk in the fresh air instead.4- No fast food
Many individuals eat fast food to save both money and time. However, fast food has a poor ratio of calories to nutrients and is heavily processed. This means that you might end up consuming a large number of calories without feeling satiated. It’s important to refrain from consuming fast food for weight loss and overall health maintenance. Fast food impacts blood sugar and blood pressure and can lead to increased inflammation. Research shows that junk food, which includes fast food, could be linked to 32 negative health complications [3].5- No soda
About 12% of the energy intake for obese individuals comes from soft drinks and fruit juices. Both contain high amounts of sugar. Sugar serves as a preservative and contributes to increased cravings, leading to higher consumption [4]. Subsequently, diet drinks contain no sugar but contain chemicals that impact the brain, resulting in impaired cognitive function, poor decision- making abilities, and memory. Diet sodas also include artificial sweeteners which may appear helpful in combating obesity, but they are ineffective in promoting weight loss or reducing calorie intake. Diet sodas intensify cravings for the very substances they are meant to replace.6- No alcohol
One of the reasons why people gain weight is alcohol. It has high calories and can lead to weight gain in 3 different ways: it prevents fat burning, it can make you feel hungry, and it can increase cravings for fried foods.5 habits to adopt
1- Record your food intake
Keep a record of all the food and beverages you consume each day, noting the quantity and types of food. This will aid in understanding patterns and problems associated with your eating. Keeping a record of food intake can also assess how well you’re meeting the recommended carbohydrate intake and whether you’re spreading out your carbohydrate consumption throughout the day.2- Eat more vegetables
Vegetables have no calories. They create a feeling of fullness in the stomach and reduce cravings, leading to satiety. Vegetables also contain zero cholesterol, minimal sodium, and fat, and are high in dietary fiber. They’re also high in essential minerals, such as magnesium and potassium, and contain phytochemicals. Shockingly, only 30% of Americans consume vegetables [5]. This is the only country where meat is cheaper than vegetables. With little income, Who would eat vegetables when they have meat?Fresh vegetables and frozen vegetables are good. Avoid canned vegetables as they contain high sodium.
3- Increase metabolism
Exercise produces heat, which increases metabolism. It also helps to burn triglycerides and raises HDL, which cleans the arteries [6]. Some overweight individuals may have attractive facial features that appear dull due to high levels of triglycerides in the body and blood. Triglycerides in the body retain water, causing puffiness. By increasing metabolism and reducing carbohydrate intake (such as bread, potatoes, rice, cookies, and chocolate), triglyceride levels can be decreased, reducing overall fluid retention, including in the face, and resulting in sharper facial features.4- Add micronutrients to the diet
Micronutrients, such as zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C, play a crucial role in facilitating various chemical processes within the body [7]. These micronutrients help break down large chemicals into smaller ones, which are then utilized in different stages of the chemical cascade. For instance, magnesium, which is found in nuts, is involved in approximately 150 different chemical reactions. Different fruits, vegetables, and nuts have different chemicals that are necessary. So always keep changing food.5- Eat yogurt
Yogurt reduces appetite and thrust by making you feel full for a longer time. Greek yogurt, which is low in calories and high in protein, can serve as a satisfying snack. Furthermore, yogurt includes tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes relaxation and improved sleep [8].
Calorie
What is calorie?
One calorie is the quantity of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C [9]. Energy can be quantified in calories for any type of energy, but the term is commonly linked to nutrition. Since calorie is a small unit, food energy is generally measured in kilocalories (1,000 calories). Despite this, the values shown on nutrition labels are still labeled as calories because the terms kilocalorie and calorie are used as synonyms.Why is it important to become calorie conscious?
People often underestimate calories, making it harder to maintain a healthy weight. You’re likely to put on weight if you consume more calories than you utilize. This is because your body stores the extra energy as fat. Another important factor is not all calories are the same. An equal amount of calories in a vacuum release the same amount of energy however our body will react differently to 100 calories of candy compared to 100 calories of broccoli [10]. They both require different biochemical responses.How many calories should I eat?
Remember this simple equation. 1 pound of body fat is approximately equal to 3,500 calories [11]. To lose 1 pound, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume. Try taking 1500-1600 calories a day. Less than that will cause fatigue. Since our energy needs and food intake change daily, the balance between calories consumed and calories expended constantly changing. Tracking can help with weight loss. Over a long period, it’s better to consider weight control based on lifestyle changes. To lose weight, you need to eat foods with fewer calories and increase calorie expenditure through physical activity. Eventually, this behavior will become a habit, and you will naturally do it without much thought. During the initial stages of weight loss, reducing calories has a larger impact than physical activity. To learn about counting calories, get the book “Calorie King” from Amazon.What to buy?
Healthy grocery shopping is the foundation of healthy eating. Below is a list to get you started.1- Dairy
- Fat-free or 1% milk
- Fat-free yogurt
- Fat-free cheese
- Almond milk
2- Fruits and vegetables
- Fresh vegetables including asparagus, cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, and eggplant.
- Frozen vegetables
- Fresh fruits (low sugar) including banana, grapefruit, or guava.
- Frozen fruits
3- Protein
- Skinless chicken breast
- Low-fat refried beans
- Fish with omega-3s
- Tofu
4- Whole grains
- Oatmeal
- Brown rice
- Whole-grain pasta/bread
5- Fluids
- Sparkling water
- Water with lemon
6- Healthy fats
- Flax seeds contain omega 3.
- Chai seeds (help with weight loss).
- Nuts
- Avocados
How your plate should look like
- Fill half the plate with nonstarchy vegetables
- Fill ¼ of the plate with Carbohydrates.
- Fill ¼ plate with protein.
- Add ½ cup of low calorie fruits (non-diabetic patient only).
- Add healthy fats.
Citation list
- Rosiek, A., Maciejewska, N., Leksowski, K., Rosiek-Kryszewska, A., & Leksowski, Ł. (2015). Effect of television on obesity and excess of weight and consequences of health. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(8), 9408–9426. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120809408
- Chan, L. Y., Coyle, D. H., Wu, J. H., & Louie, J. C. (2021). Total and free sugar levels and main types of sugars used in 18,784 local and imported pre-packaged foods and beverages sold in Hong Kong. Nutrients, 13(10), 3404. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103404
- Lane, M. M., Gamage, E., Du, S., Ashtree, D. N., McGuinness, A. J., Gauci, S., Baker, P., Lawrence, M., Rebholz, C. M., Srour, B., Touvier, M., Jacka, F. N., O’Neil, A., Segasby, T., & Marx, W. (2023). Ultra-Processed Food Exposure and Adverse Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Epidemiological Meta-Analyses. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202308.1407.v1
- Witek, K., Wydra, K., & Filip, M. (2022). A high-sugar diet consumption, metabolism and health impacts with a focus on the development of substance use disorder: A narrative review. Nutrients, 14(14), 2940. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14142940
- Casagrande, S. S., Wang, Y., Anderson, C., & Gary, T. L. (2007). Have Americans increased their fruit and vegetable intake ? The trends between 1988 and 2002. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 32(4), 257–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2006.12.002
- Franczyk, B., Gluba-Brzózka, A., Ciałkowska-Rysz, A., Ławiński, J., & Rysz, J. (2023). The impact of aerobic exercise on HDL quantity and quality: A narrative review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(5), 4653. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054653
- Gombart, A. F., Pierre, A., & Maggini, S. (2020). A review of micronutrients and the immune system–working in harmony to reduce the risk of infection. Nutrients, 12(1), 236. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12010236
- Sharifan, P., Khoshakhlagh, M., Khorasanchi, Z., Darroudi, S., Rezaie, M., Safarian, M., Vatanparast, H., Afshari, A., Ferns, G., Ghazizadeh, H., & Ghayour Mobarhan, M. (2020). Efficacy of low‐fat milk and yogurt fortified with encapsulated vitamin D3 on improvement in symptoms of insomnia and quality of life: Evidence from the suvina trial. Food Science & Nutrition, 8(8), 4484–4490. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.1750
- Hargrove, J. L. (2007). Does the history of food energy units suggest a solution to “Calorie confusion”? Nutrition Journal, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-6-44
- Hari, V. (2019). Feeding you lies: How to unravel the food industry’s playbook and Reclaim Your Health. Hay House, Inc.
- Heymsfield, S. B., Thomas, D., Martin, C. K., Redman, L. M., Strauss, B., Bosy-Westphal, A., Müller, M. J., Shen, W., & Martin Nguyen, A. (2012). Energy content of weight loss: Kinetic features during voluntary caloric restriction. Metabolism, 61(7), 937–943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2011.11.012
Download Here…
Other Articles
Next
August 20, 2024
Introduction to inflammation
Previous
July 30, 2024
Hypertension
