I had been going at my weight loss attempts the wrong way!

Whether you are a bit on the heavier end or just feel like that after attending numerous parties and functions every other week, your head must be buzzing with thoughts of dropping a few pounds. You must be anxious about your weight if you aren’t among the super fit ones or are a busy ‘9 to 5’ person. To help you remove your weight anxieties we met Nutritionist and Dietician Alisha Karmacharya, and based upon that meeting have put forward six easy ways you can incorporate healthy weight loss plan into your everyday life. But before that Ms. Karmacharya points out the most important thing, is to take everyday exercise and diet hand-in-hand.

  1. Attractive diet plans: Aren’t diet plans as advertised just so alluring? Lose 5-7 kg in just a week.  But as much as they are attractive on the first glance, these plans are a one way ticket to regain the weight as soon as you drop the plan. You just won’t be able to stick to those plans as well. Ms. Karmacharya adds that while the weight loss as a result of the plans is temporary, these diet plans have negative effect on your health.  Since these plans restrict the type and amount of certain food intake, your metabolism gets decreased and there is a high chance that your body becomes more prone to diseases. 

 

  1. All that junk you are consuming: Yes, we all know that junk food is not a good option yet we just can’t resist eating it. Don’t be fooled. We don't just mean fried chicken, potato chips or instant noodles.  But rather anything “Maida” as they do not contain fiber which can be found in whole grain products like phaphar, kodo and the lot.  Go for whole grain foods instead of Maida based or junk food that we tend to prefer.

 

  1. Heavy workout sessions: You have the correct diet in place and have joined a gym. Have you also started a heavy workout regime? This is another factor that is not helping you lose weight. What you need is a good instructor or an experienced friend in your starting phases. Start out your workout regime with cardio to sweat it out, then head to the gym to build muscle and tone your body.

 

  1. Not eating enough meals a day: One of the fundamental mistakes a person makes while trying to lose weight is not pack the body with enough nutrients required by the body to burn the fat. Yes, meals play a great part in your healthy weight loss process. Instead of the usual practices of eating three big meals a day, break it down to 5 - 6 small meals a day.  Pack your meals with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. That being said, your body requires its dose of carbs too. So make sure you are eating adequate small portions of carbs to fuel yourself and have enough nutrients to burn off all that you consume.  

 

  1. No balance between diet and exercise: Alone both work just fine, but couple them and you have a combo that delivers. Don’t fret thinking you need to do a lot of exercise. 30 - 45 minutes of a good cardio regime with a balanced diet will give you the results you have been waiting for. If you are looking to increase your workout schedule then you will need to adjust your diet accordingly. But if you can’t find time for a workout in your busy schedule, you can still squeeze small things that make you more active every day. Now with most of us holding a job just behind a desk, it’s hard to pack activities in. Yet small physical tasks as walking to the water dispenser. walking for a chat, or a quick walk up and down the building are the things you need to aim for on a regular basis. 

 

  1. Expecting to lose a lot of weight quickly: Let’s be realistic, and not expect to drop weight all at once. Similar to weight gain, weight loss is a natural and slow process. And what your body will definitely do is test your patience all along the way.  We would advise you to not expect to drop large amount weight all at once, even if you faithfully follow these tips.  You need to have the goal of losing 0.5kg to 1kg a week. It may seem like a very small a quantity but if you do the math you find that you can lose up to 8kgs in two months time.  So aim for small wins that will get eventually you to your bigger goals.