In today’s fast-paced, world where one is overburdened with work and is hard-pressed to meet deadlines, one often ends up suffering from bad-eating habits, a disturbed bio-clock and obesity due to a lack of physical activity. According to a study conducted in 2017, India has the second-highest number of obese children (14.4 million) in the world and it has the third-highest number of obese people in the world (11% of all adolescents & 20 % of all adults) after US and China, as per a DNA report.
Rising obesity rates are a major concern nowadays. Obesity is a risk factor for many chronic diseases such as Type2 Diabetes, Hypertension, and Cardiovascular diseases. Thus, managing one’s weight is an important factor in preventing such chronic diseases.
Weight management does not include fad diets that promote quick, temporary weight loss. It focuses on long-term results that are achieved through slow weight loss, followed by retention of an ideal body weight depending on age, gender, and height. To know specifically about yourself, talk to a doctor online today. Besides, you may make a note of the following.
Three essentials for weight management are:
1. MINDFUL EATING
Follow the SIMPLE RULE: CALORIE CONSUMED, IF NOT BURNT, WILL BE STORED IN THE FORM OF "FAT.
- Keep a check on what is on your plate.
- Try not to eat post at 7 pm. If hungry, eat only some nuts or small fruit.
- The protein-rich diet will always help to control weight.
- Consume more of healthy food like fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
- Try to avoid refined sugar-rich products from your diet.
- Cut down on alcohol and quit smoking.
- Eat food that increases your basal metabolism like capsaicin found in chili, peppers, and coffee. Make sure your coffee is not full of sugar or you are not consuming too much cocoa, zinc and selenium-rich food like nuts, or apple cider vinegar.
- Do not go on a diet as it will eventually lead to binge eating.
- Try not to eliminate any food permanently from your plate; instead, reduce its portion and frequency.
Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss
Dietary guidelines for Indians to prevent obesity and other chronic disease include
Dietary Guidelines for Indians| Guidelines for the intake of | Recommendation for Weight loss |
|---|---|
| Simple carbohydrates | Reduce |
| Complex carbohydrates and low glycaemic index foods | Increase |
| Sugar | Restrict |
| Fiber | High |
| Saturated fats | Low |
| Essential fatty acids | An optimal ratio |
| Trans fatty acids | Reduce |
| Protein | High |
| Salt | Low |
A balanced Indian diet that provides essential macro and micronutrients helps in losing weight and maintains health.
| Nutrients | Function | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrates(Complex) | Source of energy |
|
| Protein | Helps bodybuilding and repair tissue, muscles, cartilage | Dals, paneer, Chana, milk, leafy greens, eggs, or low-fat dairy products |
| Fats | Synthesize hormones, store vitamins |
|
| Vitamins and minerals | Essential for normal metabolism, nerve and muscle function | Nuts, oilseeds, fruits, and green leafy vegetables |
| Fiber | Helps in better digestion | Oats, lentils, flax seeds |
| Herbs and spices | Improves taste, Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties | Garlic, ginger, cardamom, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, fenugreek, basil |
A bowl of fruits / whole-grain chapati with dal or vegetables in breakfast is a good start to consume healthy essential nutrients. Lunch and dinner meal should have dal, a vegetable laced with herbs and spices with brown rice or chapati, low-fat curd raita and a full serving of salad. A plant-based balanced diet has shown positive results in the prevention of obesity.
2. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Our bodies are designed to be regularly active and have evolved in such a way as well. The Current Physical Activity Guidelines recommend 150 minutes (or about 30 minutes, five times a week) of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. This applies specifically to weight management purposes.
Aerobic exercises like running, Zumba and more are ideal to maintain cardiac strength and burn calories as the body cells depend on a continuous supply of oxygen for energy.
However, to rapidly improve your exercise capacities, your tolerance, and performance, some anaerobic training like strength training is a must.
- Brisk walking is good exercise. Try to avoid lift for lower floors.
- Running at an intermittent pace, which is also known as interval run, is good aerobic exercise for weight loss.
- Hit the gym at least thrice a week for strength training under guidance.
- Cycling and swimming are good recreational activities as well as good toning exercises.
3. CHANGE YOUR THINKING
- Set goals that you can achieve. Start with small goals such as exercising daily.
- Don’t be harsh on yourself. Instead, feel positive about achieving your goals.
- Everybody is different, so stop comparing yourselves with others.
- Feel thankful for the healthy body you have.
- It is normal for weight to go up and down or attain a plateau. Don’t worry about that, be consistent.
- Work more towards fitness rather than just having a beautiful body.
Long-term health benefits are an ideal investment as it helps you to enjoy life to the fullest. So, don’t just work out to look beautiful or muscular, rather focus on staying fit and enjoy the superior quality of life with a greater sense of well-being!
Looking for Doctor's Advice?
FAQ
A balanced diet coupled with an exercise regimen helps in healthily losing weight.
Dieting, exercises, certain diseases such as viral or parasitic infection, bowel diseases or cancer may trigger weight loss.
0.45–0.9 kg loss per week is a healthy rate to lose weight
A balanced diet rich in protein along with exercise helps burn belly fat.
