How To Lose Weight Safely – Easy and Quick Weight Loss Tips
According to a 2016 study, 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight, and 13% were obese. [source] Besides their own struggle in their work and personal life, people are also struggling to get a slim figure. So, before you start your weight loss journey, you must understand why you want to lose weight and what is the right way to do it. When you are determined to do something and find a healthy way to achieve it effectively, you will stay motivated.
You must consider all aspects that losing weight will affect. Starting from your physical health to your psychological health, social life, boosting your self-confidence, and much more. Make sure to make a journal listing all these benefits which will help make it through the rough days.
Why weight loss is important?
We know excess of anything is bad. Being overweight is surely not good for your health. It will affect you in many ways. Some of the crucial points are listed below:
- Obesity increases the chances of diabetes and high blood pressure, which are the leading causes of kidney damage. Obesity itself is enough to promote kidney damage and it will fasten the process in the presence of other diseases.
- Osteoarthritis is a common, long-lasting health problem that causes pain, swelling, and reduced motion in your joints. Being overweight or having obesity may raise your risk of getting osteoarthritis by putting extra pressure on your joints and cartilage.
- Overweight is also a very common reason for sleep apnea. It is a disorder where you have infrequent breathing while sleeping.
- Heart attack, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina, or abnormal heart rhythm, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of blood fats, and high blood glucose levels all include heart diseases. According to a study, high blood pressure resulting from obesity estimates a 12% increase in coronary heart disease and a 24% increased risk of stroke. [source].
- High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a condition in which blood flows through your blood vessels with a force greater than normal. High blood pressure can strain your heart, damage blood vessels, and raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, and death.
The simple problem of being overweight becomes a host for so many deadly diseases and health problems. So why not do our best to avoid them?
We at Ufinity Life understand the seriousness of this problem. That’s why we provide diet/nutrition coaches who will look after your diet strictly and monitor your progress. They will provide you with a diet plan based on your nutrition requirements so that you don’t run the risk of other health issues while pursuing weight loss.
Benefits of weight loss
Weight loss has many benefits. Being overweight may raise your risk for certain health problems and may be linked to certain emotional and social problems as well. While losing weight, you will also start getting over these insecurities. And the transformation you will see in yourself will be something you will be proud of. Among other things, below mentioned are some of the common benefits of losing weight.
1. Health benefits
Being obese invites many unwanted health problems and diseases. Just a 5 to 10% decrease in your weight and you will be able to witness the change in your health. Losing weight will mean a decreased chance of diabetes, reduced blood pressure, lowered back pain, and heart disease. It will also enhance your blood sugar levels and cholesterol.
2. Lifestyle benefits
Losing weight will lead to an improved lifestyle. And an improved lifestyle will lead to a happy and healthy life. People who have successfully lost weight saw an improved mood and more energy in their life. They also report better sleep, greater confidence, decreased stress, and more activity in social life. Hence a completely new life.
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Improved Relationships
Many people intend to lose weight to improve the quality of their relationships. According to a journal of the American Medical Association study, losing weight makes a person more comfortable socially and makes them empowered to seek out a romantic partner, or even gives them the confidence to end a toxic relationship which eventually makes their life better.
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Clear and bright skin
Your weight loss journey, apart from making you slim, gives you a bonus of making your skin glow. The nutrient you will get from fruits and veggies in your diet will attribute to your new complexion. The sweat after our cardio will push the junk through the pores, encouraging greater detoxification and giving your skin a natural glow.
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Less medication
The healthier you become, the less medication you will need. Regular exercise and healthy eating improve your immune system and support overall body functioning. It reduces the risk of health problems and decreases your dependency on medicines.
What foods to avoid
To get the above-mentioned advantages, you must let go of some of your favorite foods. But don’t worry; the result will be worth it. Remember, no pain, no gain!
The food you intake impacts your health a lot. While some foods make you gain weight, others help you in weight loss. Below mentioned are some of the common foods which you must avoid to lose weight.
- French fries: they are high in calories and are linked with weight gain. They are unhealthy and fattening and may contribute to more weight gain per serving than any other food.
- Sugary beverages: they are considered being the unhealthiest food on the planet. They are strongly associated with weight gain and can have disastrous health effects when consumed in excess. These sugary drinks contain a lot of calories. You must completely give up sugary drinks to lose weight.
- Cookies and cakes: They contain added sugar, refined flour, artificial trans fats which are high in calories but low in nutrients. They aren’t filling and increase your hunger.
- High-calorie coffee drinks: They’re loaded with empty calories that can equal a whole meal. High-calorie coffee drinks that contain artificial ingredients are very unhealthy and fattening.
- Alcohols: Alcohol provides more calories than carbs and proteins, or about 7 calories per gram. Heavy drinking is associated with increased weight gain. The type of alcohol also matters. Beer can cause weight gain.
Try avoiding these foods as much as you can. They aren’t good for health and make you gain weight more rapidly.
What food to eat
When you start avoiding some foods, you must replace them with better ones so that the intake of nutrients remains constant. The foods that are healthy and will also help in your weight loss process are:
- Nuts: Great for snacks. Take a small handful of almonds, peanuts, walnuts, or pecans. Research shows that when people munch on nuts, they automatically eat less at later meals.
- Apples: You can Skip the apple juice and the applesauce and instead opt for a crunchy apple. Whole fruit blunts appetite in a way that fruit juices and sauces don’t. One reason is that raw fruit has more fiber. Plus, chewing sends signals to your brain saying that you’ve eaten something substantial. [source]
- Pureed Vegetables: You are free to add as many veggies as possible to your food and enjoy the cheat meal.
- Beans: Inexpensive, filling, and versatile, beans are a great source of protein. They are also rich in fiber and slow to digest. That means you feel full longer, which may stop you from eating more and thus help to reduce weight.
- Eggs and Sausage: A protein-rich breakfast will help you resist snack attacks throughout the day. Therefore, you can start your day with calories rich breakfast including the eggs. The effect of the high-protein breakfast will last till the evening, and then you will be less motivated to munch on fatty, sugary goods.
Exercises to keep you fit
Apart from dieting and controlling your food habits, exercising is one of the most common and effective methods to shed extra pounds. It plays a key role in weight loss by burning calories. Exercise makes you slim and improves your mood, makes your bones stronger, and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. Here are some of the exercises that you can try.
- Yoga: It burns a fair number of calories and offers many additional health benefits that can promote weight loss. Studies have shown that yoga can teach mindfulness, which can help you resist unhealthy foods, control overeating, and better understand your body’s hunger signals.
- Swimming: A fun and highly effective way to get in shape. It burns quite a good number of calories which makes you lose weight. Another advantage of swimming is its low-impact nature, meaning that it’s easier on your joints. This makes it a great option for people who have injuries or joint pain.
- Cycling: A popular and most practical exercise which improves your fitness and makes you lose weight. It is great for weight loss and has overall health benefits like overall fitness, increased insulin sensitivity, and a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and death,
- Running: jogging and running help a great deal in losing weight. They help burn harmful visceral fat, commonly known as belly fat. This type of fat wraps around your internal organs and has been linked to various chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
- Walking: the easiest exercise which helps in weight loss. You can walk anywhere just to burn the calories and see how your weight reduces.
Weight loss is a difficult task, but not an impossible one. While you may be determined to work every day, there will be times when you feel like giving up. But never stop working.
To help you through this journey we at Ufinity Life are here to help. We understand your problem and the importance of getting the correct treatment. The Ufinity Life app has a proprietary reduce weight module that guides you to set your goal with a balance of diet and exercise in the desired time frame. It also helps you to stick to your plan with automatic reminders and displaying your plan vs. actual. An experienced nurse will guide you by reviewing your progress and motivating you from time to time to do better than your plan. We will keep track of your exercises, diets, calorie intake and will guide you throughout your weight loss journey. Based on an exhaustive and comprehensive study of your routine and past health issues, our special dieticians will ensure you meet your goals.
Your success is our success. Here’s to a healthy weight, healthy diet, and a healthy lifestyle!
Dr Anil is a registered medical practitioner specializing in evidence based medicine, emergency care and COVID-19 related complexities. He is a member of Indian Medical Association and has co-published a research paper on correlation between COVID 19 severity and blood group of patients. He has a diverse experience in working with hospitals as well as corporates and is adept at managing employee health & wellbeing programs.