Losing weight in a healthy and sustainable manner typically requires a combination of a balanced diet, regular exercise, and lifestyle adjustments. While it’s important to note that losing a significant amount of weight in just a couple of months is doable but may not be realistic or advisable for everyone if you would like to play the long game i.e. to lose weight and maintain it to you liking. In this article we are giving you some general guidelines that helps you achieve gradual weight loss and to maintain it life long. Here are few steps that you can take to lose weight for good –
Set a realistic goal
Almost everybody would like to lose weight and get into shape instantly however weight loss is a journey that requires some commitment and patience. Aiming for a reasonable and achievable weight loss target helps reduce stress and is more likely to be achievable. It’s generally recommended to aim for 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) of weight loss per week for a sustainable weight loss.
Setting up a realistic goal for weight loss is crucial to maintain motivation and ensure a healthy approach in your weight-loss journey. To ensure you are setting up realistic target you need to assess your current weight and height and subsequently also consider any existing health concerns or recommendations from your doctor. Considering these parameters will ensure that you do no tdo any harm to yourself while trying to get rid of those extra pounds.
One of the easiest measures to understand your current position and your ideal weight goal is to check your BMI. BMI aka Body Mass Index is a widely used indicator of weight status and will help you get an idea of whether you fall within the underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese category and accordingly plan a weight loss journey.
Create a calorie deficit
One of the best methods to plan weight loss is to focus on your Calorie deficit. In simple terms Calorie deficit means the difference between Calories lost against Calories gained during the same time period (usually a day). Weight loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than you burn hence. A deficit of 500-1000 calories daily can lead to 1-2 pounds (0.5-1 kg) of weight loss per week.
To ensure you are keeping a watch on Calories consumed it is good to keep an eye on the food labels while purchasing food items from the supermarket. Another method to keep a track of calorie counter is to use fitness bands such as fitbit, garmin etc or fitness tracker applications such as Gfit, fitbit, myfitnesspal etc. These apps and fitness bands provide lot of functionalities that help track your progress and keep you motivated as you make progress towards your goal. We recommend giving these apps a try and monitor your daily calorie deficit to help you lose weight and maintain it over time.
Follow a balanced diet
One of the key factors to help lose weight and maintain it over time is to focus on a diet that includes a variety of nutrient-dense foods. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats are good options to include in your meal plan. It is recommended to reduce your intake of processed foods, sugary snacks, and beverages as they lead to weight gain.
Portion control is also an important and well known approach. Basically by controlling your food portions you help reduce Calorie intake and consume only what helps you keep fit and ultimately reduce weight.
Stay hydrated
While you are enroute your weight loss journey a simple trick that goes a long way if to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water helps to keep you hydrated, aids digestion, and may help control your appetite as well though for a short period of time.
It has been noticed that often at times when a person feels hungry it is more because they are thirsty and drinking water will just make them let go of the hunger. Therefore it is recommended that you should drink plenty of water throughout the day and not in just one shot.
Regular exercise
Yes we know this is like the most obvious suggestion to give but it is the one that is most effective as well. Whether it is to lose weight or keep it maintained including regular exercise in your daily routine is a great way to achieve your goals.
It is advisable to engage in a combination of cardiovascular exercises (such as jogging, cycling, or swimming) and strength trainings. Including different types of exercises helps you achieve your weight loss targets more effectively since different types of exercises impact different parts of your body quite differently.
Regular exercise is recommended to those who have a sedentary lifestyle to help keep your metabolism on check. You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week, along with strength training exercises at-least twice a week.
As already mentioned a good blend of different exercises in your exercise regime will help you tone up your body better and it is more efficient way of losing weight than following same set of exercises everyday.
Increase physical activity
If due to some reasons you cannot perform regular exercises you should still look out for opportunities to be more active throughout the day. For example you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, go for walks during breaks, or engage in activities you enjoy that involve movement.
Regular movement helps you lose Calories and as mentioned already Calorie deficit helps lose weight. Overall the key to remember is that movement is necessary to help keep your body fit and to lose weight.
A note of caution – During summers and especially during extreme heat waves you need to ensure moderate to low physical activities to avoid health issues. Understand more about extreme heat wave and its impact on health by checking this article on 10 Simple steps to beat extreme heat.
Monitor your progress
People often complain that they try to start on their fitness journey but somewhere in between they lose track of it and eventually give up. One of the key reasons for this is monitoring.
People often forget to keep track of their food intake, exercise, and weight loss progress eventually getting demotivated and giving up on their weight-loss goal.
Luckily, now-days it is quite easy to keep track of your progress by simply logging your activities in fitness tracking apps such as Google Fit, Fitbit, MyFitnessPal etc.
It is advisable to get a basic fitness tracker to monitor your step counts, exercise, water intake etc. Currently there are many cheaper options available for fitness trackers in the market and buying one will certainly help you in good way.
If you are quite tight on your budget then keeping a simple pocket diary is helpful to keep track of your daily intake, exercise and weight loss progress. You also can set alarm on your phone to remind you to log your daily progress.
Monitoring your progress daily helps you stay accountable and motivated. It also helps you make adjustments to your plan if needed.
Get enough sleep
We can’t emphasise more on how important a regular and healthy sleep schedule is to stay fit. A good sleep is your ticket to lose weight and keep it maintained. It is recommended to aim for 6 to 8 hours of quality sleep each night. Sufficient and good quality sleep helps you regulate hunger hormones and supports overall well-being.
As good as it may sound but long sleep hours may not necessarily give you a good quality sleep required to keep yourself fit. You should check to have a good mattress for comfortable sleep and an adequate sleep environment to get good quality sleep. For great aroma in bedroom you can try to use incense candles and sticks to have a pleasant good night sleep.
A good night sleep makes you much more active next day and gives you motivation to do more and take good care of yourself.
Manage stress
Now-days stress is a major factor that impacts our health and well being. Due to various circumstances you may experience high levels of stress which leads to overeating (stress eating) or making unhealthy food choices.
A constant exposure to high stress may lead to mental health issues which can eventually lead to other health issues as well. You should try to find healthy ways to manage stress, such as practicing meditation, deep breathing exercises, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy.
When to reach a doctor
Before introducing any new changes to your diet or adopting a new exercise routine it is advisable to consult with your doctor. If you have any underlying health conditions or if you’re unsure about your weight loss plan, it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian who can provide personalised guidance and support.
You should never assume that if a certain health plan or fitness plan works for someone else it will work for you as well. Based on your existing health conditions it might not be advisable to follow certain methods such as intermittent fasting or high intensity work-outs.
Your health professional can easily recommend if certain weight loss methods may have a detrimental effect on your body. They may also be able to advise an alternate method to achieve your health goals based on your health condition.
Bottom Line
Remember, sustainable weight loss is a gradual process, and it’s important to focus on long-term lifestyle changes rather than quick fixes. Sustainable changes to your lifestyle will ensure you stay motivated and make better choices which are good for your overall growth as an individual.
As advised it is recommended to consult with your health professional on your methods to lose weight and maintain since they can suggest taking into account your existing health conditions. Never assume that if a certain diet plan or exercise routine works for someone else it may work for you as well. With this we assume you now have a good understanding on how to lose weight or maintain your weight as per your health goals.
