For those of you who are overweight (overweight), of course, the only way to solve this problem is to lose weight. However, losing weight is not as easy as imagined. So, what are the ways that need to be done to lose weight safely and effectively?
How to lose weight
Basically, the main key to healthy weight loss is a healthy diet and controlling calorie intake. Both of these must be accompanied by increased physical activity.
That way, you get the ideal body weight that can happen in the long run. In addition, changes in lifestyle and eating habits also need to be considered as a way to lose weight that lasts a long time.
Here are a number of tips for slimming down in order to achieve the ideal body weight.
Before starting a healthy lifestyle as a way to lose weight, you should first measure your body mass index. Your body mass index is used to determine whether you are under, over, or at your ideal weight.
That way, you know how much weight you need to lose to reach your ideal body weight. For example, people who are in the obese range need to lose between 5 and 10% of their initial weight.
After knowing your body mass index, then you can design a suitable diet and activity to lose weight.
One of the most important ways to lose weight is not skipping breakfast. A nutritionally balanced breakfast menu will provide the body with the energy it needs to get through the day.
If you skip breakfast, you may start the day on empty energy. As a result, the desire to snack during the day or night increases. The reason is, the body will think you are starving, so that the portion of food may also increase.
Try to always prepare breakfast that contains the nutritional value the body needs, such as protein and carbohydrates, such as:
- egg,
- toast with peanut butter, or
- unsweetened plain yogurt with berries.
Some people may choose to eat three meals a day with two or three snacks. Others eat five or six times or eat every three to four hours.
The methods mentioned above are actually fine because they both keep the metabolism in balance. In addition, these tips for maintaining a healthy diet also help control blood sugar levels.
A balanced portion of food helps the body function properly and prevents weight gain. You don't want your blood sugar to spike or drop suddenly.
Irregular glucose levels can lead to unstable energy levels so that the body functions not work properly. You may also fast occasionally to lose weight.
Consuming more fruits and vegetables coupled with a balanced diet is a safe way to lose weight. In addition, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables also reduces the risk of chronic disease because they contain the nutrients the body needs.
Even so, that doesn't mean you have to eat less. You can create a low-calorie diet that includes your favorite foods by substituting low-calorie fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables contain water and fiber which will add volume to your menu. That way, you can eat the same amount of food and fill it up, but eat fewer calories.
There are various tips you can do to include fruits and vegetables in your diet, from breakfast to snacks.
A healthy diet will not be successful in reducing weight effectively if it is not accompanied by physical activity. If you find it difficult to keep up with intense physical activity, try starting with light exercise.
Reporting from the Cleveland Clinic, walking 30 minutes regularly is more beneficial than occasional intense exercise. In fact, exercise is very important for people who have problems with blood sugar.
If you are forced too much, strenuous physical activity can actually stress the body and create fluctuations in blood sugar.
In addition, regular light exercise increases muscle tone, speeds up metabolism, and makes it easier to lose weight.
The human body is normally 60% water. This means that water plays an important role in almost every function of the body. That's why a well-hydrated body will function properly, from thinking to burning body fat.
It is no longer common knowledge that water can help you lose weight in various ways, including:
- suppress appetite,
- increase metabolism,
- make it easier for the body to move,
- helps reduce liquid calorie intake,
- increase motivation, and
- reduce stress.
Although there are various factors that can affect your weight, drinking enough water is a good first step to losing weight.
Fiber foods actually have an important role in weight loss programs, why is that?
You see, foods rich in fiber help the body feel fuller for longer. One type of fiber, namely soluble fiber, can form a gel when it comes into contact with water.
This fiber gel will increase the time it takes to absorb nutrients and slow down digestion. That way, the stomach doesn't empty quickly, so you feel full for longer.
There are various sources of soluble fiber that you can find, including:
- whole-grain cereals,
- vegetables,
- fruits,
- nuts, and
- linseed.
8. Eat until you don't feel hungry
try to eat until you don't feel hungry. This method of losing weight turns out to be important because when your body feels full it means you have excess energy or fuel.
Try to start listening to your "hunger" and eat when you feel hungry. The reason is, the number of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats needed will depend on various factors.
You can also try other ways with breakfast in large portions and dinner with small portions. You can adjust this healthy diet over time.
9. Get enough sleep
One of the causes of weight gain that you may not be aware of is lack of sleep. Some of you may think that your appetite is only characterized by a churning stomach. In fact, this is not the case.
Appetite is actually controlled by neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are the messengers that make nerve cells communicate with each other. These brain message carriers are of two types, namely ghrelin and leptin.
Ghrelin and leptin are considered to be appetite centers. Ghrelin can increase hunger, while leptin makes the body feel full. The body naturally increases or decreases levels of this neurotransmitter throughout the day, indicating that the body needs calories.
If you are sleep-deprived, your levels of this neurotransmitter will be imbalanced. As a result, hunger or the desire to snack at night increases. That is why getting enough sleep is important in reducing weight.
10. Be wary of eating when stressed
The phenomenon of eating during stress (emotional eating) can actually mess up the way you have planned to lose weight. This is because these unhealthy habits can reduce your "awareness".
This phenomenon often occurs in people who feel frustrated because their diet program doesn't work. If this has happened to you, consider managing the stress with meditation or hypnosis.
These methods are not able to reduce weight directly. However, managing stress properly can at least help you adjust to the current diet program.
If that doesn't work, please consult a nutritionist or dietitian. The reason is, there are several health factors that can cause a healthy diet to not work, such as certain diseases.
11. Enjoy the process
Actually, a healthy diet and regular exercise that is carried out for several weeks will not be enough if you want to successfully control your weight. The way to lose weight that has been mentioned above should be done regularly.
After assessing what challenges are faced, try to develop strategies in a sustainable manner to change your lifestyle to be healthy. After that, you can plan how to deal with these challenges.
Most likely you will experience setbacks several times. Instead of giving up, start out more excited the next day. Remember, the process of changing your lifestyle to be healthy is not short. However, the results obtained will last a long time and are worth it.