I have a friend who lost seven kilos in the first three weeks of eating right by doing just that and nothing else except walking to work every single day. In the next two weeks that followed, he lost an additional four kilos. In total, he lost 11 kilos in just five weeks.

The weight loss has spurred a major change in him – in his attitude and outlook towards life. While earlier he used to shy out from taking photos and avoided meeting relatives and friends, he confesses now he goes everywhere he is invited and is quick to whip out his phone to take selfies and wefies too.  

It’s a story many of us are familiar with. When we put on weight, it does something to our confidence and people make it worse by always pointing out that we look, to put it very bluntly, fat.  Trying to lose weight is perhaps the one thing that is always on almost every next person’s to-do list.  And it’s a vicious cycle. I’m sure you know at least one person who is always losing some weight, gaining back double of it, and so on and so forth.

Through conversations with colleagues and friends who are struggling with weight loss, and my own experiences with it, I have come to realize that if there is one crucial factor that determines your weight loss journey, it is food. Experts say that weight loss is 70% diet and 30% exercise. What you eat determines how you look and feel. If you control your diet, then you can consider half the battle won already.

And this friend of mine who lost a whopping 11 kilos in five weeks will testify to that. He decided to eat right because he was too lazy to exercise, he admits. And he reduced his daily calorie intake to 1000-1200 from 3000. The first few days will be hard, he says. But once you start eating right, your system starts cleansing itself and then you won’t crave all the calorie rich food that you earlier found so hard to give up.

Eating right here means eating in moderate amounts, at fixed hours, and cutting down on carbohydrates and sugar. The first thing that absolutely has to go is aerated drinks. Say no to all forms of cola including packaged fruit juices that have copious amounts of sugar and preservatives. Drink lemon water instead. It is refreshing and has no calories whatsoever. Plus lemon detoxifies your system and gets that metabolism roaring.
Everybody says this and I’m sure you must be tired of hearing it but have fruits every single day. Have it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Never have fruits after a meal or with bread during breakfast. Eating fruits with other meals might result in a sudden rise of blood sugar and storage of the extra sugar as fat. Having fruits the right way will also boost your energy levels and do wonders for your skin besides aiding weight loss.

Then comes the cutting down carbohydrates part. This is anything but easy especially since our staple diet consists of rice. While giving up rice completely might not be a feasible idea for many, start with reducing the portion of rice and increasing the portion of vegetables and lentils. If you can replace white rice with brown rice, that’s even better.
For meat lovers, there is good news. You can have chicken in various ways – from boiled and smoked to grilled and sautéed – as the main dish and have a helping of rice on the side. I usually have some chicken and a serving of noodles or rice for lunch. For dinner, I try to keep it simple and just have salads or soups and I make sure I have my food before 7:30 in the evening.

This is also what my friend did. He stuck to small portions of carbohydrate and kept the overall meal portion small as well. He says what helped reduce the portion size was using a smaller plate for meals. That way there’s only so much you can put on the plate before it fills up and you are forced to take small helpings of dishes.

Also, when you make strict plans to eat right it’s easy to give up because it can get monotonous so schedule in a cheat day when you can eat anything you want. That way you won’t be bogged down by the humongous task of always sticking to a diet plan and will be more likely to be disciplined and determined. For six days a week, eat right and eat with the single-mindedness to lose weight whereas give yourself one day to enjoy things you don’t have the luxury to otherwise indulge in.

Don’t eat because you want to, eat because you have to. That’s the general rule all weight watchers should follow. By just watching what you put into your system you can significantly change your body’s shape and size. Eating shouldn’t be about gorging on food, but about fueling your body and soul with the right nutrients to make it function at its optimum best. That way you are guaranteed to lose weight and be at your healthiest best.

Disclaimer: I’m not a fitness expert. I’m just someone who lost oodles of weight – almost 30 kilos – wanting to share my experiences hoping it will help others who are struggling with weight loss. If I could do it, so can you.

sharmaditi374@gmail.com

 
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