There are many ways to lose weight fast. However, most of them will either make you feel really hungry and unsatisfied or in other cases the weight will come with a vengeance. Weight loss in individuals who are overweight and obese can reduce health risks, increase fitness and delay the onset of diabetes. Apart from this, weight loss can lead to a reduction in hypertension as well. Absolute sustainable weight loss can only be achieved by adopting a healthier lifestyle in which you’re active and fewer calories are consumed than expended. Let’s look at the various steps of achieving permanent weight loss.
Step 1 : Know what made you gain weight
Before you figure out how to lose weight, it is very important to understand what made you gain weight in the first place. There can be a number of reasons for weight gain. Some of which are :-
- Wrong choice of food
- Pre existing medical condition
- Restriction in movement because of an old injury
- Less activity
- Stress / depression
- Over indulgence in alcohol and tobacco
- Loneliness
- Hormonal imbalance
- Bad eating habits
Step 2 : Write down you reason to lose weight
The journey of weight loss can be a tedious and long one. One has to be really motivated to get into the groove for losing weight. It’ll not be a bad idea to write down your reason to lose weight. It can from anything, just consciousness about good health or doing it to fit into your older clothes. You can be doing it for loved ones. This writing down your reason is an exercise which will be constant reminder for you to not give up. There will be times in your journey of weight loss when you’ll feel like giving up but perseverance will eventually get you there. Breakdown your goals into short and long term goals. Give yourself adequate time to achieve your goals.
Step 3 : Makeover of your kitchen, room and wardrobe
- Kitchen makeover
- Replace refined, processed, canned, frozen and packed food with healthy fresh food
- Remove the chips, candies and ready to eat food from your kitchen
- Room makeover
- You can start by hanging motivational quotes
- Write down your aim in a place which is constantly visible to you
- Create space in your room for indoor workout
- Have a designated place in your house for workout. This is important as you may not get the time to hit the gym daily
- Wardrobe makeover
- Get outfits and footwear as per your workout plans
- Get track pants, yoga pants, walking or jogging shoes, wrist bands etc
Step 4 : Time Management
Probably the most important step in your weight loss journey is time management. Culturally, Indians are very hard working when it comes to work. It means we spend longer working hours in office as compared to the US, UK or any other country in Europe. This at times also gives us an excuse for not spending adequate time concentrating on our health. Spare time for workout. You can start by :
- Reducing your screen time
- Trying to get out of office a little early
Step 5 : Educate yourself
There is a lot of information available on the internet. Almost everyone claims to be an expert on health, fitness and weight loss. Understand that your age, body type, activity level and will power will decide what program you choose for yourself. At the beginning don’t get stuck inside the gym. Try and explore different options. You can try yoga, zumba, cross fit, boxing. The options are endless. Playing field is a very underrated way to stay healthy. Educate yourself about nutrition. How much and what should you eat to stay healthy
Step 6 : Have realistic goals
It is very important to have realistic goals. Don’t compare yourself with anyone, Your competition should only be with yourself. Trying to lose too much too sudden can be harmful for you. Achieving your goals gives immense satisfaction which is why it is even more important to have realistic goals
Step 7 : Record your starting measurements, current health condition
- Record your starting measurements in terms of weight, inches for neck, biceps, waist, thighs and hips
- Maintaining a record will make it easy for you to track your improvement and if required, make necessary changes
- Get your BMI, BMR and other profiling done
- If you have any other specific health condition or injury, make sure you consult a physician before you chalk out a plan for yourself
Step 8 : Workout routine and meal planning
- After you’ve decided the routine which suits you the best, stick to it
- Keep making regular changes to your routine, the routine shouldn’t get monotonous
- Eating healthy is as important as your workout. If you’re confident yourself, get advice from a dietician on your meal planning