How to Lose Weight? – An Unorthodox and a Simple Process

 

Key facts (WHO Report 1^st April 2020)

1.       Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.

2.       In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.

3.       39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2016, and 13% were obese.

4.       Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.

5.       38 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2019.

6.       Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016.

7.       Obesity is preventable.

“How to Lose Weight?” This is one question I am asked regularly by people due my interest in Ultra Marathon running ( any distance beyond a Marathon distance is called Ultra Marathon). During the chat, I can make out that they know everything about weight loss but are still overweight!!

 

Then the question comes: If people know how to lose weight then why don’t they just implement what they know?

 

 The main reason is the perception that in order to lose weight they need to alter their routine drastically. One can imagine how a person, who is physically inactive, will feel when he is asked to exercise 30-45 min everyday or an individual will feel who is fond of fast/ junk food is advised to live on salads and fruits.

 These measures to reduce weight ( which are effective) can be overwhelming for anyone to implement.

 We want quick results however accomplishment of any worthwhile goal takes time. We must understand that losing weight like any other worthwhile goal will take time. Hence it should be approached with this mind set.

 I am sharing an unorthodox and easy to implement approach to weight loss.  You do not need tons of time or muster your will power to implement it. The underlying principle of the approach is not to make radical changes rather make small sustainable changes in your habit.

 These steps may look very simple and easy, which they are purposefully, however don’t be fooled by its simplicity.  These are very effective tools in your weight transformation journey.  Focus of the strategies shared here is to make incremental changes gradually so that you are not overwhelmed by the process rather enjoy it.

 

Here are the steps:

 Change Your Mindset

 Every change first begins in the mind. So far you have been telling yourself stories to justify your extra weight- I am thick boned, it is in my genes, I don’t have time etc. So first change your mindset toward weight lose; stop selling these stories to yourself.

 Love and accept the way you are. First find your Why to reduce weight. It could be that you want to look more beautiful, or want to find a perfect date for yourself, or want to live a healthy life. Your Why is more important than your How.

 Don’t strive to reduce your weight, strive to become healthier and fitter.

 

Keep a Food Journal

Maintain a food journal, in that you record whatever you eat or drink during the day.

For one-week, everyday note down the following in your journal:

·       What you eat or drink?

·       How many times you eat?

·       Categories the food. Record unhealthy food you ate during the day.

You are required to just make a note of it and don’t do anything. This exercise will help you to become aware of your eating patterns.

 

Remind Yourself Whenever You Eat Unhealthy Food

From the next week onward besides maintaining the journal do one more exercise: Whenever you find yourself eating unhealthy food say calmly to yourself “ I am eating unhealthy food.” Just this nothing else.

You should not feel guilty when you remind yourself about consuming unhealthy food. Do this exercise for 2 weeks.

Small changes In Eating Habits

Now that you have been keeping Food Journal for 2-3 weeks, you know what you eat, how many times you eat and what time you eat.

Most of the people eat snacks 2-3 times during the day besides breakfast, lunch and dinner and I am sure you would have recorded what you eat during the snacks.

Now is the time to make very small changes in your food habits.

§  Take food in smaller plates. When you take food in small plates it will look full and this will have psychological impact on you that you have eaten a plate full of food. This would reduce your food intake.

§  If you are in a habit of eating unhealthy snacks, replace the snack with some healthy alternatives.

If you eat snacks multiple times a day. To begin with replace unhealthy snacks with healthy one only once a day and rest of the time continue the way you have been eating earlier. Do this for one week and then replicate the same process for rest of the snack breaks.

§  Many a times, when we are feeling hungry, we start munching on whatever is visible and accessible. Other times we eat snacks because it is there in front of us. To avoid that keep healthy snacking options on your table and keep unhealthy snacks at a place which is out of your sight and not easily accessible.

§  Lunch/Breakfast/Dinner-Replace just one unhealthy item from your menu at a time. If replacing one item looks difficult then start with reducing one quarter portion of it.

 For example, if you eat one bowl of sweet as a dessert, now onwards eat only three quarter of the bowl. Do this for 2 weeks after which you can further reduce it by a quarter and eat only half a bowl. By reducing slowly and over a period you can completely replace the bowl of sweet with something healthier.

If you find it hard to cut down a quarter bowl also then start with reducing one- two spoons only. Once comfortable with it then you can further reduce the consumption by another 1-2 spoons.

Don’t go from first step to the second step (reduction from ¼ to ½ bowl) till such time you are not comfortable with the first step. If you force yourself to implement the second step, the chances are that you shall not be able to sustain it long and will fall back to your original habit.

§  Once you are successful in replacing one healthy food item then move on to the second time and so on. This will take time; however, the change is so small and subtle that you will be able to implement it easily without any resistance from your old habit pattern.  

Reduce Sugar Consumption

Sugar is one of the main culprits in increase in weight. One of the sources of sugar is through tea and coffee. If we reduce our intake of sugar through tea or coffee it will have a big impact on our weight management. If you are fond of drinking sweet tea/ coffee, then suddenly drinking it without sugar will be very uncomfortable.

 Here also we shall start with small steps. If you drink 3-4 cups of hot beverage during the day, reduce sugar consumption by quarter spoon. Do this for 2-3 weeks and then further reduce it by half a spoon for the next 2-3 weeks. Continue the process till you are comfortable to drink hot beverage without sugar.

 If you want to take even smaller step, then reduce a very small portion of sugar ( half of 1/4 spoon)  in one cup of tea only and continue with your normal sugar intake rest of the time you drink tea. Following the same process, you can begin to drink tea/coffee without sugar.

 

Small Changes in Physical Activity

Lack of time is one of the excuses people have not do exercise. So one can start with devoting a very little time to do exercise which can further be increased over a period of time.

§  As an initiation towards exercising, put on your exercise clothes and just watch TV or read newspaper etc. Don’t do any physical activity besides wearing the gear. Do this for 1 week.

You must have notices that the clothes have a power to change the way you feel. If you are dressed formally you will start feeling and behaving formal. Similar casual clothes will make you feel and behave relaxed and causal. Likewise, when you are in exercise gear your mind set will change and it will be easier for you take the second step.

§  In his book One Small Step Can change You Life- The Kaizen Way Robert Maurer recommends marching for 1 min in front of the TV while you are watching your favourite program for a month. You may increase or decrease this time as per your comfort level.

§  He further suggests, you can do marching during the commercial breaks and continue to watch the program once the break is over. As such you do not have to earmark any additional time for exercise. Also, your body will get accustomed to exercise and the habit of exercising will start getting formed.

You may replace marching with spot running or skipping.

§  If you have a stationary bike of treadmill at home, you can walk or ride it for 1 min everyday for 2-3 weeks. Then subsequently increase the time for next couple of weeks to 2/3 /5 mins. If your mind resists walking or riding even for a minute, then you can spend some time on it while reading a newspaper or books or watching television.

§  If you do the marching/spot running as mentioned in the preceding paras for 1 month, your body will get used to it and it will start craving it. Then you may go outdoors or use treadmill for walk/run.

§  You can watch television or do other chores, for some time, while standing rather than sitting all the time.

Celebrate Your Wins

 Appreciate your efforts, treat yourself with something you like for every progress you make. These rewards may be very small, like standing in front of a mirror and congratulating yourself for making progress or watching a movie or sleeping couple of hours extra one day.

 

Get Adequate Sleep

 A good sleep is very essential for a healthy body. Generally, 6-8 hrs of sleep is considered optimum for an adult. If your sleeping 6-8 hrs a day that means less waking hours which means less snacking or eating. This will keep your calorie intake in check.

 

Visualise Your Way to Good Health

 I have mentioned this at the last, however this the main ingredient for loosing weight. This will alter your mindset and prime your mid for success.

 This exercise should not take more than one minute. Sit in a relaxed position and visualise yourself eating healthy food like eating more vegetables, fruits; eating healthy snacks, exercising daily, congratulating yourself for small wins.  Visualise your ideal self and feel how you would feel when you attain your perfect body weight. Visualise in minute detail and clearly as possible.

 This process is not a quick fix approach to loosing weight. However, by adopting the tips shared here your weight loss process will be less painful, daunting and more sustainable. Also your chances of going back to your old habit patterns, that was responsible for weight loss, will be minimal as you are changing your habit rather than forcing you to diet or exercise.

 

Summing Up:

 

1.           Change Your Mindset- Focus on attaining healthier and fitter body than reducing weight.

2.           Keep a Food Journal- Write down whatever you eat during the day for a entire week

3.           Remind Yourself Whenever You Eat Unhealthy Food

4.           Small Changes in Eating Habits-

              i)            Take food in smaller plates

              ii)           Replace unhealthy snack with healthy snacks

              iii)          Hide unhealthy snacks

              iv)          Replace one unhealthy item from your meal. Or reduce 1/4 of the item if reducing   full items seems daunting.

5.           Reduce Sugar Consumption- Reduce sugar consumption by 1/4 spoon in tea or coffee. Then  continue with the process till you are comfortable with sugarless tea/coffee.

6.           Small Changes in Physical Activity-

            i)                    Baptism to exercise: Wear exercise gear and watch TV or newspaper for 1 week.

ii)                   March or Spot run for 1 min in-front of the television while watching program- 3 weeks.

iii)                 March or Sport run during the commercial breaks while watching television- 3 weeks

iv)                 Once comfortable can go out for a walk or run.

7.           Celebrate Your Wins

8.           Get Adequate Sleep

9.           Visualise Your Way to Good Health- Make it as vivid, as detailed as real as possible.