WEIGHT LOSS RESOLUTIONS FOR 2023 MADE EASY

Few of us know that the month of January is known as the “Fat Month”. With the last few days of the current year remaining, and the ringing in of the new year, a YouGov survey on New Year's Resolutions revealed that 48% of people who made New Year's resolutions intended to lose weight in the new year. Other popular resolutions included increasing physical activity (59%) and eating healthier foods (54%).

So, if you're looking for a "New Year, New You" approach in 2023, you're not alone. Making a decision is simple, but keeping it is much more difficult. According to statistics, 80% of New Year's resolutions fail within the first year. Out of the 80%, more than 20% of resolutions fail within the first week of January. As a result, if you've tried and failed to lose weight as a New Year's resolution in the past, you're not alone. Where are you on this scale?

Why is it that we are not able to lose weight and give up easily?

The creators and proponents of crash and fad diets strongly claim that calorie restriction is the key to losing weight, and they may be correct, but not entirely. They are only half correct. And as we all know, half knowledge is always dangerous.

For restricting the calorie intake they recommend that you give up your favourite foods or skip meals and starve. But things aren't always as straightforward as they appear. Every body requires a certain amount of energy in order to carry out its normal functions. The energy requirements differ from body to body.

What happens if the source of energy is suddenly disconnected? Skipping meals reduces your calorie intake, no doubt about that. But on the other hand it slows down your metabolism. What if you have comorbidities such as Diabetes or High Blood Pressure? This would complicate matters for your health.

As a result of suddenly reducing your calorie intake, your body's internal systems automatically begin to retain or conserve calories rather than burn them. This results in the change of your appetite patterns and makes you want to eat a larger meal later, which in turn unintentionally increases your calorie intake and causes you to gain weight once you give up on the crash diet after achieving the desired reading on the scale.

What Is The Best Option To Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle?

In order to live a healthy lifestyle, it is recommended to consume five or six modest, frequent meals a day that are rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Rather than losing weight rapidly in the short term and then gaining it back in the long term, this is a more effective method that yields sustaining results in the long term.

It is your dietary habits developed over time that have caused the body's systems to set a minimum level as its energy requirements. Any abrupt change in this level causes the body to experience withdrawal reactions in the form of hunger pangs. Cutting back on your diet portions all of a sudden results in food cravings, and even binge eating, all of which lead to weight gain in the long term.

Cutting down on your food portions is a great idea to lose weight, but only if done gradually. It does not make sense to eliminate these foods from your diet all at once. For example, if you typically consume three rolls of bread or four scoops of rice per day in your diet and want to eliminate the same, gradually reduce the quantity by half or quarter of your normal portions.

Gradually reducing the amount of food portions would not impact your body’s energy requirements in a greater manner and not make you feel hungry at the same time. As it is, we have trained our stomachs by eating a full plate, even though it is not required.

Why Stay Hungry & Foolish

Try controlling your cravings for sweets, cakes, chips, sodas, and other "junk" foods, and you’re more likely to be eating oversized servings of these "junk" items when the opportunity arises.

Instead of completely abstaining from such pleasures, gradually reduce your cravings, just as you would reduce your portion sizes. For example, if you frequently eat a pack of cookies in one sitting, limit yourself to two or three, satiate your hunger, and then move on. By eating less, you are still burning calories, albeit at a lower rate.

This is more effective in the long run because it trains the brain to adapt to more healthy eating habits. Habits are an important part of managing a healthy or an unhealthy lifestyle. What lifestyle we are currently living is the result of eating habits that we have developed over a period of time.

Eating The Same Food Everyday Is Boring.

Even if it is healthy, eating the same foods every day can become monotonous. Rather than avoiding certain types of food, such as fried food, instead experiment with other methods of cooking, such as steaming, baking, grilling, or roasting, which are healthier options in nature.

Revisiting your cooking techniques can help you reduce your calorie intake without reducing or depriving yourself of favourite your favourite foods. If you're unsure what to look for, consult a trained dietician in your area who can advise you and make suggestions based on your preferences.

Make Healthy Eating A Hobby.

Plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes for the week ahead of time and record them in a healthy food journal. You are not fighting this weight loss battle alone. Find and network with others who share your goals of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This will motivate you and keep you on track toward living a healthy lifestyle.

The next time you dine out at your favourite restaurant, make it a point to speak with the chef and those who frequently prepare healthy meals, and swap healthy recipe ideas with them, noting them in your food journal. This would not only help you develop a new hobby, at the same time, keep you and your family healthy for a long time.

In case you or any member of your family is suffering from a comorbid condition like blood pressure, diabetes or a heart condition, it is always practical and sensible to consult or doctor or a member of your healthcare team.

A Weight loss Journey Is A Challenge & Will Always Be.

Losing weight has been a challenge in the past and will continue to be a challenge for times to come. This is due to the way our bodies are designed. The reading on the scale is just a measure and we must adhere to it as a benchmark.

The ultimate in managing a healthy lifestyle is to understand our bodies and their needs. The readings will always fluctuate unless we train our brains to adopt healthy eating habits that will keep the reading constant.

And this can be done only through regular practice and not overnight by starving. So why select the option to stay hungry and look foolish when you have a choice to be smart?

Suggested Reading:

How I Dropped 37 lbs of Fat Unconventionally.

Why Everything Taught About Weight Loss Is Wrong.

How I Survived A Heart Attack & Lived To Tell About It.