Being obese doesn't have to be a permanent condition. See our tips below for ways to help beat obesity and get your life back on track.
Work it out
“Being physically active is, without a doubt, the best way to prevent obesity because it burns calories,” says Dr. Mohd Ismail. Not sure where to begin? You know yourself best, so do what you enjoy the most. Love dancing? take a salsa class. If you get a kick out of cardio, attend a group exercise class to work up a sweat with other like-minded people. If the gym environment intimidates you, try walking around your neighbourhood, building up to brisk walk, and then a jog.
Short on time? Learn some cardio and strength-training exercises you can do during your lunch break or while watching your favorite television shows. “Try performing moderate-intensity exercises at least half-an-hour a day at least three times a week,” adds Dr. Mohd Ismail. Your workout pre-requisite: Get your doctor’s OK first.
Eat right
The key to eating a healthy, balanced diet is understanding nutrition. Apart from grasping the basics of eating right, it's best to determine how many calories you need in a day and plan your meals accordingly. To see sustained weight-loss, “cut back on foods that contain high levels of saturated fat, cholesterol and refined sugars, which are high in calories. Instead, go for foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains, which are less fattening and comparatively more nutritious,” says nutritionist Indra Balaratnam, B.Sc Nutrition (U.S).
Health experts say that the only way to lose the extra weight and keep it off is to reform your eating habits.
Manage your stress
One of the biggest triggers of overeating is emotional bingeing. Had a bad day? Reprogram yourself to head outdoors or to a kickboxing class instead of the fridge. Also, read or attend workshops to equip yourself with the skills you need to deal with the road bumps that head your way.
If you’re having trouble coping on your own, enlist the help of a good friend who will be more than willing to lend a shoulder to lean on, or even a psychologist, who can teach you the ropes of stress management.
Get more sleep
Aspiring to cram as much as you can into one day will inevitably lead to less sleeping time, and subsequently, weight gain. Not convinced? Researchers at Columbia University in New York, who followed 8000 subjects over the course of two years, found that those who slept five hours a night were 73 percent more likely to become obese than those who got seven to nine hours of sleep per night. They concluded that even an extra hour of sleep a night made a big difference, because the subjects who averaged six hours of sleep per night were only 27 percent more likely to become obese than those who clocked in at seven to nine hours of shut-eye.
The links between sleep deprivation and obesity are two hormones: leptine, a hormone that suppresses appetite, and ghrelin, which stimulates appetite. Not getting enough sleep can cause your levels of ghrelin to rise while leptin levels are reduced, prompting you to eat more than you need.
See part 1 of our feature on obesity, The big fat truth about obesity
Story courtesy of Shape Malaysia.