5 Useful Tips to lose weight healthily!

When you read the title you must be thinking that this is just another tip on how to lose weight, but please do not stop reading yet! This is where we will tell you why this article is different from the other article that you have read. Well, the tips here are from Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), National Health Service (NHS) United Kingdom and many most reputable and trusted healthcare bodies with scientific studies. The reason why losing weight tips should be read from all these authoritative bodies is because these bodies are bodies that put your whole health as their main concern, different from those whom only give you tips on losing weight, which can harm other body health aspect. Okay, now that we are clear with that, let’s dive into these tips.

 Tips 1: Plan your meals (1,2,3)

 

Try going for grocery shopping according to a list that you have made and while making that list try to picture the kind of healthy food that you are going to prepare. Do not forget to take into account your snacks. Make sure to stock a lot of fruits and vegetables. Try your best not to buy any junk food. Try to snack on all those fruits and vegetables without dressings, start off with fruits and slowly move to vegetables.

 

Tips 2: Do not banned food, but use smaller portion (1,2,3)

 

When it comes to diet or losing weight people tend to ditch all of their bad habits and try to acquire new habits, but most of the time this is something that will not last long. According to studies, when you suppressed your craving you will be even more craving for it, but rather try to ease your craving with eating in smaller portion. Use small plate all the time when you are trying to lose weight. Smaller plates will trick your mind to think that you have eaten a lot since your plate is full of food, but actually using small plate allow you to eat much lesser than what you usually consume.

 

 


Tips 3: Drink plenty of water at the right time (1,3, 4,5)

 

A study that is published in journal of obesity found out that, drinking water 30 minutes before your main meal is able to reduce about 9.48 pounds if you do this with all three of your main meals. While, if you do this only once per day on average you will be able to lose about 1.76 pounds.

 

Drink water before main meals make you less likely to drink water while eating or shortly after eating. This is good to allow your nutrient to be able to absorb properly in the body. Eating food while drinking water or shortly after your main meals will dilute your enzyme and cause poor nutrient absorption.

 

Also, whenever your mind sending signal that you are hungry and need food, try to drink water first and see if it satisfy you. Study shows that when you frequently eating without waiting for your body cues sometimes your mind is confused whether you are hungry or you simply want something to munch or boring. Thus, it is advisable to drink plain water first and see if it makes you full.

 

Tips 4: Consume high fiber food (1, 3, 4)

 

Although, fat is seen as the culprit to many kinds of diseases but the truth is nowadays, the main culprit is carbohydrate. It is true that carbohydrate is very important in making sure that we have sufficient energy, however consuming extra carbohydrate is what making most of us Malaysians nowadays fat. Furthermore, most of our foods nowadays come in huge sizes as compared to the previous years, which make people even more difficult to control their food portion. 

 

Cutting down on refined sugar such as table sugar, brown sugar, honey and hidden sugar in foods and drinks also help in maintaining your weight, ditch all of the sugary beverages like Starbucks, Boba teas and all those processed and high sugar food which can makes you full for shorter period of time. 

 

Instead, replace sugar intake with high fiber food such as vegetables and fruits. They are not only rich with vitamins and minerals, but also antioxidants, that are require by the body. Choose carbohydrates with high fiber content, this will help to keep your blood sugar is in control and will allow you to feel full longer. 

 

 

 

 

Tips 5: Be active (1, 2, 3)

 

Exercise consistently. Start with a few minutes of walking and slowly extend the time until you can do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. If you have not exercised in a while, be sure to check with your doctor first. Also, if you are worried to exercise in public spaces due to COVID19, you may try indoor exercise, you will be surprised at how effective this is not only to your physical health but also to your mental health.

 

Commonly people will say that they do not have time to exercise, the advise is if you have time to scroll your Facebook feeds or any social media then you have time to exercise. Exercise do not really require you to put on your gym attire, or yoga mat, it just require you to move your body, it can be as simple as walking (e.g: try to take public transport to office), or as simple as doing house chores.

 

Find a good buddy. Friends and family are great buddies to support on losing weight and exercise journey.

 

In conclusion, all these tips will not only make you lose weight, but it also will make you healthier. Losing weight quickly may be intriguing, but it can be detrimental to your health. Thus, try to incorporate habit that will give no harm to your body and try to acquire as many healthy habit as you can.

 

 

References

 

  1. National Health Service (NHS). United Kingdom (UK). 12 Tips to help you lose weight (2019). https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/12-tips-to-help-you-lose-weight/ (Accessed on December 31, 2020)
  2. Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH). My Health Portal. Weight Management (2019). http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/weight-management/ (Accessed on December 31, 2020)
  3. Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH). My Health Portal. Diet for Overweight and Obese. (2019). http://www.myhealth.gov.my/en/diet-for-overweight/ (Accessed on December 31, 2020).
  4. Singapore Health Promotion Board. HealthXchange Singapore. Drinking water at the right time (n.d). https://www.healthxchange.sg/food-nutrition/food-tips/drinking-water-right-time (Accessed on December 31, 2020).
  5. Parretti, H. M., Aveyard, P., Blannin, A., Clifford, S. J., Coleman, S. J., Roalfe, A., & Daley, A. J. (2015). Efficacy of water preloading before main meals as a strategy for weight loss in primary care patients with obesity: RCT. Obesity, 23(9), 1785-1791.