Losing weight seems to be high on most people’s New Year’s agenda. Out of 10 people I asked, “What’s your New Year’s resolution, more than 6 people said they want to lose weight and get in shape!” Well, not a bad trend, right? “Probably the ramp models have the answer. Size zero is fast becoming popular and even middle-aged moms are struggling to fit into their 20’s jeans. Is it the right thing or do we need to think more?
Just take a look-
One thing is for sure, having extra love handles on your body is not a healthy sign. Flab means fat, not muscle. Therefore, losing that love handle should undoubtedly be the priority. The lower the activity level, the more concerned you should be about flab. Yes! Read the sentence carefully. Today, scientists have found a large positive correlation between health and activity levels. If you exercise regularly, the chances of getting diseases are reduced relatively regardless of your weight.
But it’s also important to understand here that as weight increases, in many cases activity levels decrease (due to the inability to move faster) and this further contributes to high fat levels. How to stop this vicious circle? Can we?
Fortunately, the answer is YES!
If you were slim, thin, and healthy in your 20’s, you have every right to remain so into your mid-40’s and beyond. What exactly is going wrong? Many women think that childbirth is the culprit that has contributed to their love handles. Many men think that their very stressful job is the reason for this. But the fact of the matter is, despite having a baby and stressful jobs, there are men and women who can maintain their ideal body weight and live healthy lives. So why can’t we? We can also!
what can be done
- Hands off myths –
(1) We should follow strict diets if we want to lose weight– The main requirement for idealizing your weight and health is not to fall for rumors. You must have seen (or done) plenty of people dwelling on bananas, hot water, soup, or “just” veggies for days! This is one of the biggest myths that eating less will reduce your weight. It will not. It will only weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to more serious diseases. So stop such staples first if you follow. Our body needs carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and trace elements in sufficient quantities from all of the nutritional ingredients in order to cope with wear and tear. All-carbohydrate or all-protein diets can help shed weight for a short period of time (you tend to lose muscle as well, not just fat, in the process). But once you break those diets, you tend to gain more weight because obviously you can’t follow such prescribed diets for life (I hope not, otherwise… hats off!)
(2) With only 2 full meals a day– Many older people are happy because they feel that we only eat twice a day and not recurring. This is another myth that makes us fat. Obviously, if you leave larger gaps between your meals, you tend to eat far more than can be properly digested. Therefore, the excess sugars and proteins tend to be converted to fat and lodge under the skin and in the arteries (leading to atherosclerosis).
(3) A low-fat diet can reduce weight– Remember that fat is also an essential part of the diet. We just have to take it in the prescribed amount so as not to exceed the limits. Have seen many patients get rid of fat completely. What they get, in turn, is the shriveled, old-looking skin. Fat is your body’s natural moisturizer and toner, so it’s essential. Just reduce the excess amount you eat and it won’t adversely affect you.
(4) Joining the gym is the only way to lose weight– Well, here we don’t want to belittle the importance of gymnastic exercises, but let’s not make them the rule. There are many ways to keep fit. Rather, in many cases, some of the fitness exercises are harmful to certain individuals. People with joint problems and heart disease should exercise great caution when visiting the gym. What’s more, fixed types of exercise over weeks and months together reduce interest. Engaging in different types of exercise instead keeps our motivations alive longer (probably what we need most). You can jog, swim, dance or bike to get healthy!
- Treatment regimens for losing weight –
(1)slimming homeopathic
We homeopaths always emphasize the importance of homeopathic treatment for weight loss. Here I am not promoting a patented homeopathic medicine for weight loss. We speak of classical homeopathy. Does it help? Yes, it helps a lot more than we expect. The main reason why homeopathic medicines help with weight loss is their ability to act on the mind.
“Mind” plays a very crucial role in maintaining or increasing your weight. It’s the mind that makes you stressed out and you tend to eat more or less. It’s the mind that tires you out to start your exercise program. It is the Spirit that encourages you too to take obesity seriously and do something constructive about it.
And homeopathy helps with all of these aspects, shaping your mind and getting it to do what needs to be done. It’s no exaggeration. I have seen utterly lazy patients unscrupulously embark on an exercise regimen once they have undergone constitutional homeopathic treatment because they are capable of it homeopathic remedies to act at higher levels. The same goes for maintaining an ideal diet.
The homeopathic medicine also helps the person overcome the hormonal imbalances that contribute to obesity. Therefore, when a patient with hypothyroidism and/or polycystic ovarian disease starts homeopathic treatment, the apparent edema on the body gradually disappears, making the patient fitter to achieve her goals.
(2)Exercise-
As discussed above, there is no one way to train your way to health. If someone tells you to follow a regime that excludes exercise for weight loss, they are lying to you! Try to inculcate variations in your regimen to keep yourself from getting bored and feeling energized for years to come. Adding this component to your daily life is the most rewarding experience you can give your mind, body and spirit. Combine it with relaxation techniques and your benefits will be doubled!
Some helpful tips for losing weight
- Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of plain water a day
- Get enough fiber because it promotes gut health and prevents constipation. It’s also one of the safest ways to delay aging
- Recognize physical deficits and seek natural supplementary help from an expert
- Eat small, frequent meals (preferably 2 to 3 hours)
- Be consistent in your therapies. To achieve this, set smaller goals and reward yourself when you achieve them
- Some meditation techniques help a lot to stabilize the absurd eating behavior and give the necessary motivation to do your best
- Stay away from the myths and don’t fall prey to the heavy advertising of patented diet pills unless you verify their authenticity with an expert
May 2011 bring you good luck, health and fitness in your life!
Thanks to Shreya Deshpande
