2009-05-17T23:36:00.000-07:00

How to win your own ‘Battle of the Bulge’?

Every man or woman desires to have a good physical appearance, especially to look trim and slim. One of the main curses of modern living is the tendency to become overweight, which leads to various health problems, sometimes severe, and the affected people have to undergo prolonged medical treatment.

Here is a weight reduction programme, which even a lazy, fat person can follow. To reduce the weight and shed the flab, the following guidelines should be strictly adhered to:

Benefits

Just imagine how your clothes will fit you nicely when you reduce your weight and make you feel happy.

Recognise the benefits of maintaining good health, which ensure prevention of diseases and ailments, including diabetes and heart related problems.

You owe to yourself and to your family a slim and healthy body.

Planning

When you see a slim, handsome man or beautiful woman, ask yourself and imagine how nice you would look if you also reduce your weight. This could be accomplished in a well planned, step by step manner.

Daily stand in front of the mirror and see how good looking you will be if you succeed in reducing your weight.

Adopt a ‘Think Slim’ strategy -- start thinking and talking about reducing your weight always, like an obsession.

Take a snap of your big belly with your mobile photo phone. Whenever you feel like eating something extra, look at your big belly in the photo and ask yourself – ‘Do you still want to increase your BIG BELLY?’ Make a firm determination to cut down your weight in right earnest.

Keep pictures of a good looking person with the ideal physical attributes on your table, bath room and bed room to remind you of the need for reducing your weight. These pictures will act as a motivator whenever you see them.

Before acting on your plan, announce to your family members and friends that you will reduce your weight by as much as three kgs within 30 days.

Check your MOUTH

You might be wondering why some people are fat and some others thin? When you analyse the root causes, you will realise that the main reason for one becoming fat is lack of control at the very point through which the food is taken in -- your MOUTH, which is the entry point.

So the question arises, how to reduce our weight? The simple solution is: tighten the control around the entry point, the MOUTH, so as to check what we EAT and DRINK.

Exercise

Chalk out a plan of exercises such as brisk walk or aerobics, for 10 minutes, to start with, and gradually increase the time.

Have one or two partners for the exercise programme. According to a study, weight reduction exercises carried out with partners have shown better results.

Do the exercises regularly as per a fixed schedule. Remember that the exercises are meant for your own benefit.

The best exercise is walking briskly, as it provides exercise to all parts of the body.

Regular exercise is very essential for good health. You will feel happier with proper exercise. An exercised body will have a clearer mind.

Water

Drink water before taking food. The idea is to avoid drinking water after food as it affects the process of digestion. By drinking water before taking food, you will eat less because your stomach is already partly filled.

Always keep water within easy reach so that you can drink whenever you feel like.

Drink as much water as you can -- atleast 8 to 10 liters of water every day --- as it helps weight reduction. However, avoid soft drinks and sweetened drinks such as Pepsi or Coca Cola. These have high level of calories which increase weight.

Food

Eating a carrot or cabbage leaf before taking food is helpful as they will reduce the appetite and your food intake will also be less.

If you plan to eat fruits, do so before taking the food. Eat the fruits first and then the food.

Avoid consuming junk food.

Identify the fruits, vegetables, green leaves and other food items which are suitable to your body.

Plan to reduce the sugar intake as sugar gives a ‘bubble effect’ to the fat in the body. The sweet taste of food item remains only as long as it is within the mouth. Once it crosses the throat, there is no taste and need for it. Therefore, cultivate the art of ‘cheating’ the tongue's sweet seeking nerves.

Apart from reducing the sugar intake, you may use substitutes or alternative products for sugar.

Skipping a meal a day is not the right solution to cut down weight.

Increase consumption of fibre rich food, which are very effective as they fill the stomach quickly. (Fibre rich foods include green peas, oats, cabbage, cauliflower, grapefruit, green beans, orange, papaya, pineapple, whole wheat bread, potato, spinach, carrots (raw), mushrooms, onions, tomato etc.

Avoid sweets like chocolates, cakes, ice creams etc. It is said, “sweets in your mouth just for two minutes is as good as remaining for 20 years in your belly.”

If you are a regular rice eater, change over to wheat or wheat products. Though both have the same amount of calories, you will eat less of wheat or wheat products as compared to rice and as a result reduce your food intake.

There is no need to follow a drastic diet plan.

Support

Ensure that your family supports your weight reduction programme.

You may form a group of fat people and share views, which will act as a motivation for all to undergo weight reduction programme.

Keep the group members informed about the progress in your weight reduction programme every week, with systematic follow ups.

Measuring your success

‘‘Whatever gets measured gets done’, according to a proverb. So keep a check on any possible increase in weight, as consumption of even a small quantity of fat increasing things as biscuits or fruits, can affect the progress.

Keep a weighing machine at a common place in the house so that you can see it easily whenever you go for a walk.

Keep a record of what you eat and drink. Daily try to note down the weight and, if possible, the calories as well.

Celebrate

Reward yourself for achieving the task you set for yourself -- even for a small reduction of weight, by following your plan, including eating sugar-free and fat- free food products.

Easy Slimming Tips