When Weight is not About Numbers
And so the saying goes… summer bodies are made in winter BUT what if summer is already here and your body isn’t beach ready?
Yes, we turn to quick crash diets and appetite suppressants to get those kilos down but is this sustainable weight loss? Definitely not!
So the question remains, how do we lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way? Unfortunately this does not go without real effort, hard work and a combination of other factors and it needs to be a complete lifestyle change!
Being overweight is a major risk factor for several serious chronic illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, depression and anxiety, sleep apnoea, cancer and so the list continues…. While we hate to target number with weight, we do need to target the metabolic health that is associated with weight and numbers.
Here are a few tips on how to get that lifestyle change started:
- Don’t eat more than you burn daily. Get yourself to learn calorie counting or use a food tracking app/food diary to assist.
- Manage portion size!
- Look at what you buy; check food labels and ingredients for those hidden sugars and unhealthy preservatives, make smart choices!
- Exercise; moderate intensity aerobic exercise at least 50min, 3 times per week.
- Up your water intake: at least 2l per day and before meals.
- Consider healthy supplements like CLA, chromium, alpha lipoic acid and carnitine to help hack fat metabolism
- Address additional contributing factors like stress, hormonal imbalances and insulin resistance, visit your Dr to help you identify these.
- Stay positive and eat mindfully!
According to stats SA 29 % of adults are overweight, and 14% of children 6 to 14 years. These are shocking figures and on the rise yearly! Don’t become part of the stats and take control of your weight and lifestyle!
– Dr Carike Camphor
