Everybody wants to look their best for
an event or a special occasion, and usually a lot of that yearning involves
losing weight. But very often people want to get rid of all the extra kilos as
quickly as possible by going on fast weight loss diet plans. And though some of
these diets promise losing up to 4-5 kg a week, they are not entirely honest
with their claims.
Can I really kick the kilos fast?
It
may be possible to lose up to 5 kilos in the first couple of weeks, but that
quick weight loss won't last. Because the first delightful dip in your weight
chart is not necessarily from your fat stores – it comes mostly from the loss
of water, glycogen from muscles or even the breakdown of muscle protein.
And
quite ironically, when you resume your normal eating after a week of intense
dieting, your body will bounce back – replenishing all the vital substances it
had lost in that one week, making it more likely for you to regain most of the
weight you lost.
How can I actually lose weight by losing Fat?
It's simple math – you lose weight when you take in less energy
than you utilize i.e. consume fewer calories in the form of food than you burn
in the form of activity or exercise. So just by eating less and exercising
more, you can tip the scale towards weight loss.
To
lose half a kilo you’ll need to burn 3,500 more calories than you consume. It
may sound like a lot, but on an average, you can reduce your calorie count by
500 – 1,000 a day, adding up to 3,500 – 7,000 calories by the end of the week,
eventually resulting in ½ kg – 1 kg loss of fat after seven days.
Remember
that the average daily requirement for women is 2,000 calories and for men it
is 2,500 calories. To be on the safe side and to sustain basic life-sustaining
body functions, women should refrain from consuming less than 1,200 calories
and men, 1,500 calories.
Quite
simply put, in order to lose fat, you should ideally not lose more than 1 kilo
per week!
Is there a right way?
o Be
realistic. Set weight loss goals that you know you will be able to stick to
o Eat
healthy. Take the advice of a nutritionist to understand how to
reduce calories without ruling out the essential food groups
o Be
patient. Stick to a slow and steady weight loss of ½ - 1 kg per week (weight
loss may be faster at the start of a program)
o Stay
hydrated: Drink plenty of water daily – eight glasses a day will help you feel
full too
o Be active.
Perform a variety of physical activities on a regular basis
o Be ready
for change. Learn to follow healthy habits and incorporate them into your
normal lifestyle
o Keep it
off permanently. Make a sound plan to maintain your target weight once you have
achieved it.
o Go easy on
yourself. Do not fret when the scale is a bit on the heavy side one night – it
could be water, glycogen or simply the weight of your dinner!
Good to Remember:
When
you are dieting, losing too much weight in a short period of time will make you
lose muscle mass which is not recommended. Since muscle is a metabolically
active tissue, the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be and
consequently the more calories your body will burn – even when you’re just
sitting!
The
best way to lose and maintain your healthy weight is to follow a healthy,
balanced nutrition plan prepared by a dietician. Combine that with regular
exercise and you've found the right way to lose weight and attain the best
results – steady, maintainable weight loss. After all, it's a lifestyle change
today that will lead to a healthy future tomorrow.