One of the most common questions doctors and nurses get asked, both in the clinic and online, is: “How can I lose weight?” or “How can I get rid of middle-aged spread?” As we get older the weight just seems to pile on and seems much harder to shift than when we were young. This leads to various problems from being unhappy when we look in the mirror, to more serious health issues such as diabetes and raised blood pressure.
Here is my simple plan:
1. Reduce the amount of ‘naughty’ food you eat.
We all eat foods that we know contain lots of calories and we often eat them at the wrong times such as after a meal or near bedtime. My favorites are chili crisps (chips) and chocolate, with ice cream creeping in during the Summer months.
Why don’t you simply eat less of these foods, for example by taking some crisps out of the bag and putting them in another so that you have less in front of you? It takes more willpower to actually leave some in the bag!
2. Reduce your portion size.
A lot of us were brought up with the idea that it is bad to leave food on the plate. “Eat all your food, there are people starving in …” So now we finish off all the food put in front of us even if we are no longer hungry, often to the point of feeling full or even bloated.
Try giving yourself smaller portions; you could even use a smaller plate so that it still looks like a lot of food is in front of you. You will find that you still satisfy your hunger, save money, and lose weight in the bargain.
3. Eat more slowly.
If we eat quickly our bodies don’t have the time to register ‘fullness’ so we continue to eat and finish our plates. If you eat more slowly and chew each mouthful of food 30 times you break down the food more efficiently and give your system time to detect the glucose and other nutrients that tell you that you are no longer hungry. You could put your knife and fork down whilst you are chewing or even have a conversation over dinner to slow you down. This will also have the added benefit of reducing the chance of indigestion or reflux.
ગુજરાતીમાં વાચવાં માટે અહીં ક્લિક કરો
4. Exercise as part of your routine.
When we are young we run around everywhere or take part in regular sports so it’s no wonder that the weight stays off. As we get older we find reasons not to exercise such as lack of time, boredom, or no one to exercise with. Naturally, this will reduce the number of calories that we burn off and so we pile on the pounds.
I’m not going to suggest going to the gym or starting a new sport since I realize how unrealistic this is for most people. Instead, why not perform some exercise as part of your normal daily routine? Walk more quickly, park the car further away from the office, use the stairs, not the elevator, and go up the stairs at a quicker pace.
Try these 4 steps and if you don’t notice an improvement in your weight or fitness level then see your doctor or nurse for further advice.