Here is my weight loss experience:
I went from 105 to 91 kg in 6 months without exercise since I don't have the motivation to use treadmills at the gym.
I'm still almost 10 kg overweight but as long as I can keep losing 1-2 kg/month, I'll be on track.
I would have lost a few kg more if I could exercise regularly but I just don't have the discipline.
I lost 3 inches from my waist in the first 3 months but not after that [i.e., the size reduction levels off after about a quarter].
The weight reduction was almost 1 kg/week [or 1% of your weight whichever is lower] initially but slows down to 1 kg [1%] a month eventually.
Disclaimer:
Always consult your family doctor before any drastic changes to your diet in case of any complications.
Your mileage may vary.
I went on a low sugar / low carb diet which had the following guidelines:
1. No added sugar at all [this was the hardest since I have a sweet tooth] but sugar-free type products are OK.
2. No fruit juices & colas at all but diet drinks are OK.
So some of you may have the question - if NO sugar is allowed then why is it called 'LOW sugar'?
The answer is that there are naturally occurring sugars in the food we consume so the ban is on ADDED sugar.
Only hyper-glycemics [diabetics] need to be on a strict NO sugar diet.
- Most fruit are OK except those with high 'glycemic index' [e.g., watermelons not allowed]
Sweet fruits like pineapple, kiwis, apples, bananas are OK in MODERATION - binging on anything is usually bad in general.
4. No flour products [e.g., maida] but unrefined in MODERATE quantities is OK [e.g., brown rice & brown bread]
5. No white riceat all [so no plain dosas unless they discover a way to make them from brown rice].
6. No high carbohydrate food like potatoes, noodles & pasta [i love fries!]
- Sugar free cookies, ice cream, & chocolates are OK but not the regular/light/low fat versions even.
[it MUST say 'sugar free' on the label and NOT 'no added sugar' since its NOT the same]
8. Wheat is OK in moderation since its has lower carbs [plain parathas, wheat pasta, wheat noodles, etc].
LOWER carbs [relative] does NOT mean LOW carbs [absolute] so you can't really binge on wheat products.
[e.g., we discovered wheat pasta and I went crazy eating it daily and ended up gaining 1 kg in a week].
9. Meat is OK but you need to watch your cholesterol levels as they might shoot up if you overdo fried/oily foods.
10. Eggs without yellow is fine.If there is a choice avoid high cholesterol foods also [but high sugar & high carbs must remain a priority]
Drink lots of water [a minimum of 2-3 litres daily] - in the unlikely level that you run marathons regularly [over 5-10 km] during dieting, you need to switch to 'Gatorade like' drinks that have dissolved salts like potassium which can drop dangerously due to 'over hydrating' during a run
DON'T weigh yourself daily - its the fastest way to demotivate & give up on any long term diet plan.
If you must, only do it weekly and don't obsess about it.
- Crash diets don't work- as soon as you are off the diet you will 'bounce back' and regain your lost weight.
Many crash diets are also not healthy/safe either.
Switch to decaf from regular coffee since it helps lower blood sugar instead of increasing it.
Only use 'safe' oils like Saffola but olive oil is even better [however much more expensive since its mostly imported].
My doctor had the following advice to add after reviewing the guidelines above:
Most 'brown bread' delivered to your homes is usually fake [caramelised white bread] so avoid the cheaper brands and buy from reputable stores/supermarkets instead.
Real brown bread is harder to chew or slice due to its higher fibre content.
Clean slices [straight lines] is a sure sign that its NOT real brown bread in India.
Real brown bread is 2-3 times more expensive than fake [e.g., if fake is usually Rs.10-15, the real one will start at Rs. 20-30 per loaf]
Remember - the average person can learn to distinguish real from most fake just by taste & texture alone.
If it tastes like white bread - it probably is!
[ This is MY comment not my doctor's:
Cafe Coffee Day is only one example of a reputable domestic chain that routinely sells fake brown bread sandwiches due to cost reasons. ]
Just see the edges of the sandwiches to be sure.
- Every diet / weight loss plan is a marathon and NOT a sprint
The key to success is 95% sustaining it over time and only 5-10% rigidly following the rules
3. Dieting is much more psychological than physical
If you deprive yourself of something that you love, the cravings will keep building till you break and binge
Its better to reward yourself with small amounts of 'forbidden' foods when you reach each milestone [e.g., after 1-2 kg reduction] than to deprive yourself indefinitely
Extensive studies have shown that no particular diet is the 'best' - it just depends on what suits you personally
As long as you reduce calories consumed [dieting] and increase calories burnt [exercise] anyone can lose weight
Weight gain is simply too many calories coming IN and not enough going OUT
The secret to weight loss is that there is NO secret!
This LOW carb diet should not be confused with the 'Atkins diet' which is a ZERO carb diet and can cause kidney failureif you don't drink almost a gallon [3.6 - 3.7 L] of water daily.
This is also different from a NO sugar diet that diabetics [hyper glycemics] may have to be on.
In those cases ANY amount of sugar can be toxic so you can't really 'reward yourself' if you have a sweet tooth or sugar craving.
You don't need to have diabetes to avoid sugar!
High blood sugar and high 'bad' cholesterol are 'gateway' symptoms since they lead to a host of illnesses/diseases later in life.
Remember to get your blood sugar & cholesterol levels checked annually after the age of 30 EVEN if you are symptom free.
It hardly costs Rs. 100-200 per test and about 1 hour at the clinic [including waiting time - the actual blood sample is hardly 5 min].
Many providers offer at home testing so no clinic visits are even required.
Get your waist below 40"/ 100cm since its very strong predictor of future heart problems.
India is the diabetes capital of the world with the fastest growth in people affected AND the largest number.
Important Notes:
Glycemic INDEX is different from glycemic LOAD.
The index measures the total amount of soluble sugars contained by a particular food.
But the load measures the rate or how quickly its released into your blood stream.
Some fruits have LOW glycemic index but high loadand so can't be
consumed by diabetics or those maintaining their blood sugar levels.
The index was the older unitand load is a more accurate newer unit to track foods with.
