Preparing an effective weight loss regimen can be a little tricky, particularly if you have been down this road before to no real avail, or have regained the lost lbs at a later stage. However, there are methodological approaches (backed both by science and common sense) that can help you get started for real this time round.
Here’s a simple, handy guide outlining the ‘steps for slimming’.
Assessing your BMI
Body Mass Index (BMI) is one of the primary gauges used to determine whether you are in a healthy weight range for your height. It’s easy to access a bmi calculator online. In order to get a more comprehensive assessment of you are at, ie. before formulating an appropriate weight loss plan, it is useful to consider BMI alongside waist circumference – as this indicates the amount of fat carried around your middle as a major ‘red flag’ when it comes to your overall health.
The advice from The Heart Foundation is to speak to your doctor, an Accredited Practising Dietitian or health practitioner about your weight, factoring in your BMI. From there, you can make the appropriate changes to fit your lifestyle, such as eating healthier foods that meet certain calorie and/or dietary requirements, and other proactive measures.
Healthy eating
Eating healthy is a pattern, and consistency is key. Therefore, it is important to create a sustainable program in order to reach and maintain your weight loss goals. The best kinds of healthy eating patterns don’t focus on just one type of food or nutrient, or limit your choices. Instead, they rely on a combination of foods, chosen regularly, over time. Therefore, it’s not about dieting or fad approaches to eating as much – as it is about making sensible choices about your intake of the major food groups for the foreseeable future.
You will set yourself on the right path should you follow a regime that is low in saturated and trans fats, salt, and high in whole grains, fibre, antioxidants and unsaturated fats. That means eating a predominance of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as a fair amount healthy protein sources.
For example: lean meats, boiled eggs, reduced-fat cheese, legumes, nuts, etc. These items have a great nutrient component with high traces of iron, zinc and vitamins (particularly vitamin B). You should also include a small amount of healthy ‘good cholesterol increasing’ fats like omega-3 and omega-6, found in foods such as: nuts and linseed, avocados, some cooking oils etc.
Working out
No slimming regime is ever 100 percent complete without a commitment to getting your body moving regularly. Therefore, you should always incorporate an exercise plan in a holistic approach to your weight loss goal setting. Actually, experts say that there is no particular workout routine that is ‘considered best’ and that you needn’t necessarily even join a gym! The most important thing is to find a sustainable approach to fitness (just like that food plan) and the key to doing this is to find an activity that you enjoy, such as walking, swimming or doing weekly zumba classes.
According to health guidelines you should get at least 2.5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity per week to stay healthy and maintain fitness. Most experts recommend breaking that time up into 30 minutes of physical activity, five days per week. So, the point here is that it is better to a bit less but more often – rather than say a very high intensity training session that wears you out for the rest of the week.
A number of studies actually show that working out for three separate 10 minute sessions of exercise daily is just as good as pumping it out continuously for 30 mins. So, finding a balance that works for you is essential.
The steps for slimming
The above steps offer no-nonsense guidelines to meeting weight-loss goals that are suitable for a majority of people regardless of age, gender and most other variables. The important thing to focus on is the sustainable aspect of successful slimming regimes. Achieve consistency and abide by moderation, and in essence you are more than halfway there. The rest is just rinse and repeat!
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