Fact: Regular physical activity - even at moderate levels - reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and obesity. Thirty-minutes-a-day exercise is considered moderate for an average fit adult.
Here’s Another Fact: Obesity has reached alarming levels in the Middle East with over 45 per cent in the age group of 15 and 49 being overweight. Weight control is a key component of maintaining good health.
Top tip
Weight management through dieting alone does not work for 97 per cent people according to experts in fitness and diet.
Energy Weight Loss
Your body uses food for energy and stores any excess energy as fat. This simply means that if you eat more food than your body requires for daily activities and cell maintenance, you will gain weight.
To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up stored fat and minimise excess energy.
The most effective way to do this is to:
- reduce the amount of calories you eat
- Increase your levels of activity.
Dieting Alone Often Fails - because
- Focus is on loosing fat and not on exercise
- Not enough motivation
- Too many diet restrictions
- Not having a plan that is designed for each individual
Start with a plan, with your gym trainer, nutritionist, doctor or sit and spend time to find what you need to do
- Set a realistic goal
- Start with small steps and maintain the pace
Top Tip:
There are no shortcuts to losing weight in a healthy and reasonable way. A realistic aim is a loss of between half to one kilo each week.
It may seem slow to start but over the long term this is a healthier option. Anything more drastic can result in disappointment and even fatigue. So, in 12 weeks, a reasonable weight loss goal would be anywhere from six to 12 kgs.
Tip
Weigh Yourself Properly
- Make sure you have a good digital scale
- Be consistent - weigh yourself at the same time every day
- Weigh yourself under the same circumstances (clothes/no clothes, in the same spot)
