In this modern world, weight loss is a dream for many of Gen Z. There are reasons for obesity among today's generation are many but the consequences are clubbed under only one umbrella which is lifestyle diseases like fatty liver, diabetes, and heart-related diseases.
Every one of us wants to shed the extra fat from our body. But there is a big difference between wanting to do something and doing it in reality. Weight loss is the only and the best solution for almost all of the problems faced by today’s generation, whether it be mental or physical.
Initially, the urge to lose weight and burn the extra calories from my body has put enormous pressure on my mental health which was impacting my overall health.
The key thing to understand in the weight loss journey is that any journey begins with a single step. It begins in our brain subconsciously. The willpower and motivation are the most important aspects of the weight loss journey.
Healthy Tips to Loss Weight
The Driving Force
The human brain needs a proper purpose to do any kind of work. Whether it be reading, singing, dancing. In my weight loss journey, the key driving force was to qualify for the physical test of the Indian armed forces.
Only the fittest person could clear the physical test and for that a body without extra fat was important. A goal and purpose are the most important aspects of a weight loss journey. Weight loss intention without any driving force or purpose is like a journey without a destination.
If the purpose of weight loss is strong and genuine, you will be halfway through the journey. In my case, it was my last attempt to get into the Indian armed forces, so it was a do-or-die situation. That was the biggest motivation behind kickstarting my weight loss journey.
The Bridge between Intentions and Implementation
The next aspect of my weight loss journey was very crucial. It was about turning the intentions into reality. Intention is a thought in your brain. Thoughts are useless until and unless they are implemented in reality. If you think of burning fat, you should work hard for that.
Thinking of workouts in your brain won’t make you lose those extra calories. Initially turning the intentions into implementation would not be easy. It’s all about beginning to implement your thoughts. If you thought of working 4 miles a day, you should at least begin by walking a single mile. That one mile of walking will motivate you and prepare you to go for the next 3 miles.
Your mind may be thinking of implementing or executing a physical activity to a certain level. But in reality, your body may not be able to adapt to the sudden changes caused physiologically.
It’s important to align the activity of your brain with the activity and capability of your body. You can’t push your body to do wonders in just one day. Take some time, progress day by day, and try to balance your thoughts and physical actions.
Calorie Consciousness
The reason for obesity or being overweight is the extra calories that your body doesn’t need. The fat in your body is nothing but the unwanted baggage of calories or unused calories. So it all started with calories. Initially, I thought of cutting down the calories in my food platter. Shutting down calorie intake or uneven calorie intake may confuse your body and the brain.
Sudden changes in the calorie intake can disturb the blood sugar levels. As a result of this, you may feel dizzy or you may get unconscious. We shouldn’t make our bodies feel the sudden shock of not having calories in the form of carbohydrates. Calorie intake should be curtailed slowly. If you eat one bowl of rice a day, then you should try to make it half a bowl. After a couple of days, you can make it 1/4th of the bowl.
Eating habits will determine the results of your weight loss journey. Calorie deficit is the key aspect of the weight loss journey. A calorie deficit doesn’t mean eating less only. Calorie deficit means having the food in minimum quantity which is ideal for your body and doing workouts to lose the extra calories.
Neither starving nor working out for long hours will help you lose weight. It’s the perfect combination of calorie deficit and proper workout which will make the magic happen. Avoiding sweets and high-calorie food along with cool drinks and other beverages will help you the most. On the other hand, having sufficient proteins and fiber will help you.
The Art of Exercises
The first thing that comes to mind when you think of weight loss is doing workouts. Yes, it’s important to exercise daily to lose weight. There are a wide variety of workouts and exercises to confuse you in your weight loss journey.
Some prefer running, some prefer going to the gym and some other people prefer doing aerobics and cardio. Nothing to understand here is that only running or only doing cardio will not help you. Weight loss doesn’t only mean losing calories. It’s important not to lose body muscle. Building muscle is very important in the weight loss process.
If you prefer to go running to lose some extra calories, it will lead to straining the knee and other joints of the legs. Most of the obese people have the complaints of shinbone pain. I too preferred running in the beginning. But my bulky body didn’t allow me to run more. Shinbone pain was so intense that I stopped going out after a couple of days in the beginning.
The ideal way to lose weight through physical activity is to go for a mixed variation of workouts - some cardio, a little bit of slow jogging, and a little weight training and strength exercises.
The pain during the initial days of exercises may ask you to take leave from the journey of weight loss for a few days. If you agree to the same you will never be able to achieve your goal of weight loss. The pain of a workout is a sweet pain that reminds you of the outcome that you will have in the future.
Consistency
An intense workout for a couple of days and rest for a couple of weeks will not yield the result. Going for intense workout sessions on day 1 reducing the workout on the following day and continuing this saga of inconsistency will never help you achieve your goal in a stipulated period.
If you have planned for half an hour of cardio 2 km of walking and some weight training, you should continue doing the same for the longer duration. This will help both your body and mind adjust to the physiological stress and strain. Consistency is all about building a routine. Try continuing physical workouts for at least three weeks.
Good Sleep
Another crucial aspect of my weight loss journey was sleep. We eat a variety of foods and go for strenuous exercises. Our body not only needs exercise for weight loss but also proper sleep. Servicing a vehicle is important for its better performance, in a similar way the human body also repairs the cells during sleep.
A proper sleep of 8 hours is necessary to repair the tissues of our body. Sleeping hours after exercise are heavenly bliss. One of the common causes of obesity and weight gain is lack of proper sleep. So it’s important to have at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep.
Mental Strength
We are surrounded by several distractions throughout the weight loss journey. You feel the temptation of trying street food while taking a walk. You feel have sweet cravings. You have to attend meetings and social gatherings, which are loaded with mouthwatering colorful dishes. All these are distractions. It was tough for me to overcome these distractions.
Along with diet and exercise, we should go for meditation if possible. This will streamline our thought process and make us feel strong mentally. This is the best way to defeat distractions through willpower.
The Daily Dose of Happiness
Many hormones play an important role in maintaining our body's health. If a human being is happy, peaceful, and calm, the body will cigarette endorphins. If a person is under stress, experiencing insomnia, and continuously worrying, then the body will secrete cortisol, a hormone that isn’t good for body health.
Enormous stress faced by today’s generations is leading them towards high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart strokes. Cortisol also causes the accumulation of fat in the body. Hence it’s important for us to be happy. But we can’t buy happiness through online shopping. Happiness is within us.
Happiness comes from sharing and caring. Everyone has problems, but if you compare your problem with your existence then they are nothing. Because you are a tiny creature in this entire universe and it's not going to make any difference.
Listening to songs, having a soulful chitchat with friends, cooking for loved ones and spirituality can lead you in the path of happiness and peace.
Conclusion
Finally, health is happiness and happiness is health. Wealth is a need but not a necessity for happiness. Stay happy, eat less, sleep well, and stay strong. Everything takes time, take time to build your body. I have lost 10 kg weight and it’s an awesome feeling. But still a long way to go.