The perennial dieter knows that if you don’t have sustaining power with your weight loss plan, then your desired goal will never be met.
But who dictates the image of sexiness anyway?
The general notion is that to be slim means to be sexy. But how about curvaceous and sexy, or fat and fabulous? No one can be the final judge except one’s health profile.
Your body mass index (BMI) medical studies have validated this truth—if you maintain a balanced weight within the standards set by health experts, chances are, you can expect good health.
BMI is an accurate measure of your body fat, which is based on your weight in relation to your height. This rule applies to adult men and women aged 20 and up.
It is also used as a screening tool to determine of a person is underweight, overweight or obese. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, while 30 and above is obese.
How to compute your BMI
1. Divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters.
2. Divide the result by your height again.
There are available BMI calculators online.
Diet fads and pills to speed up metabolism could land you in the hospital if you are not careful.
It is possible to lose weight without dieting. Here’s how:
1. Increase vegetable intake. Get those fresh leafy greens into your body now.
2. Limit and/or avoid processed foods called junk food. They contain colorants, preservations and artificial flavoring.
3. Control your sugar intake. Beware of the sweet stuff because it translates to extra calories you don’t need. A high sugar diet has been linked to cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Hydrated
4. Drink plenty of water. This keeps you hydrated and may even control appetite.
5. Eat whole foods. Do you know that consuming large amounts of vegetables and fruits can contribute to weight loss? This is a natural side effect of adding farm-fresh ingredients to your eating plan. Single-ingredient foods that do not undergo chemical processing are safe.
6. Eat protein. Eggs, meat from farm-raised, grass-fed animals can significantly boost metabolism. They can also reduce one’s appetite, decreasing one’s craving for more food.
7. Avoid sweet beverages. Would you believe that there are hidden sugars in almost every beverage? If you have the habit of drinking sodas daily, be on the alert.
Check out the list of ingredients. Look for sugar—less than 8-10 grams is okay. Anything more than that is high.
8. Control refined carbohydrates. There are carbs without fiber and nutrients called empty calories. White bread, rice, pasta, pastries and even certain breakfast cereals become easily digested carbs which turn into sugar.
9. Take good caffeine. A guaranteed metabolism booster, black coffee (minus the sugar and cream) and black or green tea (matcha) are natural weight-loss helpers.
10. Take fiber supplements. Psyllium fiber and glucomannan (from the roots of the conjac plant) can be added to your diet plan. Fiber can slow down carbohydrate absorption and acts as a prebiotic (which feeds the friendly bacteria in the gut).
11. Exercise. Move it. Muscle burns fat. Keep your machinery running efficiently. To have a lean body, you need a combination of cardio and weight resistance.
12. Spice up your meal. Adding a dash of chili to your food will raise your body’s thermogenic level. The result: increased temperature within. This means that your fat-burning capacity has been increased.
A case in point is my personal experience. In 2013, while visiting Bali, Indonesia, for one week, I never ate a single meal without a generous serving of sambal (crushed chili with spices). Upon returning to Manila, I was shocked by my discovery—I had lost 8 lbs! So, to lose weight, keep it hot and spicy.
13. Go for efficient digestion. Get help from probiotic and digestive enzyme supplementation. By age 30, the body’s ability to produce digestive enzymes is reduced.
14. Have the right mindset. Go on a diet without dieting. Program all foods as your friend, not your enemy.
This week’s affirmation: “Something wonderful will happen to me today.”
Love and light!
