Weight Loss – How to Lose Body Fat?

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- Determining Your Level of Bodyweight

- Health Benefits of Weight Loss

- 3 Main Approaches to Weight Loss

Preface

Although you might think of getting rid of those extra pounds as a challenging task, it is going to become very easy for you with my well-researched tips given below.

With a BMI of 36, I grew up as an extremely obese person. I always wanted to have a slim body, as being physically fit provides tons of both physical and mental benefits, as well as makes you appear more attractive to others, not to mention the importance of a normal BMI to protect the body from life-threatening health conditions.

After dozens of failed attempts and some serious research, I made a few modifications in my lifestyle, which were easy to adapt and don’t require skipping meals or heavy exercise. These golden points are for you if you are determined to achieve your dream physique.

Determining Your Level of Bodyweight

First, let’s understand the concept of Body Mass Index, abbreviated as BMI. It measures bodyweight relative to the height. We can say that the healthy bodyweight for you depends on your height. A tall person might be considered healthy at the same bodyweight considered unhealthy for a shorter person.

You can easily calculate your BMI by yourself. Divide your bodyweight in kg by the square of your height in meters to get your BMI.

If you are more comfortable with the imperial system, divide your bodyweight in pounds by the square of your height in inches, and multiply by 703 to get the BMI.

After you have your BMI, use the table given below to know your weight status.

Body Mass Index - BMI	Remarks
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5 – 24.9	Normal Weight
25 – 29.9	Overweight
30 – 34.9	Obese Class I
35 – 39.9	Obese Class II
40 & above	Obese Class III

If your BMI is 25 or above, you are in the right place!

Calories & Nutrients

All debate on fitness and fat loss revolves around one word, that’s the calorie. Food that we eat provides us with macronutrients (carbohydrate, fat, protein). These macronutrients are absorbed by our body after digestion, and react with oxygen that we breathe in to produce heat, used by our body to keep us alive and perform all functions. ‘Calorie’ is just a unit of that heat.

An average adult male needs about 2500 calories, while an average adult female needs about 2000 calories per day. You may need more calories depending on your activity level.

Fat produces 9 calories per gram, while carbohydrate and protein produce 4 calories per gram. Therefore, food items high in fat are calorie-dense, e.g., oil, cream, nuts and seeds, animal fat, etc.

Our body needs essential fatty acids (omega-3 & omega-6) found in some food items, like nuts & seeds and seafood, but other fats, particularly saturated and trans fats, only provide calories to the body but no other benefit. Dairy fat, animal fat, and partially hydrogenated vegetable fat are rich sources of these unhealthy fats.

Among carbohydrates, simple carbs or sugar are also empty calories, like saturated and trans fats.

Complex carbs or starch take more time to digest, and hence release energy more slowly. Starch is the primary source of energy for humans, but it’s not essential for our body. Bread, rice, corn, potatoes, lentils, and beans are main sources of starch.

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate which is important for a healthy digestive system. Fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains (whole wheat, brown rice, etc.) all contain this healthy nutrient. Refined grains, like white rice and all-purpose flour, are low in fiber.

Protein is essential for our body. Bodybuilders know how important protein is to increase and strengthen muscle mass. But every person needs some protein to repair and maintain tissues in the body. Meat, eggs, dairy products, seafood, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds are full of this substance.

Food also contains micronutrients (minerals and vitamins), which are calorie-free, but our body needs many of them for proper working of different organs of the body, e.g., our body needs calcium to maintain the strength of bones, and vitamin C is involved in the immune system.

One can easily determine the quality of a meal or food based on the amount of essential nutrients relative to the number of calories it provides. So, whole-wheat bread and brown rice are healthier than white bread and rice, 100% fruit juice is way healthier than soft drinks, etc.

Our body doesn’t store micronutrients, so these need to be provided through diet regularly.

Macronutrients that only contain calories are stored as glycogen or body fat, which undergo chemical reactions producing heat for the body as much as required. Essential nutrients are utilized by the body according to their function, and the ‘leftovers’, like non-essential macronutrients, end up as glycogen or body fat.

So, one needs to be careful about the amount of all macronutrients, essential or non-essential. But essential ones should be preferred to sugar and unhealthy fats, which are not essential.

Health Benefits of Weight Loss

Reducing your BMI to a normal value comes with lots of benefits for almost every part of your body as well as mental health.

Scientific studies have clearly shown that maintaining a normal body mass index significantly reduces your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and many types of cancer, as well as premature death.

It also benefits your sex life by enhancing your libido, preventing erectile dysfunction, and improving your body image. It can guard you against depression and boost your self-esteem and motivation.

3 Main Approaches to Weight Loss

When it comes to fat loss, there are three main approaches that weight-loss enthusiasts follow:

Weight loss through diet alone
Weight loss through exercise alone
Weight loss through combination of both diet & exercise

For an average person, the first two approaches generally don’t work in the long term.

If you want to shred fat with only diet, chances are you will eventually give up way before achieving any significant reduction in your waistline, as it will lead to low energy levels, mood swings, impaired cognitive skills, and deteriorated performance in the workplace.

The reason is that our body needs regular food intake for all micronutrients (essential minerals and vitamins) and some macronutrients, particularly essential fatty acids, proteins, and dietary fiber, to keep all bodily systems healthy and functional. The body doesn’t store these nutrients, so it depends on regular food consumption for them.

And exercise alone is also not very helpful. Too much exercise results in muscle loss, weakness, and increased risk of workout injuries, like muscle strain, shoulder and knee injuries, tendinitis, etc.

At the end, we are left with the third approach, that, according to scientific research, one can stick to for a longer period, and which can yield long-lasting results beneficial for your general health and fitness.

In this approach, you follow these steps:

Steps to Follow

- Go slow & steady

- Watch your diet

- Exercise regularly

- Drink more water

- Get enough sleep

- Take advantage of sunny skies

- Stay motivated

- Consult your physician

Go slow & steady

We know from experience that slow and steady wins the race. This lesson applies to your fitness journey as well.

Aim for no more than 2 pounds weight loss per week. This will give your body ample time to adjust to changes that are occurring in the body, like reducing fat and retreating skin. Additionally, such a low speed won’t hinder your performance at daily activities and work.

Watch your diet

There is a famous quote, “You are what you eat”. Eat healthy. Avoid unhealthy foods. 1000 calories from a healthy meal are superior to 500 calories from unhealthy meals. Given below are some valuable pieces of advice:

Never skip a meal. Skipping a meal does more harm than good. Eat your breakfast, lunch, and dinner at regular times.

Your breakfast should be the heaviest meal, and dinner should be the lightest of all meals.

An ideal meal contains whole grain, whole fruit and vegetable, low-fat dairy, and some protein. An example is a few slices of whole-wheat bread, sauteed chicken breast 1/4, a bowl of veg salad, a fresh fruit serving, and a serving of yogurt.

No added sugar. No added fat, except a teaspoon or so of healthy vegetable oil like olive oil and canola oil for cooking.

Cut down on, or better completely avoid, refined grains.

Prefer low-fat or fat-free dairy products.

A big no to deep-fried food, especially chips.

Avoid snacking. If you really want to eat something, a serving of fresh fruit or veg salad should be eaten.

Use skimmed milk in tea/coffee, and don’t add in sugar.

Replace soft drinks and sugar-loaded juices with plain water or unsweetened lemon water.

Stay away from processed meat because it is high in calories and carcinogenic (cancer-causing substance) to humans. Examples of processed meat are sausage, bacon, nuggets, and many more.

Limit red meat consumption. Prefer white meat, like chicken and fish, to read meat, as red meat is higher in calories and fat.

Exercise regularly

Exercise is very important for your overall well-being. Especially during weight loss, you must follow an exercise routine.

Your exercise routine should include exercises targeting every major muscle and cardiovascular exercise as well. Start with lighter moves a few times. Then increase both the intensity and frequency gradually as you get better and stronger.

But avoid heavy lifting, as that requires increased calorie consumption and weight gain.

You can follow this routine: Mon-Fri: 45-min normal walk, 3 sets of 10 pushups, 1-min plank, and 3 sets of 15 squats; Sat-Sun: Rest.

But if it’s your first day, first learn how to do a pushup, squat, and a plank correctly. You may need several days to master these moves, and then some more days to be able to complete required repetitions. As far as walking is concerned, initially walk for 10 minutes, then increase the duration with time as your level of endurance rises.

Drink more water

Drink lots of water daily. Water is calorie-free, but keeps your stomach full and your appetite suppressed.

Drink a glass of water with every meal and between meals as well. You may need more water depending on your activity level and weather conditions.

Water also flushes out toxins, and keeps you fresh, cool, and energetic, and your skin glowing.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep is crucial to live a healthy life. Not getting enough sleep can slow your metabolism, and can increase your risk of developing unhealthy eating, which can lead to weight gain over time.

An average adult needs about 8 hours of sleep every day. To get enough sleep:

Stop eating 3 hours before sleeping.
Avoid caffeine after the end of the day.
Go to the bed at the same time every night, and wake up at the same time every morning.
Once you are in your bed to sleep, avoid screens, especially your mobile phone.
Practice meditation if you are having trouble sleeping.
Make sure that your room is cool as well as dark and quiet.
Use earplugs or white noise if you are living in a noisy neighborhood.

For more detail, you can read my detailed article.

Take advantage of sunny skies

Our body is capable of producing vitamin D by itself in sunshine. Vitamin D, an essential vitamin, plays an important role in maintaining bone strength.

Sunlight can also be helpful if you are struggling with depression-related symptoms, or you are having trouble falling asleep at night. But too much sun exposure (depending on your skin color and sunshine intensity) should be avoided.

Stay motivated

Many people are initially very excited about weight loss. They follow the plan very strictly. But with time, their motivation starts diminishing, and they move back to their previous unhealthy lifestyle. The main reason is that most people want to see the results as soon as possible.

Here’s the key. Be patient. You are trying to get slim naturally, and natural processes are gradual.

In the first few weeks, you might not see a significant change, besides a slight drop in weight because of reduced salt intake. However, if you want to make it to the end, all you need is determination. Be consistent, and you will succeed.

Consult your physician

You can directly follow these suggestions if you are medically healthy. However, if you have a serious health condition, consult your physician before making any changes in your diet or routine.

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