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Cutting meat from your diet can be a significant lifestyle adjustment, but the documented health benefits can make the change well worth it.

If your doctor has recommended that you cut back on your meat intake or you have decided to fully embrace a meat-free diet, here are some of the changes your body may experience. Just keep in mind that the effects can vary from person to person.

Because red meat and heavily processed meat products tend to be calorie-dense, eliminating them from your diet may help you lose weight. A 2015 study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that people following a vegetarian diet lost more weight than people on other diets.

Plenty of studies have demonstrated how going meatless can lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and heart disease-related mortality. An American Heart Association study found that people who ate plant-based diets were 16 percent less likely to develop heart disease and 32 percent less likely to die from heart disease and stroke.

The balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut has been linked to many different health issues. Adding probiotics to your diet can create a healthier gut environment, but so can going meatless. This is because animals that are conventionally raised have been given hormones and antibiotics that can wreak havoc on your gut microbiome.

In addition, your body produces Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) while digesting red meat high levels of which have been linked to cardiovascular disease, heart failure and chronic kidney disease.

Some studies have found that adopting healthier lifestyle changes (like reducing meat intake) can affect the length of our telomeres, which are the caps at the end of DNA strands that protect our chromosomes. The shortening of telomeres can cause damage to the DNA strands and has been linked to increased risk of breast and prostate cancers.

According to a 2019 Nature study, cutting back on or eliminating meat especially red meat and eating more nuts and fruits, which have anti-inflammatory properties, can reduce the inflammation levels in your body.

High levels of systemic inflammation in the body can weaken your immune system, contributing to the development of immune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

In order to reap the most benefits from going meatless, its important to protect yourself from any potential nutritional deficiencies.

When cutting out large food groups from your diet, its important to find alternative sources for the nutrients they provided. For instance, if youre not getting most of your protein from meat, youll need to up your intake of other sources like eggs, low-fat milk, beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Stay away from heavily processed and sugary foods that can also have a negative impact on your health.

Be sure to also talk to your doctor about taking supplements of certain essential nutrients and minerals like vitamin B12, vitamin D, and iron. A B12 deficiency can cause anemia or lead to damage to the nervous system.

Getting into the groove of making healthy meat-free meals doesnt happen overnight so dont get frustrated. Try to be as consistent as possible and remember its okay to start with just adding a few meatless meals into your weekly mix.

The more prepared you are before going meatless, the easier it will be to stick to it. Make sure you do plenty of research on tips and recipes ahead of time, and ask your doctor or nutritionist for help creating daily and weekly meal plans that are built around beans, lentils, vegetables, and whole grains instead of meat.

Information on this site is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professional. You should not use the information contained herein for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication. If you have, or suspect that you have, a medical problem, promptly contact your health care provider.

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What to expect when cutting meat from your diet - PhillyVoice.com

Coronavirus lockdown means that population are only allowed out for one hour of exercise each day. This can prove difficult to stay in shape while being confined indoors.

Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term for various meal timing schedules between voluntary fasting (or reduced calories intake) and non-fasting over a given period.

According to Healthline, this method of dieting is one of the worlds most popular tricks used to lose weight quickly.

There are three methods of intermittent fasting:

READ MORE:Weight loss: Man shed one stone in just 12 weeks with this home workout plan

Alternate day fasting involves eating 25 percent less than your normal daily intake followed by a 24 feast day.

On the day of fast, calorie-free beverages are allowed such as water, black or green tea and coffee.

On the day of feast, you can consume whatever food and drink you like.

Periodic fasting involves a period of consecutive fasting of more than 24 hours, it is also known as the 5:2 diet where there are one or two days where there are one or two fast days per week.

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During the fasting days consumption of around 500-700 calories or about 25 percent of regular daily calorie intake may be allowed instead of complete fasting.

Daily timed restricted diet is one of the most common methods of intermittent fasting.

It permits eating only during a certain number of hours each day.

Usually it follows a 16 hour period of fasting, followed by an eight hour window of non fasting.

This is usually done by eating from midday until eight oclock at night.

During these hours, you can return to usual eating.

According to a recent survey by International Food Information Council Foundation, intermittent fasting proved to be one of the most popular diets to follow with many benefits including weight loss.

Between meals, as long as there is no snacking involved, insulin levels will drop and fat cells will release their stored sugar to be used as energy.

Weight loss occurs when insulin levels drop.

The idea of intermittent fasting is to allow insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that fat can be burnt off.

This type of dieting has shown many benefits including improving metabolic health and protecting against disease.

Exercise is still advised to produce best results with any diet and many home workouts are now online during this lockdown.

Although this method can have many benefits, it may not be for everyone and it is best to follow a diet that works for you.

Dietician Dr Linia Patel says that: Mood swings caused by a change in insulin levels can be a consequence of fasting, depending on what you are used to eating.

If you have a diet that is very high in refined carbohydrates and you snack a lot, of course fasting is going to mean that you will be irritable.

However this simple diet is easy to follow and can help weight loss if followed correctly and maintaining a healthy balanced diet whilst doing so.

Read more here:
How to lose weight even in lockdown - these tips could help you control snacking - Express

Want to know how to lose belly fat fast? Well you can't. But there are ways to torch fat, shed the dreaded visceral fat and maybe even reveal your abs. During lockdown it's a problem a lot of us are facing although you could do worse than starting your week days with Joe Wicks PE lesson. Yes we know it's meant to be for kids but it's by no means child's play.It's a very intense tabata HIIT workout, when you get down to it. And wearing a frog costume can really make you sweat.

Contrary to what a lot of websites will tell you, directly targeting 'belly fat' is largely impossible outside of surgical procedures. It's more of a matter of knowing how to lose weight in general some of which will be around your belly. It can also be useful to work on your abdominal muscles, so that when the fat is finally gone, your stomach will be properly flat, not fat. Although there's no magic bullet to slay belly fat, there are ways to burn visceral fat or belly fat that are tried, trusted and true.

And, as you have probably guessed, we have a list of them. So if you want to burn belly fat and get fit, this is our 'six-pack' of tips, cheats, technologies and strategies. Oh and if you want to round it up to a lucky 7 tips, try this one blindingly obvious way to avoid lockdown weight gain.

Important note here, everyone: Belly fat these days is often referred to as visceral fat because that sounds scarier. If you really need to shed visceral fat because it's endangering your life, that is an area where you should probably be seeking medical advice, if that is at all possible. But while this guide is more about slimming down a bit, or avoiding ballooning during lockdown, belly fat loss also has an element of visceral fat loss.

Our lose belly fat tips aren't necessarily quick, and this is not about telling you how to get six pack abs although we have plenty of guides to that, too. No, this is just a 'six pack' do you see what we did, there? of tips to getting a healthier life and feeling comfortable with the girth of your mid-riff. We're not looking to fat shame anyone here or totally bro out, we're just offering advice.

We've got some great tips, a few cheeky shortcuts and key strategies to lose belly fat quickly, healthily and sustainably. As we just said, there are no quick fixes here; we want you to develop habits that ensure you'll stay trim for good.Weve also got the lowdown on the best exercises to lose belly fat, and all the gear youll need to get started although, of course, the most important 'gear' is the bit between your ears.

There's no hard-and-fast rule for slim-down success: the best way to lose belly fat is the way that works around your lifestyle. If you follow an unsustainable plan, you won't last: it's as simple as that. In this article we lay out six principles that are applicable to everyone, whether you're a total beginner starting your weight-loss journey or a seasoned pro who fell off the wagon over Christmas.

These guiding lights will keep you on the straight and narrow, whether you've got time to hit the gym every day or a shift worker looking to manage your schedule. Dont try to take on more than you can reasonably fit into one day. And, despite the name of this feature, don't fixate on 'belly fat'. It's important to reduce visceral fat, which does tend to lurk around the belly area, but that is best achieved by trying to slim down and tune up overall.

Here are six strategies to help you start losing weight.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The short answer to the question of how to lose belly fat is to burn more calories than you consume on a regular basis. In the fitness world, this is known as achieving a "calorie deficit".

If this sounds like a waking nightmare, there's a trick to it: what you need to do is ensure youre eating the correct kind of food to make sure you feel full and sated, even when consuming fewer calories than you're burning off. Certain foods are "empty calories" while others release energy slowly, keeping you fuller for longer.

But before that, you'll need to find a good way to track your calories burned and calories taken in. The free MyFitnessPal app is one of the best ways to record your calorie intake, but to track your calories burned, you'll need a dedicated fitness tracker. If you already own a smartwatch, most will offer calorie tracking as standard, but for those yet to make the plunge, the Fitbit Versa Lite is the best activity tracker you can buy right now. Check out the deal below.

Oh, and staying hydrated is crucial, as well

Fitbit Versa 2 | was 199.99 | now 184 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa 2 is getting regular price cuts in 2020 and is currently 22 off at Amazon and various other fine online retailers. The Versa 2 features advanced cardio tracking as well as the usual steps and sleep stuff, and has Alexa built in. It's also unusually stylish for a Fitbit.View Deal

Fitbit Versa Lite | was 149.99 | now 114 at AmazonThe Fitbit Versa Lite is the best affordable fitness tracker or smartwatch you can buy.It tracks deep and light sleep, steps, distance and calories, but that is barely scraping the surface of its capabilities. Via Fitbit's excellently presented app and sprawling ecosystem, you can use it as the basis of a complete fitness and diet programme. You can also enter your meals to log calories consumed, so you can have all your dietary data in one place.View Deal

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S'Well Marble Drinking Water Bottle | now 25.00 at John LewisIn this case beauty is more than skin deep. This bottle is vacuum sealed, which means it should be able to keep liquids warm for 12 hours and cold for 24 hours. Its stainless steel, has a capacity of 500ml and requires handwashing, and its definitely one for one-upping your co-workers boring flasks and supermarket specials.View Deal

Wild West Original Jerky, 12 x 35g bags | now 18.00 on AmazonLooking for a calorie-dense but highly nutritional snack? Swap your bag of crisps or chocolate bar for jerky or biltong, a cured meat snack high in protein. This Wild West Original comes in handy 35g bags, to keep yourself fuller for longer. It's packed full of protein to help build muscle after a workout (13.2g per pack, to be precise), and is even gluten free too.View Deal

Intermittent fasting is becoming more and more popular. It involves significantly cutting calories or abstaining from food altogether for a portion of the day or week, and then cramming all your calories into a much shorter time window.

The best-known intermittent fasting plan is the 5:2 diet, where you eat as you normally would (although hopefully a bit healthier) for five days a week, then scoff no more than 600 calories two days a week.There are also variants of this diet where you consume almost no calories, two days per week. This is much more doable than it sounds, so long as you are in good general health, but it's not exactly fun.

However, for trainees who are serious but not that serious, there's the 16:8 diet. With this diet you have only 8 hours a day to fit all your meals in, but can only drink water (and maybe some black coffee, if you're feeling naughty) within a 16 hour fasting period outside of those 8 hours. Most choose to eat from 10am to 6pm, but as long as you stay within an eight hour window, you can start and finish at any time of the day. This isHugh Jackman's strategy, so if you have ever wanted to be in Wolverine shape

Why try fasting, though? Well, during the fasting period the body will run out of sugar to run on, and so will start eating up the bodys fat stores. The big negative is the adjustment period: if you're used to a big breakfast or an early dinner, a 16-hour fast feels tough at first, especially if you're exercising. You're going to get seriously cranky.

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Weight training is a great way to tip your muscle-fat ratio the right way

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dead set on having chips? An air fryer can deliver a lot of the delicious taste with less of the not-quite-so-delicious oil

(Image credit: Future)

If you eat fried food all the time, switching to an air fryer will definitely cause you to lose weight unless buying one causes you to start eating loads of chocolate because you've reduced your fat intake. No, it doesn't taste as delicious as proper fried food of course not but it turns out meals with a good fried/roasted taste, but with up to 80% lower fat content.

If you don't eat fried food all the time but like to treat yourself now and then, switching to an air fryer could still help with you to lose weight. Even with a solid balanced diet and a good workout ethic, there will come a time when your willpower will falter and you'll want to fall back on your old favourites, like fried chicken, fish, chips and all the other foods you love normally dripping with grease. If you schedule in cheat days and do this in a controlled way, it's good to know you're cooking these foods in a way that still helps you hit your goals.

Enter the air fryer. The best air fryers are revolutionary pieces of kit that use hot air combined with a teaspoon of oil (as opposed to the gallons of oil found in the deep-fat variety) to cook your crispy favourites. If kitchen space and budget is no object, you can cook a whole chicken in the Philips Airfryer XXL, but if you're after something a little more economical, Ninjas AF100UK Air Fryer is lightweight, compact and versatile, perfect for portion control. It also seems to usually be sold out all the time at present, so perhaps everyone has already taken our advice, here.

This is just one way to have your (fried) cake and eat it too. Swapping high-calorie pints of ice cream to the low-calorie versions like Halo Top or Oppo, or switching out cholesterol-laden butter for a healthier olive spread, are other easy ways you can make relatively simple lifestyle choices and still keep weight off.

There are two main types of exercise: cardio training and weights, otherwise known as resistance training.Although cardio burns a lot of calories while you do it, weight training builds muscle which burns more than fat as you go about your day. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you'll burn even when not working out.

Resistance training may seem scary if you're doing it for the first time, especially in the gym when the area's dominated by serious lifters, but you dont have to start adding big plates to the bar right now. There's plenty of ways to get started at home with smaller weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells and even medicine balls.

Were not going to list every single lifting exercise, so why not pick the body part you want to start toning up and check out some of our muscle-building how-tos. One you've done that, grab one of the best dumbbell sets on the market. They're not just for arms: you can use a dumbbell to work your core, shoulders, and even your legs with combination movements. The only issue you will find right now is that most of them are sold out, but this store still has home gym equipment for online delivery.

BodyPower 20 kg Cast Iron Spinlock Dumbbell set | was 59.99 | now 39.99 from Fitness SuperstoreYou just can't beat a good old pair of cast iron weights, and a testament to this is the fact they can be found under the beds of dads and granddads up and down the country. Get your own and they will last a lifetime and for all of their noisy, palm-chafing downsides, there is a kind of nostalgic loveliness to the spin collar set-up.View Deal

All of this aside, dont neglect cardio, as regular cardio workouts are important for fitness and stamina.

Electric Muscle Stimulation can help your muscles recover faster

(Image credit: PowerDot)

It may seem gimmicky when you unwrap your new six-pack vibrating belt, complete with a picture of Ronaldo on the box, but don't roll your eyes just yet. While you can't just sit there eating crisps and expect to get ripped, Electric Muscle Stimulators can help as part of a controlled dietary and exercise plan.

EMS can cause the muscles to contract, essentially tensing and untensing rapidly. During downtime post-workout, you can continue to encourage muscle growth with EMS, while the right bit of kit can also encourage faster recovery, allowing you to get back in the gym all the quicker. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, EMS stimulates the muscle in the same way as a massage, prepping it for the next go-round.

It's not a bona fide shortcut to a six-pack, but it can speed up the muscle-building process with regular use.

(Image credit: Sixpad)

Our top choice is always SIXPAD as used by Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who takes great pride in his body. Perhaps a little too much pride, the unkind or jealous might say. Amazon also sells all manner of abs belts by brands we have never heard of, for about 20. Needless to say we dont recommend these.

PowerDot 2.0 - Smart Electric Muscle Stimulator | now 185 at AmazonAlternatively, the PowerDot 2.0 is a smartphone-controlled muscle stimulating monster.This neat muscle stimulator works from your phone, allowing you to control intensity, stimulation and goal. Reduce your recovery time and increase muscular performance, as the PowerDot working to support your gym schedule. This model has two stimulators, but you can scale up to four for 325View Deal

Planks are a tough abs workout and a great end-of-workout finisher

(Image credit: Taco Fleur from Pixabay)

As well doing both muscle-building and cardio exercises, if you want to lose belly fat its also important to switch up the pace of your workout.

Every time you workout, you should exercise using both steady state (working hard but not at max capacity, such as during brisk jog) and high intensity (going flat out, like sprinting) to torch your abdominal fat.

Steady state or aerobic exercises include cycling, running or uphill hiking.Its a crucial part of losing belly fat because it burns through your fat stores. However, it also uses your sugar stores for energy first, so you need to do steady-state for long enough to use up all that sugar before it eats into your fat reserves.

High intensity workouts use mainly sugar for fuel, so they don't hit the fat right away, but it does help in building muscle, which will help you torch fat even on days you're not exercising. Explosive weight lifting, sprinting and HIIT-friendly exercises like mountain climbers are all great high-intensity exercises.

A good fitness tracker will help you to gauge the intensity of your workout by monitoring your heart rate. For overall fitness trackers, check out the Fitbit Versa Lite above, but for a dedicated running watch, you can't beat the Garmin Forerunner 645, the best on the market right now.

Find out more about heart rate zone training

Garmin Forerunner 645 | now 279.57 at AmazonGarmin dominates the running/fitness watch category so totally, it's almost embarrassing for the competition. The most recent addition to their premium line, the Garmin 645, incorporates GPS and wrist heart-rate tracking, which is good for monitoring your resting and all-day rates. The 645 crunches a lot of data to suggest recovery times, make a decent stab at estimating your VO2 Max, tell you how optimal your training load and lots, lots more.View Deal

FitBit Aria 2 smart bathroom scale | now 111.72 on AmazonThis clever scaletells you your weight, BMI and body fat percentage which is all a lot of people want. It then reports this to your Fitbit account, so you can monitor your weight trends and use it alongside your Fitbit wearable's daily calorie-burn estimates. Add MyFitnessPal or Fitbit's own dietary features and you can then sync your meal-plans, daily calories consumed and weight goals, if you want.View Deal

The most important thing to bear in mind is this: losing weight takes time. You'll have setbacks and slip-ups, but if you stay committed to your goal, you'll be fitter and healthier in 2020, building up great habits for many years ahead.

Need some help to get started? Check out all the latest deals on the kit you'll need to get fit in 2020.To start with, you'll need a killer playlist and a good set of workout headphones to listen to it on:

Beats By Dre Powerbeats Pro | now 206 on AmazonPowerbeats Pro are a 'game changer' for Beats; the quality of them is over and above anything the brand has produced before. Designed for workouts and running, the clever design of these true wireless buds means they stay still in your ears during even the most arduous physical jerks. Battery life is way better than most true wireless buds at 8-9 hours and they recharge incredibly fast.View Deal

Continued here:
How to lose belly fat fast: don't get the lockdown weight-gain blues, try this six pack of tips - T3

When it comes to losing weight, there are all sorts of articles and books you can turn to for advice. But is it any good?

Theres a lot of money to be made in this industry, and, with that, plenty of suspicious advice has infiltrated the internet.

So The National turned to a few UAE experts to sort some of the facts from the fiction.

As exciting as that might sound, you cant actually out-train a bad diet, says Baraa El Sabbagh, a dietitian and personal trainer.

The concept of calories in versus calories out is key in weight management, so as long as youre eating fewer calories than youre burning, you should be able to lose the weight.

But if your food choices are unhealthy, this will eventually take a toll on your body. Youll face poor digestion, fatigue, low energy and food cravings.

You wont actually see much progress with the exercise if youre not choosing the right foods for adequate muscle building and recovery, either, she adds. With time, this will lead to low compliance and failure in reaching weight loss goals.

The most successful method to long-term weight loss is actually tapping into a mindset that will last a lifetime rather than trying to cheat the system.

Nadine Aoun, a clinical dietitian at Medcare Women and Children Hospital, says there is some truth to this. Scientists have found that an ingredient in cinnamon could help fat-burning in humans, she explains.

Cinnamaldehyde is an essential oil that helps give the spice its distinctive flavour and has been proven to protect mice against obesity in previous studies. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan have claimed the oil also activates thermogenesis, a metabolic bodily process that burns calories to produce heat.

What that means is the process can actually help kick-start weight loss, although, of course, you cant just depend on cinnamon in order to achieve your goals, Aoun warns.

Fact or fiction? Eating late at night or close to bedtime makes me put on weight.

The current research shows no physiological reason why eating before bed should cause weight gain, says Maria Abi Hanna, a clinical dietitian and eating disorders practitioner at Right Bite. Many studies, though, do prove that people who eat at night are more likely to gain weight [for] several reasons.

For a start, people who eat later at night tend to emotionally eat, especially after a long day when they might be stressed out, bored or tired, she says.

We tend to overeat at night to compensate for the missed calories

Maria Abi Hanna, clinical dietitian and eating disorders practitioner, Right Bite

When we emotionally eat, we tend to make poor food choices and crave food that is high in salt, sugar or fat. It is usually common that we grab a chocolate bar, a bag of chips or order junk food after a hectic day at work, for example.

Another reason why some people gain weight eating late at night is that they might not be eating enough during the day and, when we do that, we tend to overeat at night to compensate for the missed calories.

Theres another downside to eating before bed, Hanna adds: It may cause indigestion and reflux, especially when you eat big amounts close to bedtime.

Carbohydrates have often been demonised, but we do actually need them in our diet, says Maria Marlowe, a holistic nutritionist and author of The Real Food Grocery Guide. We do need to be mindful of which types of carbohydrates were consuming, though, she adds.

Healthy carbs include vegetables, fruit and whole grains. These can indeed be a part of a healthy diet and come packed with added fibre, nutrients and antioxidants.

What we should be avoiding are refined carbs such as bread, cereal, pasta and anything with refined sugar, Marlowe explains. Whenever grains are refined, they become [higher on the] higher glycemic [index] and lose much of their fibre and nutrition. High glycemic foods, she explains, are associated with weight gain, while low glycemic foods are associated with weight loss. Thats because they contain carbohydrates that the body digests rapidly, causing blood sugar and insulin to surge and then dip.

In the middle, there are starchy vegetables, like potatoes and corn. These are best consumed in moderation, because they have a high glycemic load.

A cup of potatoes, she says, actually has a similar effect on blood sugar as a can of soda or a handful of jelly beans.

Jo Owen, a holistic health and nutrition coach, and founder of Nourish, Flourish and Fly, says yes and no. Any diet you commit to will work no question of it but if you dont change your lifestyle and aim for long-term, sustainable approaches to your holistic health, success will be short-lived.

She says weve been trying to control our eating habits in crazy ways for centuries. In 1727, Thomas Short observed that fat people live near swamps. His treatise titled The Causes and Effects of Corpulence introduced the only logical weight loss tip he could deduce: move away from the swamp.

A lifestyle change means you commit to a lifelong way of eating and living that does you long-term good

Jo Owen, holistic health and nutrition coach

Owen says shes tried low-fat, high-carb, cabbage soup and lean cuisine diets herself, until she realised she needed to take a more holistic approach. People who go on a diet always see it as a fixed, finite thing Im on a diet until I lose 10 or 20 pounds.

The word diet isnt helpful, either, she adds. [It] conjures up a restrictive forbidden fruits mentality or a feeling of lack. What happens is people try a diet for a certain amount of time, then go back to living exactly the way they were before, or even overdo it for a while due to the feeling of being restricted, and then end up right back where they started.

A lifestyle change, on the other hand, means you commit to a lifelong way of eating and living that does you long-term good.

I know it can seem impossible, because youre still thinking about it as being on a diet for the rest of your life, but it simply isnt the same. A clean, whole foods approach to your nutrition doesnt just affect your weight, it affects your entire life its good for your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

She suggests starting small. For instance, you could introduce a few new dishes into your repertoire at first and then gradually begin to crowd out unhealthy behaviours with healthy habits.

You should be eating delicious meals every day, you should feel satisfied after eating them and your tummy should not be grumbling with hunger within a couple of hours unlike with diets.

Drinking water does indeed help boost your metabolism, says Hanna. It also cleanses your body of waste and toxins, and can act as an appetite suppressant as it takes up stomach space.

Sometimes you may also mistake thirst for hunger and drinking a glass of water before reaching for something to eat can help to curb unnecessary snacking and manage cravings.

Make sure you always stay well hydrated by drinking at least two litres of water a day.

It may have a modest effect, says Aoun, but dont eschew your other exercise or healthy eating habits just yet. A randomised, clinical trial recently published in the Journal of Functional Foods showed that apple cider vinegar might help with weight loss. Study participants drank 15 millilitres of the stuff a total of two tablespoons with lunch and dinner, and also ate a diet that was 250 calories less than their daily estimated requirements.

Current research shows that apple cider vinegar promotes fullness, suppresses appetite and improves blood sugar

Nadine Aoun, clinical dietitian, Medcare Women and Children Hospital

The researchers found that apple cider vinegar significantly reduced weight. Those taking it lost an average of about four kilograms over the 12-week study period, while those who didnt only lost just over 2kg. Researchers argued the ingredient helped curb appetite, potentially leading to more weight loss.

Hanna says more studies need to be done to prove the impact, however. Current research shows that apple cider vinegar promotes fullness, suppresses appetite and improves blood sugar and insulin response. For maximum benefit, it is recommended you mix about one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with water per day.

"Though it has proven to have a positive impact, it is still not a magic formula and there are other factors to consider when it comes to successful weight loss.

Just as we should be consuming healthy carbohydrates, we should also be consuming healthy fats, explains Marlowe in her book. These support our health. We should avoid refined carbs and oils, which both wreak havoc on our health and waistline.

Healthy fats are unrefined fats from nature, she says. They include ingredients such as olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. These are the types of fats that are found in the Mediterranean diet, considered one of the healthiest ways of eating.

Unhealthy fats are generally refined and man-made. During processing, refined oils like canola, corn, soy, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed, peanut and vegetable oils are heated to high temperatures and heavily processed, which causes the unsaturated fatty acids from the seeds to oxidise, creating by-products that are harmful to human health, including trans-fats, which spark inflammation, age us and contribute to chronic illness and heart disease.

Gluten is bad for some people there is a distinction, says Hanna. People who suffer from Celiac disease should avoid any food items that contain gluten as it triggers an inflammatory response in their small intestine causing malabsorption of nutrients. Also, people suffering from certain autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis and Hashimotos, and those with gluten intolerances or sensitivities, will also benefit from avoiding gluten.

There are some theories that suggest the human body cant digest the quantities of gluten we consume in our modern-day diets, however more research is needed to confirm this, she adds. Currently the best way to know if one should avoid gluten is to first rule out Celiac disease or any other autoimmune disease that would benefit from a gluten-free diet and the next step is through trial and error and monitoring whether one suffers from any symptoms that may occur after gluten exposure.

Its important to remember that gluten-free foods are commonly less fortified with folic acid, iron and other nutrients than regular, gluten-containing foods, adds Aoun. They can also be more expensive.

And gluten-free foods tend to have less fibre and more sugar and fat. Several studies have found a trend towards weight gain and obesity among those who follow a gluten-free diet.

This is sort of true, says El Sabbagh. "This Instagram trend is growing by the day, but are there scientific facts to back up the benefits of celery juice? The answer is yes and no.

"Celery is filled with fibre, potassium, folate and manganese. These are all very important nutrients for the body that can help with numerous ailments like inflammation, cholesterol, allergies and blood pressure."

But the trick is not to juice celery, she adds. "Juicing removes the fibres, which are essentially why were eating it. Have a celery whole, and it will benefit you a lot more."

Updated: April 19, 2020 08:23 PM

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Does drinking apple cider vinegar help me lose weight? We ask experts to bust 10 health myths and reveal diet truths - The National

Diksha Chhabra, Certified Nutritionist and Fitness Expert has shared some weight loss hacks and tips that you can follow during quarantine and shed extra pounds.

Coronavirus led lockdown has changed our daily routines drastically. New sleep cycle, eating patterns and hardly any workout is our new regime. Instead of succumbing to lethargy and laziness, it of utmost importance to be active and avoid mindless munching, as the same can lead to weight gain. And we all know, how weight gain is linked to several health disorders. Binge eating is actually normal during such situations. As per studies, being stuck at home and stress and anxiety can trigger our brains to snack more often.

If you have been binge-eating along with binge-watching then it is highly recommended to watch out what you eat. Have you witnessed weight gain during this lockdown period? And want to know which are some of the simple and effective ways to lose the extra pounds? Then you are at the right place. We asked Diksha Chhabra, Certified Nutritionist and Fitness Expert, Founder of Diksha Chhabra Fitness Consultants, to share some weight loss hacks one can follow during quarantine and lose weight.

1) Keep yourself hydrated

Her first tip is to stay hydrated all the tines. She said being lockdown, especially during summertime may lead to less drinking of water. It is necessary to be hydrated as enough fluids will help in detoxification of your body and keep your electrolytes in check.

2) Don't do extreme dieting

The next tip was about how extreme dieting can backfire during the lockdown. She said that ingredients are difficult to find, you have extra work at home/office and that's why it is important to eat healthy and balanced. "To keep your spirits high tasty and healthy meals really work. Try to include all the macro and micronutrients in your every meal. Have a good amount of 50-100 GM's Protein, 50 - 100 GM's carbs, 10 - 20 GM's of fat and ample amount fibre, fruits and vegetables to balance your daily requirements."

3) Move around as much as possible

Moving around has, unfortunately, has gone down as we are staying at home and there is a restriction of space. However, we should be moving around in the house as much as we can. Diksha said, "We are bound to be inside, better keep moving now and then within the walls." Also, prolonged sitting can reduce the metabolism rate, thus affecting weight loss.

4) Experiment with recipes

Time is ripe to leave the boring way to eat your regular food and experiment and learn something different. Make sure it's healthy and complete. Right from salads to healthy soups to low-cal dishes, you can whip so many healthy dishes instead of fried and unhealthy ones.

5) Combine bodyweight and with light weights/resistance in your routine

Diksha stated how resistance training at home can help you to lose weight. She said that you can do resistance training even with a household item such as bottles, pots, and bags, etc for the routine. She said, "Additional bodyweight exercises will take your strength to the next level. Spare at least 45 mins of daily exercise for holistic health. Also, add 5-10 mins of breathing exercises and meditation early morning or before bed, this ll help in dealing with stress and anxiety."

6) Spot cardio can aid you

Diksha said, "don't miss out on the calories you used to burn during morning walks, running or swimming. So now, you can switch to on the spot cardio. Incorporate skipping, stairs, HIIT cardio, and step-ups among others.

7) Eat mindfully

We recently shared how important mindful eating is for not only weight loss but also for overall health. Diksha stated, "Don't confuse boredom and thirst with hunger. Stop binging and eat mindfully.m Set your portions and meal timings."

8) Including immunity and weight loss boosters

You can have immunity booster concoction made with cinnamon, ginger, lemon. You can also add citrus fruits like amla and immune-boosting turmeric in your everyday diet. Food items rich in vitamin c, and spices with medicinal properties can really work wonders for your overall health and wellness and of course aid in weight loss too.

Keep yourself safe, follow lockdown rules and make sure you to include healthy foods and exercise daily.

Self isolation is lonely, let's become companions for each other. Click here to share your lockdown stories anonymously and read what other's have shared.

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Putting on weight during quarantine? Follow THESE hacks to shed extra kilos - PINKVILLA

A broadcaster who hast lost over six stone in weight is hoping to help people stay healthy during lockdown.

Matt Vaughan, who grew up in Yate and has also lived in Stroud, did not want to be 'that fat dad at the school gates' so he decided to do something about his weight.

He has tried several diet plans throughout his life but found the diet he tried as part of the ITV Save Money: Lose Weight show worked for him.

Matt has also appeared on another ITV show, Change Your Tune.

I have been a road tester of the Dukan diet for just over a year. I like it because its easy to follow, the rules are simple and it has changed the relationship I have with food," said Matt.

Matt, formerly a presenter on Gloucestershire's Sound Sound FM and also STAR Radio, has also created a blog called The Diet Journey to show how anyone can create nutritious meals without being a culinary expert.

I know how hard things are to stick to a plan at the moment and if you have fallen off the wagon, I understand how hard it is to get back on it.

"The thing thats really good about this plan is that you only have to do 30 minutes of walking each day and you dont starve yourself - you actually get to eat," Matt said.

To help others to battle the bulge during the lockdown, Matt is giving away a copy of the diet book he swears by - The Dukan Diet by Pierre Dukan - as well as his personal meal plan.

To win Matts diet plan go to one of his social media channels @OnAirMatthew on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by the end of April and full details will be there.

Read more:
Broadcaster aims to help people lose weight during lockdown - Stroud News and Journal

The human body contains around 60% water, which plays a key role in all aspects of life.

Yet, many people worry about water weight. This especially applies to professional athletes and bodybuilders who wish to meet a weight category or improve their appearance.

Excess water retention, also known as edema, is a different issue. Though its usually harmless, it may be a side effect of serious medical conditions, such as heart, liver or kidney disease (1).

Women may also experience water retention during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle and during pregnancy.

This article is for healthy people and athletes who wish to reduce their water weight. If you have a serious edema swelling of your feet or arms consult your doctor.

Here are 13 ways to reduce excess water weight fast and safely.

Exercise may be one of the best ways to reduce water weight in the short term. Any form of exercise increases sweat, which means you will lose water.

The average fluid loss during one hour of exercise is anywhere between 1664 ounces (0.52 liters) per hour, depending on factors such as heat and clothing (2, 3, 4).

During exercise, your body also shifts a lot of water into your muscles.

This can help reduce water outside of the cell and decrease the "soft" look people report from excessive water retention (5).

However, you still need to drink plenty of water during your training session.

Another good option to increase sweat and water loss is the sauna, which you could add in after your gym session.

Research on sleep highlights that it's just as important for health as diet and exercise (6, 7, 8).

Sleep may also affect the sympathetic renal nerves in the kidneys, which regulate sodium and water balance (9).

Adequate sleep may also help your body control hydration levels and minimize water retention.

Aim to get a healthy amount of sleep per night, which for most individuals will be around 79 hours.

Long-term stress can increase the hormone cortisol, which directly influences fluid retention and water weight (10).

This may occur because stress and cortisol increase a hormone that controls water balance in the body, known as the antidiuretic hormone or ADH (11).

ADH works by sending signals to your kidneys, telling them how much water to pump back into your body (10).

If you control your stress levels, you will maintain a normal level of ADH and cortisol, which is important for fluid balance and long-term health and disease risk (4, 11).

Electrolytes are minerals with an electric charge, such as magnesium and potassium. They play important roles in your body, including regulating water balance (12).

When electrolyte levels become too low or too high, they can cause shifts in fluid balance. This may lead to increased water weight (12).

You should tailor your electrolyte intake to your water intake. If you drink large amounts of water, you may need more electrolytes (13).

If you exercise daily or live in a humid or hot environment, you may need additional electrolytes to replace those lost with sweat (14).

In contrast, large amounts of electrolytes from supplements or salty foods, coupled with a low water intake, can have the opposite effect and increase water weight.

Sodium, which you obtain daily from salt, is one of the most common electrolytes in the human body.

It plays a major role in hydration levels. If sodium levels are too low or too high, it will lead to imbalances within the body and therefore fluid retention.

A high salt intake, usually due to a diet with lots of processed foods, may increase water retention. This is particularly true if coupled with low water intake and no exercise (15, 16, 17, 18).

However, this seems to depend on the individual's current daily sodium intake and blood levels.

One study suggests you only store excess water if you drastically increase or change your habitual daily intake (19).

Magnesium is another key electrolyte and mineral. It has recently become a very popular supplement for health and sports performance.

Research regarding magnesium has been extensive and shows that it has over 600 roles within the human body (20).

Studies in women show that magnesium can reduce water weight and premenstrual symptoms (PMS) (21, 22).

These changes occur because magnesium plays an integrative role with other electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. Together, they help control your body's water balance.

Magnesium supplements have numerous other potential health benefits for people who are lacking it in their diet.

Dandelion, also known as Taraxacum officinale, is an herb used in alternative medicine to treat water retention (23).

In recent years, it has also become popular among bodybuilders and athletes who need to drop water for aesthetic purposes or to meet a weight category.

Dandelion supplements may help you lose water weight by signaling the kidneys to expel more urine and additional salt or sodium.

This is supported by studies showing that taking dandelion supplements increases the frequency of urination over a 5-hour period (24).

However, even though it's already in popular use, more research is definitely required on dandelion supplements.

Interestingly, being well-hydrated can actually reduce water retention (25).

Your body is always trying to achieve a healthy balance, so if youre constantly dehydrated your body tends to retain more water in an attempt to prevent water levels from becoming too low.

Achieving an optimal daily water intake can also be important for liver and kidney health, which may reduce water retention in the long term (26, 27).

The benefits of drinking more water don't stop there. Other research shows that good hydration is also important for general health, including fat loss and brain function (28, 29, 30).

As always, achieving a balance is optimal. If you drink excessive amounts of fluid you may increase your water weight.

Simply drink when you're thirsty and stop when you feel well hydrated. You should also drink slightly more in hot environments or when exercising.

You can also monitor your urine color to assess hydration. It should be light yellow or fairly clear, which is a good indicator that youre well hydrated.

There are several foods that you may wish to include in your diet to combat water retention.

Potassium-rich foods are often recommended, as potassium can help balance sodium levels and increase urine production, helping you drop excess water (31).

Dark green leafy vegetables, beans, bananas, avocados, tomatoes and yogurt or other dairy products are all healthy and potassium-rich.

Magnesium supplements or magnesium-rich foods are also recommended. These include dark chocolate, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grains.

The following foods and herbs are often recommended by alternative practitioners to drop water weight. Some clinical evidence supporting their use:

Although bloated belly is usually not caused by water retention, you may also wish to limit or temporarily remove foods that may cause bloating.

These include highly processed foods, foods with lots of fiber and sometimes beans and dairy. You can also try sticking to low-FODMAP foods for a while to see if that helps.

Cutting carbs is a common strategy to quickly drop excess water. Carbs are stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen, but glycogen also pulls water inside along with it.

For every gram of glycogen you store, 34 grams (0.110.14 ounces) of water may be stored with it. This explains why people experience immediate weight loss when switching to a low-carb diet, which reduces glycogen stores.

Carbs also lead to a rise in the hormone insulin, which can increase sodium retention and reabsorption of water in the kidneys (40, 41).

Low-carb diets lead to a drop in insulin levels, which then leads to a loss of sodium and water from the kidneys.

Try altering your carb intake and see what works best for you.

Caffeine and beverages that contain caffeine, such as coffee and tea, have diuretic effects and may help reduce your water weight.

It has been shown to increase short-term urine output and decrease water weight slightly (42, 43).

In one study, a glass of water with or without caffeine was provided to participants in doses of 2 mg per pound (4.5 mg per kg) of body weight.

When combining caffeine with water, participants' urine volume significantly increased (44).

That being said, even though caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, it doesnt lead to dehydration in habitual consumers.

One of the best changes you can make is to reduce your intake of processed foods and excessive salt consumption.

Also, avoid sitting all day or for long periods, which can reduce your blood circulation. Physical activity can improve circulation and help you sweat out excess water (45).

Certain medications may also cause water retention, so check with your doctor or medical practitioner if you take medication daily and believe it may be causing swelling (edema) (45).

Although not related to water retention, consider paying attention to the foods you eat and making sure they're not causing digestive issues and bloating (45).

Finally, over or under consumption of water, alcohol, minerals, caffeine and salt can all cause water retention. Find a healthy, normal balance.

Prescription diuretics and water pills are sometimes used to treat excess water retention (46).

They work by activating your kidneys to flush out excess water and salt through urine.

These diuretic pills are often prescribed to those with heart or lung issues and to help with blood pressure, prevent fluid buildup and reduce swelling.

It's important to note the difference between prescription diuretics and over-the-counter or online water pills.

Prescription pills have been clinically tested for long-term safety, whereas over-the-counter pills may lack clinical research and have not always been tested for safety.

Either type may help combat medically diagnosed edema or excess water weight.

Speak to your doctor before trying these.

If your water retention problem persists, seems severe or increases suddenly, its always best to seek medical attention.

In some cases, excess water retention can be caused by a serious medical condition.

At the end of the day, the best way to combat excess water weight is to identify and treat the cause.

This may be excess salt intake, lack of electrolytes, inactivity, excess stress or the regular consumption of processed foods.

Some of these are also among the main causes linked to poor health and disease, which may be even bigger reasons to avoid them.

Read more from the original source:
13 Easy Ways to Lose Water Weight (Fast and Safely)

In a perfect world, you had planned for your pregnancy in every way possible. This included getting down to your ideal weight beforehand. But for many women, this isnt realistic. Pregnancy, while an exciting time, can turn into a weight dilemma for women who are already overweight. This is because of the inevitable weight gain associated with having a baby.

Fortunately, growing research suggests that losing some weight during pregnancy might be possible and even beneficial for some women who are extremely overweight or obese (have a BMI over 30).

Losing weight, on the other hand, isnt appropriate for pregnant women who were at a healthy weight before pregnancy. If you believe you can benefit from weight loss during pregnancy, talk to your doctor about how to do so safely without affecting your baby.

Even before theyre born, your future baby relies on you in numerous ways. Your body nourishes and carries them for about 40 weeks, helping them grow and develop. Having excess weight can cause problems during pregnancy because it can get in the way of these processes.

Being obese while pregnant may lead to:

Despite such dangers, your best approach to weight loss is through a consistent, yet gradual plan with a focus on healthier lifestyle changes. Gradual weight loss is best for your body and your baby.

If your doctor recommends that you lose weight, heres how to do so safely during pregnancy.

Being overweight during pregnancy can sometimes change the focus to only losing weight. But the fact is, youll still gain some weight, and it is important to know how much a healthy amount of is. After all, there is a human growing inside of you!

Follow these pregnancy weight gain guidelines from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, based on your weight before you became pregnant:

The first way you can lose excess weight is by reducing your daily calorie intake. Eating more calories than you burn off is the most common cause of weight gain. It takes a 3,500-calorie deficit to lose 1 pound. Over the span of a week, this equates to about 500 calories per day to cut out.

Before you slash this many calories from your diet, be sure to keep a log and figure out just how many calories you really eat. You can talk to a dietitian to discuss food plans. You can also look up nutritional labels for foods from stores or restaurants to get a sense of how many calories are in each food.

Keep in mind that pregnant women should eat no fewer than 1,700 calories per day. This is the minimum and helps to ensure that both you and your baby are getting enough energy and nutrients on a regular basis.

If you normally consume far more calories than this, consider cutting down gradually. For example, you can:

Take a daily prenatal vitamin to ensure that you are getting all of the nutrients you and your baby need. Folate is especially important, as it helps decrease the risk for birth defects.

Some women are afraid to exercise out of fear of it harming their babies. But this definitely isnt true. While some exercises, such as situps, can possibly be harmful, exercise overall is extremely beneficial.

It can help you maintain your weight, reduce birth defects, and even ease some of the aches and pains you experience during pregnancy.

The current recommendation isnt different from nonpregnant women: 30 minutes of activity per day. If this is too much for you to start, consider breaking up the 30 minutes into shorter blocks of time throughout the day.

Some of the best exercises for pregnant women are:

On the flip side, you should avoid any activities that:

While youll certainly gain weight naturally from your pregnancy, the majority of this weight gain happens in the second and third trimesters. Your baby also grows rapidly during the last two months of pregnancy. You cant control weight gain attributed to your baby and supporting elements like the placenta, so its best to address any weight issues earlier in pregnancy.

Some success in weight intervention among pregnant women has been reported through a study published in the journal Obesity.Researchers found that women who received advice between weeks 7 and 21 of pregnancy were less likely to gain excess weight during the third trimester. The same group of women studied also benefited from weekly support group meetings.

This is just one example of when early planning helped to stave off excess weight gain. If you want to lose weight, or control the amount of weight you gain overall during your pregnancy, be sure to have your doctor help you come up with a plan early on. Your doctor can also refer you to a dietitian for more advice and meal planning.

For most pregnant women, weight management is safer than any form of significant weight loss. Despite the benefits of having a lower BMI during pregnancy, losing weight isnt appropriate for all women.

Part of the concern comes from the methods of traditional weight loss: calorie cutting and exercise. Its important to watch your calorie intake and to exercise during pregnancy. But overdoing it to an extreme could potentially harm your baby. This is why most doctors dont recommend weight loss during pregnancy, unless youre significantly overweight. Discuss any questions or concerns you have with your doctor.

Your doctor can help you make the safest decision for you and your baby. You can always revisit an overall healthy weight loss plan after your baby is born.

Is it important to cut calories to lose weight during pregnancy if youre overweight or obese?

Yes, its important to adapt healthier lifestyle habits during pregnancy, especially if youre overweight or obese. Being very overweight or obese can increase the chance of complications for mom and baby during pregnancy. If you are obese, cutting down gradually and safely on calories, while starting a light exercise routine, can help you get to a better weight. While you may inevitably still gain weight because of the pregnancy, its important to manage how much you gain by watching what you eat and do.

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How to Lose Weight During Pregnancy Safely

Losing weight is not only essential for your health if you're obese or overweight, but it's also a great way to boost your confidence and make you feel better about yourself. Finding the motivation to reach your goal weight is tricky, and 95 percent of diets fail. You need to make healthy eating a lifestyle change in order to keep the weight off. So how is this done?Express.co.ukhas searched through expert advice and compiled a list of top tips that will enable you to lose weight without sacrificing too much.

It can be tempting to skip breakfast in order to reduce calorie intake, but this is almost never effective.Have you ever missed breakfast? A few hours later you are extremely hungry and need a snack to function.You will then make poorer lunch choices and are more likely to fill up on unhealthy junk.Even if you don't feel hungry, have a whole-grain cereal, or fruit and low-fat yoghurt.

READ MORE- Lose weight fast: Best way to kickstart your metabolism

If you love a midnight feast, that's the first thing you need to cut out of your lifestyle.You need to establish a time when you will stop eating for the day in order to avoid late-night snacking.After you've had your dinner, you are free to have something sweet as long as it is before this time.Make sure you brush your teeth after, so you won't be tempted to consume anything else.

Those who chew quickly are 115 percent more likely to be obese than slow eaters.Chewing more slowly will ensure you eat less.

Most experts suggest chewing a piece of food 32 times before you swallow it.

However, it takes less chews to break down softer food that is more water-based. After eating, your gut suppresses the ghrelin hormone which controls hunger.Your body will also releases fullness hormones, which tell your brain you have eaten.This, in turn, makes you feel full and helps you to stop eating.This process takes about 20 minutes, so if you eat slowly you give your brain a chance to catch up.

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If you cut portion size by 10 to 20 percent you will lose weight without realising you're missing anything.Stop when you're full, put less on your plate to start and go back for more if you are still hungry.Before you go back for another portion, think about why you are doing this.Are you bored, anxious, lonely, upset, stressed?Only eat more than the portion you have set out for yourself if you genuinely need it.

Lean or low-fat protein is a great way to keep you feeling full.Protein increases the levels of satiety (appetite reducing hormones), leaving you feeling satisfied after a meal, as well as slowing the rise in blood sugar.If you eat protein in every meal, you will feel full and less likely to binge on sugary treats.After you eat, some calories are used in the digesting and metabolising of food, and this is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF).Protein has a much higher TEF sitting at about 20 to 30 percent, compared to carbs (five to 10 percent) or fat (zero to three percent).If you eat protein in most meals, more calories will be burned while you're digesting it.

An easy way to lose weight is practising mindful eating.If you aren't paying attention to what you eat, it will take longer for you to feel full.Paying attention to what you eat will help you to eat less, more slowly, and make better food choices.This means no eating in front of the TV or while on the phone.

Calories can be hidden in drinks without you realising it.Don't waste calories on what you drink, as they don't reduce hunger like food does.Satisfy your thirst with healthy drinks like cold water, sparkling water, low-fat milk, or a little bit of 100 percent fruit juice.Cut sugary drinks and alcohol out of your life as much as you can.

More here:
Weight loss tips: How can you lose weight without going on a diet? Simple trick revealed - Express

So dont take my next sentence to be offensive. It is just a fact. If you look around you, that is if you are in Nigeria, you will see a lot of overweight and obese people, including my self. Now, look at the image above, that is exactly what you should not be eating for dinner. Read below and you will understand what I am trying to say.

I tried to lose weight for years without success, in fact, I kept gaining weight despite all my endeavours, but in the past 8 months, I have successfully lost 7 kg. I have realized that the key to losing weight is not approaching it like a sprint but like a marathon. You should approach it like a 3-5 year plan, not like something you want to do in 3 months.

This is because you need a strategy that you can continue for many years to come. If you rush to lose weight, you will rush to gain it back.

So first, what about exercise? Yes, it is important to exercise if you can. If indeed you can exercise on a regular basis then kudos to you. For many, exercise is a luxury especially if you are older or have bad knees, some are simply just too busy to make time to exercise.

The main thing I have done so far is work on what I am eating. This has worked wonders for me and my goal is to lose another 10 kg over the next year.

So what exactly did I do?

I was fortunate to meet with a nutritionist and would like to share what I learnt with you. If you have any questions, leave them below, and I will do my best to answer them.

How To Lose Weight On A Nigerian Diet? A Step-by-Step Guide Towards A Healthier Breakfast

The first thing I did was cutting out carbohydrates from my diet. This included removing anything that tastes sweet. I removed bread, reduced rice. Yes, I know these are difficult to do but if you want to lose weight, you have to take the bull by the horn.

My breakfast was just tea and oranges. When I make my tea, I avoid sugar. Sugar is the enemy. I barely used any milk in my tea. That was my approach. In fact, I havent used sugar in over a year. If you are lucky to get zero-calorie sweetener, you can use that as a substitute.

I would like to focus on dinner because this is the part I struggled with during the weight loss process. The foods you eat after the hours of 6 pm have a great impact on your metabolism. The typical Nigerian dinner is very heavy in carbohydrates typically eba, yams, and rice.

You see, that is where the problem was and what my nutritionist pointed out. I was eating too many calories in the evening with the carbohydrates, and as I have gotten older my metabolism has changed, and as such, maybe I cannot handle those calories as well. Also, I am certainly not exercising as much as I would have done so many years ago when I was younger.

So now that you have read the above paragraph, you need to ask your self how many calories are you eating especially at night. You have to realize that eating late can be challenging as the food you eat at night may not be broken down calorie-wise the same way you break down calories you eat during the day.

When you make your dinner, how many carbohydrate calories do you have in it? You need to eat fewer carbohydrate calories.

So how do you do this- you have to reduce your ration of eba, reduce the rice, reduce the yam and increase the protein and vegetable. It is also helpful to avoid eating late at night- eating at least 2-3 hours before your go to bed is healthier than eating just before you sleep.

Especially, eating in the middle of the night is certainly a bad idea. So, easier said than done right? How do you reduce the carbohydrate calories in your dinner without getting hungry?

Here is what I did. I knew that I was going to get hungry by reducing the eba, rice and yams. So instead, I substituted with some beans. I also bought a lot of carrots and fruits. These foods have a lot of fibre and keep you full longer. I also got more protein by eating more fish and boiled chicken. I also onlyate healthy snacks.

However, the most helpful thing I did was to get a calendar, and every day that I ate a low carbohydrate diet, I marked it on the calendar, and slowly and surely, the weight started to come off.

Yes, I did try to exercise whenever I could, because exercise increases fat burning and accelerates the process. However, I wasnt regular at exercising. Well, that is what I did and it worked for me, so hope it works for you.

Let me summarize the steps I took to lose 7 kilograms.

1. Reduce the calories in your diet especially at dinner and at night. You can do this by substituting rice, yam, eba, with proteins, vegetables. Your carbohydrate portion should be less than one-third of your total meal. If you can completely exclude them, by all means, do so. I also avoided any fried foods.

2. Avoid eating late dinners.

3. Avoid sugar completely in your diet.

4. Get a calendar, every day you go successfully reduce the carbohydrates in your meals, mark it and somehow it continues to motivate you to do so. Some people give themselves a cheat day. I didnt.

5. If you can exercise, this will accelerate the weight loss process. Exercise as simple as walking will be helpful. If you can run, even better.

Qwenu!publishes opinions, stories, reflections, and experiences on contemporary issues. Clickhereto read articles from many Africans at home and in the diaspora. Embedded tweets and guest articles do not represent the opinions ofQwenu!as we only provide a platform for writers to express themselves. Email your articles toeditor@qwenu.comFollow us@qwenu_mediaFeatured image: Ke Vin/Unsplash

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Here are my secrets to losing weight on a Nigerian diet | By Tomiwa Abina - Qwenu!

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