FATLOSS FAUX PAS
Almost all women feel they need to lose weight.
They make resolutions, go on diets and try every new workout in town... yet
their weightloss dreams boomerang. Experts pin down a few reasons...
1
Yo-Yo Dieting:
A family wedding's round the corner and you want
your pictures to stand out. But those bulging love handles might play
spoilsport! Enter yo-yo dieting your passport to temporary popularity. `Yo-yo
diet' or `food faddism' is very popular with women since it endorses an
idiosyncratic dieting pattern that guarantees quick weightloss. The important
bit that women miss out, however, is the assured weight `regain' in the long
run. Dr An jali Hooda, MBBS, MD, Obesity, Metabolic Medicine & Clinical
Nutrition, says, “Yo-yo dieting sets in as an escape route under pressure of
achieving fast results and eventu ally leads to more weight gain as women age.
They re sort to crazy diets under pressure, it may or may not work; gradually
they go back to their old eating habits, now with the added emotional effects
of failing to lose weight. Such an emotion al state leads to binge eating,
causing rapid weight gain.“
Moral of the story: Don't fall for food fads;
streamline your eating habits on the whole.
2.
Putting Self Last:
Women are known to multi task. For them, the
toughest part is mak ing themselves the priority. They always put their fami
lies first.
Getting kids to school, packing lunch for
husband and kids, running er rands for home, so on and so forth. This leaves
them with no quality time to savour a meal and in some cases leads to mindless
eating, like finishing their children's left overs. Mornings, obviously, are
the busiest of all times for the women of the house making them skip the most
crucial bit breakfast. “Skipping the most important meal of the day slows
down their metabolism and encourages un healthy snacking later in the day,“
says Taranjeet Kaur, metabolic balance coach and nutritionist, AktivOrtho.
Moral of the story: Make some `me time'. Keep a fistful of nuts handy and pack
breakfast-on-the-go.
3
Constant Comparison:
How often have you chosen a diet because it worked for a friend?
Women often compare themselves with each other without taking into account that
each individual is unique and has a different body makeup. Also, the food
habits are different. Non-vegetarians lose weight faster than their vegetarian
counterparts. A diet might be perfect for someone else, but their needs,
lifestyle, and food preferences could be completely different from yours.
Another blooper women make is to compare themselves with their partners.
“Usually when a couple begins a diet programme together, men tend to lose
weight faster than women due to their higher metabolic rate. This causes
dissatisfaction among the female partners and they tend to look for an escape. Women
need to understand that it is due to their hormonal changes that they lose
weight at a slower pace,“ explains Kaur.“Women have hormonal changes more than
men, not to forget the monthly menstrual cycles and the accompanying mood
changes that lead to odd cravings for comfort food. Also once a woman is
perimenopausal she undergoes excess fat storage especially around her waist,“
adds Dr Hooda. Moral of the story: Love yourself, nature has made you different...
better .Keep yourself hydrated to speed up metabolism.
4
Binging on `health food':
The latest issue of your favourite health journal declared avocado
the health food of the month and you stocked up on it like a lunatic. Several
studies have shown that women are more likely to `overeat' foods that they
perceive to be healthy. They always scan shelves for `health' and `low-fat'
food options and forget that the body needs some amount of essential oils and
fats. “We need fats for proper assimilation of vitamins. Choosing low fat
options usually means having foods loaded with carbohydrates, which causes
insulin fluctuations leading to fat storage,“ says Kaur. The bottom line your
so-called-healthy snack may be causing that unhealthy weight gain. Moral of the
story: Get your facts about nutritional content right, don't fall for marketing
claims. Eat your favourite health foods in moderation; trash foods that are
keeping you fat.
5 Excuses to not
Exercise:
Every change requires sacrificing something dear and convenient to
you. The idea is to come out of your comfort zone, follow some rules and put
yourself through an exercise regime. Many women are not prepared for this, or
even if they get ready after a lot of coaxing by relatives and friends, they
show zeal for a few initial days and then give up. “It is not imperative that
you go out to a gym and work out hard. Even daily house chores can turn the
table,“ assures Kaur. Once you start exercising regularly, it is normal for you
to feel hungry more often. So, make sure you don't indulge in extra snacks and
treats as a reward for the workouts.l Moral of the story: Join a group Zumba
class or call a yoga teacher home for the entire family. Group exercising can
be motivating and seem less of a chore.
|
supriya sharma
|
TL26APR15
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