Misguided Ideas on Weight Loss

A lot of people are talking about their weight and doing anything to lose it. Recently I have discovered that they are a lot of misconceptions and ideas concerning this weight losing of a thing and dieting.

Let me tell a bit of a story

So a family friend, she’s also a neighbour…

She’s said she wanted to lose weight because she thinks she is getting too fat and she does not want her husband to come and see that she has gained weight because that wasn’t how he left her. Her husband stays abroad.

She embarks on a weight losing journey but it isn’t as effective as it should be.

Why?

Because she have some misguided ideas on weight losing;

Which are;

1. I want to lose weight, so my husband won’t look elsewhere.

2. To lose weight, I must stop eating.

3. I’m not going to eat in the morning before I go to work.

So my friend will miss breakfast and come to work. When she arrives, after sweeping and cleaning the office, and working on her computer, later in the morning lets say 11, she’s tired and her stomach is empty, so she buys one bottle of Miranda or Fanta ( a soft drink that is basically water and sugar) with a pack of biscuits. When she decides to eat at noon, she buys street food. She gets home late and when she does she probably eats a little or not at all.

What’s she doing wrong?

A lot of things.

Now lets correct those misguided ideas

Never miss breakfast:

Studies show making breakfast a daily habit can help you lose weight – and keep it off.

By Jeanie Lerche Davis

Some people cut breakfast thinking they are cutting calories but at lunch you are starved and you start nibbling for anything you see. Making you opt for junk food.

Your body needs metabolism to burn fat. Eating early (breakfast) helps your body to produce enzymes to create metabolism to burn fat through out the day.

Don’t starve yourself:

Starving yourself is unhealthy. The last thing you need is you fainting all in the name of weight loss, then your neighbours will start asking you, “who send you?” Besides it won’t work anyway.

Not eating will make you crave more.

I know word is out there that starving yourself isn’t the best way to lose weight but people still do it out of desperation. If you are losing weight because you are insecure about your relationship or to fit in a particular crowd, then that’s low self esteem talking. Lose weight for the right reasons.
 Instead of eating three large meal, switch to five smaller meal. An healthy breakfast, a mid morning snack; a light lunch, a mid afternoon, then dinner. And when I say snack, I mean something healthy.

Eat slowly. It takes a while for your stomach to know its full. When you rush and eat, you end up over feeding yourself.

Have you noticed that sometimes when you eat and then its like you’re not full. So you go to the kitchen to make another meal but when the meal its ready, it seems like you lost your appetite. You might eat a little but you find out you’re not as hungry as you were when you decided to make the meal.

Eat slow and you will get filled up on time.

Avoid Street/junk/fast food: Of course you shouldn’t always deprive yourself when you’re on a weight loss journey. You can treat yourself once in a while. Opt for a healthier option. But don’t make eating Street/junk/fast food an habit because its calorie filled. Home cooked meal are the best. There’s nothing wrong with packing your lunch to work.

 

Staying Fit should be an every day thing.

Once upon a time, my mum sold gymning equipments and her main customers were older men and women who were over weight. It’s funny how some people eat anyhow just because they have this slimy perfect figure and if you ask them if they gym, they’ll tell you, “What for? Am I fat?” That’s a common misconception. Staying fit; exercising and eating right should be a part of everyday lifestyle not necessarily to lose weight but to keep healthy.

One easy way to exercise is by walking. Avoid the shortcuts. Don’t take a taxi everywhere.

I’ll leave you with this;
Love Yourself, Love your Body. No matter what size, shape, figure you are, you are wonderfully and beautifully made. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad or insecure about it. God loves you.

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So a few weeks back, I sent a mail to Pulse Nigeria to be part of the Pulse Blogger team. I got a mail back that I’ve been accepted as a three months probatory contributor. My first article was published on Saturday and I will love if you check it out and if you can leave a comment.

Faceless by Amma Darko:A book review
Thank you.

For everyone who followed, likes, comments, you guys are stars. I really appreciate.

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So tell me what you think of today’s post. What other misguided ideas do you think people have on weight losing? Share your thoughts on anything and everything.

For more fitness and weight loss tips, check out these articles / posts

Losing belly fat- 15 effective ways

Lose the belly fat

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Featured image: Healthyu.com

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