What is the most natural way to lose weight?

Dr. Rajesh Jain

6 years ago

Things You Can Do naturally for Your weight loss

EAT SLOWLY

This gives your brain the chance to get the signal that you’re full, so you’re less likely to overeat. And if you take it slow, you’re more likely to think about what you’re eating and make sensible, healthy choices.

SOCIALIZE

It’s not about how many people you know or how often you see them. What matters is a real connection with others. It can make you happier, more productive, and less likely to have health problems. So call up a friend and go to dinner, or join a team or club to make some new ones.

DON’T DRINK JUICE, EAT FRUITS

If you like orange juice, have an orange instead. Even 100% pure juice loses nutrition when you process it, and it can put a lot of hidden sugar in your diet. On the other hand, actual fruits are good sources of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and folic acid. And they’re low in fat, sodium, and calories.

TAKE TIME OFF

It’s a time when you can bond with family and friends, which is good for your mental and physical health. People who take more vacations live longer and are less likely to have heart disease and other health problems.

FAT

It’s not as clear-cut as it sounds. You definitely want to keep an eye on trans fats, which are added to some foods (like frozen pizza and baked goods) to keep them fresh. They’ve been linked to heart disease. But some fat — from dairy, whole eggs, fish, avocado, or nuts, for example — is good for you as part of a balanced diet. And high-fat dairy may even help you lose weight better than low fat. This may be because the fat satisfies your hunger better than other calories.

MANAGE YOUR STRESS LEVEL

We all have stress in our lives. It makes your muscles tense and your heart race. If this happens a lot — during your daily commute, for example — and you don’t handle it well, it can cause serious health problems, including high blood pressure, ulcers, and heart disease. So take time to breathe, do something that calms you, and try to accept what you cannot change — like rush-hour traffic.

CUT THE SUGAR

Most of us get way more of it than we need. It’s not just the added calories and the lack of nutritional value: It also can make your blood sugar spike and then crash, and that leaves you tired, hungry, and irritable — “hangry.”

BE ACTIVE

Exercise is a proven way to improve your health, your mental well-being, and even your libido. You don’t have to sign up for the New York Marathon — just get your heart rate up for 30 minutes or so a few times a week. Gardening works, and so does a walk around the block. If you can’t make it a habit on your own, try to make it social: Join a local sports league or plan regular runs with a friend.

KEEP MOVING

If you work in an office, get up and walk around every hour or so, or try a standing desk for part of the day. You’ll burn more calories, improve your circulation, and stay more alert. It may even help prevent certain health issues, like diabetes and high blood pressure.

TAKE GREEN VEGETABLES REGULARLY

Kale, spinach, collards, Romaine, arugula, bok choy, broccolini — make sure you get plenty of these leafy green vegetables. They’re chock full of nutrients, low in calories, and have loads of fiber, which fills you up and satisfies your hunger.

DANCE

It keeps your mind sharp because it’s a skill that involves body movement, and that’s especially good for your brain. It’s also social and can be lots of fun, which bring health benefits of their own. And you might not even notice that you’re exercising!

TAKE A PROPER SLEEP

A lack of sleep can lead to diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression. If that’s not enough reason to get your ZZZs, it also makes car crashes and other accidents. Adults should get 7 to 9 hours each night.

GET OUTSIDE

The sunlight helps set your sleep clock and leads to more exercise. You’ll also get more vitamin D, which many Americans don’t get enough of. It’s important for cell function, mental health, and heart health. But don’t stay in the sun too long, and wear sunscreen. Too much sun is linked to skin cancer.

Use smaller plates

It stands to reason that a larger plate will result in more food being placed on it to fill it up. Some studies indicate that using smaller plates can help you eat less by altering how you view portion size.

“The whole idea is to require less food to fill that plate,” Collazo-Clavell said. “People feel like they have to eat everything on their plate. This way you can finish that plate but not eat in excess.” Even if people have a second helping, they will still be consuming an overall smaller amount of food and cutting back on calories. “I believe that the plate method can help people; that’s something that I do at home.”

You should also focus on quality of the food on the plate. Make sure there are vegetables, quality carbohydrates and protein in the mix. The MyPlate guide from the U.S. Department of Agriculture can be helpful in making sure your portions are healthy and well-proportioned

Eat more slowly

Eating too quickly can cause you to consume more calories than you need even before your body gives you the cue that it’s full. Some studies have shown that people who eat more quickly are more likely to become obese compared with slower eaters.

“The whole rationale is to give your body an opportunity for the gut to send a signal to the brain that you are satisfied,” Collazo-Clavell said. She added that people who struggle with their weight have guts that empty faster, so they want food again very quickly after eating.

Putting your spoon or fork down between bites can help provide a sense of satiety or fullness. This could be a helpful alternative to cutting portion size. “If you purposefully give your stomach less food, you empty it quicker,” Collazo-Clavell said. “If people can adhere to that, it’s great, but there are physiological reasons people can’t. … We are trying to mindfully control something that is beyond our mindful control.” By eating slower and truly enjoying the food, you may feel more satisfied by your meal overall and more full.

Don’t eat while watching TV

In the same vein as eating more slowly, focusing on your food as the main event, not a distraction from the latest episode of your favorite drama, can help cut calories. “That way you are more mindful of eating and able to pay attention to your hunger cues so that you are eating not just out of habit,” said Dr. Zoobia Chaudhry, assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

The Cleveland Clinic notes that eating while watching TV becomes a pattern, and the two can become cognitively linked in our minds. This means the act of watching TV could start making us reach for the potato chips.

Add peppers and spices to your food

Chile peppers, including cayenne and jalapeños, contain the compound capsaicin, which may boost metabolism and increase fat burning. Research has shown that capsaicin could also curb appetite and calorie intake. Studies show several spices, including fenugreek, ginger and cumin, can help control appetite and burn fat. Adding these peppers and spices to healthy whole foods could give a boost to your weight loss goals.

Though the conventional wisdom on weight was that the amount of food caused fullness, there’s a growing body of literature that says some foods are very satisfying to the stomach even in small amounts, Collazo-Clavell said. It’s important to remember that peppers and spices don’t always have to make your mouth feel like it is on fire. Garlic, cilantro and red peppers can add great flavor to a meal without spicing it up too much.

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Dr. Rajesh Jain

Dr. Rajesh Jain MD PG Diploma Diabetes, UK

The diabetesasia is the advocate for the people currently living with diabetes Burden & NCDs Risk. Global Diabetes Walk campaign remind us to Prevent diabetes.

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