Summer is nearly upon us. But have you had any luck with the diet in which you promised to be successful with this year or have you mastered the art of procrastinating to the nonexistent ‘tomorrow?’ When it comes to anything apart from playing or wasting our time meaninglessly, we find it hard for any useful habit to stick on. We might have prepared for ourselves healthy greens on the first day of our diet but eventually succumbed to the temptations of chicken the very next day. Nevertheless, with less than two months left until the summer vacation starts, we are still our usual flabby selves. If you feel like you haven’t gotten a chance this year, not to fret! Put away all your worries and find the right way for you to burn your fat away!

Dieting?

          What does it mean to “go on a diet?” The term “diet” is defined as “the act of limiting the amount of food consumption so as not to gain weight.” Overall, it refers to all the meals and all the exercise involved in the process of weight loss. Then, why do people go through all the fuss to lose a few pounds? Based on a survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on whether people manage their weight for their health or appearance, it can be inferred that as the age group increases, the reasons as to why people manage their weight are in inverse proportion to one another. Most of those in their teens or twenties focused on weight loss for outer appearances. Likewise, it seems like most people, especially students like us in their twenties, are concerned about how they look and try to improve on their outer appearances. Particularly in Korea, a society in which appearance-oriented values are ever present, one’s appearance can become a certain type of merit. Thus, many people try to fit themselves into the mold of the typical standards of beauty.

Exercise vs. Diet Management

         Which is more important: is it exercise or diet management? Do you think it would be possible to lose weight by eating whatever you want while exercising for hours a day or not exercising at all and eating just enough to keep you going? Most people cannot afford to take care of themselves time-wise as they are busy with work or studies. Thus, instead of opting for weight loss through exercise as it is high in energy consumption, they prefer managing their daily food intake. Nevertheless, there are many that don’t even have the time to prepare a healthy meal for themselves that they would rather choose to skip a meal. However, if you’re someone who has been on a diet before, you’ll know that this is the worst possible way to lose weight as not having regular meals could lead to binge eating and bring about a yo-yo effect (gaining back lost weight).

“INTAKE – OUTPUT = NEGATIVE.”

In truth, as long as this formula is valid, you’ll have no problem losing weight. To do that, all you need are healthy, well-balanced meals while working out regularly for at least an hour every day.

 


Different Ways to Lose Weight

Fasting

             Fasting refers to “consciously abstaining from food for a certain period of time.” It is one of the many ways to lose weight. There are many types of fasting, including eating only one meal a day, drinking water, or eating fruit to appease one’s hunger. Recommendable to those that consume large amounts of food but could seem like a rather agonizing process with only one meal a day. Nevertheless, unlike a pre-planned diet, as you can eat whatever you want for that particular meal once a day, it could be a sort of a motivator.

          Apart from the steadfast weight loss that accompanies it, there are a few things you should take into account before fasting. As the total consumption of food has shrunk from three meals to just one, there is a high possibility of overeating or binge eating as compensation for eating only a little. To be honest, one meal doesn’t provide you with sufficient nutrients or calories to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Low-Calorie Diet

        A low-calorie diet literally refers to a low-calorie-oriented diet that is, in turn, high in proteins. With the primary cause of weight increase excluded, a low-calorie diet is effective in helping with weight loss. One type of low-calorie diet is the high-protein “Denmark Diet,” Composed of mainly eggs and veggies, this diet is usually carried out for around 2 weeks and must be started again from the top if not followed accordingly. Comparatively balanced in nutrients, the “Denmark Diet” ensures a much more appetizing diet and thus, helps with relieving constipation.

      However, following this particular diet would mean the intake of a paltry amount of carbohydrates compared to proteins thus, although allowing for effective weight loss, it could cause physical side effects. Due to the lack of carbohydrates in in our body, a substance known as ketone is produced and an excess of ketones in the blood causes the blood to acidify, causing major side effects. To add to that, most of the weight loss occurs through the loss of water in the body thus, if this diet is carried out over a long period of time, it could be detrimental to our health. Also, with eggs as the primary staple in the diet, consumption in large amounts could cause high cholesterol levels.

Diet Supplements

           Have you ever tried diet supplements before? Do you think they are effective in helping you lose or maintain your weight? Diet supplements might seem like our knight in shining armor during the late nights when our appetites go out of control. Usually divided into before and after meal groups, diet supplements are said to repress the synthetization of carbohydrates to fats and helps reduce one’s body fat. However, if you’re taking these kinds of supplements you should take into account that they literally act as “supplements” and nothing more by maintaining one’s metabolic rate and burning fats to only a certain extent. They do not actually help you to burn away your existing fat. Nevertheless, taking supplements could provide you with the comfort of mind in rationalizing over what you can eat.

5 Simple Habits to Help You Lose Weight
Drink lots of water
Refrain from salty foods
Regulate food consumption
Massage often
Get enough sleep

       As many reasons there are to lose weight, there are different ways to lose weight. Nevertheless, just because someone else has succeeded in their diet doesn’t mean that you’ll also succeed by following the same method as that person. It’s like how we can’t achieve the wannabe figures of celebrities just by following their diet blindly. There are different ways to lose weight based upon the body type of each individual. Then, let’s find out the suitable method to burn away all that fat. Your efforts will not be in vain, so don’t give up just yet!

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