After successfully losing 25 pounds, I have accumulated quite a bit of valuable experience, and now I would like to share these 10 heartfelt truths with everyone.
First truth: Weight loss is not about watching the scales; it’s about monitoring body fat percentage. I used to focus on the number on the scale every day, which caused my emotions to fluctuate. But I later realized that weight does not fully reflect changes in body shape.
The key to obesity is excessive body fat; weight loss should aim to reduce body fat percentage. People with a lower body fat percentage tend to look slimmer and more toned.
Second truth: Dietary control does not mean dieting. At first, I thought that eating less and starving myself would help me lose weight, but it only made my body weak.
In fact, a scientific weight loss plan should ensure that you consume enough for your basal metabolic rate each day, while also maintaining a diverse diet to ensure proper nutritional balance, replacing high-calorie, unhealthy foods with low-calorie, minimally processed options to lose weight healthily and scientifically.
Third truth: Drinking more water is one of the secrets to weight loss. Water contains no calories and won’t make you gain weight. I used to think drinking water was useless, but now I realize that adequate hydration promotes metabolism, helps the body eliminate waste, and can relieve hunger.
Fourth truth: Eat fruits during the day and avoid them at night. Although fruits are rich in vitamins and fiber, their sugar content should not be underestimated. During the day, your metabolism is active, and eating fruit can replenish energy and nutrients; however, at night, when metabolism slows down, eating fruit can lead to excess sugar being converted into fat.
Fifth truth: Exercise should be varied. Sticking to a single type of exercise can become monotonous and may lead to a plateau. Try various activities like swimming, jumping rope, running, aerobics, jumping jacks, and strength training to avoid falling into a comfort zone, which will help you burn fat more effectively.
Swimming works out all the muscles and improves cardiovascular function; jumping rope is simple and efficient and can quickly elevate the heart rate; strength training helps increase muscle mass and boost basal metabolism.
Sixth truth: Don’t reject staple foods in your weight loss journey. Staple foods are an important energy source for the body; completely eliminating them can lead to inadequate metabolic function, resulting in issues such as anemia, palpitations, hair loss, and hormonal imbalances.
We should control the amount of staple food consumed, aiming for a portion about the size of a fist at each meal, while choosing high-quality staples like brown rice, oats, and sweet potatoes, which can provide energy, regulate blood sugar levels, and are rich in dietary fiber to inhibit fat accumulation.
Seventh truth: Changing the order of eating can lower calorie intake. When eating, start with 200 grams of vegetables to increase satiety, followed by protein-rich foods, and finally the staples. This can effectively control the amount of staples consumed, thereby reducing overall calorie intake.
Eighth truth: Acknowledge the weight loss plateau. The weight loss plateau is a common stage in the weight loss process, indicating that you’ve achieved partial success, so do not feel discouraged just because your weight remains unchanged for a while.
The weight loss plateau is when the body reaches a new balance, and you have moved away from your original weight; this
