Diabetes Weight Loss : Best Weight Loss Diet For Diabetes

Diabetes Weight Loss : Best Weight Loss Diet For Diabetes






High blood sugar or diabetes is a condition wherein your body fails to produce the required quantity of insulin needed. It is a metabolic disorder that occurs to people whose cells are not in a position to use the insulin secreted or in those insulin is not secreted in required volumes. Blood sugar level increases sharply for diabetic people causing lot of health issues and damaging vital organs like heart, kidney, lungs and brain. You are at risk of several complications and hence it is very much important to maintain your weight. Losing weight for diabetic people can be more challenging than others.

Choosing the right diet is vital for everyone who is health conscious, but for diabetic people eating wrong diet can increase their risk significantly causing more complications. To begin with, the risk of diabetes increases considerably if you are obese and overweight. According to CDC of USA, people with body mass index of 25 or more are categorized as overweight. As more and more people become obese, diabetic population increases considerably.

As of now 68% of adults in the US are either overweight or obese and this accounts for about 2/3rd of population. Almost 3 out of 4 men are obese or overweight according to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney diseases.

Who Are At Risk ?

Any person who is overweight or obese is at significant risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Your risk increases if you are physically inactive or if you have a family history of diabetes, or if you have high Blood Pressure/cholesterol, or if you have cardiovascular disease. Losing just 5% of weight can prevent you from diabetes and for that you need to be active and control your diet.

Don’t Avoid Eating :

There are some people who think by avoiding breakfast or lunch they can reduce weight. This theory is worse than you think. By fasting you are actually worsening the metabolic condition of your body. It is very much vital for people with diabetes to eat frequently in smaller portions. You can even eat 6 or 7 times a day instead of sticking on to 3 times meal a day.

Eat Right :

Firstly, you should know what foods to avoid before getting to know what you should eat. There is no specific “diet” for people with diabetes according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics but they should definitely know the impact of certain foods on their metabolism.

Eating a nutritious balanced diet can help in preventing diabetes and promoting weight loss, if you have not still developed diabetes. You can always take steps to reduce the risk at least now. Maintaining your weight at healthy level can make a big difference.

Recommendations Of ADC :

The American Diabetes Association has recommended the following foods for people with diabetes.

• High protein foods like beans, nuts, eggs and poultry and fishes like salmon, tuna etc. can be taken. Fruits and vegetables like berries, broccoli, kale, asparagus, collard greens and okra can be included. Dairy products like nonfat milk or low fat


• Yogurt can be taken. Whole grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta can be included.

Food To Be Avoided :

Certain foods can cause sudden spikes of blood sugar in diabetic people and hence such foods should be avoided. This include full fat dairy products, processed grains, fruits with sweeteners and canned fruits, and fried items and foods made of refined flour.

DASH Diet :

DASH is the short form of Dietary Approach Stop Hypertension which goes well for diabetic people also. Healthy vegetable oils, low fat dairy foods and lean protein can be taken daily. Total sodium (common salt) intake should not be more than 1000 mg per day.

Mediterranean Diet :

This diet is also healthy for people planning for diabetic weight loss diet. This includes foods rich in oleic acid that helps in reducing glucose levels and weight. Here again recommendations come in the form of protein foods like salmon and eggs, fruits and vegetables, beans and nuts and healthy fats like olive oil and almonds.

Paleolithic Diet :

This diet includes protein rich foods like meat and poultry, plant based foods like vegetables and fruits that contain less starch and healthy fats like coconut oil and olive oil.

Exercise :

Doing regular exercises like walking or workouts in gym is good for people with diabetes. Aerobic exercise would help in reducing blood sugar levels considerably. You need to consult your GP if you have additional complications like cardiovascular problems before starting any workouts. You can see improvements in blood glucose level if you are dieting alongside exercising.

Losing Little Weight :

Even losing little weight can help you in long way. Set realistic goals while planning for diabetic weight loss. Be choosy in your diet and it is good to check with your dietician for healthy weight-loss. You need to realize that it is the starchy carbohydrates that increase the blood glucose level and reduce it considerably or try to avoid it. Losing little weight also can boost up your mood and motivates you to lose more weight.

Stomach Fat :

If you observe diabetic people, you can see most of them are obese having rich belly fat. Abdomen region is loaded with fats when compared with hips and thighs. Ideal waistline for woman is about 35 inches or less and for average adult men it is 40 inches.

Healthy Foods For Diabetic Weight Loss :

• Fats (unsaturated) like olive oil, fish oils and flax seed oil contain monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. These are good for health helping in lowering blood glucose and cholesterol.


• Any fruits and vegetables (excepting canned ones) are good for diabetes. Eat fresh fruits chewing it slowly instead of juicing it. Fruits with high sugar content like mango, pineapple, pears and bananas can be taken in small quantities.


• Whole grains like whole wheat bread, whole oats, brown rice, whole rye, barley and buckwheat are healthy for diabetic weight loss.


• Fish variety like turkey, salmon and tuna can be taken, once or twice a week.


• Protein rich foods like eggs, low fat dairy and low fat yogurt are good for diabetes.

Foods To Avoid :

• Packaged foods, processed foods, baked items, sweets (of any kind), fried items, white bread, refined rice or pastas, processed and red meat are to be consumed in very less quantity or fully avoided.


• The real culprit is the carbohydrates since it can increase blood glucose level sharply. Reduce or avoid carb rich foods like white rice, white bread and pasta. Slow release carbohydrate foods can be take in smaller quantities since they are digested slowly keeping you satiated for extended time.


• Select and eat foods that have low glycemic index like whole grains, legumes and low starch fruits and vegetables if you have diabetes.

Healthy Dieting Tips : Diet For Healthy Weight Loss

Healthy Dieting Tips : Diet For Healthy Weight Loss






“Weight loss” is the term that is most sought in the internet in recent times. Obesity has become universal problem and millions of people are facing challenges of chronic illness like Diabetes and Hypertension due to increased weight. Before knowing about the healthy weight loss diet, you should first understand that there is no single diet solution that fits the needs of all. The diet that works for one person may not work for the other.

Increase in weight occurs due to various factors like genetics, lifestyle and Stress in addition to health issues. So, you need to follow trial and error method before finding the right weight loss method that suits you.

Before starting any weight loss program set short term goal like losing 1-2 pounds a week. And make sure that you can follow the weight loss diet without any hesitation. Be determined to complete the course of weight loss diet for specified period for achieving the desired weight loss.

In case you are having any chronic problems like diabetes or heart problems discuss with your doctor before starting any weight-loss regimen since it may interfere with your medications.

Basics Of Weight Loss :

The inflow of calories in a day should be lower than the calories that are burnt by you to lose your weight. This forms the basis of any weight loss diet. You need to spend more calories by exercising and working than your total intake of calories. This results in burning of stored-up calories in fat from your body helping in losing weight. Always measure the calories before putting anything in your mouth, when you are on weight loss diet.

• Cut Down Calorie Intake Gradually

It is true that you can lose weight in the first week of program by reducing the calorie intake and by burning excess of fat. But you may not be able to achieve it in the coming weeks. This is because your metabolism becomes weak after losing water and fat from your body. So for matching the metabolic process, you need to cut down still more calories in the successive weeks to get the desired weight loss.

• Don’t Eat When You Are Stressed

Most of the time, we eat more than our needs to satisfy the needs of stress which can drastically interfere with the weight loss program. You are not eating for hunger instead you choose to eat more comfortable foods in spite of knowing that it is high in calories. Hence you need to control emotional eating first for losing weight.

• Avoid Carbohydrate In Your Diet

Carbohydrate poses the biggest threat for any weight loss program. When you eat carb rich food, the metabolism of the body triggers production of insulin to burn excess loads of sugar that enters your body in the form of glucose. But in this process, only the sugar particles get burnt up and not the fat molecules which gets piled up in your body increasing your weight.

Avoid soft drinks and energy shakes since it contains loads of sweeteners and carbs. Replace them with fresh fruit juices or iced tea. Reduce the sugar from your daily diet gradually and not suddenly. While shopping in the grocery store, be selective in buying anything. Clearly read the label and calorie specifications and remember low fat snacks items are not always calorie free. You can add avocados, seeds, nuts and tofu in your daily diets which are rich source of good unsaturated fats.

• Insulin

The insulin hormone has two major functions. One is to regulate blood glucose levels and the other is to prevent fat cells of the body to release the fat. By this function more and more fat cells are created resulting in ultimate increase of weight.

• Track Your Progress and Don’t Give Up

Weight loss cannot be achieved overnight. You can easily gain weight but is difficult to lose even one pound. Join a support group to stay motivated and seek help from friends and family. Set up short term goals that are easy to win so that you will be encouraged to reduce more weight in the next term. Reduce stress by practicing meditation and cognitive behavior therapy. Get enough sleep without which weight loss is not possible.

Diet Tips For Weight Loss :

There are thousands of weight loss diets on the planet and it is for you to choose the best that suits your lifestyle. Though the path we travel is different, the ultimate destiny we reach would be the same, namely weight loss.

• Eggs

Eggs are rich in proteins and many essential nutrients. It contains healthy fats that help in reducing bad fats preventing Heart Attack. Eggs can keep you satisfied and free from hunger for extended hours and hence it is ideal to have two eggs for breakfast.

• Greens

There are plenty of varieties of leafy greens like spinach, kale, collards etc. You need to include at least one leafy green in your daily diet for getting the essential nutrients required by your body. Greens are ideal for lunch and there is no harm even if you consume them in bulk quantities. They are loaded with fiber and hence prevent you from Constipation. Any healthy weight loss diet includes plenty of greens owing to its content of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

• Vegetables

Vegetables are rich in fiber content and hence fulfilling in nature. You can eat vegetables as salads or as cooked in medium heat. They are natural foods for healthy weight loss that helps you in achieving the desired goal in short term. They contain proteins, nutrients and antioxidants which are good for health.

• Lean Meat

Not all the meat contents have bad cholesterol. You can have pieces of lean meat once a week even when you are on healthy weight loss diet. Being rich in protein, lean meat helps you in losing weight properly if taken in right proportion. It can also keep you fulfilled for more hours.

• Salmon and Tuna

Both these fishes can be included in your weekly diet for healthy weight loss. They are not only rich in protein but also in antioxidants promoting good health.

• Beans and Legumes

Black beans, kidney beans and any kind of lentils are good for weight loss diet. Again they are good source of protein and fiber that helps in keeping you free from hunger.

• Dairy Products

Cottage cheese is a natural source of protein and for healthy weight loss you need to increase protein intake. You are losing fats and pounds each day but building muscle mass alternatively. This can be achieved by taking cottage cheese once a week in right proportion.

• Nuts

Take a handful of nuts each day when you are on healthy weight loss diet. This can form the best alternative for packaged snacks and is rich in fiber and protein. Remember it can make you craving to eat more but stay content with the daily proportion.

• Whole Grains

Brown rice and oats can be included in your daily diet in limited quantities. Oats are rich in beta glucans and fiber and good for health.

• Fruits

Fresh fruits and vegetables always promote good health. All kinds of seasonal fruits can be consumed during weight loss diet. Take time to chew them slowly along with saliva.

Additional Tips :

• As said earlier, measure the calories you eat and do exercises daily.


• Finish your dinner early (before 6 PM) and spend at least 3 hours before going to bed.


• To the extent possible, avoid eating in restaurants.


• Instead of taking 3 big meals eat several meals a day in small proportions.


• Use smaller plates and serving cups.


• Don’t go for shopping when you are hungry. Always carry an apple or other fruit in your bag so that you can have a bite when you are craving for foods.


• Do exercise at least for 30 minutes a day.

Can Weight Loss Affect Your Period?

Can Weight Loss Affect Your Period?

The menstrual cycle, though grueling sometimes, is important. Every 28 days, women go through emotional changes, hormonal changes and periods. This is an indication that they are not pregnant. What if the cycle is interrupted? What if you are not expecting, but you miss your periods suddenly? A number of things could cause this. Here comes the question "Can weight loss be one of the things affecting your period?"

Can Weight Loss Affect Your Period?
Progesterone and estrogen are the two main hormones that affect a woman’s menstrual cycle. Estrogen helps to mature the egg before ovulation and to grow and mature the uterine lining. Progesterone, on the other hand, mainly controls the uterine lining buildup and helps mature and maintain the uterine lining during pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the level of progesterone falls and the uterine lining sheds as menstruation.

So, can weight loss affect your period? Too much weight loss can cause you to miss your periods. Loss of weight either due to dieting or eating disorders can cause fluctuations in the thyroid gland, which in turn leads to a reduction of these reproductive hormones. This will result in the absence of menstruation, a condition called secondary amenorrhea. Amenorrhea can be caused by losing more than 10% of your ideal body weight within a short period of time. This means losing 12 pounds may lead to missed periods for a person whose ideal weight is 120 pounds.

Women who are underweight do not produce enough estrogen. Besides, your cells are unable to convert cholesterol into estrogen if you lack enough fat. Remember, you require enough estrogen to build the uterine lining and have your periods. So women with less fat in their bodies are likely to get fewer periods or stay longer without ovulation.

Can Weight Gain Affect Your Period?
Can weight loss affect your period? Yes. What about weight gain? The answer is still yes. But how does this occur? A weak estrogen called estrone can be formed from basic cholesterol compounds found in fat cells. Obese or overweight women with extra fat cells have little estrone-forming units that have an estrogenic effect on glands. This extra estrogen may lead to menstrual disorders. A woman with extra weight may go for months without ovulating although the uterine lining keeps accumulating. It gets to a point where the lining becomes unstable. Consequently, a woman can experience a period that lets loose like a flood gate with very heavy or prolonged bleeding.

Does Period Affect Your Weight?
A woman’s menstrual cycle can be affected by either weight gain or weight loss. However, the opposite may also happen. It may often feel like you have put on some weight during that time of the month. However, menstruation may be not the cause of changes in weight. As much as there may be secondary connections of menstrual cycle to weight gain or loss, there is no direct impact.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) comes with food cravings and changes in appetite, which could affect weight. Studies have shown that women will consume more calories during different phases of the menstrual cycle. They tend to crave foods with high carbohydrate and fat content during periods. Some women also experience bloating, a temporary PMS symptom, which makes them feel heavier. Salty foods can cause Water Retention in the body, which depicts temporary weight gain on the scale. It is important to keep off very salty foods during and after your period. Eat healthy by including plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. Take lots of water to reduce the bloated feeling.

Other Factors That Can Affect Your Period
Can weight loss affect your period? Yes, it can. And there are many other things can interfere with your period other than weight:

Medication: Medications sometimes interfere with your menses. Always confirm with your pharmacist whether missing your periods is one of the side effects of any medications.

Stress: Your regular menstrual cycle and evolution can be messed up by high stress levels. Delayed ovulation may lead to late periods. You may lose your period if you do not ovulate at all.

Exercise: Low body fat or stress on your body caused by strenuous exercise may interfere with your menstrual cycle.

Thyroid Disease: An underactive thyroid (Hypothyroidism) can alter the production of certain hormones and result in missed periods.

Changes In Shift: If you suddenly change your work shift from night to day or your work involves constant changes in shift, there may be a change in your menstrual cycle.

Breastfeeding: Hormones that aid in milk production can sometimes block ovulation or interfere with your cycle eventually causing you to stop menstruating.

Contraceptives: Irregular periods can also be due to the use of contraceptives. Some contraceptives change your flow so that it looks like you have missed your periods while others like Yaz or Seasonique stop your periods for a few months or up to one year.

Antidepressants Or Antipsychotics: Antipsychotic medications and antidepressants increase the production of prolactin hormone, which interferes with other hormones that regulate your cycle leading to skipped or more frequent periods.

Smoking: Smoking may change the levels of progesterone, estrogen, testosterones and other hormones that regulate your cycle. Women who smoke experience much worse PMS and have shorter and more irregular cycles than those who do not smoke.

Other Factors: Other factors that can cause irregular or missed periods include, pelvic organ problems like Asherman’s syndrome or imperforate hymen polycystic ovary syndrome, birth control methods, travel, illegal drug use, hormonal problems interfering with the hormones that support menstruation, premature ovarian failure which may be caused by radiation therapy, chemotherapy or surgery on the abdomen or pelvis and diseases like liver disease, Tuberculosis, diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome.

Loose Skin After Weight Loss

Loose Skin After Weight Loss



Loose skin is a common problem in individuals who have shed a considerable amount of weight especially if the weight loss has been achieved in a short span of time. Loose skin hanging around from different places in your body such as from under the arms or around the stomach can be very embarrassing. Let us discuss the different reasons that lead to loose skin, and the various ways to tighten loose skin after weight loss and fat loss.

How to Avoid Loose Skin after Weight Loss
1. Don’t Lose Weight too Quickly
To avoid loose skin, don’t lose weight too quickly. Crash diets and doing too much of exercise will make you lose not only the fat layer of your skin but also the underlying supportive muscles that hold skin taut against your body. Always aim for losing 1-2 pounds of weight per week and ensure that you include weight lifting exercises in your weight loss program so that your lean muscle is not lost.

2. Stay Hydrated
Water is crucial to maintain the elasticity of your skin. Hence, keep a check on your hydration needs. You should drink at least 2 liters of water per day.

3. Eat Properly
Two ingredients that help in keeping your skin elastic and plump are elastin and collagen. Foods rich in protein such as milk and other dairy products, cheese, tofu, legumes, seeds, nuts, beans and fish contain components that form elastin and collagen and also oils that help in maintaining the health of the skin. For maximum absorption of these collagen and elastin forming components into the body, eat a protein rich food of 100-200 calories, immediately post your workout.

4. Take Great Care of Your Skin
Take great care of your skin and nourish it.

• Exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and improve blood circulation in the skin.
• Skin tone can be improved by having a hot bath comprising of minerals and sea salt.
• Skin tightening creams containing herbs and other ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, yeast extract, vitamin C, soy protein, vitamin A and vitamin E helps in hydrating and increasing the formation of collagen and elastin in the skin
• Avoid exposure to harsh ingredients such as sulfates present in soaps, hair shampoos and liquids used for dishwashing
• Limit exposure to harmful sun rays, avoid going to tanning booths and limit exposing your skin to hot and chlorinated water. If you do swimming as a part of your fitness routine, you should use soaps and shampoos that are specifically made to remove chlorine from the skin.

You can also watch the following video to get more knowledge on how to avoid loose skin during weight loss:

How to Tighten Skin after Weight Loss
1. Tone Your Muscles
A major part in eliminating loose skin is to tone and build muscles. As already stated you may lose not only fat but also muscles if you lose weight rapidly by crash dieting and exercising. The solution to this problem is to build more muscles while keeping the body fat percentage low. The muscles will fill your loose skin and make your skin appear tighter and taut. You should lift weights and improve on your muscle mass if you already have lost weight and developed loose skin. In case you are beginning a weight loss program, ensure to include weight lifting exercises too.

2. Get Vitamins
You should also ensure to take a multivitamin so that you fulfill all your nutritional needs while you are restricting your calories to lose weight. The multivitamin you chose should contain all the necessary vitamins such as A, C, E, K and B that are important for the health of the skin. Opt for a formula that contains various minerals such as selenium, zinc and copper too.

3. Massage Weekly
An excellent way to maintain health of the skin is to get regular massages utilizing effleurage movements. This is a technique of massage that helps in improving the blood circulation of the skin. You can either opt for professional massage or do it yourself.

Why Does the Skin Get Loose after Weight Loss?
Skin is a living organ that is incredibly elastic and as you move and grow in size, it stretches. Similarly it shrinks when you lose weight. Like all other organs of the body skin is also composed of cells and it covers and protects the entire body. Skin has three different layers which comprise of different types of cells. The outermost layer of the skin is known as epidermis and the cells of this layer are shed continuously and being replaced by new cells. The other two layers of the skin are known as dermis and subdermis and are composed of elastic connective tissues, blood vessels, fibers and other components that may contract or stretch depending on the stimulus applied to them. The cells present in the deeper layers of the skin are a bit more permanent.

When a large amount of weight is lost, especially during a short span of time, these deeper elastic skin components lose their fat content that helps the skin to stretch and cover the entire body. These components also do not have enough time and get into the shape of your new size.

Apart from rapid weight loss, there are several other factors including age, poor nutritional habits, Dehydration, excessive exposure to the sun and smoking tobacco that can adversely affect the elastic components of the skin and make your skin loose and hang in folds.

When to Consider Surgery
Plastic surgery should be considered to correct and tighten loose skin if you have excessive weight for many years and now lost it. However, surgery should be the option in only extreme cases where all other measures to correct loose skin have failed.

Weight Loss – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Home Remedies

Weight Loss – Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Home Remedies






Weight loss has been the hottest topic discussed ever and it still remains the most popular topic. It is overwhelming to know that more than 35.7% adults are overweight worldwide and about 6.3% of overweight persons are obese. Obesity and overweight are the main factors contributing to life-threatening disorders like Blood Pressure, diabetes, heart disease, Kidney Failure, arthritis, Fatty Liver problems and much more. It goes without saying that overweight lowers one’s self esteem apart from causing various medical issues.

This article deals with the various factors that cause weight gain and the ways of treating weight loss medically and managing it through home remedies and life-style modifications. According to the data given by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive/Kidney diseases are obese and both men and women are equally obese worldwide. You may be surprised to know that one out of every 5 children below age 6 are obese and this occurs primarily due to wrong lifestyle and food habits.

Understand Obesity and Overweight :

A person having BMI (Body Mass Index) of more than 30 is considered to be obese. Excess volumes of body fat would be present in such people. A person having more body weight than his limits is considered to be overweight. Body weight can come from his bones, muscles or fat and in this case weight is equally distributed in the body. BMI of an overweight person would stand below 30.

Weight Loss Symptoms :

• It is easy to identify overweight by simply checking your BMI.


• Needless to say, that your trousers may not be fitting you as before if you have gained weight and you may need larger size.


• You would have bulging stomach and extra fat build-up around your waist.


• Further many people may have symptoms like shortness of breath, difficulty in walking (due to arthritis) and sleeping problems due to overweight.


• And weight gain does not happen overnight but is a process that happens gradually.

Causes Of Overweight :

Various factors contribute for weight gain and let us discuss them in separate headings.

Medical Factors :

• Hypothyroidism – If the thyroid gland cannot produce enough hormones to check the metabolism you are said to have under-active thyroid or hypothyroidism. This disorder can occur in any age but is more common in aged women than men. Thyroid hormone normally secretes enough amounts of thyroid stimulating the metabolism of the body to burn fat and regulating calories. But due to some reason when the gland fails to produce enough hormones you may become overweight in spite of following dieting and exercising. Your doctor may prescribe suitable hormone replacement pills for regulating the function of thyroid gland.


• Diabetes Mellitus – People who are diabetic and taking insulin are more prone to gain weight than others. Taking insulin for long-term helps in managing blood sugar level but at the same time it can make you hungrier forcing you to take additional snacks.


• Intake of Steroids – Corticosteroids are prescribed commonly for many conditions like arthritis and Asthma which when used for long-term can cause weight gain. The more you depend on steroid drugs the more is the chance for putting weight since these medications will make you more hungry by affecting specific brain areas stimulating appetite forcing you to eat more than your need.


• Cushing Syndrome – Cushing syndrome is a rare disorder that produces excess amounts of cortisol hormone leading to weight gain. This occurs largely for people who are in steroid treatment for long-term and in some cases due to tumor development in specific areas inducing hormone secretion. Cortisol can cause excess of weight gain and obesity related problems.


• Fluid Retention – Edema or fluid retention can cause swelling in various parts of the body. Fluid gets accumulated in certain parts like face, ankles and stomach leading to overweight. Fluid retention can also cause serious problems in heart and kidney and it is necessary for you to check with your GP if you have fluid retention.


• Medications – Excess of weight can occur due to side effect of many drugs including steroids, insulin and certain anti-psychotic drugs. People who are taking antidepressant drugs for long can become overweight in due course. It is believed that certain types of oral contraceptives can cause weight gain and fluid retention.

Non-Medical Reasons :

• Age – As one grows older he/she becomes less active losing muscle mass largely. This can also slow down the metabolism rate making them physically inactive leading to weight gain.


• Stress – Increasing stress can sometimes cause weight gain. Many people are prone to eat more during emotional distress adding more fat to their body. Likewise, depressed mood can make one to find solace in food causing overweight. Mood does not affect every person in the same way. Some people may lose weight due to Depression and others may gain weight.


• Deprivation Of Sleep – Not having enough sleep during night can contribute for weight gain. Sleeping problems can make you hungry easy by stimulating hunger hormone. Sleep-deprivation can cause fatigue which in turn reduces one’s physical activity leading to overweight.


• Wrong Diet Habit – Eating fatty and fried items and late night snaking can definitely cause increase in weight. Many of us don’t know what to eat and how to eat. We are ready to spend hundreds of dollars at parlor and clothing but hesitate to buy fresh vegetables and fruits that keep us healthy.


• Watching Television and Eating – Often we end up eating more while watching TV programs and favorite movies. Moreover your mind is not tuned to produce digestive hormones since it is preoccupied with television. Hence necessary digestive enzymes are not produced leading to building of fat. Likewise eating large food portions has become a routine for many people. Fast foods give you more calories and fats than you expect building more and more fat blocks in the body.


• Sedentary lifestyle – Younger generation spend hours together with computer, laptops and television without knowing that it can lead to weight gain and obesity. Nowadays people don’t even go for shopping making their best choices online thereby not giving opportunity for moving around. Calories are not burnt fully in this sedentary life-style causing increase in weight. Modern technology has made mankind lazy and physically inactive causing various health problems. Extended working hours does not permit some people to go for gym and spend time for aerobics.


• Family History – Genes are one of the causes of overweight. The chance of becoming obese is doubly increased if either or both of your parents are overweight.

Diagnosis :

Your GP would request for a series of tests to check the cause of weight gain which includes laboratory tests like blood culture and thyroid hormone test. If any other symptoms are present suitable functional tests would be ordered. He would also make nutritional assessment to find out if there is any deficiency of essential nutrients.

Primarily he would check the BMI after measuring your weight and height to find out whether you are overweight or obese. A person is said to be obese if his/her BMI is over 30. Next he would get complete medical history of the person concerned to know if he/she has any other medical disorder like Hypertension or diabetes which contributes for weight gain.

Treatment For Weight-Loss :

Weight-loss treatments differ from one person to the other. There is no concrete single method to reduce weight. Usually combination of diet and exercise is the thumb-rule for weight reduction. In severe cases of obesity weight-loss medications would be prescribed. However they would have to be on dieting and exercising regimen to maintain the desired weight.

Weight-loss Program :

The success of this method lies in strictly adhering to the given diet in addition of doing regular exercises as suggested by your GP. Your doctor would devise a suitable individual program and give support to get the maximum desired result of weight-loss. Weight-loss program for obese people differ from that of plans for overweight people. Overweight people lie between the ranges of 25 to 29 of BMI whereas the BMI of obese person is above 30.

The agenda of this program begins in changing your life-style and following the dieting suggested by the nutritionist. Supplementary drugs would be given for some people to boost the weight-loss program initially. Diet for weight-loss will include plenty of protein and low carbohydrate and it does not include fat and fat related substances.

Set A Realistic Goal :

People who have joined weight-loss program are advised to set a realistic goal. It is impossible to achieve sudden weight loss by anyone within specific time-frame. You should focus on NOT GAINING WEIGHT anymore in the first month of the plan instead of losing weight. If you are in the pre-diabetic stage you will be happy to know that losing just 5% of your body weight will decrease the risk of getting diabetes by 50%. Practically it is difficult to lose weight and you need to be determined to reach the desired goal.

Life-Style Changes :

No weight-loss program can be successful without making changes in your lifestyle. You need to change your eating habits and follow the time schedule given by your nutritionists or dietitian before putting anything inside your mouth.

Know The Triggering Factors :

Firstly you can identify what exactly triggers you to eat something and remove those factors completely. For knowing this, you can write down the entire things that you are eating, where you are eating, and how often you eat etc. Triggering factors differ from one person to another. Some people get induced by passing through favorite places like restaurants and some others are attracted to particular items of food etc. There are people who get triggered by emotions and take up more food than normal.

Method Of Eating :

Next, you should be aware of what you are eating and how much calorie it has. Measure anything you eat from Day 1 and get help online to know the amount of calories of the food. It is good to chew the food properly so that it mixes with saliva before swallowing it. But in reality we don’t have the patience to chew it and instead we send in food as a whole into the stomach. Further you should avoid eating large meals at a stretch and give way for eating little food frequently. It is proved medically that taking little food many times a day is better than eating hefty meals twice or thrice a day. Your stomach will be comfortable in disposing off the items with ease if you could take little food.

Include plenty of fiber contents in your daily diet. Always keep fresh fruits handy so that whenever you feel hungry you can grab a fruit of your choice. You have to totally remove fat and fried items from your diet and replace them with vegetables and whole grains. And don’t forget to reward yourself for changing your food habits. You can choose your favorite clothing or go for a weekend movie etc as reward.

Checking Your Weight :

Do not attempt to check your weight every day after starting weight loss plan. You should be patient enough for at least couple of weeks before measuring the weight. Ensure that you are not deviating from the weight loss plan and strictly following the diet pattern so that you can reach the goal quickly.

Positive Thinking :

Join a support group or find out a friend who is with the same weight loss plan. Whenever you are going out finish your meal and go and keep some fruits in your bag so that you can avoid snacks outing. Go for yoga /meditation classes to reduce stress.

Drugs For Weight Loss :

Not each one of you who are overweight can take weight loss pills. It has to be decided by your GP whether you are suitable for taking them. Weight loss pills are recommended for people with multiple problems like diabetes, Rheumatoid Arthritis and hypertension due to overweight. Some of the popular drugs prescribed for weight loss include orlistat, Lorcaserin, Phentermine and Bupropion naltrexone. Some people take dietary supplements while losing weight but like weight loss pills, this can also cause side effects.

Surgery :

Bariatric surgery is strictly for people with severe obesity and for those who are not fit for dieting or exercising. You can discuss with your doctor/surgeon about the benefits and side effects of weight loss surgery before signing the papers. This surgery carries equal potential risks like many other operations and even after surgery you should carefully maintain to sustain the desired weight for life-long. Gastric bypass, lap banding and gastric sleeve are the major types of surgery done for weight loss. Complications like bleeding or infection or blood clot can occur after surgery and you need to be prepared for that too. You have to visit the clinic regularly and follow the instructions given by your dietician and doctor to get well.

Home Treatment (Remedies) For Weight Loss :

Anyone can achieve the desired weight loss goal by healthy diet alone. All you have to do is to consult a dietician/nutritionist for devising customized diet plan that matches your body and health condition. Keep fresh fruits in the table so that whenever you feel tempted you can take them liberally. You can practice strength training exercise at your gym instead of routine workouts in the treadmill or cycle. This in turn helps in building muscle mass which can boost up your metabolism burning more calories easily. Eating healthy diet and regular exercise can definitely give results but it may take time.

Prevention :

Educate your children from now on about the ill-effects of weight. Do not force them to eat. Make it a habit to visit restaurants once in a month only and restrict the intake of high-calorie foods and fat items. Children are becoming overweight and obese even at young ages and it is the duty of adults to educate them and prevent them from obesity.

Conclusion :

To sum up, every person can be able to shed some pounds if he/she really follows the given diet regimen and exercise. Set realistic goals for weight loss that can be achieved within given time-frame. Think about the benefits you get by losing weight. Be optimistic. Weight-loss is not an elusive target if you are determined and continue to work towards goal.