HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT FAST: 7 STEP PROCESS BACKED BY SCIENCE
There are thousands of articles and even more videos on the internet on how to lose weight. Most of that information is questionable and miles away from any scientific reasoning. Even worse, it is generic information without any logic, process, and defined targets. It is as good as learning how to swim by reading a book about swimming.
In this article, I will provide the readers with a foolproof 7-step guide which if followed religiously will give the desired results. I have tried it myself and have shared it with a lot of my friends who have benefitted from it. The whole process is broken into steps and sub-steps for a better understanding. Each step is explained with scientific reasoning and citations. Let’s begin:
STEP 1: SET A REALISTIC GOAL
Setting a realistic goal will give you a sense of direction and motivation. Weight loss journey is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. Two people with different heights, weight, and metabolisms cannot have a similar target. So you wonder how to set a goal. I set my primary goal using a body mass index (BMI) calculator. The standard range of BMI for a healthy person is 18.5 to 24.9. It can easily be calculated from this link:
https://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html.
Now we have a target range for a healthy body weight according to our height.
STEP 2: IDENTIFY YOUR BODY TYPE
Each individual can be classified into one of the three main body types based on their physique and characteristics. Those three body types are:
- Ectomorph: If you have a lean and tall physique, usually narrow shoulders and waist and you find it very difficult to gain weight then you would fall into this category. People with this body type have a fast metabolism and have difficulty gaining muscle as well.
- Mesomorph: People with natural muscular and athletic build, and broader shoulders have a mesomorph body type. It is relatively easier for them to gain muscle and strength.
- Endomorph: People with softer and rounder bodies fall under this category. They have a wider waist and it is very easy for them to gain weight. They have to be constantly mindful of their diet and exercise to maintain a healthy physique.
These three body types are not carved in stone. Usually, people fall into a spectrum rather than a single body type. If you have finally decided to embark on the journey to lose weight then it is very important to know your body type. This will help you in deciding the type of exercise to choose from and the kind of diet to go for which we will discuss in detail later in this article.
After determining your body type, it is important to do certain blood test to confirm that the weight gain is not due to any hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can affect your metabolism and if you are suffering from one, it is handy to know it beforehand you start your weight loss journey. You should get yourself checked for insulin, sex hormones, thyroid, and growth hormones. These hormones influence our appetite and metabolism and hence can result in weight gain. All these tests are available at www. Healthsqaud.in. Let’s tackle the challenging part now.
STEP 3: EXERCISE
The main aim of physical exercise at this stage of your fitness journey is to create an overall calorie deficit in the body. This whole game of losing weight is all about creating a calorie deficit so that your body starts using the stored fats in the body.
TYPE OF EXERCISE ACCORDING TO BODY TYPE
Tailoring your weight loss exercise routine to your specific body type can lead to more effective and sustainable results. If you fall under ecto or mesomorphic body type, more emphasis should be given to strength training, weight lifting, HIIT mixed with brisk walking, swimming, and other cardio exercises.
However, if your body type is endomorphic, first you need to shed the baby fat which will require more emphasis on cardio exercises like brisk walking, jogging, and cross fit. If you’re new to this, I recommend incorporating both strength training and a one-hour walk into your routine at least twice a week. If you don’t want to go to the gym, there are other fun ways to do strength training available now.
https://www.freeletics.com/en/ has been my personal favorite as it gives me the freedom to train from anywhere with minimum available instruments. You can also train even without any weights. Once you get into the rhythm, you can increase the frequency of your exercise to 6 days a week but I recommend not overdoing it as rest is as important for the body as exercise.
Apart from burning calories, exercise also boosts our hormonal system. Some of the key hormones boosted by exercise are endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, growth hormone, cortisol, insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. All these hormones have their positive effects on the body like relieving stress, natural pain killers, regulating blood sugar, etc. but the most important ones which have a direct effect on our weight loss journey are leptin and ghrelin. These hormones are responsible for regulating hunger and appetite in our body. Exercising on a regular basis balances these hormones and aids in weight loss.
It’s all about hit and trial. I find joy in running and doing freeletics more as compared to going to the gym. Find your comfort zone and keep hustling.
STEP 4: DIET
One of my childhood memories is our annual visit to my nanighar (maternal grandmother) during summer vacation. Apart from all the fun I had there, one peculiar thing I noticed was that everyone in the village had only two meals a day. Some people would take a small snack with tea in the evening. There was no concept of breakfast, lunch, and dinner and since everyone was involved in physical work in agriculture, I do not have a single memory of someone being overweight or having a belly.
When I started my weight loss journey, I did a lot of research and found that the three meals a-day concept is not Indian and was brought here by the Britishers. Our culture has been to take two proper full meals only. If someone feels hungry in the evening, he can take tea or a small snack like roasted peanuts, chana etc.
My daily eating routine typically begins with waking up and tending to my basic chores and exercise. I have my first meal at approximately 10:30-11 a.m., which consists of a complete Indian meal including dal, rice, roti, sabji, dahi, and salad. After this meal, I proceed to my office work and attend to my other daily responsibilities.
My second mini meal is at around 4.30 which includes tea usually accompanied by a couple of biscuits or lots of fruits. My third and final meal is at around 7.30-8.00 pm. This is also a full meal but I try to eat a bit less and take only one option of either roti or rice.
After that, I do not eat anything and seriously I do not even feel hungry. It was a bit difficult in starting to eat my lunch at 11 am but after two weeks it became a habit. Office goers might have a problem with having lunch at 11 am but there is no hard and fast rule to have your last meal at 8 pm. You can change the timings and have your first meal at 9 am and last meal at 7 pm. Delaying the 1st meal to 1 pm and last meal to 10 pm would not be a good idea as research shows that if you skip your breakfast and take your last meal late at night, it results in increased body fat.
This routine gives me good 14-15 hour intermittent fasting which has helped me very well with my weight loss journey.
STEP 5 : HYDRATION
Drinking water can help a lot in the weight loss process. It can help in reducing appetite if taken before meals. It is also an excellent replacement for sugary drinks we consume thus reducing our calorie intake. Intake of cold water can also help in burning calories as the body needs to bring it to body temperature. This process is called resting energy expenditure. It is advised by doctors to drink warm water when you wake up to warm up the entire gastric system. Later in the day, start consuming cold water to spend more resting energy and try to drink at least 3-4 liters of water every day.
STEP 6 : SLEEP
Role of sleep is as important as diet in a weight loss process. In fact it has been found in research that people who sleep inadequately both time and quality-wise lose less weight as compared to someone who sleeps properly.
According to a report printed in The Times of India, Indians are the second most sleep-deprived people in the world. Though Western researchers have shown that at least 7-8 hours of sleep is necessary but a peek into our own Indian literature(Ayurveda) written by sages thousands of years ago points us into a different direction. It clearly states that the adequate number of hours required by someone depends upon the kind of work he does and the kind of food he eats.
Food is divided into three types and is prescribed to be taken by people doing a certain type of jobs. Three categories are satvik, rajasic and tamsaic food which is based on three gunas of our body.A very good deep dive is given in this article.
Several scientific studies have provided insights into how sleep can affect body weight and the mechanisms behind this relationship. Here are some key findings:
Hormonal Regulation:
Just like exercise, Sleep also plays a critical role in the regulation of hormones that are directly responsible. Leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, decreases with sleep deprivation, while ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger, increases. This hormonal imbalance can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Metabolism:
Lack of sleep can lead to a decrease in metabolic rate. This means that the body may burn fewer calories when you’re sleep-deprived, making it more challenging to lose weight.
Sleep deprivation can lead to stress as well which can trigger emotional eating of food which gives us comfort. There are many other ill effects of lack of sleep like disturbance of the body’s natural circadian rhythms etc. which can lead to weight gain
A good night’s sleep is important for weight loss as well as for health and happy living as well.
STEP 7: TRACK THE JOURNEY
Tracking is an important part of the weight loss process but make sure you are not obsessed with it. The weight loss journey is a long one and one can get disheartened after not seeing the instant results. People are over-excited about it at the beginning and try to overdo the steps and then when they don’t get the instant results they get discouraged. This usually leads to total abandonment of the whole plan in just a week or two. So make sure you track your weight loss journey in the following way.
Start with measuring your weight, make sure you take the measurement at the same time and probably with the same clothes on. I do this in the morning after I freshen up with only my innerwear on.
Track your meals by making a journal using an app. There are several available on the internet. Make sure to track your fruit and protein intake.
You must track your water intake on a daily basis. Several apps remind you to drink water at regular intervals.
Don’t forget to celebrate milestones when you achieve your set goals.
