10 Things You Can Do to Beat Obesity and Lose Weight Without Dieting- Part One

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10 Things You Can Do to Beat Obesity and Lose Weight Without Dieting- Part One

You, yes YOU, CAN lose weight without dieting and beat obesity… FOR GOOD. In fact, losing weight without a diet is the best way to win the battle against obesity. Diets are often temporary trends for good reason: the results don’t last. That’s not to say, some people don’t achieve significant weight loss on diets. But, the truth is many diets are harmful to your body in the long run. More importantly, they aren’t changes most people can commit to for life. Winning the battle against obesity for good requires a lifestyle change. It means you have to change the way you look at and use food. If you’re serious about losing weight, you’ll get fast results by following our first five tips.

NOVA Bariatrics

Dr. Alibhai

With Dr. Alibhai’s training in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, he performs a wide range of general surgical procedures as well including:

  • Robotic Gallbladder surgery
  • Robotic hernia surgery
  • Acid Reflux surgery

Mustafa H. Alibhai,MD,FACS,FASMBS

Reduce your calories

We know you’re tired of hearing it, but it works. There is science behind weight gain that proves 3,500 calories equals about one pound of fat. Then, there’s another measurement called basal metabolic rate (BMR). BMR factors in a person’s age, gender, height, and activity level to calculate the number of calories your body needs to function. For example, a 40 year old woman who’s 5’5” tall and weighs 350 pounds with little physical activity can expect her body to burn approximately 3,150 calories in a day. That means, anything she consumes beyond that will be stored as fat and result in weight gain. If she continues to eat at least 3, 150 calories a day, she will likely remain at 350 pounds. To lose weight without dieting, she will have to cut calories. 3,500 calories are one pound of fat gained or lost. So to lose a pound of fat at your same activity level, reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories per day. You should consult a physician (link to contact us) to learn the right amount of calories to consume daily.

Exercise portion control

Ah, here’s another you have heard many times. That’s because it’s one of the best ways to lose weight without dieting. By controlling your portions, you are still able to eat some of the foods you love, only a lot less of them. Don’t load up on small amounts of poor quality foods that are high in fat, but low in nutrition. When controlling your portions, focus on eating more foods that are high in nutritional value like green leafy vegetables, lean proteins, legumes and low-fat dairy (like greek yogurt). Tip: Make eating at home easier and use dry measure to serve your food instead of spoons. Also, consider investing in a small kitchen scale to weigh hard to measure food or use our measurement guide listed in step 6. (link to how to order healthy choices blog)

Plan your meals ahead

To beat obesity and lose weight without a diet, planning is key. You know the old saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Well, it’s true when it comes to weight loss. How many times do you pull up to a drive thru window for an unhealthy meal because it’s the fastest and easiest option? Losing weight is not convenient, but the reward of a healthy life is worth the effort. So, start planning your meals and snacks a week in advance. This will serve as both your menu and grocery list. Even if you know guys or ladies night out is coming up, preview the menu for healthy options (link this to How to Order Healthy Choices blog). Meal planning is not just about what you cook, it’s being prepared for every meal no matter where it’s coming from. Take your meal planning one step further by scheduling meal and snack times. Tip: Until you’re used to eating on a schedule, add daily calendar reminders to the calendar app on your phone.

Start a food diary

If you don’t already have a food journal, now is a good time to buy one. This is the perfect way to keep track of everything you put into your body each day. To use a food diary successfully, start the day by writing out all your planned meals and snacks for the day. Throughout the day, if you cheat, write those things down too. This keeps you accountable and sheds light on any negative patterns that drive you off-course. Most obese people have an addiction to food that causes them to use food as a coping mechanism. There will be times when you feel challenged by old habits, so use your food diary to journal thoughts and feelings that may be causing you to struggle. Since losing weight without dieting is a long term lifestyle change, a diary can be one of the best tools for your success at beating obesity.
Connect with Dr. Mustafa Alibhai (link to contact us page) at NOVA Bariatrics for 24/7 access to Virtual Health Partners. This amazing app gives you unlimited access to food diaries, live consultations with nutritionists, support groups, and more!

Change your old snacking habits

You’re not on a diet, you’re on a quest to change your relationship with food. It’s hard for many people, overweight or otherwise, to imagine getting through each day without a snack. If you think you can give up your snacking habit, by all means, go for it! But, sometimes not snacking causes stress that drives people to overeat on the next meal. To avoid this, plan to eat 2 snacks – one between breakfast & lunch and the other between lunch & dinner. Keep in mind your focus on portion control and eating nutrient rich foods. That means items like chips, dip, ice cream, cookies and other high calories foods are off limits.
Check out Part Two (link to part two of this blog series) of our two-part series: 10 Things You Can Do to Beat Obesity and Lose Weight Without Dieting.
Before beginning any diet or fitness routine, always consult a physician.
At Nova Bariatrics and Minimally-Invasive Surgery, we understand that weight loss and healthy living can be a daily struggle for many. With harness over experience and expertise to help those patients who have been unable to achieve significant weight loss through diet and modifications and exercise alone. Our team at NOVA works with each patient individually to find the appropriate solution for weight loss and restoration of one’s health. Contact us