“I feel amazing after losing 10 lbs in two weeks,” reader says Loop Cayman Islands

Black Immigrant Daily News

Readers are asked to note that Op-eds do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of Loop Cayman.

by ‘Happy’

Stuffing my face with food was fun for a while. It stopped being exciting, however, when I gained so much weight that I could not fit into my clothes or pass by an object without some part of me knocking it over. Eventually, my new weight gains not only affected my coordination and wardrobe, but my self-esteem. Fearing that things could get out of control, I decided to make a change. I adjusted what I ate, along with my mealtimes. It changed my life.

Changes

After two weeks of eating better, my mind was more alert, I was thinking clearly and focused. I noticed this both at work and in my personal life.

At my job, for example, I was executing tasks quicker and was more organised. I also accepted more responsibility and additional work.

For once, I was happy to be at work rather than feeling trapped there until “5:00” doing mindless tasks. I also realised that it was not the job that was making me frustrated and unhappy all the time, but, instead, how I felt about myself, which impacted how I felt about everything else, including work.

Socially, the weight loss earned me compliments. People wanted to know what I was doing to make my body look so good. They wanted to know the secret.

The secret

The secret, I found, was simple.

First, I decided that the weight in my twenties was my target weight (yours may be different).

Then I changed my consumption from greasy food and products with high carbohydrates, high sugar and high fat to a mix of greens, low sugar, low fat, low carbohydrates and sufficient protein.

Lastly, I adjusted my sleeping habits, sleeping for more hours each night.

These changes, combined with smaller portions of food at lunch and dinner and exercising lightly (at first), resulted in a loss of 10 pounds in two weeks (I felt amazing seeing and feeling the results).

Now, in your case, your body composition and height could be different from mine. You may also have underlying health issues which restrict you from eating certain foods or even exercising. I mention this because these distinctions may contribute to different outcomes.

For example, the Mayo Clinic says that “In some people, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing syndrome and other conditions.”

Medical problems, such as arthritis, also can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.

Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don’t compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, steroids and beta blockers.

The Mayo Clinic explains further.

In addition, the Mayo Clinic noted that there may be “genetic, behavioral, metabolic and hormonal influences on body weight” which may impact weight.

Therefore, before adjusting your diet or embark on any programme, you should check with your doctor to highlight any concerns with your plans.

Once you find what works for you, it can make all the difference for you mentally, socially and physically. A new, healthier lifestyle that it is a good fit for you.

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