Why Weight Management is necessary & How to manage it with homeopathy

Why Is Weight Management Important?

It is self-evident why weight management is essential. A healthy weight means a healthy body and mind. Leading a life with an unhealthy weight may affect every aspect of life. Being overweight may affect overall confidence, self-esteem, and mental and physical health. A healthy weight is not only just for the looks just vanity, but to improve the quality of life, including physical health, energy levels, mobility, general mood, and self-confidence.

What is healthy weight loss?

Maintaining a healthy weight is not an easy task. It takes lots of patience, hard work, and commitment. For some people gaining weight seem to be difficult. But the most common problem faced by many people is overweight or obesity. It is one of the lifestyle health problems stemming from unhealthy lifestyles and unhealthy eating habits.

Even the slightest weight loss can bring many health benefits to the body and mind, such as maintenance of blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars. It can also decrease the risk factors for chronic diseases related to obesity.

People who tend to lose weight gradually and steadily are more successful in maintaining a healthy weight. Healthy weight loss does not mean a plan or a strategy but a lifestyle incorporating healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.

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Why is obesity a concern?

Obesity is one of the most complex conditions involving multiple systems with excessive body fat. It not only concerns one’s looks but also increases the risk of various health problems, like heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, etc.

Obesity is caused by various factors, from genetic features to lifestyle choices. However, most people find it very difficult to get rid of the extra fats and flab because of their sedentary life and work.

What is a Body mass index (BMI)?

It is a calculation of a person’s height to weight ratio.

In adults, obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or more.

There are certain limitations to the calculation of obesity through BMI. Many factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, and muscle mass influence BMI and body fat measurement. BMI cannot differentiate between excessive fat or bone mass. Also, it cannot provide the exact details about the distribution of fat in the body.

Classification of obesity according to BMI

Despite having many limitations, BMI is used to calculate and classify obesity.
For an adult over the age of 20s, the classification is as follows:
BMI Class
18.5 or low underweight
18.5 to <25.0 healthy weight
25.0 to <30.0 overweight
30.0 to <35.0 level 1 obesity
35.0 to <40.0 level 2 obesity
40.0 or over level 3 obesity

Diagnosing obesity

BMI (body mass index) is one of the widely used calculations to measure obesity. It is the ratio of a person’s weight in relation to their height. Other accurate methods to calculate and estimate the body fat distribution are:

• skinfold thickness
• measurement of waist circumference
• waist-to-hip ratio
• imaging studies such as ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRI scans
• cholesterol and glucose levels
• liver function tests
• thyroid assay
• an ECG and Echocardiogram

Causes of weight gain

Although there are many factors such as genetic, behavioural, metabolic, and hormonal influences, physiological and environmental factors, etc., obesity occurs when calories are more than what could be burned through normal daily activities and exercise.

• Genetics: Obesity tends to run in families. Not only the genes but also their similar eating and lifestyle habits.
• Age: Obesity can develop at any age, from young children to old adults. As a person ages, the resulting hormonal changes and a decrease in the active lifestyle can increase the risk of obesity.
• Lack of sleep: can lead to many hormonal changes that increase the appetite and craving for certain unhealthy, high-calorie foods.
• Pregnancy: the weight that is gained during the period of pregnancy can be challenging to lose if a woman does not resume her activities as soon as possible. Otherwise, the gained weight can be challenging to lose.
• Certain health conditions such as hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), Cushing syndrome, osteoarthritis (OA), etc., may lead to extra weight gain.
• Eating habits: People exposed to fast food and high-calorie beverages can gain weight faster. People with eating disorders might eat more calories, feel hungry frequently, and eat more due to stress.
• Physical inactivity: the lack of physical activity due to sedentary jobs, convenient and easy lifestyle such as working from home, lack of exercise or even walking due to use of remote controls, lifts, escalators, food at doorstep, online shopping and accessible banking, etc., increases the risk of obesity.
• Psychological and other factors: such as depression, can sometimes lead to weight gain, as people develop the habit of binge eating and comfort eating. In addition, certain antidepressants can also increase the risk of gaining weight.
• Quitting smoking: is a good thing, but stopping suddenly increases the risk of weight gain significantly during the withdrawal period.
• Certain medications: like corticosteroids, birth control pills, hormonal pills, etc., can increase the risk of weight gain.
• Liquid calories: People who drink alcohol and high-calorie beverages, such as sweetened soft drinks, are at risk of gaining weight.

Complications of weight gain

People with obesity are more at risk of developing severe health problems, such as:

• Heart disease and strokes.
• Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.
• Digestion problems and disorders like heartburn, gallbladder disease, and liver problems.
• Sleep apnea is a serious condition where breathing suddenly stops and starts during sleep.
• Osteoarthritis is due to stress placed on weight-bearing joints from weight gain.
• Obesity can lead to social phobia and affect the overall quality of life.
• Other weight-related issues are depression, infertility, disability, social isolation, lower work efficiency, etc.

How can homeopathy help in weight management?

There are no one-stop solutions or magic pills for losing weight overnight or over a fortnight. It needs lots of patience, consistent workouts, physical activities, lifestyle changes, certain medications to treat other health problems, etc. But with well-selected homoeopathic medicine and a well-set goal, a person can lose weight in a healthy way. Unfortunately, there are no specific remedies for losing weight rapidly. In homeopathy, medicines are chosen by taking the whole health condition of a person, both mind and physique.

There are many homoeopathic medicines specially indicated for increasing metabolism and burning extra calories. But a healthy weight cannot be achieved by medicines alone. It depends on the person’s physical activity and eating habits. These medicines help to manage and maintain a healthy weight. When taken regularly along with proper weight management plans, homoeopathic medicines can be very useful in bringing down the extra calories in a slow, steady, and safe way.

Weight management techniques

When it comes to maintaining a balanced weight or losing extra calories, there are endless possibilities and suggestions provided by various health systems and weight management specialists. Many dieting methods, supplements, and meal plans claim to ensure faster weight loss, but one program will not be suitable for different persons.

A few weight management strategies proven to be effective and healthy are given below. They include regular exercising, tracking calorie intake, different types of intermittent fasting, reducing the intake of carbohydrates, etc.

• Intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting is a method of dieting which include regular short-term fasts and smaller meals at shorter intervals of time during the day. The most common forms of intermittent fasting are alternate day fasting, every other day fasting, and normally eating on non-fasting days.
• Tracking the calorie intake: The best method to manage weight is to keep track of every food and drink intake each day. This can be achieved by maintaining a food journal or tracking app.
• Regular Exercise: Regular workouts can help a person to lose weight steadily. Some effective workouts are lifting weights, strength training, and cardio activities such as walking, jogging, running, cycling, swimming, etc. It can also be tracked consistently through an app or pedometer, etc.

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• Mindful eating: Mindful eating is being aware and paying attention to the food. This helps a person keep a check on the amount of food eaten while enjoying the food. It is always good to avoid distractions such as watching TV or a laptop or phone when eating.
• Eating slowly: Eating slowly by chewing, tasting, and relishing the food is also one of the tips for reducing food intake. It makes the person full and satisfied with little intake of food and prevents over-eating.
• Make healthy food choices: Choose your food wisely and healthily. Try to eat foods that are full of beneficial nutrients.
• Eat protein for breakfast: Regular protein intake can increase satiety by suppressing the appetite and overeating. In addition, protein intake helps to maintain muscle mass while losing weight. Some of the healthy and high-protein breakfasts are eggs, oats, nut and seed butter, lean meat, etc.
• Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates: Refined carbohydrates are processed foods that lack fiber and other nutrients, such as white rice, bread, and pasta. One of the best ways to help lose weight faster is to cut back on sugars and refined carbohydrates. Instead, replace them with whole grains.
• Eating plenty of fiber: Including plenty of fiber in the diet can increase the feeling of fullness and prevent overeating. Green leafy vegetables and fruits are loaded with nutrients and can be taken in large amounts without worrying about calories. It is important to ensure that vegetables and other plant-based foods contribute to 75 percent of the meal.
• Fats are healthy, too: Healthy fats are good for the body. Nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados are some foods that can be taken regularly.
• Balancing gut bacteria: Many researchers have reported that gut bacteria can be beneficial in weight management. The human body is a host to a large number of different microorganisms. Therefore, intake of fruits, vegetables, grains, fermented foods, and prebiotic foods in the diet will help to increase the good gut bacteria.
• Getting a good sleep: Lack of sleep has been associated with various health problems, including obesity. In addition to such problems, poor quality of sleep can increase the production of insulin and cortisol and also affects the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin.
• Managing your stress levels: Stress triggers the release of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which might decrease the appetite for a short time, but in people under constant stress, cortisol remains in the bloodstream for longer and gradually increase the appetite and lead to stress eating. Some of the relaxation techniques include yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises.

Do Maintain, Don’t Gain

Maintaining a healthy weight is important to maintain good health. In addition to lowering the risk of many health problems such as heart disease, high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar levels, and high blood pressure, it also lowers the risk of developing many cancers.

To manage and maintain a healthy weight, move more and eat less. Practice mindful eating, enjoy the food, and look out for your waist size.

Start early to maintain a healthy weight when you are young and set long-term goals to maintain a healthy weight. Every individual is different; their needs, treatment plan, diet plan, and the speed with which they lose weight also will be different. Choose what is good for you and what method suits you.

Managing a healthy weight means managing good health. It helps to keep your blood sugar and cholesterol levels in check.

Losing weight faster is rarely sustainable. So instead, focus on steady and safe weight loss, long-term health, and habits that will help to improve your overall health.