"Losing weight" is a big deal! These 6 wrong ways to lose weight may ruin you

Being fat may sound like a trivial matter, but it is also a chronic disease, and obesity also increases the risk of high blood pressure, high blood lipids, high blood sugar and other diseases. The "Report on the Nutrition and Chronic Disease Status of Chinese Residents" shows that nearly half of adults and one-fifth of children in my country are overweight or obese, making China the country with the largest number of overweight or obese people in the world.

In order to avoid being tortured by various diseases, "losing weight" is the top priority for people who are already overweight. So, what kind of body is considered fat? And how to lose weight? This article also summarizes some common wrong weight loss methods in life. If you are doing it, stop the loss in time.

1. What is considered fat?

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Many people use weight as a measure of whether they are obese, especially many women who believe that "a good woman is under 100 pounds" and even think that the lighter the weight, the better. This is a wrong concept.

If you want to know whether you are obese, you need to pay attention to three indicators: BMI, waist circumference, and body fat percentage.

BMI: BMI = weight (kg) ÷ height (m)²

It is generally believed that a BMI index between 18.5 and 23.9 is normal weight , between 24 and 27.9 is overweight, and above 28 is obese, as shown in the following table:

It should be noted that you should weigh yourself in the early morning, on an empty stomach, and after defecation. Do not weigh yourself at night.

- Waist circumference: If the waist circumference of a man is ≥ 90 cm and that of a woman is ≥ 85 cm , even if the BMI result is within the normal range, it is considered abdominal obesity and you still need to lose weight! So the question is: where should the waist circumference be measured? The waist circumference is measured at the midpoint of the line connecting the lower edge of the costal arch and the iliac crest at the mid-axillary line on both sides. Just gently place the tape measure against the skin. Relax when measuring and do not suck in your stomach. As shown in the figure: [1]

-Body fat percentage: People with a high body fat percentage look soft and fat. Even if they are not overweight, they still look fat. At present, my country does not have its own standard for body fat percentage. However, because the body shape of Chinese residents is similar to that of Japanese residents, we can refer to the standards of the Japanese Obesity Society, as shown in the following table: [1]

▲Data source: "Chinese Nutrition Science Encyclopedia"

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is the gold standard for measuring body fat percentage , but it is suitable for clinical use rather than home measurement. If you want to know your body fat percentage on a daily basis, you can use a regular body fat scale on the market. Although it is not very accurate, it can be used as a reference for your body fat percentage. Don't be too serious about it.

2. Wrong weight loss method

- Vomiting to lose weight: Vomiting is a common way to lose weight. Many people will force their throats to vomit with their hands or spoons after eating. Although it can effectively help people lose weight, it can also cause many harms, such as malnutrition, electrolyte imbalance, damage to the esophagus, tooth deterioration, hair loss, amenorrhea, and psychological problems.

-Not eating after noon: This way of losing weight is basically equivalent to not eating dinner, which is not suitable for the pace of life of modern "social animals". The calorie intake throughout the day is low, which will lead to a decrease in basal metabolism over time. Some people will even be too hungry to sleep in the middle of the night, and then they will eat anything they want, which is not conducive to weight loss.

In addition, this weight loss method will make your weight drop quickly at the beginning, but it contains a lot of water and muscle, and not all the weight lost is fat.

- Ketogenic diet: This weight loss method strictly controls carbohydrate intake, rarely eats staple food, or even does not eat staple food, and the body will experience ketosis. It may cause bad breath, hair loss, amenorrhea, fatigue, constipation, irritability and depression, and even affect life expectancy. Long-term adherence will also increase the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.

For people who particularly need to lose weight, such as those with a BMI of more than 28kg/m², they can try a ketogenic diet, but this must be done under the guidance of a professional doctor or nutritionist.

-Copenhagen Diet: Many people think the name is very high-sounding. In fact, this method of weight loss is basically equivalent to dieting. The total daily calorie intake is less than 800 kcal, which is an extremely low-calorie diet and is somewhat similar to the ketogenic diet.

Although it seems to be very effective at the beginning and the weight loss speed is fast, if you stick to it for a long time, you will not only suffer from malnutrition, but also symptoms such as hair loss and reduced immunity. Women may also suffer from amenorrhea. The skin will also become loose and accelerate aging.

The most important thing is that no one can stick to this diet for a lifetime. When you return to a normal diet, you are likely to gain weight back and even become fatter than before you lost weight.

-Atkins diet: A diet based on low carbohydrates, high protein, and high fat , commonly known as the "meat diet." Although you lose weight quickly in the early stages, long-term adherence to the diet will not only cause the above-mentioned low-carb-related side effects, but also increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

- Taking orlistat: Orlistat is an OTC weight loss drug, but it is not suitable for everyone who needs to lose weight . The "Chinese Expert Consensus on Medical Nutritional Treatment of Overweight/Obesity" issued in 2016 recommends that weight loss drugs can be used if one of the following conditions is met.

①BMI ≥ 28 kg/m²

②BMI ≥ 24kg/m², and there are risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, etc.

The main principle of orlistat is to hinder the absorption of fat in the intestines, so the fat cannot be retained in the intestines, but will run out through the intestines and anus by itself, thus "rushing out of the door".

For example, if you fart accidentally, other people may just let out gas, but you may let out oil. Washing underwear has become a daily routine, and the number of times you wash underwear is proportional to the number of farts, so it is generally recommended to wear adult diapers.

In addition, the frequency of bowel movements will increase, and the bowel movements will be more frequent. If the toilet is crowded, you may even poop in your pants. In addition, there are references to the fact that in early clinical trials, orlistat has the risk of causing colon cancer and breast cancer, which cannot be ignored. [2]

Therefore, it is recommended to consult a doctor before taking the medicine, and if you experience right upper abdominal pain or other discomfort symptoms during taking the medicine, you need to stop taking the medicine immediately.

I advise you not to try these extreme weight loss methods, especially diet pills, some of which contain banned drugs such as sibutramine, which are harmful to the body. If you want to lose weight, you still have to rely on "eating thin" seriously.

3. How should you eat to lose weight?

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Even when losing weight, you must eat staple foods + vegetables + protein foods. You can use a large plate to measure the amount of food. This not only allows you to clearly know the amount of each food to eat, but also allows you to avoid overeating.

For each meal, staple food accounts for 1/4, vegetables account for 1/2, and protein food accounts for 1/4. Eat at least 1 fist of staple food, 1 to 2 fists of cooked vegetables, and about 1 fist of protein. Eat until you are 70% to 80% full.

-Vegetables: 300-500 grams per day. 100 grams of green leafy vegetables is about the size of a fist after being cooked.

-Protein: 40-75 grams of meat per day, no more than 150 grams at most (poultry, fish and shrimp are recommended, and less red meat). Three fingers worth of raw meat is about 50 grams; 300-500 milliliters of milk. If it exceeds 500 milliliters, it is recommended to choose skim milk; 25 grams of soy products corresponding to soybeans, such as two pieces of dried tofu, a piece of northern tofu the size of a mouse, or at least 40 grams of dried tofu.

-Fruit: 200-350 grams per day, such as two or three kiwis or one medium-sized apple or two oranges. If there is light and low-salt vegetable soup, it is recommended to drink a bowl before meals, or drink about 300 ml of water directly , which can enhance satiety and avoid overeating.

4. Exercise cannot be ignored

If you want to lose weight, tighten your skin and improve your body shape at the same time, exercise is essential.

Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises should be done. It is recommended to do aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day , such as brisk walking, jogging, aerobics, playing ball, square dancing, etc.; anaerobic exercise can be done 2 to 3 times a week , such as with dumbbells, elastic bands, push-ups, etc.

Summary: Don't think being fat is cute. Long-term obesity is harmful to your body. It's almost the season for showing off your body, so it's time to put weight loss on the agenda. Control obesity and enjoy being "slim" in a healthy way!

References:

[1] Yang Yuexin, Ge Keyou. Chinese Nutrition Science Encyclopedia 2nd Edition (Volume 2) [M]. People's Medical Publishing House, 2019. [2] Ma Wei, Fu Li, Wang Haibo, et al. Research progress of new weight loss drug orlistat [J]. West China Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2009(04):431-433.