Opening Words

Recently, I've received many messages from readers asking how to maintain a healthy weight. As someone who went from 85kg to 60kg, I'd like to share my insights on weight management over the years. Controlling weight isn't actually difficult - the key is finding the right method and establishing correct understanding. Looking back on my weight loss journey, from initial blind dieting and excessive exercise to gradually discovering scientific methods, I've gained many valuable experiences.

Understanding is Important

Did you know? According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the proportion of overweight adults in our country has exceeded 35%. More than 3 million people die each year from obesity-related diseases. These numbers shocked me and made me realize the importance of weight management.

Obesity affects not just appearance but brings a series of health problems. Research shows obesity significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. According to WHO data, being overweight and obese has become the fifth leading risk factor for death globally. In our country, medical expenses caused by obesity amount to hundreds of billions of yuan annually, creating huge burdens for individuals and society.

I used to be a typical "fat person." I always thought weight loss was particularly difficult, but after truly understanding the scientific principles of weight management, I realized we had many misconceptions about weight loss. In the past, I always sought quick solutions and tried various extreme methods, resulting either in physical problems or quick rebounds. Now I understand that scientific weight management should be based on a deep understanding of body functions.

The causes of excess weight are multifaceted, including genetic factors, environmental factors, lifestyle, etc. Research shows genetic factors influence weight by about 40%-70%. But this doesn't mean we're helpless, because genes determine our tendencies, not our destiny. Through scientific intervention methods, we can completely control our weight.

Scientific Weight Loss Method

For scientific weight loss, first understand this concept: weight management isn't a short-term battle but a continuous lifestyle change. Many people seek quick solutions, but these are most likely to rebound.

According to Harvard School of Public Health research, 90% of rapid weight losers rebound within a year, often exceeding their original weight. What does this data tell us? It tells us we need to establish sustainable healthy habits.

Scientific weight loss should follow these principles: First, set reasonable goals. The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends a healthy weight loss rate of 0.5-1kg per week. This pace seems slow but is least likely to rebound. Second, ensure nutritional balance and adequate nutrients. Finally, cultivate healthy lifestyle habits, including regular schedules and moderate exercise.

Metabolism plays a key role in weight loss. Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the body's basic daily energy consumption, accounting for 60%-75% of total energy expenditure. Many don't know that muscle tissue's metabolic rate is 3-5 times that of fat tissue. This is why we should maintain muscle mass while losing weight.

The most important principle in weight management is energy balance. Simply put, weight decreases when energy intake is less than energy expenditure. But this doesn't mean drastically reducing calorie intake. Research shows reducing intake by 500-750 calories daily, combined with moderate exercise, is the ideal weight loss plan. This achieves steady weight loss while ensuring adequate nutrition.

New Dietary Proposals

Speaking of diet, many people's first reaction is food restriction. But did you know? Dieting can lower your basic metabolic rate, making weight loss harder. What's the correct approach? I suggest doing this:

Ensure adequate daily protein intake - research shows 1.6-2.2g protein per kilogram of body weight is needed. For example, a 60kg person needs 96-132g protein daily. This equals 4-5 eggs plus 200g chicken breast. Protein not only provides satiety but helps maintain muscle mass, crucial for maintaining basic metabolic rate.

Quality protein sources are numerous. Besides common eggs and lean meat, legumes are also good choices. Soy products contain rich protein and various vitamins and minerals. For example, 100g tofu contains 8g protein and low fat, making it ideal during weight loss.

Fruits and vegetables are also important - recommend at least 5 servings daily for sufficient vitamins and dietary fiber. What's one serving? For example, a medium-sized apple is one serving, as is a bowl of lettuce. Dietary fiber increases satiety and promotes intestinal health, helping stabilize blood sugar levels.

Regarding carbohydrates, many think weight loss means completely avoiding carbs. This is actually a misconception. Carbohydrates are an important energy source - the key is choosing quality complex carbohydrates like whole grains and potatoes. These foods contain rich dietary fiber and provide sustained energy, avoiding large blood sugar fluctuations.

Fat intake also needs attention. Although fats are high in calories, moderate intake is beneficial. Healthy fat sources include olive oil, nuts, avocados. The unsaturated fatty acids in these foods benefit cardiovascular health and help absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

Meal timing is also important. Research shows the same foods have different effects when consumed at different times. For example, excessive carbohydrates at night more easily convert to stored fat. Therefore, recommend arranging main carbohydrate intake during breakfast and lunch.

Water intake is often overlooked in weight management. Adequate water intake helps metabolize waste and increases satiety. Recommend drinking at least 1.5-2L water daily, increasing appropriately during exercise. But note that beverages aren't equal to water - sugary drinks bring extra calories.

Exercise Makes Sense

After discussing diet, let's talk about exercise. Many ask me: "Is walking 10,000 steps daily enough?" Actually, there's no standard answer. WHO recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise weekly.

Exercise mode and intensity should be chosen based on individual circumstances. For beginners, start with walking and gradually increase intensity and duration. Though walking seems simple, consistent walking can bring significant health benefits. Research shows 30 minutes daily walking can reduce cardiovascular disease risk and improve insulin sensitivity.

Both aerobic exercise and strength training are important. Aerobic exercise improves cardiopulmonary function and burns calories; strength training increases muscle mass and raises basic metabolic rate. The ideal exercise plan should combine both. For example, arrange 3-4 aerobic sessions and 2-3 strength training sessions weekly.

But note that exercise contributes relatively little to calorie burn for weight loss. For example, running for 30 minutes burns about 200-300 calories, equivalent to one bread. So don't expect to lose weight through exercise alone. Exercise's more important role is improving body function and metabolic rate.

Exercise timing is also key. Research shows fasting exercise can increase fat burning efficiency, but only if exercise intensity isn't too high. For high-intensity exercise, better to exercise after appropriate energy supplementation to ensure exercise effectiveness and safety.

Exercise should progress gradually - avoid rushing. Many beginners pursue high intensity, resulting in injury or boredom. The correct approach is starting low intensity and gradually increasing as fitness improves. Also note warm-up before and stretching after exercise to prevent injury.

Supplement Use

Regarding nutritional supplements, market products are truly abundant. But I must tell you, in most cases, a balanced diet can meet body needs. According to NIH data, over 70% of supplement users actually don't need additional supplementation.

However, appropriate supplement use is necessary in certain special circumstances. For example, protein powder may be needed during weight loss to ensure adequate protein intake. Note these points when choosing supplements: First, choose products from regular manufacturers; Second, choose appropriate types and doses based on personal needs; Finally, best to use under professional medical guidance.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are the most common nutritional supplements. During weight loss, reduced calorie intake may lead to certain micronutrient deficiencies. Common nutrients needing attention include vitamin D, calcium, iron. But whether supplementation is needed is best determined through blood tests.

Protein powder supplementation needs special mention. Although protein powder can help meet protein needs, it shouldn't completely replace natural foods. Natural foods contain other valuable nutrients besides protein. Recommend using protein powder as dietary supplement, not replacement.

Amino acid supplements are popular among exercisers. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are believed to help muscle recovery and growth. But research shows if dietary protein intake is adequate, additional BCAA supplementation shows no significant effect. Therefore, unless you're an athlete doing high-intensity training, ordinary people don't need special amino acid supplementation.

Note that excessive supplement use may cause side effects. For example, excessive vitamin supplementation may interfere with absorption of other nutrients and even negatively impact health. Therefore, follow moderation principle when using supplements - don't blindly pursue.

Practice Makes Perfect

Through years of practice, I've summarized a weight management plan suitable for most people. First establish recording habits - weigh and record daily to promptly discover weight change trends. I use a smart scale that automatically syncs weight to phone after morning weighing - very convenient.

Recording includes not just weight but diet and exercise. Use phone apps to record daily food intake and exercise consumption. This has two benefits: First, clearly understand your energy balance; Second, through data analysis, discover key factors affecting weight changes.

Second is reasonable meal arrangement - don't skip breakfast. Research shows regular breakfast eaters more easily maintain healthy weight than breakfast skippers. My suggestion: eat well at breakfast, eat full at lunch, eat less at dinner. This eating rhythm matches body's physiological rhythm, helping maintain stable blood sugar and good metabolic state.

Breakfast should focus on quality protein and complex carbs, like whole wheat bread with eggs or oatmeal with yogurt. This combination provides sustained energy, avoiding morning hunger. Lunch can be richer but note meat-vegetable balance for balanced nutrition. Dinner should finish 3 hours before sleep, focusing on light foods, avoiding high-fat high-sugar foods.

Diet plans need flexibility. Can establish basic dietary framework but needn't be too rigid. Occasional indulgence is okay - key is moderation, not letting one indulgence become long-term indulgence. A practical suggestion is following "80/20" principle: strictly follow healthy diet plan 80% of time, can relax somewhat 20% of time.

Exercise plans also need sustainability. Suggest arranging exercise at fixed times to cultivate habits. For example, choose morning or after work exercise - easier to persist. Choose exercise types based on personal interest and conditions - most important is maintaining consistency.

Sleep quality is also important for weight management. Research shows insufficient sleep affects appetite-regulating hormone secretion, increasing appetite, especially craving for high-calorie foods. Therefore, ensuring adequate sleep time (recommend 7-8 hours) and good sleep quality is important component of weight management.

Stress management is equally important. Many people eat to relieve emotions when stressed - this "emotional eating" often leads to excess intake. Recommend learning stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, finding healthy ways to handle stress.

Common Misconceptions

Here, I want to especially emphasize several weight loss misconceptions. First, don't believe in so-called "slimming teas," "diet pills" - these products often have safety concerns. According to National Food and Drug Administration statistics, adverse reaction cases from taking unqualified weight loss products exceed 1000 annually.

Many weight loss products claim "rapid fat burning," "zero exercise zero diet" - these are unscientific claims. Weight loss is a gradual process requiring healthy diet and moderate exercise. Products claiming significant short-term effects often achieve superficial results through diuretics, laxatives - not only unsustainable but potentially harmful to health.

Second, don't overly pursue weight numbers but focus on body composition. I've seen many not heavy but with high body fat percentage - called "hidden obesity." Conversely, some are heavy but healthy due to high muscle content. Therefore, besides weight, also focus on body fat percentage, waist circumference and other indicators.

Excessive exercise is also common misconception. Many think more exercise is better, often counterproductive. Excessive exercise not only increases injury risk but causes excessive fatigue, affecting normal metabolic function. Moderate exercise is most effective - learn to listen to body signals, adjust exercise intensity timely.

Dieting misconceptions also need special attention. Many adopt extremely low calorie diets for rapid weight loss - very dangerous. Extremely low calorie diets cause body to enter "energy-saving mode," lowering basic metabolic rate and easily causing malnutrition. Healthy weight loss should moderately control calorie intake while ensuring basic nutritional needs.

Another common misconception is believing certain foods have "negative calories." So-called negative calorie foods supposedly require more energy to digest than they provide. This lacks scientific basis. Although some foods are very low calorie, truly negative calorie foods don't exist.

Final Words

Weight management is lifelong topic requiring persistence. Have you noticed when you truly establish healthy lifestyle, weight management becomes easier?

Change requires time and patience. Don't expect immediate results but focus on long-term health benefits. Everyone's physical condition and living environment differ - finding suitable methods is most important.

During this process, setbacks and fluctuations are inevitable and normal. Key is maintaining correct mindset, not giving up due to temporary failure. Remember, every small progress deserves recognition.

If you've started weight loss journey, I want to tell you: persist, trust science, change will come. If you're still hesitating whether to start, take first step of change from today.

By the way, if you encounter problems in practice or have insights, welcome to share in comments. After all, everyone's experience is unique - mutual exchange enables mutual progress.

Remember, managing weight isn't to satisfy others' aesthetics but to give yourself healthy body. Let's work together to create better selves.