Navigating weight management in B'luru, avoiding pitfalls

Sowmya Raju | NT

Bengaluru: In Bengaluru, with the onset of the new year, many embark on quests to attain their desired body goals, whether it's shedding excess weight or fostering a healthier physique.

However, this pursuit often involves common pitfalls that individuals must navigate for sustainable and beneficial outcomes.

From crash diets to overlooking overall health, the path to wellness requires thoughtful consideration to ensure lasting success in the journey toward a healthier lifestyle.

D. Bharghavi, Chief Dietician at TriLife Hospital, Bengaluru, sheds light on prevalent mistakes, emphasising the importance of realistic approaches.

Crash diet plans, a common misstep, may offer short-term weight loss but often result in regained weight when normal eating resumes.

Skipping meals, another prevalent error, can slow metabolism and contribute to overeating later on.

For those striving for weight gain, Bharghavi underscores the necessity of increasing calorie intake while cautioning against an overreliance on processed or sugary foods to avert potential health issues.

Neglecting strength training exercises is identified as a mistake, as building muscle mass is crucial for healthier weight gain.

Lastly, Bharghavi warns against focusing solely on the weighing scale, urging individuals to consider overall health to avoid adopting unhealthy habits.

Edwina Raj, Head of Services at Clinic Nutrition & Dietetics, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru reinforces the importance of understanding individual uniqueness in the pursuit of weight management.

She highlights the common mistake of adopting diet plans designed for others, emphasising that one size does not fit all.

Edwina Raj cautions against chasing only body weight and following unsustainable fad diets, which can lead to weight rebound or negative impacts on muscle mass rather than fat loss.

Seeking advice from non-qualified individuals is identified as risky, potentially resulting in health crises due to overexercising or following incorrect advice.

Edwina Raj fur ther points out the pitfalls of self-imposed restrictive diets, excessive food cutting, skipping meals, and focusing solely on one type of food.

For those aiming to gain weight, she discourages reliance on unhealthy junk food for quick results, as it can adversely impact overall health.

Raj advocates for an evidence-based approach, urging individuals to consult qualified professionals for exercise and diet advice, monitor body fat, muscle, and strength regularly, and adopt an intuitive eating approach for long-term health goals.