The Most Definitive Guide to Weight Loss | Beyond Diet and Workouts

Getting rid of all that extra fat accumulated over time is a little tricky process. It demands a handful of things going side by side in cohesion. Sticking to a diet plan and going aggressive in the gym have repeatedly failed to yield results. In the best-case scenarios, the bodyweight simply snaps back after you lose grip on any one of them.

Speaking of losing the grip! it is not just a possibility, 90 percent of the people who swear to come out of the gym one day without a belly pooch actually end up leaving the gym altogether. Even compromising is following a strict diet plan. Partly because we love happy taste buds, and partly because it demands a hell of energy and tons of resources to keep the diet plan intact.

And then one has a lot of other things going on in life other than just melting the fat. So, even if you manage to shed several stones, there is a real possibility that you will end up where you started a year earlier.

Is there a genuine solution?

The short answer is, definitely yes. Continue reading down this article for the definitive solution. Getting healthier doesn’t even need an instructor and working out had never been even considered as work until recently. That being said, it is important to understand why you are not told the whole truth about weight loss.

The weight loss industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry and is expanding exponentially. That means people are making huge money out of it. And this, in turn, means that a person going through a cycle of gaining and losing weight is a golden egg-laying hen that the industry would pretty much love to preserve.

You might think I am a fan of conspiracy theories, but unfortunately, this is the absolute truth. The industry will never give a sh*t about how healthy or unhealthy you are. The weight loss industry is no different than the pharmaceutical industry and the military-industrial complex_one making billions out of people’s health and the other out of perpetual warfare.

I really don’t want to go into further details of how just a couple of organized families are making billions out of people’s health and warfare. If you are interested to know more about this, you may want to watch some investigative videos I will refer to later in this article. For now, let’s get started with our definitive weight loss guide.

I have divided the guide into three basic parts. Each section bears equal weight in your weight loss process. Please note that we will discuss how to lose weight? in part-2 and 3.


Part-1: Precheacking and Troubleshooting


In this part, we assume that you have started gaining weight. It is true that a mentally and physically healthy individual is neither overweight nor underweight. Because you are gaining weight, something must have gone wrong somewhere. First thing first, look back for a moment. See where and what went wrong? Here are some of the possible reasons and how to deal with them:

1. You didn’t find any obvious reason

It is possible that you have been doing everything just right but still gaining weight. You live a healthy lifestyle, no stress management pills, suffered no trauma, were never bed-bound, and portions never got bigger.

Possible suspect: Gut bacteria and slow metabolism.

gut backteria and weight loss

There are trillions of different types of bacteria living in your body. The number of bacterial cells, in fact, out-number the human cells by almost 10 trillion. And a large number of these bacteria live in a part of the large intestine called the cecum. The number and types of these bacteria and their interaction with the food you eat affects digestion, breakdown of nutrients and how energy is stored in your body.

A study conducted on 77 pairs of twins showed how the type of gut fauna results in weight gain. The study took gut bacteria from each twin pair. One of the twins was obese and the other was not. Scientists then inserted these bacteria into mice. Mice that received gut bacteria from the obese twin gained weight.

What can you do?

  1. Increase your fiber intake.
  2. Add more fermented food to your meals.
  3. Avoid snacking.
  4. Eat all types of fruits.
  5. Visit a trusted health professional.

2. You are/were on a certain medication

If you are on a mental health medication, there is a possibility that you will gain weight. Antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers are known to aid in weight gain.

antidepressants and weight loss

What can you do?

  1. Once you notice obvious weight gain after starting the medication, consult your doctor for advice.
  2. Increase your physical activity.
  3. If possible, reduce your portion size.
  4. Consume more greens and whole cereals.

3. Late nights, inadequate sleep

Lack of proper sleep can quickly aid weight gain. Sleep deprivation causes hormonal changes that regulate hunger and appetite. Another factor associated with lack of adequate sleep and weight gain is the resulting fatigue that causes inactivity. In a study conducted by the Nurses Health and published by Harvard Health, researches followed 60,000 individuals over a period of 16 years. The study showed that those who slept 5 hours or less had developed a 15 percent chance of getting obese.

sleep deprivation and weight gain

What can you do?

  1. Ensure at least 7 hours of sleep.
  2. Check your sleeping pattern. Even if you sleep the minimum required hours but in a wrong pattern, you may still disturb the internal body clock and hormonal changes may ensue.
  3. Avoid naps during the day to sleep on time at night.
  4. Don’t drink coffee before you go to bed.

4. Consuming too much Screen

Obesity cases around the world have surged in the past 20 years. While there are other major reasons like consumption of fast food, Screen time has also been associated with obesity. A study conducted by Harvard health shows how children and teens are especially susceptible to obesity due to increase sitting-time.

tv screen time and weight gain

What can you do?

  1. Drastically decrease your screen-time by involving yourself in physical activities.
  2. Do all you can to stop your children from sitting on the computer for long hours. Reward them for involving in other activities.
  3. Block all the unnecessary channels from your cable.
  4. We will talk more about this in Part-2.

5. What goes down your throat

Let’s accept the simple fact that your body fat directly comes from what you eat and how much you eat. A healthy balanced diet is, in fact, the first thing you have to ensure.

fast food and weight gain

What can you do?

  1. Add more greens and whole cereals to your meals.
  2. Decrease the habit of munching outdoors.
  3. Fast foods are a disaster when it comes to body weight.
  4. Instead of devouring too much in one sitting, eat smaller portions more frequently.
  5. Say a big NO to all types of sugary drinks.

Par-2: Preparing the ground for weight loss


In this part, we assume that you have already gained sufficient weight, are overweight or obese. Preparing the necessary ground is of utmost importance for a successful weight loss journey. Please make sure that you don’t even opt for part-3 before you abide by every step mentioned in this section. Calm down, take a week or so to practice on the following things before going for part-3 which will be about a balanced diet and effective exercises.

1. Make the necessary mindset

Albert Einstein once said ”We can’t solve problems with the same mindset we used when we created them”. Though this is true with every problem, it even beautifully fits into the weight gain/loss case. When you were gradually storing fat, you cared less about certain things. Now is the time to reconsider them and give them the importance they deserve.

how to lose weight complete guide

So, here is why you have to lose weight:

You have to lose weight:

  1. To live a healthy life. Recall that old saying health is wealth. No matter what have you achieved so far, once you lose your health, everything boils down to zero.
  2. Because your body is not in the best shape with that extra fat.
  3. To look fitter and become healthier.
  4. Because your body is naturally designed to look attractive with a balanced weight.
  5. To enjoy life at it’s best, participate in physical activities, make most out of your time in this world.
  6. To avoid ensuing diseases that may make you suffer and give you pain.
  7. And in fact, To live longer.

2. Build a strong motivation base

If there is one thing that can keep you strong along the journey, it is, in fact, motivation. You need a constant dose of motivation to stay strong and consistent in your weight loss campaign. Constantly remind yourself of the abovementioned seven things to tam your mind.

motivation for weight loss

Here is what more you can do to stay motivated along the way:

  1. Find 10 minutes every day to write down all the good things that will come with weight loss.
  2. Ask a family member or a friend to join you.
  3. Set small manageable goals for each week, write them down somewhere visible.
  4. We as humans love appreciation. Appreciate yourself for every step you take towards your goals. You can do this in many ways including gifting yourself with a purse for your first milestone of 10 miles. Or something as small as putting a dollar in a jar every time you exercise. As a sub-goal, aim at adding over dollar 50-60 a month. Reward yourself with flattering workout clothes with the collected money.
  5. Make motivational notes for yourself. Use sticky notes to display the finest of motivational quotes. You might consider this as something trivial but the gradual outcome will surprise you.
  6. Improve your relationships to bring a whole new perspective into your life.
  7. Check stunning transformation of these Instagram users for a doze of motivation.

3. Declutter your home

Aha, you might think why decluttering has anything to do with weight loss? Well, that’s the whole point. Weight loss is basically a battle of nerves. The more you compose yourself, the easier and straight forward the process will become. A disorganized home accurately tells how mentally disarrayed someone is. When you reduce the clutter, you basically fine-tune your brain in a certain direction.

family decluttering organizing home

Follow these simple steps for a total declutter:

  1. Less is more and minimalism means happiness.
  2. Classify and put things into Keep, Donate, and Trash boxes.
  3. If possible, get the entire family on board.
  4. Stack clothes vertically in your drawers for much easier access.
  5. Use plastic bins instead of card boxes to store your holiday decor. Place them away from the living space.
  6. Organize your fridge by adding containers and bins. Confine the moment of stuff by adding things like stackable bottle storages, reusable silicone bags for fruits, and washable mats for vegetables.
  7. Use hanging artful jewelry stands to organize that jumble of jewelry.
  8. Make a digital folder for your recipes instead of keeping books.
  9. Use a tabbed folder to regulate your receipts.
  10. Here is a complete guide on how to do a full declutter.

4. Make your own separate snack station

Stocking your kitchen with healthy food and keeping temptation food on the shelves at the grocery store is ideal, but let’s face it, most of us have husbands, kids, or roommates. Keep a separate section in your refrigerator and cabinets that is just for you.

diet plan for weight loss

  1. Spend an hour or so each week making fruits, veggies, and other healthy snacks easier to eat and take on-the-go.
  2. Boil, peel and keep the eggs ahead of time. You’re less likely to eat the eggs you boiled if they aren’t peeled, but if you peel them all ahead of time and place them in individual bags, you’ll eat them! Sometimes it just comes down to convenience.

5. Start a Small DIY project

There are hundreds of interesting and useful DIY projects on the web. And because there is always space for improvement in any house, start with a small project and complete it. For instance, you can make a stand-up desk if you don’t have one already. Once installed, the desk will help you burn more calories, improve your posture, and significantly reduce your sitting time.

  1. Make a goal of completing a couple of simple projects every month.
  2. Let your mind workaround a fix for a problem. When you work on your own DIY idea, write a post about it and share it with others. Or simply share the before and after images on Instagram.
  3. When you start and complete such projects, not only will this improve your home but will also give you a sense of fulfillment and keep you busy.

The final part is all about diet and exercise. Please take your time and practice on Part-1 and 2. Once you did some improvements, come back to see the section updated. Save this pin to get back when you are ready.


the most definitive guide to weight loss (2)

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