9 tips to lose excess weight and keep it off

Are you obese, and struggling to lose weight? Have you tried yo-yo dieting and found that the weight comes right back?

Losing weight the healthy way, and keeping it off Source: Flickr

Health Educator and dietician Gagandeep Kaur Cheema explains that yo-yo dieting is not the answer to obesity.

Speaking to SBS Punjabi program, she gave nine tips on how to lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life. Here is a recap:

1. Know your risk of chronic conditions by calculating your BMI and measuring your waist circumference, and comparing these with obesity cut off. BMI is determined by your weight in kg divided by your (height in metres)2. E.g. 1.5m tall weighing 63 kilos has BMI of 63/(1.5x1.5) = 63/2.25 = 28

2. Make changes very slowly. Remember that changes are difficult to make and disappointments may happen when people try to either adopt crash diets, or make too many changes too quickly.

3. Use serve size and recommended quantities provided in Australian Guide to Healthy Eating to reflect on your own diet and then reduce your calorie intake slowly over weeks and months by making little changes at a time

4. Limit intake of processed foods, avoid the ones that are high in saturated fat and sugar by reading labels

5. Avoid mindless eating e.g. while watching TV, ask yourself a question - "Am I really hungry?"

6. Remember and apply the message of 2 fruits and 5 vegetables. When reducing calorie intake, bulk up your plate with salads or cooked vegetables. This may help to reduce quantities of rice or rice-based meals and rotis 

7. Limit fat intake by reducing the quantity of oil in "tadka". Remove fat from meat and skin off chicken before cooking. Use low fat milk and milk products

8. Increase water intake, avoid soft drinks and juices

9. Improve on physical activity. Both - aerobic such as walking etc. and strength training help to lose weight

Dietician and health educator Gagan Kaur Cheema give tips for losing weight and keeping it off Source: Supplied

Apart from tips about losing weight and keeping it off, Gagan told us how to choose our cooking oil, whether to eat snacks between meals or not, and what is the lesser evil between fried and sugary foods. Click on the audio link above to hear the full interview.

The Obesity Myth started on September 4 at 7.30pm on SBS television, followed by two more episodes at the same time on Monday September 11 and Monday September 18.

For more news and updates, follow SBS Punjabi on Facebook and Twitter.