If someone is overweight or obese, they are at higher risk of developing serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes mellitus, gallstones, breathing problems, and certain cancers hence energy balance is important for maintaining a healthy weight and that is what we are trying to understand through our series on Healthy weight awareness. 

Munazzah Qazi, Registered Clinical Dietician, is a sports nutritionist and a certified diabetes educator. She is also a speaker for health and wellness at various corporates and has won various competitions for healthy and innovative cooking. As an author, she contributes to Healthy Life Magazine and Just for Heart.

Unhealthy lifestyle can make the body appear more than the biological age

Munazzah states, “We find during consultations that even lean people are found to be having higher than required body fat ratio. The reason for this is unhealthy lifestyle, eating junk food, and stress. In such situations, the body age occurs much higher than the actual biological age. It indicates how unhealthy one is from the inside. There is lesser muscle mass in such people indicating that they are not having adequate protein in their diet. Whereas, even if a person is overweight but has been exercising regularly, eating healthy, and has been stress-free; his body fat ratio would not be high indicating that he has already done lifestyle modifications to a good extent. Also, many children who are lean are nutritionally deficient in comparison to their healthier counterparts,” she says.

Best strategies to lose weight

Munazzah explains that weight loss can be achieved by a mix of healthy diet and exercise, “There is no specific way that applies to everyone when it comes to weight loss. Neither there is any shortcut. If one is nutritionally deficient in something for e.g., in vitamins, then he should take supplements those vitamins to reduce the deficiencies. Unless and until he works on these, he might not show a good result in weight loss no matter how much effort he is making towards it. Hence one should work upon improving one’s metabolism, modifying one’s lifestyle, and introducing healthy food in the diet,” she says.

Challenges faced in the health and wellness industry

Munazzah lists down the challenges faced by the health and wellness industry:

Diagnosis is not on time After diagnosis treatment gets delayed  Funds for people who cannot afford treatment gets delayed too

When embarking onto the journey of weight loss

Munazzah advises, “When it comes to weight loss, stop procrastinating; don't be lazy in following healthy strategies of weight loss, whether it is exercise or introduction of the right diet, don't keep on delaying”, she says.

Tips on how to make good lifestyle modifications

Munazzah shares a list:

Superfoods in your diet will help in increasing the metabolism. Also, it will really give good results in weight loss initiatives. There is research-based evidence that superfoods like cinnamon powder and apple cider vinegar help in weight loss. Fennel (saunf) and cumin (jeera) water help in weight loss too. If these are taken twice a day, half an hour before meals, the body’s metabolism would improve. Small and frequent meals throughout the day. As a carbohydrate eating country, we lose out on many vital nutrients. Ensure the food to be rich in fiber, protein, vitamin D, and B 12 as 90% of people suffer from deficiencies. Get the deficiencies corrected because somewhere or the other they create a hindrance in weight loss.  Sleep and stress-related problems should be sorted out if you want your weight-loss initiatives to lead to fantastic results.  There is a term called plateau stage that occurs during the weight loss process. This signifies that after a certain point you are not moving ahead towards the desired results. It happens when there is a lack of a balanced diet. So, eat right. One measure does not work for all. So, go to a qualified dietician regarding your weight loss so that you get a customized diet plan made as per your body’s requirements.

You can find Munazzah on:

Email ID: qazimunazzah.rd@gmail.com

Contact no: 8291088696

FaceBook - https://www.facebook.com/qazimunazzah/

Instagram: Username: munazahqazi - https://www.instagram.com/munazahqazi?r=nametag

(Edited by Amrita Priya)