NON-MEDICAL TREATMENT OF OBESITY

Obesity is a major health problem in India & abroad. The main reasons are faulty diet & changed life style. It has been found that Obesity is the root of most of the other ailments. Today various drugs are available which instantly reduce weight & even there are surgical processes like liposuction which remove the fat from the desired area of a person's body. Since these medicines are very expensive & have site effects too it is better if we modify our food habits & life style pattern to reduce weight.

A) In order to reduce weight one should be self motivated

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B) Before starting with weight reduction program, one should know the exact cause of his or her weight increase. Weight gain can be due to faulty food habit, hormonal imbalance eg) HYPOTHYROIDISM, due to medicines, lack of exercise or may due to Menopause in women.

C) Dietary modification alone does not help to reduce weight one needs to exercise also.

D) Dieting does not mean starving . People often think that by starving they will lose weight. It is true that by starving one will lose weight but it is not an ideal approach for weight reduction as one may lose his or her muscle mass along with fat by starving .

E). The Obese or Overweight individual should include following food items in his or diet.
- Whole Wheat & its products.
- Brown Rice & its products.
- Whole pulses
- Fruits like Papaya, water melon, Guava, Apple, Pineapple, Pomegranate.
- Skim Cow's milk
- Green Leafy Vegetables
- Soups without Cream or butter
- Salads without Salad Dressings

F) The Obese or Overweight individual should avoid following food items in his or diet .
- Refined Wheat Flour & its products.
- Fruits like Banana, Sapota, Grapes, Lichi, Cherry, Plums, and Mango.
- Fruit juices & coconut water
- Dry fruits like Almonds, dates, Cashew nuts.
- Cheese, Butter, Paneer, ghee
- Any sweets
- Jam, Jelly, Pickles.
- Potatoes , Sweet Potatoes , Colocasia ( ARBI )
- Red Meat , Egg Yolk
- Soft & Hard Drinks

G) Include boiled , baked foods products instead of fried ones.

H) A person who is following a weight reduction program should take 6 meals in a day. These are
- BREAK FAST ........around 8.00 TO 8.30 am
- MID MORNING........ “10.30 TO 11.00 am
- LUNCH .................. “1.00 TO 1.30 pm
- TEA ...................... “4.00 TO 4.30 pm
- DINNER ................ “8.30 TO 9.00 pm
- BED TIME ............. “10.00 TO 10.30 pm
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I) The person should not skip any meal because he or she may eat more in the next meal

J) Avoid watching TV, reading books or telephonic conversation while eating food. As all these activities make the individual eat more.

K) Consume salads or soup 15-20 minutes prior to the main meal. As this will help the person to eat less

L) Chew the food well before swallowing.

M) Along with dietary modifications & exercise a slight change in draping style also helps in weight reduction by changing the Psychology of person. Some Sartorial tips for obese man & woman are as follows.
- Obese or Over weight individuals should avoid loose fitting clothes
- Obese man should wear Vertical stripped Shirts & T-shirts . Vertical stripped shirts will make them look tall & slim
- They should avoid floral or big prints on their shirts.
- Should wear full trousers.
- Should avoid Double breast coats.
- Obese or Over weight women should not wear short dresses.
- Should wear Chudidaars instead odd salvars
- Should wear saris made of Silk or Chiffon which will help them to look slimmer.
- Should avoid big prints on their dresses.

N) Last but not least a very simple but effective technique which helps in weight reduction by motivating the individual . The individual should hang on the walls of the room where he or she spends most of the time, his or her photographs in which he or she used to look slim, smart, young & beautiful.

O) Once an individual reduces weight & achieves ideal body weight for his or her age & height. He or she should continue to follow balance diet & should exercise regularly, other wise the person will regain weight.