Right attitude=diet success=lose weight forever

Ironically, Ramazan is the month of overindulgence. It is one month when people eat a lot more than they should and all the wrong fatty food items. And wait, what about Eid?Just three days of Eid adds a couple of inches more to our already over-expanded-WAY-out-of-proportion waists.

Is that not the worst feeling ever? Don’t you feel guilty as if you have committed a crime and avoid facing the mirror for days? If you are nodding your head in agreement, keep reading. If you are rolling your eyes, FOCUS!

Most of us are now suffering from depression from not being able to fit into our clothes like we used to. And what happens when we’re depressed? We start eating even more as if to fill up a void and end up adding a couple of inches more to that darn waist. Perfect example of domino effect and we have got to find a way to break the fall. It is time for us to stop and take charge of our mind, soul and body.

Wedding season is right around the corner and there is not much time left to get yourself in shape. Paras, 20, says, “Winter wedding season is the hardest to lose weight, as it’s basically Summer+Ramazan+Eid weight gain versus two months and a half of losing it. Seriously that’s too much weight to lose in a very short time and it completely stresses me out and I end up depressed and cranky.” There’s no time to wait for tomorrow. And while we are at it, let’s try not to fall for those ‘six days to a new you’ banner ads that you see popping up on the corner of your Facebook page as soon as you Google ‘lose weight’.

The worst part about losing weight is that you can’t cheat. No one wants to share their weight-losing plans and secrets. It is almost as if saying their diet and exercise plans out loud will make all those pounds (lbs) reappear. No one ever admits they have been working hard towards losing weight. For some reason, people find it embarrassing. Qudsia, 18, says, “I don’t want anyone to know I’m trying so hard to look good. It’ll make me look stupid.”  So what does she say when someone asks her how she did it. “Oh, I don’t know how I am losing weight because all I have been doing is eating, eating, eating!”

Sure, that’s smart. We believe you.

Since we cannot follow someone else’s diet plan, it does not mean we cannot make our own. So what if you have already had a heavy breakfast today? It’s right now or never. Find a sport you enjoy, join a gym and once you start, maybe you will become an inspiration for your friends and family and they might even end up following your footsteps. Just imagine how you could change lives… No, let’s not get ahead of ourselves now.

But remember a good diet plan can work wonders. That’s the trickiest part and we have to make sure we are careful and not compromising on our health. You are what you eat and healthy is what it should be. I strongly recommend joining a professional health and wellness centre where they can monitor your weight and help you reach your ideal weight effectively. Try Powwer Living at SouthBeach Clinic. They help you lose from eight to 40 kilogrammes depending on which programme suits your body best. Ali, founder and Director of Powerr Living says, “It will change the way you look at food forever.” “Before you put anything into your mouth, you should assess whether that food is going to add nutrition value or will add inches to your body!” This means it does not only require changing your diet and routine but your attitude as well. Now you know why ‘six days to a new you’ is a hoax?

So once you reach your ideal weight, start looking and feeling better than ever and someone asks you how you did it, you know what to say – “All I’ve been doing is eating, eating, eating!”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2010.