However, by 15 I had slimmed down and my waistline hover around 24-26". Over the years, My weight have gone up and down (at one point I was close to 70kgs and I am only 158cm tall), but experience has help me gain insight to what works and what doesn't, well at least for me. As each of us are different in body and mentality, there is no 'one size fit all' weight loss plan. You will need to try and experience it for yourself to gauge whether it is working for you or not. However, some methods just simply won't work, and here's some:
Things that does not work
#1 - Slimming cream/gels/lotion
If it was such a simple case of just slapping on some weird products and fats magically disappears, then plastic surgeons and gyms will have to 'close shop'. Keep your money in your pocket and stop buying these products. I once worked as a cosmetic promoter for one of the luxury brand, and in between serving customers and housekeeping the store, I actually spent my free time reading product labels at work. Most of these products contain caffeine, which 'dehydrates' you. Have you ever had so much coffee that you develop 'coffee breath'? That's what it does it leaves your body dehydrated and thus your mouth becomes dry. What these slimming products does is to get rid of the water retention in your body, not fats. All of us have water retention to a certain extend. By massaging the products into the skin, you actually improves your lymphatic drainage which helps to move the water retention, so you will experience some amount of 'inches loss' temporarily, but never alot.
Another thing I notice is that gels are more popular than cream, which comes as no surprise because mainly in tropical countries nobody want to look and feel like a greasy donut as cream does become sticky and uncomfortable, which gel dries up very fast. But in my opinion, if you are going to buy something as useless as a slimming product might as well get a cream one because at least if it does nothing to slim you it will moisturize your skin and make it supple. Gel ones dry up fast, and leave behind a 'film', which acts like an invisible pantyhose on your skin, making it appear smoother and thus slimmer. It is very much similar to those 'peel-off' mask effect where you experience skin tightening but once you wash it off you're back to square one.
#2 - Starvation
Unless you are able to have the determination enough to help you develop anorexia, most of the time you will just give up, rebound and gain weight. I don't think I need to tell you why this will not work over a long term, because it is simply very very difficult to achieve. However, some people have successful lose weight through what they think is starvation, but is actually more of 'change of diet' which I will cover on later. To starve is really just leaving off only water and perhaps a carrot or a biscuit, which I am pretty sure most of us can't and will give up after a day or two, losing about 1-2 kgs, only to regain it back within the next few hours when you resume normal eating.
#3 - Corsets
The corset does not magically make you lose weight. However, as a side effect of its awkward death grip, you do have trouble eating more than a small bowl of rice. It is like a giant squeezing you to the point that even AIR have trouble staying inside you, much less food. If you do not wear your corset tight enough, then you will not lose weight. That's it. Really.
Things that work sometimes, with a change in attitude
#1 - Change of diet
All of us have tried this at least once, eating more healthily, eating salads, not drinking carbonated drinks. Sure, you lose weight, but you also lose happiness. You forever feel unsatisfied, 'hungry' even though you had like 5 kgs worth of vegetables (incidentally, if you really eat so much veges you will gain weight and not lose weight). Then you release the 'demon', and you ravage through the fridge snacking on all the forbidden. Back to square one again. So once again not a very future proof plan, but one that might work in short term, like say 3 months. So I would say this method works sometimes.
Things that does not work
#1 - Slimming cream/gels/lotion
If it was such a simple case of just slapping on some weird products and fats magically disappears, then plastic surgeons and gyms will have to 'close shop'. Keep your money in your pocket and stop buying these products. I once worked as a cosmetic promoter for one of the luxury brand, and in between serving customers and housekeeping the store, I actually spent my free time reading product labels at work. Most of these products contain caffeine, which 'dehydrates' you. Have you ever had so much coffee that you develop 'coffee breath'? That's what it does it leaves your body dehydrated and thus your mouth becomes dry. What these slimming products does is to get rid of the water retention in your body, not fats. All of us have water retention to a certain extend. By massaging the products into the skin, you actually improves your lymphatic drainage which helps to move the water retention, so you will experience some amount of 'inches loss' temporarily, but never alot.
Another thing I notice is that gels are more popular than cream, which comes as no surprise because mainly in tropical countries nobody want to look and feel like a greasy donut as cream does become sticky and uncomfortable, which gel dries up very fast. But in my opinion, if you are going to buy something as useless as a slimming product might as well get a cream one because at least if it does nothing to slim you it will moisturize your skin and make it supple. Gel ones dry up fast, and leave behind a 'film', which acts like an invisible pantyhose on your skin, making it appear smoother and thus slimmer. It is very much similar to those 'peel-off' mask effect where you experience skin tightening but once you wash it off you're back to square one.
#2 - Starvation
Unless you are able to have the determination enough to help you develop anorexia, most of the time you will just give up, rebound and gain weight. I don't think I need to tell you why this will not work over a long term, because it is simply very very difficult to achieve. However, some people have successful lose weight through what they think is starvation, but is actually more of 'change of diet' which I will cover on later. To starve is really just leaving off only water and perhaps a carrot or a biscuit, which I am pretty sure most of us can't and will give up after a day or two, losing about 1-2 kgs, only to regain it back within the next few hours when you resume normal eating.
#3 - Corsets
The corset does not magically make you lose weight. However, as a side effect of its awkward death grip, you do have trouble eating more than a small bowl of rice. It is like a giant squeezing you to the point that even AIR have trouble staying inside you, much less food. If you do not wear your corset tight enough, then you will not lose weight. That's it. Really.
Things that work sometimes, with a change in attitude
#1 - Change of diet
All of us have tried this at least once, eating more healthily, eating salads, not drinking carbonated drinks. Sure, you lose weight, but you also lose happiness. You forever feel unsatisfied, 'hungry' even though you had like 5 kgs worth of vegetables (incidentally, if you really eat so much veges you will gain weight and not lose weight). Then you release the 'demon', and you ravage through the fridge snacking on all the forbidden. Back to square one again. So once again not a very future proof plan, but one that might work in short term, like say 3 months. So I would say this method works sometimes.
#2 - Slimming centers
I once went to a FAMOUS slimming center, and paid a few thousand dollars with no results at all. What they did to me was firstly, ask me to chart and list my meals for a week, and the following week, they sat me down and went through the list with me, circling things that I should not eat, which is like 95% of the list. The remaining 5% was plain water, in case you are interested. Then they 'recommend' me for some food that resembles and tasted like Styrofoam. After which I started my "slimming program", which requires me to strip naked and an aunty with a pail of cold herbal mixture will come in, wet some Sarah wrap with the mixture and proceed to wrap me up from ankles to chest. After that, they wrap me with cling wrap again covering my whole body. For a moment, I felt like some ham waiting to be roasted, except that I was made to sit in the cold, air-conditioned tiny cubicle, wet and lonely while I wondered if the woman in the next cubicle feel as miserable. I have friends who were made to lie down in a hot hot thing that looks like those you find in a tanning salon. Alas, the only thing that lose weight was our wallet, not our body. Logically, if you had followed their meal plans for you, then you should lose weight just by the changes in the diet, but then again you didn't need to pay thousands of dollars for someone to tell you what to eat and what not to eat.
#3 - Exercise
You must be wondering, why is this here, isn't exercise the #1 thing for weight loss? In an ideal world, yes. You should exercise to lose weight and keep fit and tone. If it was that easy, we would all be parading our fab and tone body around, and not stuck in a rut. Now you should realize why exercise is in the section "works sometimes but with a change in attitude". Unless you change your attitude and adopt exercise as part of your daily regime rather than a frenzy 3 month spurs, going to the gym every other day, only to lose it all in a couple of months down the road, this will not work. I have tried going for a two hour swim twice a week for 4 months, only to give it all up when I couldn't take it. Unfortunately, most of us approach exercise with the type of attitude and mad obsession, only to fizzle out after a short time, burnt out. So again, it will only work for a couple of months.
Things that work really well for me
#1 - Switch meals around
Instead of having oats/porridge for breakfast, I have it for dinner and have my MacDonald for breakfast. Why would you want to stuff yourself with high calories food at night and have a heavy dinner when your metabolism is low and you are so close to bedtime? I also eat higher calories food in the day and once the day past 5pm, I stop snacking. So you will see me eating chocolates in the noon and nearer to daytime instead of supper. For dinner I will have a smaller portion and a fruit to 'fill up'. So you can still have your cake and eat it, except that you are eating in the earlier part of the day.
#2 - Sleep more, sleep early
If you are better rested, your body function better to breakdown food and metabolism rate is regulated. Your mind is also clearer so that you make better food choices. Also, if you sleep early, you reduce the chance of eating supper. If you start your day at 8, five hours later have lunch at 1, five hours later have dinner at 6 then when it is five hours later at 11pm you will definitely be up for some supper. So don't do it, do yourself a favor and go sleep at 10.
#3 - Take 30 minutes everyday for light exercise
Take a jog for 30 minutes everyday. I swear by this. If you do not see any difference after doing it for 1 month, call me. Not into jogging? No worries, you can do skipping, hula hoop or target body workout at home. Also, another tip is to start with a low target, but gradually increase your target every 3-4 days. For example, today you do 10 sit-ups, and 3 days later, you target yourself to do 15. Don't get all crazy and try to achieve 60 sit-ups in the beginning because not only you will not be able to do it, but when you fail your morale will crumble and you will not feel so motivated after that. Even if you are able to achieve 60 on the first try you will be so sore and it will hurts so you will be put off by it. I started jogging for 5 minutes, then slowly i push myself to 8 minutes, then 10 and so on till i reach 45 minutes.
#4 - Do it your way, improvise
For some reason, I always find it easier to exercise at night. Maybe it is because i hated the sun and also I am not a morning person. Another thing is I believe if I exercise in the late noon or evening, I pump up my metabolism rate which would otherwise have reduce in the later part of the day when I am tired after a long day. If you feel comfortable doing something but slightly different from others, do it anyway. It might just work for you. But please do some research to find out if it has any ill-effects just to be safe.
Things that work really well for me
#1 - Switch meals around
Instead of having oats/porridge for breakfast, I have it for dinner and have my MacDonald for breakfast. Why would you want to stuff yourself with high calories food at night and have a heavy dinner when your metabolism is low and you are so close to bedtime? I also eat higher calories food in the day and once the day past 5pm, I stop snacking. So you will see me eating chocolates in the noon and nearer to daytime instead of supper. For dinner I will have a smaller portion and a fruit to 'fill up'. So you can still have your cake and eat it, except that you are eating in the earlier part of the day.
#2 - Sleep more, sleep early
If you are better rested, your body function better to breakdown food and metabolism rate is regulated. Your mind is also clearer so that you make better food choices. Also, if you sleep early, you reduce the chance of eating supper. If you start your day at 8, five hours later have lunch at 1, five hours later have dinner at 6 then when it is five hours later at 11pm you will definitely be up for some supper. So don't do it, do yourself a favor and go sleep at 10.
#3 - Take 30 minutes everyday for light exercise
Take a jog for 30 minutes everyday. I swear by this. If you do not see any difference after doing it for 1 month, call me. Not into jogging? No worries, you can do skipping, hula hoop or target body workout at home. Also, another tip is to start with a low target, but gradually increase your target every 3-4 days. For example, today you do 10 sit-ups, and 3 days later, you target yourself to do 15. Don't get all crazy and try to achieve 60 sit-ups in the beginning because not only you will not be able to do it, but when you fail your morale will crumble and you will not feel so motivated after that. Even if you are able to achieve 60 on the first try you will be so sore and it will hurts so you will be put off by it. I started jogging for 5 minutes, then slowly i push myself to 8 minutes, then 10 and so on till i reach 45 minutes.
#4 - Do it your way, improvise
For some reason, I always find it easier to exercise at night. Maybe it is because i hated the sun and also I am not a morning person. Another thing is I believe if I exercise in the late noon or evening, I pump up my metabolism rate which would otherwise have reduce in the later part of the day when I am tired after a long day. If you feel comfortable doing something but slightly different from others, do it anyway. It might just work for you. But please do some research to find out if it has any ill-effects just to be safe.
--------- To be continued -----------
