As Advised By The Doctor: Eight Ways To Lose Weight Effectively

Losing weight is easily one of the most popular New Year resolutions. Salad bars have snaking queues and gyms fill out in January but come February, all resolve dissolve faster than that ice-cream sundae you just scarfed. We speak to body sculpting doctor, Dr. Ivan Puah from Amaris B. Clinic, for some effective tips to ensure that you hit your ideal weight goal.

Join a yoga studio or a gym.

Knowing that you’re paying good money every month will motivate you to keep your date with your personal trainer or yoga instructor. Forming friendships at these places and having a #fitsquad will also make those workouts more fun.Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice: 

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice:

“Exercising is not only a great way to keep the numbers on the weighing scale low but it is also a good way to release stress and feel good.”

Shop for cute workout outfits. 

Now that exercise is going to play a big part in your life, you’ll want to look good as you whip your booty into shape. Follow Insta favourites like #lululemon or #aloyoga for inspiring fitness tips and gurus to help you stay on track.

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice: 
“Being disciplined and consistent require more than willpower. Motivations such as a new set of clothes will keep the drive going.”

Clean out junk from your fridge.

 Thrash all processed sugar as it can be a real obstacle in your weight loss journey. If you really need something sweet, snack on fresh fruits or a piece of dark chocolate.

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice:
“Between calories in and calories out, I would advice to pay more attention to your food intake than your exercise regime. What you put in your body is much more important than what you are burning.”

Eat lots of vegetables.

Find the ones you actually love, and your favourite way to prepare them so you can fall back on your own staple healthy recipe all year long.

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice:
“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring or all about salads. You can make your own grilled or roasted vegetable mix, cauliflower pizza or even watercress soup.”

Hydrate to lose weight.

Research has shown that our brains often confuse hunger with thirst. Drinking a glass of water before every meal will help control our appetites and help us eat less.

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice:
“Trick your body into thinking it is full by filling it with water. That way, you eat lesser but feel fuller faster.”

Mix things up.

Don’t stick to one workout and do it till you’re bored – that’s the fastest way to give up and give in to temptations (like a buffet dinner date with friends or succumbing to chips and Netflix). Mixing it up is often the key to success, especially if you’ve hit a plateau. Challenge your body in new ways by trying a workout you’ve never done before.

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice:
“Our body is an intelligent vessel. Once you keep sticking to the same routine, it will hit a plateau. Mix it up.”

Get a tracker.

 Like a Fitbit or Apple Watch, which are not only stylish accessories, but also serve as constant reminders that you need to move more. You’ll get little vibrations and notifications telling you to stand and move more, some even tell you to go for a run!

Dr. Ivan Puah’s advice:
“Sometimes we need reminders to nudge ourselves away from work and dedicate some time for ourselves. Automatic reminders such as alarms are a great way to get us to stay on course.