Obesity Management

Obesity can be managed with lifestyle, dietary and behaviour modifications:

1. Lifestyle changes
   • Stay your ideal weight for height. Make it your lifestyle.
   • Take the stairs.
   • Stop eating when 80% full.
   • Have regular sleep time and an exercise schedule and adhere to it.
   • Walk when it is not possible to exercise.
   • Eat to live and not live to eat.
2. Dietary changes
   • Choose healthy food options – To allow for weight loss, consume fewer calories and opt for healthy food choices.
   • Consume salad before food.
   • Reduce the intake of sugary drinks and junk food.
   • Avoid eating in front of the television or mobile/laptop screen, as it is hard to engage our senses and recognize satiety, leading to overeating.
   • Consume more plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
   • Eat regularly to avoid blood sugar crashes.
   • Drink plenty of water.
3. Regular physical activity
   • Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week. This could be brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.
   • Increase mobility after meals. Small walks after meals are good for boosting metabolism.
4. Good sleep
   Sleep is an underrated factor and is closely related to metabolism. Getting good sleep helps regulate bowel movements and reduces stress hormones that contribute to weight gain.
5. Stress reduction
   • Try meditation and mindfulness.
   • Engage in building social connections.
6. Behavioral modification
   Wherever stress eating, habitual binge eating, or unhealthy eating is involved, counseling and cognitive behavioral therapy are useful.