Weight Loss Myth: Can weight be reduced by diet alone? Celebrity nutritionist reveals the real formula for sustainable weight loss

People try different methods in the journey of weight loss. Some sweat for hours in the gym, while others focus solely on cutting down their diet. This question often arises in people’s minds – can one lose weight easily and permanently just by dieting?

According to celebrity nutritionist Dr Geetika Chopra, relying only on diet can be a big myth. You may lose a few kilos of weight in the initial phase just by controlling your diet, but diet alone is not enough for long-term healthy, sustainable and safe weight loss.

Scientific research and experts show that weight loss is not just a game of ‘eat less’. It is a balanced combination of our body’s metabolism, hormones, muscle mass, sleep quality, stress level, gut health (digestive health) and physical activity.

What are the disadvantages of just dieting?

If you just do crash dieting without exercise and adequate nutrition, then the body may have to suffer losses instead of benefits:

1. Muscle Loss: By simply reducing food intake, the body starts reducing your muscles along with fat.

2. Slow Metabolism: Due to loss of muscle mass, the body’s metabolism slows down. The result is that you burn fewer calories throughout the day.

3. Risk of weight regain: As soon as you return to your normal diet, the weight comes back very quickly due to slow metabolism, which is called ‘Yo-Yo Effect’.

Follow these 5 activities along with diet

Nutritionists to burn fat the right and safe way calorie deficit With Calorie Deficit, we recommend adopting the following routine:

• High Quality Protein: Include adequate amount of protein in every meal (diet) so that your muscles remain strong.

• Strength Training: Do weight training or bodyweight exercises at least 2 to 4 days a week.

• Daily Steps Count: Daily to stay active throughout the day 7,000 to 10,000 steps Aim to walk.

• Quality Sleep: Get 7 to 8 hours of deep and comfortable sleep daily. Due to lack of sleep, hunger hormones become unbalanced.

• Stress Management: Stress and anxiety increase the hormone ‘cortisol’ in the body, which causes stubborn belly fat to accumulate. Control stress with meditation or yoga.

It is important to improve gut health and metabolic health.

Dr. Geetika Chopra tells that our main goal should not just be to reduce weight but also to cure gut inflammation and metabolic health.

Chronic inflammation in the intestines spoils the digestive system, increases insulin resistance and causes hormonal imbalance. Not only this, it can also increase the risk of serious diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Therefore, attention should be paid to anti-inflammatory foods and gut-healing nutrition.

Expert’s perfect weight loss formula

If you want to stay fit forever without falling ill, then make this 7-step formula a part of your life: