Lowering weight in the Lowcountry can seem like a task and a half. The high humidity of the sultry summer doesn’t lend itself too well to exercising when we’re sweaty after walking two blocks. And while there are some good options for losing weight while eating out, like Neon Tiger and Kairos Mediterranean, the inner Southerner sometimes screams out for biscuits or crab rice.
Any time we turn on the TV it seems like there’s a latest diet, or magic solution to lose weight, oftentimes with a celebrity proclaiming that they’ve purged the pounds with some new and magical method. Heidi Montag has been spotted tucking into raw beef heart, which may pack in the protein but will also up the risk of ingesting parasites. It certainly isn’t in the Food & Drug Administration’s advice for ways to lose weight. Meanwhile, we can’t go online without seeing someone advertising herbal weight loss products; a sector, which is entirely unregulated, with no way of proving their claims. Medics in the UK are attempting to have social media companies ban the promotion of supplements after Kim Kardashian endorsed meal replacement teas that could well have been laxative – the dehydrative effect of those should certainly be avoided in the heat of SC. For some guidance in losing weight safely, read on.
Consider your lifestyle
Soccer star David Beckham revealed in 2022 that wife Victoria has eaten the same meal of grilled fish and steamed vegetables daily for at least the 25 years he’s known her. While that’s certainly a way of keeping trim, it doesn’t sound like a whole lot of fun. A good weight loss program needs to fit around your lifestyle for it to have any chance of success and many of us don’t have an hour to cook (the same) dinner every night. One tip that can help keep both time and food cravings down is meal prepping. Cooking food in batches and refrigerating/freezing it in individual portions means you’ve got control over portion size and less likelihood of ordering a high-calorie takeout when you know what’s for dinner in advance. Many Southern classics like collard greens and chicken pot pie lend themselves well to being frozen and reheated.
Go slow
Be wary of any diet plans or products that promise overnight results. Losing weight involves changing habits, and that can be a long process. For some of us, it’s second nature to grab a cookie when we go to the coffee pot or find ourselves opening a beer almost on autopilot when the game starts. The National Library Of Medicine’s studies have shown it takes on average 66 days to break a habit, with 18 days being the low end and 254 being the furthest point. Saying ‘I need to lose 30lbs’ can seem daunting. The Center For Disease Control advises losing weight at around a pound a week is what’s generally agreed as being a safe target. Setting realistic goals and monitoring progress gives motivation to keep going and not slip back into bad habits as you chalk them off.
Medical help
You may have heard a lot about medications such as Wegovy and Zepbound over the last couple of years. Initially developed to help insulin control in diabetes sufferers, GLP-1 medicines (as they’re known) are now also FDA-approved for weight loss. They work by both slowing the movement of food through the digestive process – keeping you fuller for longer – and quietening the receptors in the brain that react to food stimuli, lessening cravings. Online prescription weight loss medication programs can be available to those with a BMI of 30 or higher, and clinical testing results showed users losing around 15% of their body weight after a 68-week trial. If the magic bullet doesn’t exist for weight loss, the helping hand does now.
Positive mindset
Fad diets frequently fail simply due to their premise. They tell you you have a problem that needs to be fixed. If you feel you’re not making enough progress on that problem, it’s easy to get downhearted and give up. You’re doing something good for yourself, and you should be kind to yourself throughout the process. Positive thinking can become a habit too! Beginning the day with intention can help train your brain to think positively, whereas instantly checking your phone can oftentimes start the morning with stress from work or the news. On the days when motivation can seem scarce, consistency becomes important.
The majority of South Carolinians are overweight – 67% of us at the CDC’s last count in 2016. If there was a quick fix or magic bullet, chances are we’d all be doing it. Speak to your physician. Make a plan. Do it safely.
