Sometimes
losing weight in Nigeria is much more difficult than rocket science
just because our culture,food and orientation has helped to complicate
the whole situation.
However
if your a Nigerian and your determined to lose weight,then following
some of these steps and carefully watching your body will help you to
lose weight tremendously.
How to Lose Weight
Majority
of Africans,especially Nigerians are not over weight,but for the few
obese or fat individuals,shedding that stubborn fat seem like a
herculean task.
In
western countries they are a lot of options and ways to lose weight
which include plastic surgeries,drugs,support programmes,meal plans Etc
but all these are not available in Nigeria.
1. Avoid tasty junk foods and fast foods
2.
Monitor Your Calorie Intake,you can do this by checking the quantity of
food you take.For example when served a food and you are trying to lose
weight,try to eat a little quantity because Nigerian foods are high in
calories.
You can order for a take away and finish your food later.
3.
It is essential that you eat more fruits.Fruits provides the body with
essential vitamins and minerals it needs,which in turn helps to regulate
the digestive system.
People
that eat a lot of fruits on a regular basis fall sick less often and
are always in great shape. Start with eating fruits like Mango,water
melon,paw paw Etc.
4.
Sadly the typical Nigerian food has heavy carbohydrate and high calorie
content example main Nigerian dishes like yam, cassava,plantain, amala,
akpu, tuwo iyan, pounded yam, garri Etc,if your trying to lose weight
within a short amount of time,stay away from these foods or reduce the
frequency/ rate of consumption.
5.
Eat healthy Nigerian foods that contain high amounts of protein and are
made entirely from unprocessed ingredients as they are ideal for weight
loss.
Nigerian foods like:
- Beans
- Ugwu
- Egusi
- Ewedu
- Elubo
- Utazi leaves
- Ogbono
- Cowpeas and
- Moi-moi are good choices for weight loss.
6.
Check and Know your Body Mass Index (BMI),most times it's easier for
you to regulate and control your weight if you discover it earlier.
You
should calculate your BMI and know if your over weight or slightly over
weight.There are a lot of free BMI calculators online.
If
you calculate and notice that you are slightly over weight,then you
should adjusting your lifestyle in other to shed off and regulate your
weight.
7. You can talk to your doctor/ dietitian or ask to be referred to a weight loss consultant.
Most
often people do control their excess weight by adjusting their
lifestyle and eating healthy,but when it seems like its not working
out,then perhaps a weight loss consultant might do the magic.
8.
They are a lot of weight loss forums that can be found
online,registering and reading about other peoples problems and success
stories will help to boost your morale and encourage you to try harder.
They are a couple of weight loss forum online that you can check out.
9. You can also register at a gym or fitness centre to lose weight faster.
Studies have shown that people that workout at the gym tend to lose weight faster than people working out at home.
If however you want to work out at home,then you should employ the services of a personal trainer / personal fitness instructor.
10.
Don't forget to have your early morning breakfast as your body's
metabolic rate is at its peak and would help to lose weight faster.
The reverse will be the case if you eat a heavy dinner at night.
11. Carefully plan your daily food intake if you're planning to lose weight in Nigeria.Also cut off any form of spontaneous eating.
12.
Drink Plenty of Water,drink up to 5 liters of water or more to help
your body flush out toxins and boost your body metabolism and encourage
weight loss.
13. Make sure you avoid drinking alcohol like a plague.
14.
They are some Nigerian foods that burn fat,foods like green plantain,
ginger, soy beans, grapes, wheat,oats, bananas, ofada rice,mushroom and
waluts.
Losing
weight in Nigeria is not easy because the circumstances and environment
plus the food doesn't encourage weight loss,however for you to be able
to burn some calories effectively you will have to be persistent with
what ever method your using to achieve your weight loss goal.
For
example most Nigerians get tired after one week of intense work out in
the gym for weight loss,however persistence is key to weight loss in
Nigeria.
