Nutrition Corner: 3 Common Mistakes in Weight Management

Have you ever experience a great bounce back after much efforts being made to bring your weight down? If yes, you could have not well prepared (Refer to "5 Useful Tips To Commence A Weight Management Plan") or you have probably made the common mistakes as following:

1. Does skipping meal or fasting speed up 

the weight loss process? 

Definitely, NO!

Scientific evidence shown that irregular eating habit or skipping meal usually leads to excessive calorie intake in the subsequent meal, and that could be significantly higher than when we practice regular mealtime. When we skip meal, body enters starvation mode, and that put us into a higher tendency of overeating uncontrollably. This uncontrollable reaction is to assure sufficient energy for survival.

In addition, in the event of no exercise plan being introduced, long term starvation reduces our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to allow longer survival period. At this point of time, a little increment of calorie intake will incur a great bounce back of body weight. The scariest part is, long term suppression of Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) will cause imbalance internally and that put us into greater challenge for proper weight management plan in the future.

2.  Am I encouraged to use meal replacement 

or juicing method to replace solid meal? 

Absolutely, NO!

There is a quote saying “Eat your calories, don’t drink”. Why?

Firstly, liquid food provides less sense of fullness than solid food. Those who have tried on liquid meal replacement (which contains a full-meal calorie) did not feel satiety after drinking, hence opted out for a full meal again. So, do you think you have successfully reduce calorie intake in this case? Or it’s actually the other round?

Secondly, Nutritionist or Dietitian always encourages people to eat slowly, spend at least 20 minutes for every single meal. By following this simple tip, it allows sufficient time for our stomach to deliver impulses to brain to notify that “I am full”. Studies revealed that people who spend less than 20 minutes for their meal are usually the group with higher body weight.

Last but not least, our mouth, teeth and jaw are there for a reason, they contribute significantly to our digestion. By chewing slowly, our jaw usually end up with tiredness and that is the time to stop eating.

3.  Does perspiration help in burning fat? 

100% NO!

Perspiration is a normal body reaction to regulate our body temperature, same theory applies when we drink to quench our thirst. Do you know that water has the highest heat capacity? That is the reason why when our body temperature increases, despite of whatever reasons, we perspire to lower our body temperature. Thus, as soon as our sweat evaporates, we feel cooling immediately.

So, next question is, other than exercising which stimulate faster heartbeat and increased Basal Metabolic Rate, what causes the rise of body temperature? Well, it could be as simple as hot weather or sauna. In short, perspiration does not help to burn fat! If you are doubt, give yourself 5 minutes standing under the hot sun, trust me, you still perspire even you are not moving at all.

You are just losing water, not burning fat!

Often, people quote that “weight management is a lifelong process”, which is very true. However, the interpretation of this quote should be “weight management starts from a lifestyle intervention” and “your lifestyle is a lifelong habit”. To achieve effective and sustainable weight loss, the best way is to inculcate healthy eating with regular exercise into our daily life. 

There are no shortcuts to any place worth doing, including our health.