THE BATTLE .................................

I walked into the classroom and no one seemed to notice me. I gently sat down still looking at the different faces and how engrossed they were at the conversation. It was few hours to the exam and I needed to revise for the last time even though my mind kept telling me I had not read enough (cause I slept all through the night). So revising was not the word. The conversation was getting hot as other people joined in the discussion as soon they entered the class.

Basically, they were talking about weight loss and the struggle to keep up even after you had lost weight. The girl who headed the discussion had an overly serious look on her face as she tried to convince every other person about the new weight loss pills.

''Once we graduate, I'll save up enough money and buy mine'', she said adjusting her dress.

The girl who sat next to her seemed to agree but still had her doubts about this new pill.

''It's too pricey, am not even sure it would work'', said another.

I needed to get to the root of the discussion so I quickly closed my book and asked the girl seated next to me what the discussion was all about and this new pill they talked about. She uninterestedly told me that the girl told them of some new Chinese pill that was specifically made for weight loss and she has a friend who had tried it out and it worked.Since the price of the pills were outrageous, I didn't bother to ask further questions. 

Fast forward to my service days, I heard yet another side of the weight loss madness. The girl had introduced a herbal tea to one of the corp members and promised her it would work. Specifically she said in three weeks she would see visible changes in her body. 

Apparently one month and two weeks into taking the tea, she remained the way she was and was constantly complaining of stomach upset. The two were seriously exchanging words when I heard of the ''tea saga'' and judging from the affected girl's bitter countenance and the information I gathered, the tea was expensive and she was not the only one affected. I couldn't stop laughing cause I was equally obsessed with weight loss at that time but I guess mine was not as much as the girl who spent her whole ''allowee'' on weight loss tea (hehehehehehehe). 

The war to loose weight in a society that is obsessed with thinness is huge. This war is waged on many fronts. Some say fasting sheds the unwanted pounds in a hurry, some use liquid diet to cut down on calorie intake, runners jog them off, walkers do it at a slower pace, calorie counters keep tab on their food intake. Some resort to drastic measures like jaw wiring, to thwart huge appetite into tiny sips. Others go under the knife etc. With all these measures, victory is imminent.

I was  caught up in the whole weight loss drama and in this age of popping pills for virtually everything, losing weight is not exempted. Different kinds of pills are being advertized as a means to shed the excess fat and some still go extra mile in consuming it. 

My fears remains insurmountable cause in this age where cancer affects every part of the body and the root cause has not been found, we should all be careful and wise when it comes to consumption of these pills or special drinks.I'm not condemning these pills or special drinks for weight loss, but only advising my audience and the general public to make wise and informed decisions when going for them.

Loosing weight is awesome and healthy at the same time when it is done the right way. So I'll share my 4R to a  healthy weight loss journey. 

RIGHT FOOD

Loosing weight entails, eating right from the different classes of food. Our body needs all the nutrients, so incorporating the different classes of food into our diet in the right proportion is essential. Foods high in sugar and fat should be avoided (I know you must heard it a million times, so do well to actually practice it) and your fruits and vegetable should occupy the most space on your food platter. 

RIGHT TIME

The right time to eat isn't late at night or while watching television and indulging in some sweet snacks with high calorie content. Frequent but smaller portions of meal are just the right way to feed cause it keeps your body working and burning calories while digesting the food. Never skip the most important meal for the day which is breakfast and keep dinner at the barest minimal.

RIGHT AMOUNT

Eat a variety of food and at the right amount and weight loss would be achieved slowly.  Give your body time to loose the excess fat, it does not happen over night. Achieving your desired weight over a period of time makes it permanent if you continue living right.

RIGHT EXERCISE

The ultimate cure for weight loss is exercise. A good diet coupled with exercise gives you exactly what you want and in a shorter period of time. You can jog, brisk walk, gym, skip, etc, what ever rocks your boat. So long as you engage the whole body and sweat while at it. 

NB: Do not slide into malnutrition in your quest to loose weight. Seek the counsel of a Nutritionist or Dietitian. 

        For further questions, email in.

        Have a lovely day you'll

        #Kender cares !