Weight loss preparation and mindset: Treat the underlying cause first, persistence is key, and efficiency is important.

3. Slimming down – Are you ready?

(1) Treat the "illness" before losing weight.

People with the following five "conditions" are not suitable for weight loss.

◎**People who are easily bored**

People who get bored easily can't stick to anything. However, losing weight is a battle with yourself, and it's also about building self-confidence. So please be patient and work hard.

◎**People who are picky about food**

Picky eaters often fail to achieve a balanced diet, which is not only harmful to their health but also a contributing factor to obesity. To successfully lose weight healthily, be prepared to accept a balanced diet.

◎**People who tire easily**

If you're currently studying, you're under immense pressure and expectations, which may lead to fatigue. Trying to lose weight at this time could have adverse effects on your health, so you need ample rest to recover your strength.

◎**People who are unwell**

No matter which part of your body feels uncomfortable, you should not start losing weight. You should start by conditioning your body first, because physical discomfort will be detrimental to your health.

⊙**People who are not fat**

Although people around her don't think she's fat, there are quite a few people who think they are fat and want to lose weight. Ideal weight can be easily calculated, and if you are below your ideal weight, you should absolutely not lose weight.

If you belong to any of the above types, please treat your symptoms first and become a suitable person for weight loss before starting to lose weight.

(2) The key to weight loss is persistence.

◎**Weight loss should be a lifelong endeavor.**

As the great German writer D.H. Lawrence once said, "Speaking doesn't guarantee listening, listening doesn't guarantee understanding, understanding doesn't guarantee willingness to act, acting doesn't guarantee doing it correctly, and even doing it correctly doesn't guarantee longevity." This statement is very apt for weight loss, because weight loss isn't something that can be achieved simply by talking about it; it's an action, and a lifelong endeavor. Therefore, it requires understanding three key points:

① The method must be truly feasible;

② It must suit one's own personality;

③ You must implement it yourself.

It's common knowledge that losing 10 kilograms in a few days is impossible. And trying to eliminate fat through steam baths or slimming creams is also unrealistic.

◎**There should be no holidays for weight loss**

We often hear people trying to lose weight say, "I won't start dieting today, I'll start next meal!" For them, dieting is just a slogan. There should be no holidays for dieting; if there were, it would cause huge fluctuations in weight. Modern medical research shows that large fluctuations in weight can affect heart function and increase the mortality rate from cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, people who frequently diet and then don't, who are overly concerned about their weight and physique, and who can't resist the temptation of delicious food, may be suffering from bulimia.

◎**Imagine your slender and beautiful self**

Thinking "After losing weight, my dream will come true" will make the process much more enjoyable. Now you can see that losing weight happily isn't as difficult as you imagined! Losing weight is indeed not easy to succeed at, and the painful process can sometimes make you want to give up. But as long as you look forward to it happily and live a healthy weight loss lifestyle, your goal of becoming beautiful and slim can be achieved.

In daily life, don't treat weight loss as something special. A natural approach can not only help you lose weight but also maintain your ideal weight and figure. Most importantly, it allows you to live a healthy life every day.

(3) Efficiency is also important for weight loss.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Excessive dieting is unsustainable and can lead to micronutrient deficiencies, which are detrimental to health. Except in special circumstances, nutrition experts generally oppose strict dietary restrictions.

If you enjoy certain high-calorie foods, such as ice cream, you can eat them in moderation, but you shouldn't refuse them altogether, because long-term weight loss comes from a balance in both lifestyle and mindset.

◎**Treat eating as a joyful thing**

Dieting is neither synonymous with depression nor is it equivalent to eating plain water. Treat meals as a delightful experience; tablecloths, flowers, and beautiful tableware-everything in front of you should make you feel relaxed and comfortable while enjoying your food.

◎**Make friends who are trying to lose weight**

Making friends with people who are also trying to lose weight can significantly increase your chances of success. Having someone to confide in, whether you're struggling or want to give up, can boost your confidence! Conversely, you might also become the one seeking help.

At that time, you will definitely think that "you are not the only one suffering", and you may even be able to come up with a better way to lose weight.

(4) Measurement of slimming effect

◎**Measure weight**

Weigh yourself again after a period of training using bodybuilding and weight loss methods to understand the weight loss effect. Generally speaking, a weight loss of about 1 kg per week is ideal. If the weight loss is too rapid, it's not good. Instead, it reminds you to readjust and modify your weight loss plan, reducing exercise or slightly relaxing dietary control to ensure a gradual and balanced weight loss. To ensure accurate weight measurement, it's best to weigh yourself on a specific day in the morning or evening of each measurement cycle. Empty your bladder and bowels before measuring, otherwise there will be some error. We know that a scale only gives you a rough idea of ​​the amount of weight you're gaining due to overnutrition. Besides measuring changes in weight, there are some simpler observation methods that can be used in conjunction. Obese people can frequently look in the mirror at their belly to see if there are layers of subcutaneous fat hanging down around the waist. Such observation can also provide some basis for weight loss. In addition, some clothing items worn by obese people, such as belts, skirts, undershirts, and underwear, can also provide information about obesity. If you lose fat and your body becomes thinner, your original clothing sizes will become noticeably larger. If your pants or clothes feel tight, it means you've gained weight.

◎**Measuring fat thickness**

Since about two-thirds of human body fat is stored subcutaneously, it's relatively easy to estimate the amount of body fat by pinching the skin with your fingers, thus determining your body's fatness or thinness. The method is to first lift the skin and subcutaneous fat together with your thumb and forefinger, then use calipers to measure the thickness. The pressure applied to the skin by the calipers should be 10 grams per square meter. In this measurement, the thickness of the skin fold in a normal person should not exceed 14 millimeters. The measurement should be performed on areas of the body with abundant fat, such as the lower abdomen, back, waist, thighs, and upper arms. If the thickness of the skin fat exceeds the normal value, it indicates excessive fat accumulation in the body, and obesity should be guarded against. If the fat thickness gradually returns to a normal level after weight loss measures are taken, it indicates good weight loss results. Otherwise, the cause should be investigated, and the weight loss plan should be adjusted or revised.

(5) Recommended weight loss methods

◎**Medical Slimming Method**

It includes surgical weight loss, acupuncture weight loss, and massage weight loss. For example, a weight loss method using the small intestine was recently invented in the United States. This method is only suitable for overweight or extremely obese patients, and its aim is to reduce the digestive and absorptive capacity of the small intestine, thereby achieving a slimmer figure. In recent years, Europe and America have also invented liposuction, a surgical procedure used to treat localized obesity and improve body shape by surgically removing excess fat under negative pressure. Currently, hospitals in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and other cities in my country have also begun offering this medical procedure. As for traditional Chinese medicine methods such as acupuncture and ear acupressure for weight loss, these are also widely used in my country and have shown good efficacy.

**◎Drug-based weight loss methods**

Weight loss drugs fall into two main categories: natural Chinese herbal medicines and chemically synthesized drugs. Natural Chinese herbal medicines have no toxic side effects, while chemically synthesized drugs often have some. Therefore, when using weight loss drugs, natural Chinese herbal medicines should be the first choice.

Modern medical research has proven that traditional Chinese medicines with weight-loss effects mainly include seaweed extract, aloe vera, lotus leaf, ivy, meadowsweet, chuanxiong rhizome, grasshopper, horsetail, aromatic essential oils, and slimming teas. Among them, seaweed extract is an effective ingredient extracted from seaweed that can break down excess fat.

In traditional Chinese medicine for weight loss, it has been found that the combination of Stephania tetrandra, Astragalus membranaceus, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis has a better weight loss effect.

Most chemically synthesized drugs that promote weight loss suppress appetite; they are typical appetite inhibitors, but all have varying degrees of side effects and should be used with caution. Polysucrose is a type of oil synthesized from long-chain fatty acids and sucrose. It has excellent color and flavor and can be used as a substitute for cooking oil without increasing calorie intake. Clinical trials conducted by foreign medical experts have proven its significant efficacy in treating obesity.