Are you losing weight or inches?

The reason you might lose weight in inches first is that we need to lose enough weight for us to see even the slightest change on the scales, writes Gauri Anand

Losing weight sometimes can be one of the hardest things to do. To be able to stay consistent with your healthy diet and exercise routine is important. Getting to your desired weight can bring great joy to one but it does involve a lot of work.

Most weight loss journeys consist of us weighing ourselves on a regular basis and sometimes we shall be very disheartened as the numbers on the scale haven’t reduced. Which is healthier? Losing weight on the scales or losing weight in inches? The main question is how you lose weight. Maintaining a balanced diet is key to losing weight. Going on juice cleanses or not eating are not healthy options for the long haul. If losing weight is the goal, making sure you lose it in a healthy, balanced way is important. If done properly, the weight loss is more sustainable and will last longer. Rapid weight loss regimes might help you lose weight faster but the weight loss is not permanent. The reason you might lose weight in inches first than on the scales is that we need to lose enough weight for us to see even the slightest change in the scales. With inches, we can lose faster and get accurate measurements. Doctors recommend we weigh and measure ourselves before going on a diet so we can mark our progress. Measuring ourselves can give us accurate results as the first thing we see is the reduction in inches. The other reason you might be losing in inches but not on the scales is that you might be developing muscles in replacement of your fat. With gaining muscles, the scale might even increase. With muscles we shall gain more strength and have the energy to perform our day-to-day activities and this as obvious as it is, is a good thing! We have fat, muscles, water, bones and organs to balance in our body and the scale does not evaluate all of these. The scales also change during the day. After you have eaten food or consumed water, the scale might be heavier than the time you weighed yourself on an empty stomach. With such rapid changes, it makes it difficult for us to meet our target weight.

(The author is a clinical nutritionist.)

Are juice cleanses good for you?

Juice cleanses have been a fad for some time now. This is where an individual drinks mostly juice throughout the day, for a few weeks etc. Juice cleanses are known to be the fastest detox method one can adhere to. Whether it is because you’re feeling bloated or want to shed some extra weight, one of the major advantages of juice cleanses is that you are consuming a bucket load of fresh vegetables and fruits. You will be receiving a lot of antioxidants, vitamin C and E, minerals etc. But there is also a downside to it. Juice cleanses lack healthy fats, proteins and vitamins like B12. It also lacks enough carbohydrates you need to function on a day-to-day basis. You will need to have the right amount of protein and legumes to run a whole 24 hours. Juice cleanses might help you clear your skin and help you lose a bit of weight but they can cause extreme fatigue and headaches. Weak muscles and bones are also a major concern with this diet. Those with kidney issues should strictly avoid juice cleanses. Our body needs a balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fibre etc., to function on a day-to-day basis.