Moderately obese people should avoid strenuous exercise and eat less to start losing weight

Most people who often complain about their belly fat, thick thighs, and buffalo shoulders are actually mildly obese. To lose that crucial 5 kilograms, you can usually see results within 2 to 3 months by maintaining regular exercise and increasing the amount of exercise. However, for moderately obese people with a BMI value exceeding 30, doctors recommend that strenuous exercise may be counterproductive when starting to lose weight, and it is easier to lose weight successfully by starting with diet control.

Body Mass Index (BMI), referred to as Body Mass Index, is currently recognized as an indicator for assessing the degree of obesity. The calculation method is body mass index = weight (kg) ÷ height squared (m). According to the standards published by my country's Department of Health, values ​​between 18.5 and 24 are within the normal range; 24 to 30 are mild obesity; 30 to 35 are moderate obesity; and values ​​greater than 35 are severe obesity.

Mild obesity: more exercise can help lose weight

Lu Jiaxiang, an internist who has long been engaged in obesity medical research, said that most people with mild obesity are obese due to stress, irregular diet and lack of exercise. Depending on their personal constitution, they are fat in places such as the stomach, arms, shoulders, back or thighs where fat is more likely to accumulate. They often think that they can lose weight by eating less, but the effect is often not good.

The reason is that the body has adapted to the current basal metabolic rate and the mechanism is maintaining a balanced body weight. It is recommended that you still need to rely on regular exercise and increase the amount of exercise to use external force to increase the basal metabolic rate in order to effectively lose the critical 5 kilograms. As for diet, just remember to eat at regular times and in regular amounts, and avoid high-salt, high-fat, and high-calorie foods.

Moderate obesity weight loss starts with eating less

However, for moderately obese people with a BMI of over 30, strenuous exercise is not recommended at the beginning! Dr. Lu Jiaxiang pointed out that because moderately obese people have accumulated fat and flesh on their bodies for a long time, they often experience external symptoms such as migraines, lack of energy, and poor physical strength, which are warning signs of disease in the body.

If you engage in strenuous exercise from the beginning, your physical strength is usually not enough to bear it. For example, you will be out of breath after walking a few steps or out of breath after climbing the stairs. Not only will you not be able to maintain it every day, but if you give up all of a sudden, it may also cause a burden on your heart. If you want to exercise, it is best to choose low-to-moderate exercises such as walking, yoga, and swimming.

Just walking is not enough. Dr. Lu Jiaxiang emphasized: "For those with moderate obesity, weight loss starts with eating less!" He recommends that men limit their calorie intake to 1,500 to 2,000 calories per day, and women limit their calorie intake to 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day. Protein is essential, accounting for about 1 to 1.5 grams. Eating lightly cooked chicken, fish and other high-quality proteins can also help burn fat.

In addition, animal fat should be strictly controlled, and the snacks and fried foods that you usually like to eat are not allowed to be touched. When your weight gradually decreases, try to start exercising, and the effect of weight loss will be better.

Doctor's Tips:

Regular exercise can improve fat metabolism, reduce body fat storage, reduce weight, improve the cardiopulmonary function of obese people, and increase physical strength. However, if you have tried to lose weight drastically, or are severely obese or morbidly obese, it is recommended that you still seek treatment from a specialist.