Vegetarian Advice: Lose Weight, Get Fit, Fast

Question: Busy Veg wants to lose weight, get fit, for 1st anniversary

I want to lose weight before my first anniversary. I'm female, married, and pure vegetarian. Before marriage my weight was 55 kg. Now it is increased to 63 Kg. I am 25 years old and also working.

As a working woman I don't get enough time for exercise, so please advise me how to lose weight and get fit. My working time is 9:00 am to 5:30 p.m. I'm living in a joint family in India. Please advise how to lose weight. What to eat and how to eat? etc. Waiting for your reply. - A.P.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice

Dear A.P.,

How badly do you want this? No matter what you do, you're unlikely to lose 8 kg (about 18 lb) of weight in 5 weeks, without exercising. You can starve yourself for a month, but that will make you so tired and cranky, it probably won't be worth it. Your husband will wonder, who are you and what have you done with the girl I married?

Reducing calories will help (less or no dairy products, nuts, and oil, and no fried food, but more vegetables and fruit). However, as soon as you stop the reduced calorie diet, the weight will come right back, unless you exercise. I am sorry, but exercise is the key to losing your excess weight quickly, also for long-term fitness, and maintaining your ideal weight without starvation.

I understand how difficult it must be for you to exercise, with working, cooking, shopping, housework, or other responsibilities you might have. But you are also responsible for yourself and your well-being, and the better condition you're in, the easier it will be to take care of all your other responsibilities.

If you can manage 30 minutes a day of walking, yoga, pilates, aerobics or whatever appeals to you, ideally once a day, but at least three times a week, permanently, that will have a life-long positive effect on your health, your self image, your energy, and your marriage. You may feel too tired when you get home, but exercising for a few minutes will refresh and re-energize you. You can also spread your exercise out over the day, 5 - 10 minutes at a time.

Here are some online resources:

WebMD explains: Weight Loss: Exercise and Weight Control

Anne Collins: This one is a vegetarian diet plan - it costs a little money to join, but is widely recommended - I don't know how well it will apply to your Indian vegetarian diet, but it may give you some ideas.

Here are fat free and low fat Indian recipes: Fat Free Kitchen, and Lowfat Indian Cuisine by Kumar Ramanathan

Good luck! And happy anniversary! Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

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