You are not alone in your weight loss journey.
“I am not special and my weight loss journey is not
special. Thousands of people across the world are doing the same thing, and if
you are struggling with weight loss, hopefully, my story will encourage you that
you can do the same”.
“This is not about ‘fat-shaming’. It is not helpful
to make fun of people because of their weight. We are all created in God’s
image and are beautiful and valued regardless of what weight you are. The goal
of this discussion is to build your confidence to take the first steps or be
consistent in the steps you are taking towards weight loss”.
No magic bullets!
“There are no magic bullets or fast track options.
The basic science behind weight loss is having an energy deficit, i.e. energy
intake must be less than energy expenditure. There are internal factors (e.g.
illness, hormones) which also influence weight gain/loss but this basic science
applies to most people”.
These are the words of Ore Kolade, a trained
nutritionist with a Masters degree in Public Health from the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Yesterday, during a ‘Boost Your Confidence’
(BYC) the session held on zoom, she shared in fine detail her journey to
losing 12 kg within a matter of months. Listen to her story and look at the
before and after photos.
What are the causes of weight gain?
Several factors contribute to weight gains such as
excess calorie intake, chronic sleep deprivation, stress, and sedentariness to
mention a few. However, the game-changer in achieving weight loss has to do
with your level of motivation and readiness to make a change. Ore says, “For
me, the real turning point came last year when I stepped on the scale and
realised that I had gone from being overweight to being obese on the BMI
scale”.
Will your weight-loss journey ever end?
Concluding remarks from her during the BYC session
were, “My journey has not ended because this is a lifestyle change and I’ve
learnt that I need to be consistent in order to sustain the weight loss so far.
I’ve learnt that going about weight loss the right way builds your confidence”.
A sense of achievement!
Finally, Ore says, “You can look back and see what
you have achieved through hard work and feel a sense of achievement. I’ve
learnt that that setting short term achievable and realistic goals is
important. Once you achieve the initial goal, you can increase or reset your
goals”.
Dr Ore Taiwo Makinde is a Consultant Family Physician and certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician.
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