In a country where some two-thirds of residents are overweight, Qatar has been searching for ways to combat its obesity epidemic. Medical experts and athletes are constantly weighing in on the fight, but one voice that’s rarely heard is that of an overweight person trying to get a handle on his/her health. In this weekly series, one Qatar resident gets personal about her struggle to lose weight. Read N.A. Rashid’s previous entries here.
It’s been one month since I started my weight-loss diary and it has been full of ups and downs. There were times when I felt motivated and there were times when the desire to lose weight was low.
Today, I believe in the statement that when someone intensely wants something from the bottom of his/her heart, that the object of that desire starts inching toward that person.
I also believe, “natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.”
Professional help
For one month, many people have been replying to my posts on Doha News. Two of the best replies were from a personal weight trainer and an Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) practitioner. Both of them have offered me help in losing excess weight.
I decided this week to meet a personal weight trainer. I got inspired and motivated by her training. She spent a lot of time explaining the importance of nutritious food. She gave me an easy nutritious plan and strongly advised me to maintain a calorie intake between 1,200-1,600. She encouraged me to drink more and more water.
The most helpful coaching advice was her advice to evaluate food before eating it. Highly processed should be avoided. She also encouraged me to avoid artificial sweeteners, white flour, market juices, sodas, white rice and potatos. The best choices while aiming to lose weight are green tea, multivitamins and Omega 3 nutrients.
Walking not enough
She also trained me for an hour in her gym. The best thing I learned from her was that simply going for a walk wasn’t going to sustain my weight loss.
Instead, physical activity should involve interval training, which means raising one’s heart rate for a while and then resting for a certain time period. She also emphasized that cardio exercises should always be mixed with strengthening and body shaping exercises. I have practiced them under her supervision and I must say all of my body muscles are aching even now.
She made them work. There was a moment when I wanted to quit exercise for the day as I felt too tired, but she inspired me with her sayings and I will always remember it before getting tired so quickly from exercise: “Our body is very (tough) – most of the time when we exercise our mind quits before our body, so keep going.”
Also this week, I decided to visit an EFT practitioner. I have never heard of the term before. Basically, the counselor helps patients remove negative emotions, reduce food cravings, reduce pain and implement positive goals.
Through my first meeting, I realized that my main problem is not the challenge of losing weight, but dealing with the consequences of my negative emotions. I eat because I get satisfaction in food when I am stressed. I plan to explore this further in future meetings with an EFT counselor.
I believe by trying different things, one day I will discover the secret to weight loss and will reach my goal, which is not just to lose weight, but to change my lifestyle and live a healthier life forever.
Thoughts?
Credit: Photo by Rafael Marquez
