Rebecca Gibney credited him with helping her lose weight, now Dr Zac Turner has revealed the one tip to drop those COVID kilos.
This week Dr Zac Turner looks at the best way to lose 10 kilos.
QUESTION: Hi Dr Zac, last year I put on 10 kilograms. In 2021, my goal is to lose that and more but I am struggling to find the right way of going about it – there is so much advice on the internet. It’s hard to decipher what works and what doesn’t!
Can you explain to me why we put on weight? What is your best advice for someone who wants to lose weight? – Elizabeth, 37, Qld
ANSWER: Hi Elizabeth, Happy New Year! It’s safe to say 2020 definitely left us all with some extra baggage to carry around, and you shouldn’t be ashamed of yourself at all.
The first step to ensuring healthy weight loss is to build a strong sense of body positivity. Recognise that you are beautiful, and you are trying your best to make your beauty shine. Leave all negativity behind in 2020, this year is about health and wellness.
I’m often asked why people put on weight and it really is quite simple. The majority of people, those without underlying conditions, put on weight because they eat and drink more calories than they burn through in everyday movement and body functions. Your body will store these extra calories you don’t burn off by storing them as fat.
As you begin this weight loss journey, I guarantee you will hear the phrase “calorie deficit.” This is when you eat less calories than you burn off. The idea being your body uses your fat stores for energy rather than the food you consume. The efficient method to keep weight loss consistent is to remain at a calorie deficit.
Before I go any further, I need to address that not every patient that comes to me with weight issues is the same. I do recognise for some patients that genetics are a major factor in their inability to lose weight. It also doesn’t help that our diets are heavily marketed towards unhealthy food.
I am a strong advocate for regulation on junk food advertisement, especially fast food as it is one of the leading causes of Australia’s high obesity rate. It can be difficult to diet when you are being bombarded with messages to eat unhealthily.
A weight loss strategy I often give my patients is intermittent fasting – which is an eating pattern that involves regular, short-term fasts or periods of minimal or no food consumption. You could eat a healthy, balanced diet for five days but have two days of fasting where you eat very little amounts of food. This process essentially shocks your body’s metabolism, speeding up the weight loss process.
Additionally, intermittent fasting promotes the production of the hormone norepinephrine. This hormone promotes body fat to be broken into free fatty acids which can in turn be burned for energy.
Recently, I worked with Packed to the Rafters star Rebecca Gibney, and was able to help her lose five kilos in a short amount of time. Since she discussed her weight loss journey on Instagram she’s lost even more and is happier and healthier than ever!
Your first step for success is to plan out your diet, be strict with yourself and also ensure to reassess goals as you travel further down your timeline.
If you’re worried about doing this all by yourself, I recommend you speak to your local nutritionist, or if you would like to speak to one of my team, make a virtual consultation with Concierge Doctors. This is a business I started that allows Australians wherever they are to receive quality health advice from registered doctors, wellness consultants, nutritionists and psychologists.
No one person is the same – which is why a personalised weight loss plan that identifies your specific health issues can really kick start your weight loss. Health professionals have additional tricks up their sleeves that can assist achieve a healthier life.
And finally, lifestyle changes require willpower, dedication and perseverance. I recommend you keep a journal of some kind, be it simply taking progress photos or writing down your thoughts, to keep you motivated.
Day one is always the hardest – but once you’re over that hurdle, every day gets easier.
