It's pretty much a cliche to tell someone to watch their weight. But for Malaysians, this statement is pretty sound advice. Since our country is home to a multi-racial community, it is renowned for having a diverse set of culinary treats that are often hard to resist, especially during the festivities! It comes as no surprise then that most Malaysians these days struggle with issues of weight control. Nearly everyone would love to lose just a tad bit of weight so they look and feel better. As daunting as it seems, this is actually not an impossible feat if we take a realistic approach in order to achieve it.

Fat Hopes
First of all, you need to determine how much weight you should lose. Consult a physician to determine whether you are in fact overweight. If so, find out what your ideal weight should be and from there, calculate how much weight you really need to loose.

Half the Battle
Often times, it's the way you think that defeats you even before you've begun any efforts to lose weight. Plan how you will work to shed those pounds and think positively about what you are going to do. Being able to be master of your mind is already half the battle won.

The Cheerleading Squad
Get support if you need to. Enlist the help of friends or family to help keep you on track. If there is a support group available for you to join in your local community, consider becoming a member. It will definitely help if you are in touch with others who are also keen on losing weight. Together, you can motivate each other and celebrate when you meet your goals.

Get Your Game Face On
To help kick start your efforts, let's consider some possible methods that you can consider for losing weight:
  • Eager Beaver
    Exercise is a surefire way of shedding pounds, Going to the gym, playing a sport or even taking regular jogs in the nearby neighborhood park can do wonders in helping you manage your weight. But that would only be the case if you keep it up consistently. Furthermore, you need to be wary that you don't burn calories off only to eat excessively after exercising and gain them back again. Check with a doctor before enlisting on any new fitness program to be doubly sure it is the right option for you.

  • Diet, or die trying
    Another common option that many people go for is to impose a diet on themselves. Assuming that the idea is to maintain a well balanced diet that is proportionate to their biological needs, then it is definitely the way to go. However, the trouble comes when it's a question of crash dieting. This is where a person consciously avoids what they perceive to be fatty foods in an effort to keep the calories at bay. It can be very hazardous to health, especially since more often than not certain needful nutrrients inadvertently get omitted from the food intake. Consequently, it may lead to other form of health probloes. Taken to extremes, wrong dieting methods could induce eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

  • Stich and Sew
    Besides this, the alternative choice to do surgery also exists. Basically, there are two types of procedures available: restrictive and malabsorptive. Restrictive procedures aim to decrease the amount of food consumption. In contrast, malabsorptive procedures limit the amount of food the body is able to absorb. Surgery as a weight loss is a good quick fix option, but it is also expensive and you may be susceptible to other medical complications. It should only be considered in cases where there are no better options available.

  • Swallowing Your Pride
    A less dangerous option compared to surgery would be taking weight loss supplements. There are many different types that can be found on the pharmacy shelves: meal replacements, themogenic fat burners, stimulant-free fat burners, carb blockers, fat blockers, thyroid hormone increasers, appetite suppressants and many others.

by Susanna Khoo