Lin, who now works as a financial interpreter and professional healthcare provider, felt self-conscious after giving birth because of her large, fatty belly that made her look like she was “six months pregnant.” By March 2023, her weight has reached 65 kg, but her height is only 1.53 meters.
In addition, Ms. Lin has been suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus since 2013, which requires her to take medication regularly and is in poor health. She also had a high visceral body mass index and often felt fatigued. Additionally, she felt short of breath and had water on her face, even though she was not overweight.
Recognizing that her body was in “crisis mode,” Lin decided to lose weight and improve both her appearance and health.
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After giving birth, Rin’s body has grown larger. Photo provided by: Lin |
After extensive research, Lin discovered 16:8 intermittent fasting in July 2023. She started skipping breakfast and only eating lunch and dinner.
Additionally, she followed the “Handful Diet,” which includes a scientifically balanced diet of fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats in her daily meals. As a result, Lin did not feel tired or hungry during the weight loss process.
Intermittent fasting is a diet that involves a cyclical pattern of eating and fasting. This method allows your body enough time to fully process the food while strictly limiting your calorie intake. A common form of intermittent fasting involves restricting eating to a 6-8 hour window, followed by fasting for the remaining 16-18 hours. 『 New England Medical Journal At the end of 2021.
But experts warn that intermittent fasting can still lead to weight gain if not managed properly. Prolonged fasting can lead to binge eating later on. Eating more calories than your body needs can lead to fat accumulation, even after consistently fasting for 12 to 16 hours each day.
Prolonged fasting can lower blood sugar levels, which can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, lightheadedness, headaches, and nausea. People with type 1 diabetes and people taking diabetes medication are at particularly high risk of experiencing these negative effects when following this diet.
Therefore, experts recommend that people with underlying health conditions consult their doctors before attempting intermittent fasting.
The “Handful Diet” diet was developed by nutrition experts to provide a relative estimate of a person’s daily food intake. According to Good Health, it’s a simple and easy-to-apply method for measuring the amount of nutrients you consume.
Dr. Nguyen Trong Hung from the National Institute of Nutrition said the “handful eating method” can help people manage their weight by roughly estimating the amount of food they should eat at each meal. Additionally, it is important to have a balanced intake of the four essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
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Mr. Lin has successfully lost weight. Photo provided by: Lin |
Lin usually prioritized dark green leafy vegetables, such as water spinach, sweet potato leaves, and cabbage family plants, mostly boiled or added to soups. She didn’t restrict meat too much, but removed fat to reduce greasiness.
In addition, Lin cut down on sweets, bubble tea, and fast food, and took supplements to detox and lose fat. In particular, she has regular “cheat days” each week where she allows herself to eat whatever she wants as a break in the diet process, which helps curb her appetite and relieve stress.
In addition to her diet, Lin also incorporated exercise into her diet, attending a fitness class near her home at least once or twice a week.
“Working out in class maximizes the effectiveness of your training, and having friends around gives you extra motivation,” Lin said.
Fitness is one of the popular gym training methods today. Many studies have shown that exercising in the gym stimulates hormone production, which allows your muscles to absorb the necessary amount of amino acids and become more toned. If you train in the gym regularly and with proper technique, your body’s metabolism will work more smoothly and you will burn significantly more calories, resulting in weight loss.
One year later, Lin’s weight had dropped to 44 kg. Her waistline decreased from 82 cm to 66 cm, her waist circumference decreased from 108 cm to 85 cm, and her visceral fat decreased significantly.
Through her journey, Lin has gained valuable knowledge about her family’s medical care. By following Lin’s method, the mother lost 7 kg in three months and her pre-diabetic indicators returned to safe levels. After 11 months of following a healthy diet and exercise routine, Lin’s husband also lost 21 kg and saw significant improvement in his visceral fat and fatty liver indicators.
Nowadays, Lin continues to monitor her diet and exercise, but she’s not as strict.
“I still have a weekly cheat meal of grilled meat, pizza, fried chicken, bubble tea, cake, whatever I want,” she said. “We will adjust again after that.”
She added that her successful weight loss has made her healthier, more confident and happier.
