This week I shared the following before/after picture of myself on my Instagram account. My intention wasn’t to share the image itself, but to show my improvement, but the way my body shape changes as a result of healthy eating has led to so many questions about weight loss.

How do we lose weight?

Actually, this is the easiest part and not a big secret. If we get enough nutrients to meet our body’s needs and exercise, we automatically lose weight. When we get our calories from vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, eggs, and dairy products, rather than empty calories, our bodies use those calories and don’t store them. Add to that daily walking, and it’s impossible not to lose weight. If you start now, you’ll have lost at least 10 kilos by June.

During my weight loss and blood sugar regulation process, I set my alarm 45 minutes earlier than usual every day for three months. Even waking up at 7:30 was difficult anyway; it wouldn’t have changed anything. Waking up at 6:45 was still hard, but I still managed to get outside every morning and walk 3.5 km. It took 35 minutes, and by the end of three months, I was close to the “after” picture above. Was it worth it? I think so. I only dedicated 35 minutes out of 24 hours, but without fail. There’s no need to make a big deal out of it. Don’t aim for a 7-8 km walk either. Keep your goals small and short so they’re achievable. 35 minutes out of 24 is nothing to get you to your desired result.

And as a bonus, there’s the happiness that appears on your face below.

Now for the difficult part: maintaining your weight…

Losing weight can take 3 or 6 months. This period is always short, meaning the goal will eventually be reached, but after that comes the maintenance phase, which will require years of effort. The only way to maintain it is to reduce portion sizes and exercise 3-4 days a week without fail. If we return to our old lives after reaching our goal, the weight will come back just as quickly. The only way to prevent this is to make healthy eating a lifestyle.

How do I control myself?

What keeps me under control is weighing myself every morning. Some experts claim that weighing yourself every morning puts stress on the body, but it’s the opposite for me. If I weigh 400 grams more that morning, it’s very good that it hits me in the face. That evening, I only eat vegetables for dinner and don’t eat anything after 6 pm. Only in this way have I been able to maintain my weight for years.

During the summer holidays, I eat whatever I want, except for refined sugar and refined white flour. Weight doesn’t come back in a week, just as it doesn’t come back in a week. Balance is always the most important thing…

I wish everyone healthy, happy, and sugar-free days.

Note: This article was published in my column on www.hthayat.com on March 3, 2017.