Girl lost 18 kg by following 3 eating principles

Hai Phong By using intermittent fasting, hand rules and skipping snacks, Phuong Thao, 29 years old, lost 18 kg in 2 years and got rid of fatty liver disease.

Vu Thi Phuong Thao, currently a businesswoman, used to weigh 65 kg while being 1.45 m tall, and had many health problems.

During a routine health check-up in 2021, Thao was diagnosed with stomach disease, irritable bowel syndrome, sinusitis, allergic urticaria, and fatty liver.

Fatty liver disease is a common condition. It occurs when too much fat builds up in the liver. A healthy liver normally contains a small amount of fat. However, it can become a problem when fat reaches 5-10% of the liver's weight.

According to medical experts, when the body produces too much fat without being able to metabolize it, it will accumulate in liver cells, leading to fatty liver. Some specific causes of fatty liver include excessive alcohol consumption, high blood fat, diabetes, sudden weight loss, side effects of drugs, unscientific diet, etc. This condition, if prolonged, will gradually lead to impaired liver function due to difficulty in metabolizing and detoxifying. In particular, fatty liver is also a favorable condition for bacteria, viruses, and parasites from the intestines to invade and cause hepatitis.

Phuong Thao before losing weight. Photo: Character provided — Phuong Thao before losing weight. Photo: *Character provided*

Realizing the alarming situation, Thao determined to change her eating habits to lose weight and fat to improve her health and figure.

After 2 years of perseverance and discipline in implementing a new lifestyle, Thao lost 47 kg, her waistline decreased by 15 cm from 76 cm to 61 cm, her body became slimmer and firmer. In addition, all of Thao's previous health problems were improved, her fatty liver condition was pushed back, and her blood test results were all within safe limits.

Below are the eating habits that Phuong Thao has successfully applied to improve her health and figure.

Intermittent Fasting 4-4-12

Thao said that she had previously tried diets such as Eat Clean, Keto, Lowcarb but could not stick with it until she lost weight. Finally, she found that intermittent fasting was suitable for her busy lifestyle, choosing to apply the 4-4-12 regimen.

Intermittent fasting is a term used to describe a diet and fasting pattern that involves periods of fasting and eating that allow the body time to fully digest food while severely limiting calorie intake.

4-4-12 intermittent fasting is eating three meals a day, with no snacks or extra meals. Breakfast is 4 hours from lunch, lunch is 4 hours from dinner, and dinner is 12 hours from breakfast the following day.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in late 2021 found that intermittent fasting helps reduce stress, reduce the risk of cancer and obesity, increase longevity, and aid in weight loss. However, experts say that intermittent fasting can still lead to weight gain. Fasting for long periods of time can cause some people to binge later. Eating more calories than the body needs causes fat gain, even after continuous fasting cycles of 12 to 16 hours per day.

Fasting for long periods of time can cause low blood sugar levels, causing dizziness, lightheadedness, headaches, and nausea. People with type 1 diabetes and those on diabetes treatment are likely to experience adverse reactions to this diet.

Restricting your food intake can lead to eating disorders. Not eating enough calories each day to meet your needs can lead to nutritional deficiencies, reduced immunity, and health problems.

Therefore, experts recommend that people with underlying medical conditions consult their doctor before trying intermittent fasting.

Phuong Thao after successfully losing 18 kg. Photo: Character provided — Phuong Thao after successfully losing 18 kg. Photo: *Character provided*

Eat by hand rule

According to the hand rule, Thao divides a meal into portions. In which, the amount of vegetables eaten is equal to one hand, if it is raw vegetables, it will be double this amount; the amount of protein including meat, fish or eggs is equal to one palm; the amount of starch is equal to one fist. She prioritizes food diversity, good fats and supplements calcium, omega-3, vitamins...

The palm rule is used by nutritionists to roughly estimate each person's daily food intake. According to Good Health , this is a simple and easy-to-apply method, because the nutritional content and size on the packaging are usually listed in grams, but few people care and do not know how much to eat. Adults with larger hands need larger portions, and vice versa for children.

According to Dr. Nguyen Trong Hung, National Institute of Nutrition, the palm rule can be applied to roughly estimate the amount of food in each meal, thereby helping to control weight. In addition, it is necessary to supplement enough 4 groups of substances: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

No snacking

For someone who is used to snacking, dependent on caffeine and sweets like Thao, the most difficult part of the weight loss journey is giving up this bad habit. Therefore, every week she will force herself to have a snack, eating her favorite foods, to help her relax mentally and help her body burn fat better.

Doctor Phan Thai Tan, HomeFiT weight loss health coach, said that if you crave snacks, you can choose cereals with milk, fresh boiled beans, a handful of nuts, fruit and vegetable smoothies, protein-rich drinks such as whey protein... You should only use a maximum of a handful, eat right after the main meal or before exercise, and do not consume at night.

For Thao, changing her body shape helps her become more confident, energetic and love herself more. Photo: Character provided — For Thao, changing her body shape helps her become more confident, energetic and love herself more. Photo: *Character provided*

In addition to changing her eating habits, Thao also exercises more during the day. When she lost 16 kg, she chose to go to the gym and Body Combat (a health training program that combines martial arts and music) to increase metabolism, making her body more flexible, firmer, and sharper. When she is busy and cannot go to the gym, Thao jogs, walks, or does housework to increase her body's movement.

For Thao, changing her body shape helps her become more confident, energetic and optimistic. "Thanks to my own experience, I have also helped many people improve their health and body shape," Thao said, adding that she is happy because she not only brings value to herself but also to everyone.

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