How does weight loss work?

Weight loss works based on “calories in, calories out”, i.e., you need to be burning more calories than you take in through your daily food intake. The key to managing your weight successfully is in ensuring that the calories that you consume do not exceed the calories that you use. There are also other factors to consider such as your age, body type and metabolism, on top of lifestyle factors such as your daily habits that all come into play into weight gain or loss.

What is the best weight loss treatment?

There are plenty of weight loss treatments available, but TCM slimming is one of the safest and best ways to lose weight. Our Divine Slim TM weight loss program encourages steady weight loss for effective and sustainable weight management. As compared to fad diets (diets that eliminate 1 or more food groups) that leave you feeling hungry and lethargic, or having to rely on machines to see results, our methods are backed by sound TCM principles that focus on facilitating your weight loss goals as well as cater to your overall health needs.

How does TCM help me lose weight?

Following the perspective that excessive weight gain is a symptom of a greater underlying health problem that needs to be addressed, TCM believes that excessive weight gain is due to a Qi deficiency in the spleen, resulting in a slow metabolism, water retention and weight gain. Using Guasha, a form of treatment used in the practice of TCM, special apparatus is used to attain preventive or therapeutic slimming effects. Not only does the treatment regulate blood circulation and detoxify the body, but it also improves your metabolism and digestion for slimming effects. No need for painful surgery, unnecessary machines or intensive diets!

Why should I choose TCM slimming over other weight loss methods?

TCM slimming focuses on returning your body to a balanced, healthy state – so, you can look forward to not only looking good but also feeling good about yourself! Although our weight loss program will help you achieve results, it is important to stay committed to investing in your overall health by paying close attention to your diet and exercise, both during the treatment and post-treatment. Our weight loss treatments are conducted by trained staff that does most of the work for you, so you can look forward to a relaxing treatment.

Who can benefit from TCM slimming treatment?

Both men and women are suitable for our signature Divine Slim TM program.

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5 myths about metabolism and weight loss

November 16, 2016

Blog, Slimming

Individuals on a weight loss program need to track their calorie deficit on a weekly basis. Diet management plays a bigger role in shedding those extra pounds. However, if you are trying to burn off fat through physical activities, metabolism plays a big role.

The constant influx of information on weight loss can obscure facts. For instance, it is often said that eating one big meal a day can help speed up metabolism. Here are 5 such myths about metabolism and weight loss.

It drops after a certain age

It is a misconception that metabolism drops after one turns 30. Even though the RMR decreases as one ages, but it just shut off totally. Slower metabolism around age 30 can be a result of muscle loss, hormonal changes, and changes in body composition.

Some experts believe that metabolism starts to slow down after age 40. Post 30, metabolism slows down at the rate of 1-2% per decade. It is actually higher physical activity in your previous years and not some special teen metabolism that keeps you fit.

Metabolism is genetic and cannot be changed

It is wrongly believed that individuals have no control over their metabolism. Everyone is born with a unique metabolic rate but it can be changed. Whether one has fast and slow metabolism is measured with BMR (basal metabolic rate). BMR is the number of calories that an individual burns while resting.

BMR can be improved by building muscle with exercise and a protein based diet. At rest, every pound of muscle helps burn 35 calories a day. The same amount of fat burns just 2 calories a day.

Spicy foods can speed it up

Green tea and spicy foods like peppers are believed to increase the body temperature. However, the increase in metabolism is significant and short-lived. Moreover, the spike is not enough for an effective weight loss program.

Burning calories for short periods is not enough to improve overall metabolism. If at all you need to eat something for a better metabolism, it is a balanced diet. Stock up on proteins from fish, eggs, poultry, nuts, and lentils. Have control over your cravings for junk food, and practice cheat days to help you lower your cravings in fear of a rebound.

Calories consumed at night turn to fat

It is a common misconception that anything you eat after 7 p.m becomes fat. The reason behind it is that sleeping is not supposed to burn calories. However, this is not true. Metabolism slows down while you sleep, but it does not stop working altogether.

So eat healthy foods instead of those loaded with carbs. The idea is to set up a proper system of energy consumption and burning. Metabolism also depends on yin-yang harmony. You can visit a TCM slimming centre to seek treatment specially devised for your metabolic rate.

Slim individuals have better metabolism

As mentioned earlier, metabolism depends on BMR, and not on how thin or fat someone is. It is wrongly believed that thin people can eat anything because of their apparently faster metabolism. The truth is that people who stay slim, often compensate. If they eat more calories in the morning, they eat less calories in lunch. This may or may not be a conscious choice. But applying this in your life can help you in your weight loss program.

Ways to track your weight loss progress

November 11, 2016

Blog, Slimming

Tracking body weight accurately

Weighing scales have copped some unreasonable criticism lately. Readings on weighing scales are bound to fluctuate at different times of the day. These fluctuations are owing to water retention and food. Invest in a good quality scale. Weighing yourself should be done twice a day and without clothes. Note down your weight for the day as the average of these readings. The next step is to multiply body fat percentage by your weight. Make regular entries in the diary.

Tracking fat loss accurately

In order to measure the progress of your slimming treatment in Singapore, it is essential to track body fat percentage. The reading on the scale doesn’t tell you about the composition of your weight. Even as you lose fat, the weight might remain constant, since muscle gain is happening simultaneously.

Body fat percentage can be measured using hydrostatic weighing, callipers and calculators available online. You can even get your body fat checked at your slimming centre. People with dangerous levels of body fat are prone to lifestyle diseases. In such cases, traditional Chinese Medicine can help lose weight without risking injuries. Therefore, quitting sugar will definitely help in losing weight.

Taking measurements of different areas

Measuring different parts of your body is useful and doesn’t require any expensive equipment. The body loses fat in different parts of the body in different order. Women should start at the bust, measuring along the nipple line. Measure the waist just above the belly button.

Hips, thighs, calves and arms are measured along the area where they bulge the most. You can also use slightly tighter clothes instead of the measuring tape to compare and see the results of your hard work. Try every month to see how they fit.

Tracking progress with pictures

If you are social media savvy, you will find picture tracking particularly enjoyable. Even if you’re not, take pictures of yourself on a daily basis. It is ideal to stand in the same way and in the same kind of outfit every day to compare the differences. You will be amazed how a weekly comparison will help to motivate you further in leading a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, one needs to know the differences between Diet vs Exercise and how to complement both together to achieve great results. Look at the pictures of an entire month. You will be able to tell the amount of change your body has gone through.

Tracking meals and exercise

Websites that offer calorie tracking have huge databases. You can simply log in and record whatever you have eaten for the day. Do not conceal or underreport anything. Training your appetite to expect lesser calories with each passing week is important. When it comes to exercise, plan well and spread out training different parts of the body throughout the week.

However, slimming treatment is not about creating calorie deficit only by way of diet management and physical exercise. Alternative methods like TCM slimming use holistic methods to help you lose weights.

5 ways to control your craving for junk food

October 26, 2016

Blog, Weight Loss

Craving for junk food is difficult to give up. Popular snacks are made with the right amount of sugar, fat, and salt and chemicals like casein to increase their addictive nature. Not only are the artificial sweeteners putting you at the risk of obesity and diabetes, but they are also making it difficult to give up junk foods. For a better weight loss program, you need to control your craving for junk food. Read on for tips on how to do it.

Try chewing gum

This one of the most effective slimming tips out there. This works on the principle that junk food cravings are related to habits and not conscious decisions. For instance, people generally snack up on chocolate bars when tired. One easy way to change this habit is by chewing sugarless gum. The same impulse of being tired/stressed will result into a different outcome by changing the action. Chewing gum also helps to slowly cut on junk food purchases and improve your weight loss program at the same time.

Eat more satiating food

Junk food is created so as to replace the need for satiety with palatability. This works by giving your body a temporary high by spiking your insulin levels, followed by crashes. The body’s reaction is to sustain that high by eating more of the same food. Palatability and satiety are inversely linked. To beat this impulse, avoid high palatability foods like French fries, fizzy drinks, cakes and baked products. High satiety foods that you should instead have are fruits, beans, fibrous food, and meats.

Trick yourself on your junk food budget

Commonly known as the envelope technique, this is an effective way to slowly do away with junk food cravings. Locate your expenditure on junk and fast food from convenience stores, restaurants and grocery stores. Reduce this amount to half for the first month. However, it is a better idea to keep the number to three-fourths. Keep this money in an envelope and limit the purchase of junk food to the cash kept here. Gradually bringing this amount down can help cut down on junk food totally.

Improve on your snacking choices

The first step is to move snacks you currently eat, to a different place. Now, choose healthier alternatives to these snacks. For instance, sodas can be replaced by water, chips by nuts, chocolates by fruits and so on. Shift your new choices to the old places. If you are motivated enough, the first step will be quite easy. The best part about this trick is that you will be satisfying your junk food cravings with much healthier food choices.

Identify why you need to quit junk food

This step is a lot about the thought-process and requires the channelizing of your willpower. Realise how beneficial quitting junk food is for your weight loss program. Many people go for energy bars or fries when stressed, or frustrated. Identify the environment that encourages you to eat junk food and get away from it. Another idea is to set reminder notes strategically near places that store your snacks. Body language exercises also go a long way in helping you ignore these cravings.

How to beat hunger when losing weight

October 24, 2016

Blog, Weight Loss

Unlike people who visit the slimming centre to lose weight, people who choose to go the calorie-reduction way often face problems like tiredness and hunger pangs. If you are managing your diet to lose weight, you need to ensure that you are fulfilling your daily protein and carbohydrate intake, while cutting out sugar and extra calories. Diet planning lets you do this while controlling how much you eat. Many are still in dilemma between diet vs exercise when it comes to losing weight. When in fact, you need both in order to lose the extra calories. To know how to beat obstacles like intense cravings and lethargy, read these tips.

Include more flavours in your diet

Weight loss by diet management requires you to give up high-calorie foods. This can make you feel deprived and often results in more binge-eating, which is dangerous. Consequently, totally doing away with flavours in your food can upset your weight loss program. Instead, experiment with spicy flavours and tangy fruits. Add ingredients like basil, oregano, coriander and mint. Texture also goes a long way in ensuring that you enjoy your meals thoroughly. For instance, you can toss chopped nuts on the greens and add muesli to your yogurt.

Keep low calorie starters

Using low calorie appetizers to calm your hunger. You can try starting with simple vegetable soup or vegetable salad as the first course of the meal. In fact, it has been suggested that having soup before meals reduces your meal’s calorie intake by 20%. However, this is not true for a baked potato soup that you might get at a restaurant. Black bean dips and Japanese mushroom soups are good low-calorie alternatives for starters.

Snack up on whole fruits and veggies

The logic behind consuming fruits and vegetables to beat hunger pangs is that they have more water content. Thus, they leave you feeling contented and are low-calorie choices. One good way to have fruits on a regular basis is to replace fries and cookies with freshly chopped fruits. You can even carry them on your way to the slimming centre, since they provide essential vitamins and minerals. They have also been found to be beneficial for blood-pressure.

Increase your fibre intake

Fibre not only helps in water absorption and digestion, but increases satiety. You can increase your intake of fibre by eating whole grains and cereals. Fibrous vegetables and fruits are also beneficial. Psyllium husk helps you feel fullness, and prevents you from overeating. The daily recommended fibre intake for both children and adults is 14 gm for every 1000 calories consumed. Fibre-based foods require chewing for longer, and help you feeling full for longer.

Avoid skipping meals

It is an established fact that people who skip breakfast tend to overeat later in the day and hence put on weight. Psychologically, skipping the first meal of the day reduces control over what you eat, and enforces binge-eating behaviour. It is ideal to have three meals in a day spread over 12 hours. If you are reducing your portion control, it is a good idea to have low calorie snacks once daily. It is essential to drink sufficient water to induce fullness.

It is important to cut empty calories out from your diet, but eating well is equally necessary. Alternatively, consider visiting a slimming centre that uses Traditional Chinese Medicine to help lose weight, without having to control hunger.