Thao, 27, currently a business owner, has gained confidence after achieving his slimmer figure.
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Thao, 27, is gaining confidence after achieving his slimmer figure. Photo courtesy of Thao |
At 1.55 meters tall, Thao weighed 66kg before giving birth to her first child in April 2022.
She weighed 80 kg when she gave birth. She didn’t want to lose weight at the time as she feared it would affect the quality of her breast milk, and her weight hit 77kg earlier this year.
Her fluctuating body mass left her thighs, buttocks and chest full of stretch marks, dark spots and acne.
Ashamed of her body – a fact that negative comments from friends, family and acquaintances did not help – Thao became a closet and a recluse, unwilling to go out anywhere or see anyone.
Then one day, she wanted to get a makeover, in order to regain both her health and her confidence.
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Thao before his weight loss. Photo courtesy of Thao |
Thao didn’t follow any particular diet, she just focused on reducing her calorie intake. According to experts, a key factor in weight loss is the application of a calorie deficit in which calorie intake must be less than the number of calories consumed.
The calories consumed come from food and drink, while the calories consumed are burned in the metabolic process, through exercise and other daily activities.
But that doesn’t mean Thao didn’t care what she took into her body. She started eating healthy foods: minimizing her intake of fried foods and eating boiled foods instead. If Thao craved fried foods, she would cook them in an air fryer.
She also stopped eating at restaurants to better control the number of calories she was taking into her body.
According to Thao, people can easily do what she did without losing their resolve.
An important note about Thao’s diet is that she always supplied her body with all nutrient groups, she said, because each of them has its own functions. Reducing any of them to lose weight could cause health problems.
Dr. Do Thi Ngoc Diep, vice president of the Vietnam Nutrition Association, endorsed Thao’s idea.
According to Diep, a healthy diet should provide consumers with all six groups of nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits and dairy products. Only when supplied with all of these six nutrient groups can our body function normally.
Reducing any of these six necessary nutrient groups can immediately lead to fatigue, low blood sugar, or even fainting. Other long-term consequences include lack of vitamins and minerals or even immunodeficiency.
She decided to go to the gym to firm up and tone her body. Gaining muscle and flexibility can help prevent injury and lose weight in a healthy way.
Thao often spends 10 minutes jogging or hiking, before doing weightlifting and other exercises.
“I go to the gym even on days when I don’t feel motivated,” Thao said. “I walk instead of jog on days like this.”
Thao’s weight dropped from 77 to 49 kg, while his height decreased from 96 cm to 68 cm.
Speaking from experience, Thao said those who want to lose weight must maintain their determination.
She also believed that rapid diet pills or other unhealthy methods should be avoided for health reasons. A beautiful figure should be achieved through a healthy diet and frequent exercise.
