Last Updated on May 21, 2023 by Michael Brockbank
Obesity is a serious problem in the United States. And it really has little to do with how you look. In fact, obesity can lead to a myriad of health issues that will cut your lifespan short. However, there are plenty of weight loss options for obese people.
I’m not talking about gastric bypass or bariatric surgeries. Some of the simplest changes can lead to quickly dropping of the pounds.
Actionable Weight Loss Options for Obese People
In reality, it’s all up to you whether or not non-surgical weight loss options are valid. It’s all about motivation, determination and moderation.
No diet plan or exercise routine in the world will help you lose weight if you don’t want to. If you go into the process with a negative attitude, you’re going to have a negative experience.
You have to want change and realize the overall damage you’re doing to your body.
For me, it was my heart stopping that lit a fire under my ass for weight loss. But you don’t need a near-death experience to give you drive.
Why Should You Lose Weight?
Set aside the part about trying to create a “beach body.” Don’t worry about what you look like in the mirror or trying to attract a mate. These are only side effects of weight loss and shouldn’t be your primary focus.
The truth of the matter is the amount of damage you’re causing to your body. I know, some people will toss out how their “blood work” is perfect. But being overweight does more than just affect your cholesterol levels.
Obesity will affect joint health, bone development, blood pressure, mental development, sleep apnea and a greatly shortened lifespan. [note]WebMD – https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/obstructive-sleep-apnea-causes#1[/note]
Think of this, fat pushes on your internal organs constantly. Which reduces efficiency and increases the risk to various failures.
Personally, I rather like the idea of being able to pick up a 50-pound bag of dog food without wheezing or walking to the store without gasping for air. Not to mention the amount of money I save on food from not eating so much.
Here are some of the best non-surgical weight loss procedures that have helped me lose nearly 70 pounds so far.
1. Change Your Mentality
First and foremost, you need to change your mentality about health and fitness. Don’t think of it as trying to be “skinny” or being a swimsuit model. View it as a way to prevent yourself from dying.
One of the most difficult aspects for millions of people is addressing depression. I am a stress eater and tend to pig out when I’m depressed. This needs to end in order to lose weight.
The bottom line is the way you view exercise and dieting will impact your success. If you don’t think something is going to work, chances are it won’t.
In other words, you need to put faith in yourself as well as your weight loss strategy. Otherwise, none of these weight loss options for obese people are going to help.
2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Secondly, don’t try to compare yourself to anyone else but you. Everyone is different when it comes physique, needs and goals. I’ve seen too many people attempt and fail to keep up with fitness trainers to the point of giving up altogether.
You’re not trying to impress anyone. Your primary goal should be to stay alive. Let the fitness trainer crack out 100 push-ups. That’s probably not your goal anyway.
Realize that a lot of these fitness gurus, trainers and athletes have been into fitness most of their lives. You’re not going to instantly jump on that muscle train…at least, not without causing physical and psychological damage.
One of the most important things I focus on is beating my personal bests. I don’t really care who looks like a Greek god. If I can do more push-ups next month than I can today, then I am a winner in my eyes.
And that’s all that should really matter; being in competition with yourself.
3. Create Realistic Goals
Weight loss for obese people needs to center on creating realistic goals for yourself. You should do more than simply say, “I want to lose 100 pounds.” And you shouldn’t try to lose 100 pounds inside a month, either.
In reality, everyone will lose weight at a different pace. While some people will drop the weight lightning fast, others will have a longer time frame.
This isn’t a failing; it’s genetics.
Base your weight loss goals according to your own rate of loss. For instance, weigh yourself on Monday. After two weeks of actually working on health and fitness, see how much you lost overall. Then, base your strategy according to how much you can personally lose.
For example, let’s say I can lose 5 pounds in two weeks. This means I can lose 2.5 pounds every seven days. If my goal is to lose 100 pounds, then that means my initial goal should be to lose everything within 10 months.
Of course, you would want to strive to beat this goal. But it gives you a solid foundation of how to start.
And keep in mind that you’ll have to work harder as your body begins to shrink. It’s easier to lose fat when you’re morbidly obese than if you’re only 20 pounds overweight.
At which point, you will change your goals to reflect your current progress.
4. Monitoring Portion Sizes
One of the easiest weight loss options for obese people is monitoring portion sizes. Just by cutting back the sheer amount of food I ate helped me drop roughly 20 pounds in just over a month.
Instead of eating three or four Walmart cupcakes, I would stick to just one. Instead of the cheap meal deals from Taco Bell, I would focus on a can of Progresso Soup for lunch.
By eating in moderation, you can quickly drop the pounds without lifting a finger.
What helped me the most was using apps like MyFitnessPal. With this tool, I am able to keep an eye on how many calories I consume in a day and eat accordingly.
And because I now cook just enough to feed myself during meals, I rarely throw away food. My consumption is far more efficient and I save a lot of money at the grocery store.
5. Choose Healthier Alternatives
Monitoring the amount of food you eat is only part of the equation. You also need to make healthier decisions when eating.
I’m not saying you have to cut out sugar entirely. I still have Reese’s Peanut Butter cups in the kitchen. However, you do need to add more fruits and veggies to your eating habits.
Think of it this way…the human body requires a certain balance of nutrition to function correctly. What you eat will affect everything from the way your brain processes information to keeping bones from breaking.
And the more efficient the body becomes through nutrition, the more effective you are. In fact, healthy food alternatives will affect the brain in everything from playing video games to emotional status. [note]Nature.com – https://www.nature.com/articles/s41538-017-0008-y[/note]
I can attest to how I’m sick far less today than I was 70 pounds ago. This is mostly due to change eating habits and promoting a stronger body.
6. Cook for Yourself
Learning to cook has potential as a life-altering activity. Not only does it help you eat better, but I find it to be incredibly relaxing. It’s therapeutic in many ways while keeping me on my feet.
While I won’t burn as many calories as going for a brisk walk, I’ll still keep myself in the “fat burn” zone while whipping up something good to eat.
And in reality, I save a lot of money preparing the foods I like over going out to a fast food restaurant. For example, I can make a serving of Kung Pao Chicken and Chicken Fried Rice for less than a $1.25.
It’s much cheaper than hitting Panda Express for a similar dish. Plus, I have control over the portion sizes which guarantees I won’t overeat.
I often like to cook in bulk and then freeze the leftovers in partitioned containers. Essentially, I make microwave lunches that are far better in terms of calories and health value than Lean Cuisines.
And I save about a dollar per meal by making the food myself.
7. Increase Your Walking Distance
One of the easiest exercises that nearly anyone can do is walking. It’s a basic function humans learn at a young age and continue throughout life. It’s means of transportation as well as burning off fat while building muscle mass.
However, you want to make sure you don’t over do it. Without conditioning, pushing yourself too far can lead to a myriad of problems.
For example, I developed metatarsal stress fractures on both feet while walking a 5K. It was a mixture between weighing 280 pounds, wearing poor shoes and pushing myself too hard for lapsed time.
The spirit was willing, but the flesh was definitely weak.
Start off slow and gradually increase distance over time. Make sure your body can handle longer distances and time on your feet.
Out of everything I do, walking has delivered the greatest benefit to my heart. After increasing my movement over the past three years, I have far fewer heart issues. I no longer feel like I’m having a heart attack four times a day.
8. Play the Xbox Kinect
If you have an Xbox and the Kinect unit, you’re probably not getting the most out of games. The Xbox Kinect has helped me lose the most weight and is one of my favorite fitness devices.
The trick is to really throw yourself into the game. The more you move, the more fat you’ll burn through.
When I first played Avengers: Battle for Earth, I beat the arcade version of the game and then collapsed from exhaustion. Today, I can crush the arcade version in about 20 minutes and then go for a 15 minute walk.
The reason I love playing the Kinect so much is because it keeps my mind in the activity. Instead of letting out a sigh before jumping into a mundane exercise routine, I am engaged by the games I play.
And the best part is that I’ll work up as much of a sweat and burn as many calories as fit people using any Bowflex machine.
9. Join a League or Get a Physical Hobby
Perhaps one of the more prominent weight loss options of obese people is getting out of the house and “playing.” This can be anything from a bowling league to just spending a couple of bucks and hitting the driving range.
Depending on the activity, you can quickly melt through the fat. I know I can keep my heart rate at around 110 or so just from bowling…which is the “fat burn” zone.
Although physical activity helps with dropping weight, you also don’t want to forget the social element. Interacting with people can influence your mental status for the better.
Plus, you may enjoy yourself more which keeps the mind engaged to keep doing the activity on a regular basis.
10. Make a Game Out of Fitness
One of my biggest problems in the beginning was dreading workout routines. I’ve never been one to really get anything out of exercise DVDs. What kept my mind in the game for fitness was gamification.
When you make a game out of a mundane activity, you increase the likelihood you’ll continue to put in the effort. It’s a growing trend in many companies as gamifying work often improves employee efficiency as well as attendance and happiness.
For me, it was about turning exercise into some kind of a entertaining activity. For instance, I use Exercise.com to keep track of personal records. For me, it’s a game to try to break those records.
You don’t have to dread exercise if you can make it fun.
Gamifying the experience is based purely on what you find engaging. For me, it’s keeping track of numbers and data. That doesn’t mean you have to do the same.
Find a way to keep your mind engaged in health and fitness according to what you find entertaining.
The only wrong answer is doing nothing at all.
If you don’t find a way to keep the mind engaged, you’re more likely to give up on the activity. It’s one of the reasons why so many people have workout DVDs collecting dust in the attic.
11. Change How You View Household Chores
When I look at my kitchen floor or see leaves scattered across my backyard, I don’t let out a sigh and procrastinate cleaning. I see it as an opportunity to burn calories.
The side effect is a clean house that I’m not ashamed to show visitors.
Currently, I am running a study on how many calories I can burn per activity. However, I can safely say that it can easily work you up into a sweat.
In fact, I find myself anticipating snow so I can shovel the sidewalks to burn fat. As odd as it sounds, that’s what happens when you change your mentality about house work.
And yes, I often turn these things into a game as well. For example, how long does it take me to sweep and mop the kitchen floor? Then, can I do it any faster?
Usually, I’ll use a timer…20 minutes of vigorous cleaning each day. This means non-stop, maximum effort for 20 solid minutes.
12. Find a Free Fitness App You Like
Fitness apps fill Google Play and Apple’s App Store. I’m sure you can find one that you can really sink your teeth into. For me, it’s MyFitnessPal.
However, there are plenty of really good platforms out there to provide weight loss options for obese people. In fact, I have a list of common apps I use in My Tools.
Find the best apps that work perfectly for your needs and really throw yourself into them. Remember, it’s all about mentality. If you don’t think something is going to work for you, don’t try to force it.
You won’t have the best experience with something you hate.
Take the time to explore possibilities and take advantage of something that will help you build a healthier body.
From nutrition monitoring to weight training, you have plenty of free options.
13. Do More Things for Yourself
Something else that helped in the beginning was doing more things for myself. Instead of asking the kids to grab my coffee from the kitchen or take out the trash, I would do activities on my own.
In the case of getting my coffee, this meant climbing the stairs 8-10 times per day from the basement to the kitchen.
It has become such a habit that I feel odd asking someone to get something from the other side of the house. I am perfectly capable of doing it myself.
Today, I’m all but independent. And it contributes to daily activity and movement to help drive weight loss.
And lastly, don’t use the driving carts at the grocery store. If you’re capable of walking into the store, you should be capable of walking throughout the store.
I know some people will still need assistance because of knee or leg issues. But try to put more effort into walking about on your own. I only used those driving carts once…when I broke my feet after the 5k walk.
I’m not trying to shame you if you’re one of those people who drive around Walmart. Just understand that you’re taking work away from yourself by using those carts…especially if you don’t really need to use them.
It’s Up to You to Lose Weight
Morbidly obese weight loss without surgery is possible as long as you’re willing to put in the effort. For many of you, the hardest part is facing mental issues such as depression and anxiety.
However, I truly believe anyone can accomplish almost anything as long as they put in the effort. Don’t cut yourself short by saying, “I just can’t do it.”
Plenty of non-surgical weight loss options are available. It’s up to you to prove it to yourself that you’re capable of taking control of your life. Because if you don’t, your life could be much shorter than you realize.[template id=”3591″]