Eating more meals helps woman obtain 55 cm waistline

Anh, 22, is currently an online nutrition coach. She started pursuing the career after successfully transforming her body.

She used to weigh 46 kg but her body had a high level of fat that made her skin sag. She’d always thought about trying to tone her body, but it wasn’t until she volunteered to work with cancer patients, and saw their struggle to survive terminal health issues that she decided she would adopt a more healthy lifestyle.

Nguyen Thi Minh Anh, 22, used to weigh 46 kg but with high body fat levels. Photo courtesy of Anh

The key Anh found to slimming her waistline was simply dividing her food intake into more than three meals a day, with each meal containing a smaller portion of food than the last.

According to Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, head of the Gastroenterology Department at National Military Hospital 108, taking in smaller but more frequent portions of food helps control the appetite and blood sugar levels, which in turn enhance the metabolism process.

Dr. Tuan recommended those that want to lose weight to have five to six small meals throughout the day, with the interval between two consecutive meals being between two and three hours.

In terms of what she ate in her smaller meals, Anh did not follow any specific diet, per se, but of course she couldn’t just eat whatever she wanted, she still had to eat healthy and nutritious foods.

Guidelines she applied, things that have worked for her and also millions more, include ‘calorie deficit,’ which means making sure the body takes in less calories than it burns.

She prioritized raw vegetables in her meals, and used chicken and fish as proteins, instead of beef and pork. Boiling or steaming food were also her favorite cooking methods instead of frying or cooking in oil.

At the same time, she limited her consumption of snacks, drank plenty of water, and included balanced amounts of each mandatory nutrient group namely protein, healthy fat, carbohydrate, and fiber.

Many of these guidelines are also recommended by the healthcare news site Medical News Today for those who want to protect their bones and teeth, cardiovascular systems, and sleep quality while managing to shed some weight off.

Anh maintains her waist measurement at 55 cm through eating healthily and exercising. Photo courtesy of Anh

Anh has also taken up a habit of exercising for 15 to 20 minutes a day. She usually cycles and does other exercises that help her improve her core strength and abs.

Health executive Tiet Ngoc Linh Chi at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital said cycling helps reduce the risk of cancer while enhancing weight loss, pain relief, and cardiovascular system functions.

Anh ended up building her muscles and lowering her body fat levels after a year of this regimen. Her waist measurement now remains at 55 cm.

"I feel more energetic and active after following this healthy lifestyle," she said.