How to Lose Weight When You Have Asthma

When you are Asthmatic, maintaining a healthy weight is very important. Eating a healthy balanced diet and regular exercises are two proven ways to drop excess weight whether you are asthmatic or not. When asthmatic people lose extra pounds they breath better due to the reduced pressure of the flesh pressing on the chest. Exercise has also been shown to strengthen the overall muscle tone on the body improving the performance of the chest muscles. Weight loss also reduces incidences of acid reflux, which makes asthma worse. Weight loss also improves all the inflammatory conditions asthma included.

However, the nature of asthma makes it difficult for Asthmatic Patients to exercise. There is the fear of having an asthmatic attack while exercising which can be life-threatening. Additionally, during the allergy seasons or cold season, it is impossible for an asthmatic patient to exercise outdoors. Nevertheless, if you are asthmatic and you want to shed some extra weight do not despair since there are many ways that you can drop that unhealthy weight. Here are a few of them.

• Plan your meals

Planning your every meal is a good way to lose weight when you have asthma. You can start by using an online calculator to check the number of calories you need every day to keep your current weight. In order to lose at least a pound a week, you will need to cut that calorie intake.

Once you know how many calories you target to lose daily you can plan your meal such that you consume just the right amount of calories for every meal. Ensure that you follow your meal plans, as this will help you lose more weight in the end.

• Eat low-fat alternatives

It is hard to stop eating your favorite foods when you plan to lose weight, but looking for a low-fat version of these foods can help. For instance, rather than having a ground beef burger you can choose to eat a veggie burger. You can also roast or bake your chicken rather than eating a fried one. Eating up more fruits and vegetables can also reduce your fat intake as they take up more space in your stomach.

• Five-minute exercise

Being asthmatic can make sustained long exercises impossible. However, exercises are an important part of weight loss as exercising pumps a lot of endorphins in your body. Exercises also tone your muscles, which improves breathing.

Start with a five minutes workout every day. Any exercise will do but you should limit cardio exercises. You can try crunches, walking or some pushups for five continuous minutes. Work your way up slowly as you increase the workout time by one or two minutes every week.

• Focus on exercises that are recommended for asthmatic patients

Activities that have short intermittent periods are the best for asthmatic patients. Your body might not be able to handle sustained long activities such as basketball, soccer or running as these activities can trigger an attack. We also recommend that you avoid cold weather sporting activities such as ice-skating or hockey.

Choosing a sport such as swimming is a good first endurance choice, as you will perform it while breathing warm, humid air while indoors. Swimming also improves cardiovascular health and your lung capacity. Other sporting activities recommended for asthmatic patients include walking, cycling, outdoor and indoor biking, aerobics and running on a treadmill. Start doing the activities a few minutes daily as you scale up.

• Eat slowly and in small portions

Eating too fast has been known to cause overeating since the brain is very slow in getting the message that you are full. When you eat slowly, you feel full after eating little food. Eating small portions of food is also another good weight loss strategy. Do not pile over your plate. Eat reasonable portions while waiting for some seconds or minutes before you add more food to your plate.

• Take it slow

Weight loss will not happen in one week or one month. It might take a few months to years to reach your ideal weight. Coming up with sustainable and achievable goals is the best way to lose weight. Asthmatic patients should not focus on too fast weight loss. Doing everything in moderation is important as you stick to your meal or exercise plan.

• Talk to your doctor before any weight loss regime

Your physician will be able to help you decide the best activity and the proper diet for your weight loss journey. Additionally, your physician will come up with your action plan, which will help you exercise better. Part of the workout plan might be to take your pre-exercise asthma meds or warming up before exercises to prevent asthma symptoms. Always follow your doctor’s action plan to prevent asthmatic attacks.

At Frontline ER, we have board-certified physicians who can help you come up with a good plan to lose weight if you are asthmatic. Our physicians have helped many asthmatic patients lose weight successfully. thus, you can be sure they know what they are doing.

Our facilities are near you at Raymond and Dallas Texas and you do not need to book an appointment to see a physician.  Just call us on 281-766-3811 and let us know you are on your way and we will take care of your asthmatic needs.

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