How to start losing weight? The topic of excess weight, diet and exercise is shrouded in many rumors and myths. Few things are as controversial as how to get rid of unwanted episodes. Although there are many different techniques, there are basic and universal rules that work for everyone. We will talk about them in this article.
The environment and lifestyle have changed dramatically over the past decades. More fast food, variety of street food, cafes and restaurants appeared, people are starting to eat out more and more using home delivery service, portion sizes have increased significantly, It's also harder to make healthy food choices.
In addition, work and leisure have become sedentary. Despite the well-known benefits of physical activity, there is a worldwide downward trend. According to the latest European Union report, 6 out of 10 people over the age of 15 do not play sports or rarely exercise. At the same time, a significant part of the adult population of Europe spends more than 4 hours a day sitting, which cannot but affect health and appearance.
As a result, there are many factors that influence what we eat and how we choose to live, meaning that it takes conscious choice to initiate change.
Decide your weight loss motivation
Often, this stage is not taken seriously because the desire to wear a once-favorite dress or take nice pictures on the beach is an effective goal. But taste is only one side of the coin, the second are much more important and meaningful things: getting rid of guilt and lack of confidence, wanting to have healthy children, getting out of difficult situations. breathing, endocrine disorders. and other related matters.
Taking the first steps is always difficult, you want to postpone it for later, pause or abandon the idea altogether. In addition, unrealistic weight loss goals are often set at the outset, which leads to high expectations, which in turn leads to frustration, stress, and lack of ambition. Don't be guided by the all-or-nothing principle. Set the ultimate desired goal and many intermediate (real! ) goals. Imagine building a route for a car, the principle is the same.
Remember, food shouldn't be a reward for your workout or "work" for the chocolate you eat. Guilt is a killer.
Also, analyze why you are overweight. Is this a recent change or a long-term picture? Have you started doing things differently - eating more out of the house, reducing your activity or changing your diet? Knowing the root cause will help you move faster towards your goal.
The quieter you go, the further you will go
Weight loss is a systematic and long-term process. Even small weight loss (between 5 and 10 percent of total body weight) can have health benefits such as improved blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and reduced risk factors for diabetes. obesity-related chronic diseases.
Don't resort to radical fad diets and grueling fasts. They lead to rapid weight loss within the first few weeks, but no lasting effects as such lifestyle changes cannot be sustained. As soon as you cancel this regimen, go back to your old habits and gain weight.
Also, keep in mind that women in general have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio than men and have a 5-10% lower resting metabolic rate. For example, an 8-week study with more than 2, 000 participants following a low-calorie diet (800 kcal per day) found that men lost 16% more weight than women under the same conditions.
Consider the quantity and quality of food consumed
Many people don't know how many calories they eat. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, two groups of people who were similar in weight, height, body fat percentage, education level, and more were asked to report how much they consumed. how many calories per day. Both groups underestimated the actual intake by an average of 1000 calories!
Determine your daily calorie intake
Determining how many calories you should consume is half the battle, it's also important to consider the nutritional value of the food. For example, 500 calories in french fries is not the same as 500 calories in raw vegetables.
Nutritionists emphasize that it is important to follow the rule of weight loss - burn more calories than you consume. The daily deficit should be on average 500 kcal. With this condition, you can lose one kilogram in two weeks without physical activity. But in the long run, this method will not be effective, over time, the body will accumulate feelings of stress and anxiety due to constant lack of nutrients and instead of losing weight, the body will start to store fat to prevent it. emergency room. .
Reduce your portion sizes
This is where size matters. Portion control over time will evolve from a healthy habit to a lifestyle that eliminates constant overeating. An easy way to reduce your portion sizes is to use a smaller plate. Another way is to eat more slowly to give the brain time to receive signals about feeling full. On average, this process takes about 20 minutes.
Half of your plate should be vegetables, a quarter a low-fat protein source (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs) and the rest a grain or whole grain.
Cut your carbohydrate intake
If you eat foods that are rich in simple carbohydrates (such as cakes, soda, white bread, or chips), your body releases insulin to help control the flow of glucose into your bloodstream. Research shows that blood sugar spikes after a few hours make you feel hungry, crave food and often lead to overeating. Fast and refined carbohydrates quickly add energy to the body, but when consumed in excess, they are converted into stored fat. Prioritize complex carbohydrates and make sure to combine them with natural fiber.
Eat lots of whole foods
Whole foods are single-ingredient foods rich in vitamins and micronutrients without any processing or chemical additives. These include fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, legumes, eggs, nuts, and more. v. They help speed up metabolism, regulate weight, reduce hunger, and affect hormone production.
One study involved 786 people divided into two groups. One of them followed a low micronutrient diet, the other group followed a high micronutrient diet. Nearly 80% of participants felt full after eating a micronutrient-rich diet, even though they consumed fewer calories.
In addition, whole foods do not contain trans fats. A recent study found that monkeys that ate a lot of artificial trans fats gained an average of 7. 2% more weight than monkeys that ate a diet rich in monounsaturated fats.
Drink your daily amount of water
Drinking water can speed up your metabolism by 24-30%, helping you burn more calories. One of the studies showed that the consumption of 0. 5 liters. Drinking water half an hour before meals helped dieters consume fewer calories and lose 44% more weight than those who didn't drink water.
Avoid fruit juices and carbonated sugary drinks. According to research, their daily intake is associated with a 60% increased risk of childhood obesity.
If you replace your daily consumption with a glass of juice or soda with water, you can reduce your annual calorie intake by an average of 219, 000 kcal. Impressive isn't it?
Choose effective exercise to lose weight
Regular exercise is important for physical and mental health. A disciplined and targeted increase in exercise frequency is often critical to successful weight loss.
WHO recommends that people between the ages of 18 and 64 get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.
The easiest and most affordable way to exercise is aerobics.
- Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activity are badminton, brisk walking, cycling, tennis.
- Examples of intense aerobic activity are running, swimming, team sports (football, basketball), etc. v.
- Plus, you can incorporate helpful rules into your daily routine: take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, go to a stop and walk, park your car more than an hour away from your home or office. little, etc. v.
Cardio for weight loss is essential if you train it properly, focusing on your heart rate (heart rate), using different techniques and intervals.
Of course, it's important not only to lose weight, but also to keep your muscles toned. Resistance exercise is very important for building a toned body. Research shows that strength training helps maintain a high metabolic rate and prevent the loss of precious muscle mass.
There are many exercise routines for both the home and the gym.
Prioritize training for all muscle groups over local training. You will not lose weight around the waist and abdomen for a long time, only do abdominal exercises, this is proven by the results of many studies. Same with weight loss in legs, hips, arms and other parts of the body.
According to studies, one of the most common obstacles to weight loss is lack of time, more than 73% of women surveyed said they do not play sports for this reason. Circles, fat-burning and high-intensity exercises last no more than half an hour and are considered one of the most effective ways to lose weight.
Circle trainingtakes an average of 30 minutes. It involves the fact that you alternate several exercises (usually 5 to 10), which target different muscle groups, performing rest periods between sets. This method improves your aerobic fitness and burns calories effectively.
Fat burning workoutsimilar in principle to the circle, but the complex includes more intense loads on different muscle groups, performed without interruption. Rest is allowed only after completing the exercise block.
It's become popular in recent yearsHigh intensity workouttake 5 to 30 minutes per day. They alternate between maximum activity and rest (one to two). For example, you run as fast as you can for 1 minute, then walk slowly or rest for 2 minutes, then repeat all over again. Studies have shown that this method of training helps you burn 25-30% more calories than other forms of exercise.
Special circuit training- 30 minutes of fitness for women, including warm-up, cardio, endurance training, cool-down and stretching. Each training session takes place under the supervision of a trainer who monitors the technique of performing the exercises, teaching and selecting the optimal load version. Exercises are performed on simulators, created taking into account the physiological features of the female body. They are based on hydraulic resistance and are safe for people in good physical condition.
Learn to enjoy exercise and do weight loss exercises. Think about how much energy, joy, and satisfaction training gives you.
Get support
Losing weight is not easy, and doing it alone is even harder. If you're trying to lose that extra weight and improve your overall health, remember that you don't have to go down this path on your own. You can find like-minded people offline or online and join them.
Research has shown that regular support, healthy competition, and proven results can help maintain more consistent and responsible exercise performance in the process.
Track your progress
Self-control is the most important factor for successful weight loss. When we see real, tangible movement toward our goals, we tend to be more motivated to keep working. The most important thing is not to get hung up.
Don't just focus on weight. Weighing yourself daily can cause unnecessary anxiety and nervousness. Focus on the circumference measurements of the waist, hips, bust, legs and arms. Measure them at the same time intervals, such as every 2 weeks or once a month. Record the numbers in a notebook, app, or dedicated web portal. This will help you track results and analyze which actions bring the most results.
Remember that weight loss is a gradual process, don't be discouraged if the extra pounds don't go away at the rate you expect. Your task is to learn how to lose weight the right way, not in 3 days.
Eliminate stress and lack of sleep
Healthy sleep is just as important as proper nutrition and exercise.
Research shows that irregular sleep is associated with an 89% increased risk of obesity in children and 55% in adults. In addition, insufficient or poor quality sleep slows down the conversion of calories into energy (metabolism). When it malfunctions, the body can store unused energy in the form of fat. In addition, poor sleep can increase insulin and cortisol production, as well as interfere with the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin. It's leptin that sends the signal of satiety to the brain.
Another study found that sleep-deprived people consume 385 more calories per day than those who get regular, adequate sleep. So, just because your sleep rhythm is disturbed, you can add 7 kg per year.
When stressed, it triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. If you feel anxious all the time, cortisol gets trapped in the blood and signals the body to replenish its nutrient reserves with carbohydrates, which often leads to overeating.
Researchers found that an eight-week stress management program significantly reduced BMI in overweight and obese children and adolescents.
Let's look at some methods for dealing with stress:
- yoga
- meditation
- breathing exercises
- nature walks, gardening, etc. v.
Do not use diet pills
The idea of miracle weight loss pills to melt away excess fat is like a dream come true. But alas, this is too good to be true (if it isn't already obvious).
Here are some side effects of weight loss pills:
- Nervous system exhaustion
- Hypertension
- Increase heart rate
- Violation of the work of internal organs
- Insomnia
- Dizzy
- Worry
- Lazy syndrome
Weight loss pills often promise immediate results, but they don't interfere with your diet or lifestyle that has made your body "unhealthy". Therefore, even if you overcome the unpleasant side effects and get short-term results, you will eventually be back where you started. We have dedicated a separate article to the types of fat burners, detailing their possible disadvantages, benefits, and risks.
Remember, to achieve lasting results, you need to fundamentally change your fitness and nutrition habits.
New books, articles, TV shows and videos about weight loss are published every day, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution to permanent healthy weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, as the body responds differently to different foods and amounts, depending on genetics and many other factors. Finding the right method will take time and patience, dedication and regularity.
To lose weight without suffering, make practical changes to your diet and physical activity that will become part of your lifestyle, or else you'll quickly fall back into old habitsand initial weight.