How to start losing weight? The subject 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 volumes. Despite the variety of techniques, there are basic and universal rules that work for everyone. We will talk about it in this article.
The environment and lifestyle have changed dramatically in recent decades. Many fast food outlets appeared, a variety of street food, cafes and restaurants, more and more people started eating out and using delivery services, portion sizes increased significantly and at the same time it turned out to be more difficult to choose healthy foods.
In addition, work and leisure have become sedentary. Despite the known benefits of physical activity, there is a downward trend around the world. According to the latest reports from the European Union, 6 out of 10 people over the age of 15 do not play sports or do it very rarely. At the same time, a significant part of the European adult population spends more than four hours a day sitting, which can only affect health and appearance.
Hence, many factors influence what we eat and what lifestyle we choose, which means that you need to make an informed choice to initiate the changes.
Decide your motivation for losing weight
Often, this stage is not given due importance, thinking that the desire to fit into a once favorite dress or take great pictures on the beach is an effective goal. But the aesthetic appeal is only one side of the coin, on the second there are much more important and significant things: getting rid of complexes and self-doubts, the desire to have healthy children, the need to get rid of shortness of breath, hormonal disorders and other related problems.
It is always difficult to take the first steps, you want to put off for later, pause or abandon the idea altogether. In addition, unrealistic weight loss goals are often set at first, which leads to high expectations, which later lead to frustration, stress and lack of progress. Don't be guided by the all or nothing principle. Set your desired end goal and many (realistic! ) Intermediate goals. Imagine building a route for a car, the principle is the same.
Remember, food shouldn't be a reward for training or "working out" on the chocolate you eat. Guilt is a motivation killer.
At the same time, analyze why you are overweight. Is this a recent change or a long-term picture? Have you started doing things differently: eating more outside the home, 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
Losing weight is a long-term, systematic process. Even a small weight loss (5 to 10% of total body weight) can provide health benefits such as improving blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and reducing risk factors for chronic disease. associated with obesity.
Don't resort to radical diets and exhausting fasting systems. They lead to rapid weight loss in the first few weeks, but are unlikely to work in the long term because such lifestyle changes cannot be sustained. As soon as you cancel the regimen, go back to old habits and get fat.
Also, keep in mind that women generally have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio than men and have a 5-10% lower resting metabolic rate. For example, an 8-week study of over 2, 000 participants on a low-calorie diet (800 kcal per day) found that men lost 16% more weight than women in the same condition.
Review the quantity and quality of food consumed
Many people have no idea 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 many calories they thought they were consuming per day. Both groups underestimated the actual amount by an average of 1000 calories!
Determine your daily calorie intake
Determining how many calories you should consume is half the battle, it is also important to consider the nutritional value of foods. For example, 500 calories in potato chips are not the same as 500 calories in raw vegetables.
Nutritionists insist that it is important to follow the weight loss rule: burn more calories than you consume. The daily deficit should be 500 kcal on average. In this condition, you can lose a kilogram in two weeks, without even resorting to physical activity. But in the long run, this method will not work, over time, the body builds up a feeling of stress and anxiety due to a constant lack of food, and instead of losing weight, the body begins to accumulate fat in the event of a critical situation.
Cut down on portions
This is where size matters. Portion control over time will shift from a healthy habit to a lifestyle that eliminates constant overeating. An easy way to reduce serving size is to use a smaller plate. Another is to eat more slowly so that the brain has time to receive a signal about the feeling of satiety. On average, this takes about 20 minutes.
Half of the dish should consist of vegetables, a quarter of low-fat protein sources (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs), and the rest should consist of whole grains or grains.
Reduce your carbohydrate intake
If you eat simple carbohydrate foods (such as cakes, soda, white flour bread, or French fries), your body releases insulin to help control the flow of glucose into the bloodstream. Research shows that a spike in blood sugar levels after a few hours makes you feel hungry, craving for food, and often leads to overeating. Fast, refined carbohydrates quickly replenish the body with energy, but when consumed excessively they turn into fat stores. Give preference to complex carbohydrates and be sure to combine them with natural fiber.
Eat more whole foods
Whole foods are single-ingredient foods rich in vitamins and micronutrients with no chemical additives or processing. These include fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, legumes, eggs, nuts, etc. They help speed up metabolism, regulate weight, reduce hunger and affect hormone production.
One study involved 786 people who were divided into two groups. One of them ate a diet low in micronutrients, the other a diet high in micronutrients. Nearly 80% of participants felt full after eating a diet rich in micronutrients, even though they consumed fewer calories overall.
Plus, whole foods are free of trans fats. A recent study found that monkeys who ate more artificial trans fats gained their weight by an average of 7. 2 percent compared to monkeys who ate a diet high in monounsaturated fat.
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 did not drink water.
Avoid juices and sugary carbonated drinks. According to the research, their daily consumption is associated with a 60% increase in the risk of obesity in children.
If you replace the daily consumption of a glass of juice or soda with water, you can reduce your annual calorie intake by an average of 219, 000 kcal. Impressive, right?
Choose an effective weight loss exercise
Regular exercise is vital 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 exercise at least 150 minutes per week.
The simplest and most affordable way to exercise is through aerobic exercise.
- Examples of moderate intensity aerobic activity are badminton, brisk walking, cycling, tennis.
- Examples of high intensity aerobic activity are running, swimming, team sports (football, basketball), etc.
- Also, you can introduce useful rules into your daily routine: take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, make a stop towards your destination and walk, park your car a little further away from home or office, etc.
Cardio for weight loss is essential if you train properly, focus on heart rate (heart rate), use different techniques and intervals.
Of course, it's important not only to lose weight, but also to keep your muscles toned. Resistance exercise is essential for building a toned body. Research shows that strength training helps maintain a high metabolic rate and prevents the loss of valuable muscle mass.
There are many exercise routines available for both the home and the gym.
Give preference to loads on all muscle groups, rather than local ones. You will not lose weight in the waist and abdomen for a long time, doing exercises only on the abdomen, this is proved by the results of many studies. The same goes for losing weight in the 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 the women surveyed said they do not play sports for this reason. Circular, fat-burning and high-intensity workouts come to the rescue, which take no more than half an hour and are considered one of the most effective for weight loss.
Circular trainingtakes an average of 30 minutes. It consists of alternating between different exercises (usually 5 to 10), aimed at different muscle groups, doing intermediate rest intervals. This method improves your aerobic capacity and burns calories efficiently.
Fat Burning Workoutsthey are similar in principle to circular ones, but the complex consists of more high-intensity loads on different muscle groups, which are performed without interruption. Rest is allowed only after the completion of the block of exercises.
The last few years have gained great popularityhigh intensity workoutswhich take 5 to 30 minutes a day. They alternate between maximum activity and rest (one by two). For example, run for 1 minute as fast as you can, then walk slowly or rest for 2 minutes, then repeat all over again. Studies have shown that this training method helps burn 25-30% more calories than other types of exercise.
Special circuit training- 30-minute fitness for women, consisting of warm-up, cardio, strength training, cool-down and stretching. Each workout takes place under the supervision of a trainer who monitors the execution technique of the exercises, teaches and selects the optimal version of the load. Exercises are performed on simulators, created taking into account the physiological characteristics of the female body. They are based on hydraulic resistance and are safe for people of any physical shape.
Learn to have fun by exercising and doing weight loss exercises. Think about how much energy, joy and satisfaction the workout gives you.
Get support
Losing weight isn't easy and doing it yourself is even more difficult. If you are looking to shed those extra pounds and improve your overall health, remember that you don't have to go this route alone. You can find like-minded people offline or online and join them.
Research has shown that support, healthy competition, and regular demonstration of results can help maintain consistent exercise performance and be more responsible in the process.
Track your progress
Self-control is the most important factor for successful weight loss. When we see real, tangible movement towards our goals, we tend to be more motivated to keep working. The most important thing is not to be hanged.
Don't focus solely on weight. Weighing yourself daily can cause unnecessary anxiety and anxiety. Focus on the indicators of the circumference of the waist, hips, chest, legs and arms. Measure them at the same time interval, such as every 2 weeks or once a month. Capture the numbers in a notebook, application or specialized web portals. This will help you track the outcome and analyze which actions bring the most results.
Remember that weight loss is a gradual process, don't be discouraged if those extra pounds don't go away at the pace you expected. Your task is to learn how to lose weight correctly and 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 not functioning properly, the body can store unused energy in the form of fat. Additionally, poor sleep can increase insulin and cortisol production, as well as interfere with the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin. It is leptin that sends satiety signals to the brain.
Another study found that sleepless people consume 385 more calories per day than those who get enough regular sleep. So, just because of the disturbed sleep rhythm, you can get another 7 kilograms per year.
When it comes to stress, it triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. If you feel anxious all the time, cortisol gets trapped in the bloodstream and signals the body to replenish nutrient stores with carbohydrates, which often leads to overeating.
The researchers found that the 8-week stress management program led to significant decreases in BMI in overweight and obese children and adolescents.
Check out some of the ways to deal with stress:
- yoga
- meditation
- breathing practices
- nature walks, gardening, etc.
Don't use diet pills
The idea of magical diet pills to make fat dissolve like a dream is tempting. But alas, this is too good to be true (if it weren't already obvious).
Here are some of the side effects of diet pills:
- Depletion of the nervous system
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Violation of the work of internal organs
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Lazy bowel syndrome
Diet pills often promise immediate results, but they don't interfere with the diet or lifestyle that made your body "unhealthy". Therefore, even if you manage to overcome the unpleasant side effects and achieve short-term results, you will eventually return to square one. We have devoted a separate article to fat burners, detailing their drawbacks, benefits, and possible risks.
Remember, to get 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 for healthy and permanent weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, as the body reacts differently to different foods and loads, 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 realistic changes to your diet and physical activity that will become part of your lifestyle, otherwise you will quickly return to old habits and original weight.