How to start losing weight? The topic of overweight, 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 absolutely everyone. We'll talk about them in this article.
The environment and lifestyle have changed drastically over the last few decades. There was a lot of fast food, 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 became more difficult to choose food healthy.
Furthermore, work and leisure became sedentary. Despite the known benefits of physical activity, there is a downward trend worldwide. According to the latest reports from the European Union, 6 out of 10 people over the age of 15 do not practice sport or practice it very rarely. At the same time, a significant part of Europe's adult population spends more than four hours a day sitting, which can only affect their health and appearance.
So, many factors influence what we eat and the way of life we choose, which means that it is necessary to make a conscious choice to initiate changes.
Decide your motivation to lose weight
This step is often not given enough importance, thinking that the desire to fit into a once-favorite dress or to take beautiful photos on the beach is an effective goal. But aesthetic appeal is only one side of the coin, on the second side are much more important and significant things: getting rid of complexes and doubt, the desire to have healthy children, the need to get rid of shortness of breath, hormonal disturbances and other related issues.
It's always difficult to take the first steps, whether you want to put it off until later, take a break or abandon the idea altogether. In addition, unrealistic weight loss goals are often set early on, 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 the desired end goal and many intermediate goals (realistic! ). Imagine building a route for a car, the principle is the same.
Remember, food shouldn't be a workout reward or a "break" in 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 to do things differently - eating more out of the house, reducing your physical activity, or changing your diet? Knowing the root cause will help you move faster toward your goal.
The quieter you go, the farther you will go
Weight loss is a systematic and long-term process. Even a small amount of weight loss (5-10% of total body weight) can provide health benefits such as improving blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and reducing risk factors for chronic diseases associated with obesity. .
Do not resort to crash diets and exhaustive fasting systems. They lead to rapid weight loss in the first few weeks, but are unlikely to work in the long term because these lifestyle changes cannot be sustained. As soon as you cancel the regimen, go back to old habits and put on weight.
Also, keep in mind that women generally have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio than men and a 5-10% lower resting metabolic rate. For example, an 8-week study of more than 2, 000 participants on a low-calorie diet (800 kcal per day) found that men lost 16% more weight than women under the same conditions.
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 similar in weight, height, percentage of body fat, education level and more were asked to report how many calories they thought they were consuming each 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 halfway there, it's also important to consider the nutritional value of foods. For example, 500 calories in French fries is not the same as 500 calories in raw vegetables.
Nutritionists insist that it's important to follow the rule about losing weight—burning more calories than you consume. The daily deficit should average 500 kcal. In this condition, you can lose a pound 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 the constant lack of food and instead of losing weight, the body starts to accumulate fat in case of a critical situation. .
reduce your portions
This is where size matters. Portion control over time will grow from a healthy habit to a lifestyle that eliminates constant eating. An easy way to reduce your portion size is to use a smaller plate. Another is to eat more slowly so that the brain has time to receive a signal about feeling full. On average this takes about 20 minutes.
Half of the dish should be vegetables, a quarter should be low-fat protein sources (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs) and the rest should be cereals or whole grains.
Reduce Carbohydrate Intake
If you eat foods high in simple carbohydrates (such as cakes, soda, white flour bread, or French fries), your body releases insulin to help control the flow of glucose in your bloodstream. Research shows that a rise in blood sugar levels after a few hours makes you feel hungry, craves food, and often leads to overeating. Fast, refined carbohydrates quickly replenish the body with energy, but when consumed in excess, turn into fat stores. Prefer 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, without chemical additives or processing. This includes fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, 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 was on a low micronutrient diet, the other on a high micronutrient diet. Almost 80% of participants felt satisfied after eating a diet rich in micronutrients, although they consumed fewer calories overall.
Also, whole foods do not contain trans fats. A recent study found that monkeys that ate more artificial trans fats increased their weight by an average of 7. 2% compared to monkeys that ate a diet high 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 consumption is 0. 5 liters. drinking water half an hour before meals helped dieters consume fewer calories and lose 44% more weight compared to non-water drinkers.
Avoid sugary carbonated drinks and juices. According to research, daily consumption is associated with a 60% increase in the risk of obesity in children.
If you replace your 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 Effective Exercises to Lose Weight
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 18 and 64 years of age exercise at least 150 minutes a week.
The easiest and most economical way to exercise is through aerobic exercise.
- Examples of moderate intensity aerobic activity are badminton, brisk walking, cycling, tennis.
- Examples of high-intensity aerobic activities are running, swimming, team sports (football, basketball), etc.
- In addition, you can introduce useful rules into your daily routine: take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalators, make a stop to your destination and walk, park your car a little further away from your home or office, etc.
Cardio for weight loss is essential if you train correctly, 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 critical to building a toned body. Research shows that strength training helps maintain a high metabolic rate and prevents the loss of precious muscle mass.
There are many exercise routines available for both the home and the gym.
Prefer loads on all muscle groups rather than locations. You will not lose weight in the waist and abdomen for a long time by exercising only in the abdomen, this is evidenced by the results of several studies. The same goes for losing weight in your legs, hips, arms and other parts of the body.
According to studies, one of the most common obstacles to losing weight is lack of time, more than 73% of the women interviewed said they did not play sports for this reason. Circular, fat-burning, and high-intensity interval workouts come to the rescue, which takes no more than half an hour and is considered one of the most effective for weight loss.
circular trainingtakes an average of 30 minutes. It consists of alternating several exercises (usually 5 to 10), aimed at different muscle groups, taking rest breaks between them. This method improves your aerobic fitness and burns calories efficiently.
Fat Burning Exercisesthey are similar in principle to circular ones, but the complex consists of more high-intensity loads on different muscle groups, which are carried out without interruption. Rest is only allowed after completion of the exercise block.
The last few years have gained great popularity.high intensity workoutsthat take 5 to 30 minutes a day. They alternate between maximum activity and rest (one to two). For example, you run for 1 minute as fast as possible, then walk slowly or rest for 2 minutes and then repeat again. Studies have shown that this training method helps you 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, relaxation and stretching. Each training session takes place under the supervision of a trainer who monitors the technique for performing the exercises, teaches and selects the ideal version of the load. The exercises are performed in simulators, created taking into account the physiological characteristics of the female body. They are based on hydraulic strength and are safe for people of all physical shape.
Learn to enjoy exercising and exercising to lose weight. Think about how much energy, joy, and self-satisfaction training gives you.
Get support
Losing weight isn't easy, and doing it yourself is even harder. If you're trying to lose those extra pounds and improve your overall health, remember that you don't have to go this route alone. You can find people with similar interests offline or online and join them.
Research has shown that support, healthy competition, and regular showing of results can help you 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 toward our goals, we tend to be more motivated to keep working. The most important thing is not to get stuck.
Don't just focus on your weight. Weighing yourself daily can cause unnecessary anxiety and anxiety. Focus on your waist circumference indicators, hips, chest, legs, and arms. Measure them at the same time interval, for example every 2 weeks or once a month. Capture numbers on a notebook, application or specialized web portals. This will help you track the result 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 speed you'd expect. Your task is to learn how to lose weight correctly, 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% increase in the risk of obesity in children and 55% in adults. In addition, poor or insufficient sleep slows down the conversion of calories into energy (metabolism). When defective, 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 is leptin that sends satiety signals to the brain.
Another study found that sleep-deprived people consume 385 more calories per day than those who get enough regular sleep. So, just because of the disturbed sleep rhythm, you can gain an additional 7 pounds a year.
When it comes to stress, it triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. If you experience anxiety 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.
Take a look at some of the methods for dealing with stress:
- yoga
- meditation
- breathing practices
- nature walks, gardening, etc.
Do not use diet pills
The idea of magic diet pills to dissolve fat like a dream is tempting. But unfortunately this is too good to be true (if it wasn't already obvious).
Here are some of the side effects of diet pills:
- nervous system exhaustion
- increased blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- Violation of the work of internal bodies
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- lazy bowel syndrome
Diet pills often promise immediate results, but they don't interfere with the diet or lifestyle that has made your body "unhealthy. "So even if you manage to overcome the unpleasant side effects and get short-term results, you'll end up back where you started. We dedicate a separate article to fat burners, detailing their disadvantages, benefits and possible risks.
Remember, to get lasting results, you need to fundamentally change your fitness and nutrition habits.
New weight loss books, articles, TV shows and videos are published every day, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution for healthy, 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 in diet and physical activity that will become part of your lifestyle, otherwise you will quickly return to old habits and original weight.