How to start losing weight? The subject of overweight, diet and exercise is covered by 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 apply to everyone. We will talk about them in this article.
The environment and lifestyle have changed dramatically in recent 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 healthy food.
In addition, work and leisure have become sedentary. Despite the known benefits of physical activity, there is a declining trend worldwide. According to the latest reports from the European Union, 6 out of 10 people over the age of 15 do not exercise or do so very rarely. At the same time, a significant proportion of Europe's adult population spends more than four hours a day sitting, which can only affect their health and appearance.
Thus, many factors affect what we eat and the lifestyle we choose, which means that it is necessary to make a conscious choice to begin the changes.
Decide on your motivation to lose weight
Often, at this stage, not enough importance is given, believing that the desire to fit in a once favorite dress or take beautiful photos on the beach is an effective goal. But aesthetic attraction is only one side of the coin, in the second there are much more important and significant things: getting rid of complexes and self-doubt, the desire for 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 postpone it for later, to stop or abandon the idea completely. In addition, unrealistic goals for weight loss are often set at the beginning, which leads to high expectations, which later lead to frustration, anxiety and lack of progress. Do not be guided by the beginning of all or nothing. Set the final desired goal and many intermediate (realistic! ) Goals. Imagine making a route for a car, the beginning is the same.
Remember, food should not be a workout reward or a "disabling" of the chocolate you eat. Guilt is a motive 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 - do you eat more outside the home, reduce your activity or change your diet? Knowing the root cause will help you move faster towards your goal.
The quieter you go, the farther you will go
Weight loss will be followed by fatigue and constant tiredness. Even small weight loss (5 to 10% of total body weight) can offer health benefits, such as improving blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels and reducing risk factors for chronic diseases related toobesity.
Do not 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 run because such lifestyle changes cannot be sustained. Once you cancel the shape, go back to the old habits and put on weight.
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 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.
Check 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 need to consume is half the battle, it is also important to consider the nutritional value of the food. For example, 500 calories in crisps is not the same as 500 calories in raw vegetables.
Nutritionists insist that it is important to follow the rule of weight loss - to burn more calories than you consume. The daily deficit should be on average 500 kcal. Under 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 creates a feeling of stress and anxiety due to the constant lack of food and instead of losing weight, the body begins to accumulate fat in case of critical condition. .
Reduce your portions
Size matters here. Portion control over time will evolve from a healthy habit to a lifestyle that eliminates constant overeating. 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 the feeling of satiety. On average, this takes about 20 minutes.
Half of your plate should be vegetables, a quarter should be low-fat protein sources (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs) and the rest should be whole grains or cereals.
Reduce your carbohydrate intake
If you eat foods rich in simple carbohydrates (such as cake, soda, white flour bread or french fries), your body releases insulin to help control the flow of glucose into your bloodstream. Research shows that a sharp rise in blood sugar levels after a few hours makes you feel hungry, longing for food and often leads to overeating. Fast and processed carbohydrates quickly replenish the body with energy, but when consumed in excess, are converted into fat stores. Give preference to complex carbohydrates and be sure to combine them with natural fibers.
Eat more Whole Foods
Whole foods are one-ingredient foods that are rich in vitamins and micronutrients without chemical additives or processing. These include fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, legumes, eggs, nuts, etc. They help speed up metabolism, regulate weight, reduce hunger and affect the production of hormones.
One study involved 786 people who were divided into two groups. One of them was on a diet low in micronutrients, the other on a diet high in micronutrients. Almost 80% of the participants felt full after a diet high in micronutrients, even though they consumed fewer calories overall.
In addition, whole foods are free of trans fats. A recent study found that monkeys that ate more artificial trans fats gained an average of 7. 2% in weight compared to 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 those on a diet to consume fewer calories and lose 44% more weight than those who did not drink water.
Avoid juices and carbonated sugary drinks. According to 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 effective exercise for weight loss
Regular exercise is vital for both physical and mental health. A disciplined and targeted increase in exercise frequency is often critical to successful weight loss.
The WHO recommends that people aged 18 to 64 exercise for at least 150 minutes a week.
The easiest and most economical way to exercise is aerobic exercise.
- Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activity are badminton, brisk walking, cycling, and tennis.
- Examples of high-intensity aerobic activity are running, swimming, team sports (football, basketball), etc.
- In addition, you can introduce useful rules in your daily life: take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalators, go to a stop at your destination and walk, park your car a little further from your home or office, etc.
Cardiovascular exercise for weight loss is essential if you train properly, focus on heart rate (heart rate), use different techniques and intervals.
Of course, it is important not only to lose weight, but also to keep your muscles toned. Resistance training is critical to 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 home and fitness.
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 in the abdomen, this is proven by the results of many studies. The same goes for weight loss in the legs, hips, arms and other parts of the body.
According to studies, one of the most common barriers to weight loss is lack of time, with over 73% of women surveyed saying they do not exercise for this reason. Cyclic, high-intensity, intermittent, fat-burning workouts that last no more than half an hour are considered to be one of the most effective for weight loss.
Circular traininglasts an average of 30 minutes. It consists in the fact that you alternate many exercises (usually from 5 to 10), which target different muscle groups, making intervals of rest. This method improves your aerobic fitness and burns calories efficiently.
Fat burning workoutsare in principle similar to cyclicals, 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 exercise block.
In recent years they have gained great popularityhigh-intensity trainingwhich need 5 to 30 minutes a day. They alternate between maximum activity and rest (one to two). For example, 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 round training- 30-minute fitness for women, which includes warm-up, cardio, strength training, relaxation and stretching. Each workout is performed under the supervision of a trainer who monitors the technique of performing the exercises, teaches and selects the optimal version of the load. The exercises are performed on simulators, which are 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 condition.
Learn to enjoy exercise and do weight loss exercises. Think about how much energy, joy and self-satisfaction training gives you.
Get support
Losing weight is not easy and doing it yourself is even more difficult. If you are trying to lose those extra pounds and improve your overall health, remember that you do not have to follow this path 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 performance in exercise 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 have more motivation to keep working. The most important thing is not to get stuck.
Do not focus only on weight. Weighing yourself daily can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Focus on the torso of the waist, hips, chest, legs and arms. Measure them at the same time, for example, every 2 weeks or once a month. Record numbers in a notebook, application, or specialized web portals. This will help you monitor the result and analyze which actions have the most results.
Remember that losing weight is a gradual process, do not be discouraged if these extra pounds do not subside at the rate you expected. Your task is to learn how to lose weight properly, 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. Inadequate or poor quality sleep also 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 the production of insulin and cortisol, as well as affect the regulation of the hormones leptin and ghrelin that control appetite. It is leptin that sends satiety signals to the brain.
Another study found that people who lack sleep consume 385 more calories a day than those who sleep regularly and adequately. So, just because of the disturbed sleep rhythm, you can gain an extra 7 pounds a year.
When it comes to stress, it triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. If you are constantly feeling stressed, cortisol is trapped in the bloodstream and signals the body to replenish its nutrient stores with carbohydrates, which often leads to overeating.
The researchers found that the 8-week stress management program led to significant reductions in BMI in overweight and obese children and adolescents.
Take a look at some of the stress management methods:
- yoga
- Meditation
- breathing practices
- nature walks, gardening etc.
Do not use diet pills
The idea of magic weight loss pills that make your fat dissolve like a dream is tempting. But unfortunately, this is too good to be true (if it were not already obvious).
Here are some of the side effects of diet pills:
- Exhaustion of the nervous system
- Increased blood pressure
- Increased heart rate
- Violation of the work of internal organs
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Worry
- Lazy bowel syndrome
Slimming pills often promise immediate results, but they do not affect your diet or lifestyle, which has made your body "unhealthy". So, even if you manage to overcome the unpleasant side effects and have short-term results, you will eventually return to where you started. We have devoted a separate article to fat burners, detailing their disadvantages, benefits and potential risks.
Remember, in order to achieve lasting results, you need to radically change your fitness and eating habits.
New books, articles, TV shows and videos are published daily, but there is no one-size-fits-all solution for permanent healthy weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, as the body responds 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 your diet and physical activity that will become part of your lifestyle, otherwise you will quickly return to your old habits and your original weight.