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 amounts. Despite the variety of techniques, there are basic and universal rules that work for absolutely everyone. We do. We will talk about them in this article.
The environment and lifestyle have changed dramatically over the past decades. Lots of fast food, a variety of street food, cafes and restaurants appeared, people increasingly eating out and using delivery services, portion sizesincreased significantly, and at the same time it became more difficult to choose healthy foods.
In addition, work and rest have become sedentary. Despite the well-known benefits of physical activity, there is a declining 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 sportsOr very rarely do. At the same time, a significant part of Europe's adult population spends more than four hours a day sitting, which may not affect health and appearance.
Thus, many factors influence what we eat and the kind of life we choose to live, which means it is essential to make a conscious choice to initiate change.
Decide on Your Motivation to Lose Weight
Often, this stage is not given due importance, thinking that the desire to fit into a once favorite outfit or take beautiful pictures on the beach is an effective goal. But aesthetic appeal is only one side of the coin, much more so on the other. Important and important things are: getting rid of complexes and self-doubt, desire to have healthy children, need to get rid of shortness of breath, hormonal disruptions and other related problems.
It is always difficult to take the first step, you want to postpone it for later, stop, or give up on the idea altogether. In addition, unrealistic goals for weight loss are often set at the beginning, Which lead to high expectations, which later lead to frustration, stress and lack of progress. Don't be guided by the principle of all or nothing. Set an ultimate desired goal and several intermediate (realistic! ) goals. Imagine creating a route for a car, the principle is the same.
Remember, food should not be a workout reward or "work off" the chocolate you eat. Guilt is a motivation killer.
Also, analyze why you are overweight. Is this a recent change or a longer 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 calmer you are, the more you move
Losing weight is a systematic and long-term process. Even small weight loss (5 to 10% of total body weight) can provide health benefits such as improvements in blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and prevention of obesity. Reducing risk factors for associated chronic diseases.
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 as such lifestyle changes cannot be sustained. Revert to old habits and gain weight as soon as you cancel the diet.
Also, keep in mind that women typically have a higher fat-to-muscle ratio than men and a 5-10% lower resting metabolic rate. For example, a low-calorie diet (800 kcal per day)But an 8-week study of more than 2, 000 participants found that men lost 16% more weight than women under similar 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 who are similar in weight, height, body fat percentage, education level and more are required to report this. how many calories they had consumed per day. Both groups underestimated the actual amount by an average of 1000 calories!
Determine your daily caloric intake
While determining how many calories you should consume is half the battle, it's also important to consider the nutritional value of the foods. For example, 500 calories in chips is not the same as 500 calories in raw vegetables.
Nutritionists emphasize that it is important to follow the rule of losing weight - to burn more calories than you consume. The daily deficit should be an average of 500 kcal. In this situation, you can, without resorting to physical activity, One can lose one kilogram weight in two weeks. But this method will not work in the long run, over time, the body creates a feeling of stress and anxiety due to lack of food constantly and instead of losing weight, in a serious conditionFat starts accumulating in the body. ,
reduce your share
This is where size matters. Over time portion control will evolve from a healthy habit to a lifestyle that ends up eating more consistently. An easy way to reduce your serving size is to use a smaller plate. The second is to eat more slowly so that the brain has time to receive signals about a 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 grains or whole grains.
cut 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 showssuggests that a rise in blood sugar levels after a few hours makes you feel hungry, craves food, and often leads to overeating. Fast and refined carbohydrates rapidly fill the body with energy, but whenIf consumed in excess, 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 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 metabolizeHelps to stimulate digestion, control weight, reduce appetite and influence hormone production.
One study involved 786 people who were divided into two groups. One of them was on a low micronutrient diet, the other on a high micronutrient diet. About 80% of participants felt full after eating a high micronutrient diet, even though they consumed fewer calories overall.
In addition, whole foods are free of trans fats. A recent study found that monkeys who ate more artificial trans fats gained an average of 7. 2% more weight than monkeys who ate a diet rich in monounsaturated fat. ate.
drink your daily amount of water
Drinking water can speed up your metabolism by 24-30%, helping you burn more calories. One study showed that consuming 0. 5 liters of water. Dieters less likely to drink water half an hour before a meal. consumed calories and lost 44% more weight than those who did not drink water.
Avoid juices and carbonated sugary drinks. According to research, their daily intake increases the risk of obesity in children by 60%.
If you replace your daily intake of a glass of juice or soda with water, you can reduce your annual caloric intake by an average of 219, 000 kcal. Impressive, isn't it?
Choose effective exercises for weight loss
Regular exercise is important for both physical and mental health. A disciplined and targeted increase in exercise frequency is often critical for successful weight loss.
The WHO recommends that people between the ages of 18 and 64 exercise at least 150 minutes per week.
Aerobic exercise is the easiest and cheapest way to exercise.
- Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activity are badminton, brisk walking, cycling, tennis.
- Examples of high-intensity aerobic activity are running, swimming, team sports (soccer, basketball), etc.
- In addition, you can incorporate useful rules into your routine: take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, go to a stop and walk to your destination, park your car a little further from your home or office, etc.
Cardio is essential for weight loss if you train properly, focus on your heart rate (heart rate), use a variety of techniques and intervals.
Of course, it's important not only to lose weight, but to keep your muscles toned as well. Resistance exercise is essential to building a toned body. Research shows that strength training helps maintain a high metabolic rate and valuable muscle mass. prevents damage.
There are many exercise routines available for both the home and the gym.
Give preference to the load on all muscle groups rather than on local muscles. You will not lose weight in the waist and abdomen for a long time, doing exercises only on the abdomen. This is evidenced by the results of many studies. The same legs, hips, arms and bodytends to reduce weight in other parts of the body.
According to studies, one of the most common barriers to losing weight is lack of time, with more than 73% of women surveyed saying they don't play sports because of this. Circular, Fat Burning and High-Intensity Interval Workout PreventionLet's come to it, which takes no more than half an hour and is considered one of the most effective for weight loss.
circular trainingIt takes an average of 30 minutes. This consists in the fact that you alternate several exercises (usually from 5 to 10) aimed at different muscle groups, with rest intervals in between. This method improves your aerobic fitnessand burns calories efficiently.
fat burning workoutAre similar in principle to circular, but the complex consists of more high-intensity loads on different muscle groups, performed without interruption. Rest is allowed only after the block of exercises is completed.
has gained a lot of popularity in recent yearshigh intensity exercisethose that take 5 to 30 minutes a 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 2 minutesRest, then repeat. Studies have shown that this training method helps you burn 25-30% more calories than other types of exercise.
special circuit training- 30 minutes of fitness for women, including warm-up, cardio, strength training, cool-down and stretching. Each workout is supervised by an instructor who supervises, teaches, and loads the technique of the exercisesThe exercises are performed on simulators designed taking into account the physiological characteristics of the female body. They are based on hydraulic resistance and are safe for people of all physical fitness.
Learn to enjoy exercising and doing weight loss exercises. Think about how much energy, joy, and self-satisfaction training gives you.
get support
Weight loss isn't easy and it's even more difficult to do it alone. If you're trying to shed those extra pounds and improve your overall health, remember that you don't need to go down this route yourself. You can find and connect with like-minded people offline or online.
Research has shown that regular exposure to support, healthy competition and results can help maintain consistent exercise performance and be more accountable in the process.
track your progress
Self-control is the most important factor in successful weight loss. When we see real, tangible momentum toward our goals, we are more motivated to keep working. The most important thing is not to get hung up.
Don't just focus on the weight. Weighing yourself daily can cause unnecessary worry and worry. Pay attention to the indicators of the circumference of the waist, hips, chest, legs and arms. Measure them at the same time intervals, for example, Every 2 weeks or once in a month. Capture the numbers in a notebook, application, or specialized web portal. 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 rate you expected. Your task is to learn to lose weight the right way, not in 3 days.
Relieve stress and lack of sleep
Healthy sleep is just as important as proper nutrition and exercise.
Research shows that irregular sleep increases the risk of obesity by 89 percent in children and 55 percent in adults. In addition, insufficient or poor-quality sleep slows the conversion of calories into energy (metabolism). If a malfunction occurs, the body can store unused energy as fat. In addition, poor sleep can increase the production of insulin and cortisol, 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 regular and adequate sleep. Thus, just because of the disturbed sleep rhythm, you can gain an extra 7 kg per year.
When it comes to stress, this triggers the release of the hormones adrenaline and cortisol. If you feel anxious all the time, cortisol gets trapped in the bloodstream and forces the body to replenish its stores of nutrients with carbohydrates. Prompts for overeating, which often leads to overeating.
Researchers found that an 8-week stress management program resulted in a significant reduction in BMI in overweight and obese children and adolescents.
Take a look at some of the ways to deal with stress:
- contribution
- Attention
- breathing exercises
- Nature walks, gardening, etc.
Don't Use Diet Pills
The idea of magic diet pills to make your fat dissolve like a dream is tempting. But alas, it's too good to be true (in case it wasn't already obvious).
Here are some side effects of diet pills:
- nervous system deficiency
- increased blood pressure
- increased heart rate
- violation of the work of internal organs
- insomnia
- Dizziness
- Worry
- lazy bowel syndrome
Diet pills often promise immediate results, but they don't interfere with your diet or lifestyle that has made your body "unhealthy. " Thus, even if you try to avoid unpleasant side effects and achieve short-term resultsYou'll eventually be back where you started. We dedicated a separate article to fat burners, detailing their disadvantages, benefits, and potential risks.
Remember, to achieve lasting results, you need to radically change your fitness and nutritional habits.
New weight loss books, articles, TV shows and videos are published every day, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach to sustainable healthy weight loss. What works for one person may not work for you, becauseThe body reacts differently to different foods and loads, depending on genetics and many other factors. Finding the right way 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 a part of your lifestyle, or else you will quickly return to your old habits and original weight.