How to start losing weight? The topics of overweight, diet and exercise are shrouded in many rumors and myths. Some very controversial things like how to get rid of unwanted volume. Despite the variety of techniques, there are basic and universal rules that are suitable for everyone. We will talk about them in this article.
The environment and lifestyle have changed dramatically over the past few decades. Plenty of fast food, a variety of street food, cafes and restaurants popped up, people started eating out and using delivery services, portion sizes increased significantly, and at the same time it turned out to be harder to choose healthy foods.
In addition, work and leisure have become inactive. Despite the well -known benefits of physical activity, there is a downward trend around the world. According to the latest report from the European Union, 6 out of 10 people over the age of 15 do not play sports or very rarely do so. At the same time, most of the adult European population spends more than four hours a day sitting, which inevitably affects health and appearance.
Thus, many factors influence what we eat and the lifestyle we choose, which means that it is necessary to make conscious choices to initiate change.
Determine your motivation to lose weight
Often, this stage is not given due importance, thinking that the desire to dress up in a favorite outfit or take beautiful pictures on the beach is an effective goal. But aesthetic appeal is only one side of the coin, on the second are more important and significant things: getting rid of complexes and self -doubt, the desire to have a healthy child, the need to get rid of shortness of breath, hormonal disorders and other related problems.
It’s always hard to take the first step, you want to postpone it for later, to pause, or to abandon the idea altogether. In addition, unrealistic goals for weight loss are often set in the beginning, which leads to high expectations, which in turn leads to frustration, stress and lack of progress. Don’t be guided by the all-or-nothing principle. Set desired main goals and lots of intermediate Goals (realistic! ). Imagine building a route for a car, the principle is the same.
Remember, food shouldn’t be a reward for exercise or "calming down" on the chocolate you eat. Guilt is a killer of motivation.
At the same time, analyze why you are overweight. Is this the latest change or a long -term picture? Are you starting to do things differently - eating more outdoors, reducing your activities or changing your diet? Knowing the cause will help you move faster toward your goal.
The quieter you go, the farther you will go
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 increasing blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and reducing risk factors for chronic diseases associated with obesity.
Don’t use 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 are unsustainable. Once you cancel the regimen, go back to old habits and gain 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 a day) found that men lost 16% more weight than women in the same condition.
Check the quantity and quality of food consumed
Many people do not know how many calories they are eating. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, two groups of people with similar weight, height, body fat percentage, education level and more were asked to report the number of calories they thought they ate each 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 eat is half the struggle, it’s also important to consider the nutritional value of the food. 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 rules of losing weight - to burn more calories than you eat. The daily deficit should average 500 kcal. Under these conditions, you can lose a kilogram in two weeks, without having to do physical activity. But in the long run, this method will not be effective, over time, the body builds up feelings of stress and anxiety due to constant lack of food and instead of losing weight, the body begins to accumulate fat in the event of a critical situation.
Reduce your share
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 the size of your serving is to use smaller plates. Another is to eat more slowly so that the brain has time to receive signals about feeling full. On average, this takes about 20 minutes.
Half of your plate should be vegetables, a quarter should be a low-fat protein source (chicken, turkey, fish, eggs), and the rest should be whole grains or whole grains.
Reduce your carbohydrate intake
If you eat foods rich in simple carbohydrates (such as cakes, sodas, white bread or fries), your body releases insulin to help control the flow of glucose into your bloodstream. Research shows that rising blood sugar levels after a few hours make you feel hungry, crave food, and often lead to overeating. Fast and refined carbohydrates quickly replenish the body with energy, but when taken in excess, it turns into fat reserves. Give priority to complex carbohydrates and make sure you combine them with natural fiber.
Eat More Whole Foods
Whole foods are single -ingredient foods rich in vitamins and micronutrients without additives or chemical processing. This includes fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, seafood, legumes, eggs, nuts, etc. They help speed up metabolism, control weight, reduce hunger, and affect hormone production.
One study involved 786 people divided into two groups. One of them is on a low micronutrient diet, the other is on a high micronutrient diet. Nearly 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 fat increased their weight by an average of 7. 2% compared to monkeys who ate a diet rich in single unsaturated fats.
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 the consumption of 0. 5 liters. drinking water half an hour before a meal helps those on a diet take in fewer calories and lose 44% more weight than those who don’t drink water.
Avoid carbonated juices and sugary drinks. According to studies, their daily intake 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 caloric intake by an average of 219, 000 kcal. Awesome, isn't it?
Choose effective exercises for weight loss
Regular exercise is important for physical and mental health. A disciplined and targeted increase in exercise frequency is often critical to successful weight loss.
The WHO recommends that people between the ages of 18 and 64 exercise at least 150 minutes a week.
The easiest and most affordable way to exercise is through aerobic exercise.
- Examples of moderate intensity aerobic activities 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: climb stairs instead of elevators or escalators, go one -stop to your destination and walk, park your car a little farther from your home or office, etc.
Cardio for weight loss is important if you train properly, focus on your heart rate (heart rate), use different techniques and time intervals.
Of course, it is important not only to lose weight, but also to keep your muscles toned. Resistance training is important to build a strong 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 gym.
Give priority to loads on all muscle groups, rather than local ones. You will not lose weight in the waist and abdomen for a long time, do exercise 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 body parts.
According to the study, one of the most common barriers to weight loss is lack of time, more than 73% of women surveyed say they don’t play sports for this reason. Circular training, fat burning and high -intensity intervals 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 the fact that you alternate several exercises (usually from 5 to 10), aimed at different muscle groups, doing rest intervals in between. This method improves your aerobic fitness and burns calories efficiently.
Exercise burns fatis similar in principle to round, but the complex consists of more high -intensity loads on different muscle groups, performed without interruption. Rest is allowed only after the completion of the training block.
Recent years have gained great popularityhigh intensity exercisewhich takes 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, then repeat again. Studies have shown that this method of exercise helps you burn 25-30% more calories than other types of exercise.
Special circuit training- 30 -minute fitness for women, which consists of warm -up, cardio, strength training, body cooling and stretching. Each exercise takes place under the supervision of a coach who monitors the technique of doing the exercises, teaches and selects the optimal version of the load. Exercises are performed on a simulator, made taking into account the physiological characteristics of the female body. It is based on hydraulic resistance and is safe for everyone with physical fitness.
Learn to enjoy exercising 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 more difficult. If you’re trying to lose extra weight and improve your overall health, remember that you don’t have to go this route on your own. 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 become more responsible in the process.
Keep track of your progress
Self -control is the most important factor in successful weight loss. When we see real and tangible movement toward our goals, we tend to be more motivated to keep working. The most important thing is not to hang up the phone.
Don't focus on weight alone. Weighing yourself on a daily basis can cause unnecessary anxiety and worry. Focus on waist, hip, chest, leg and arm circumference indicators. Measure it at the same time interval, for example, every 2 weeks or once a month. Capture numbers in a notebook, application or specialized web portal. This will help you track results and analyze the actions that bring the most results.
Remember that weight loss is a gradual process, don’t be discouraged if those extra pounds aren’t lost at the rate you expected. Your job is to learn how to lose weight properly, and 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 is associated with an increased risk of obesity by 89% in children and 55% in adults. Also, insufficient or poor quality sleep slows down the conversion of calories into energy (metabolism). When it is not working, the body can store unused energy in the form of fat. In addition, poor sleep can increase insulin and cortisol production, as well as disrupt the regulation of hormones that regulate appetite leptin and ghrelin. It is leptin that sends satiety signals to the brain.
Another study found that people with less sleep consumed 385 more calories per day than those who slept regularly and adequately. So, just because of a 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 feel anxious all the time, cortisol will get trapped in the bloodstream and signal the body to replenish nutrient stores with carbohydrates, which often leads to overeating.
The researchers found that an 8-week stress management program led to a significant decrease in BMI in overweight and obese children and adolescents.
Take a look at some ways to deal with stress:
- yoga
- meditation
- breathing practice
- nature, gardening, etc.
Do not use diet pills
The idea of a magic diet pill to make your fat dissolve like a dream is tempting. But unfortunately, this is too good to be true (if it is not already clear).
Here are some side effects of diet pills:
- Deterioration of the nervous system
- Increased blood pressure
- The heart rate increases
- Violation of the work of internal organs
- Insomnia
- Dizziness
- Concerns
- Lazy bowel syndrome
Diet pills often promise immediate results, but it doesn’t interfere with your diet or lifestyle that has made your body "unhealthy. " So, even if you manage to overcome unpleasant side effects and get short -term results, you’ll eventually get back on trackyou start. We focus a separate article on fat burners, detailing the disadvantages, benefits and possible risks.
Remember, to achieve lasting results, you need to change the basics of your fitness and eating habits.
New books, articles, TV shows and weight loss videos are published every day, but there is no one size fits all solution for permanently healthy weight loss. Things that work for someone may not be right for you, because 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 orderliness.
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 original weight.