If you are wondering how to lose extra pounds, not only quickly, for some celebration, button up your favorite outfit, namely:how to lose weight correctly, Congratulations! This means that you have already chosen the right vector and are on the right strategic path.
Let's find out what proper weight loss means and how you can lose weight.Good, but how -mistaken? Everything is quite simple here.
If you are still carrying unwanted weight despite all your previous attempts to lose those hated pounds, chances are you are losing weight the wrong way. How to lose weight correctly?
Obviously, so that the kilos do not return and, of course, without harming health, because no one wants to be thin, but no one wants to pay for the results obtained with sores and taking medications for the rest of their life.
Inadequate weight loss leads to obesity
Increasingly, nutritionists cite inadequate weight loss as a major cause of the obesity epidemic. The more people try to lose weight, the more they end up weighing. It's a shame, annoying, but true!
Obviously, the problem lies in weight loss methods that are harmful to the body, which, in the best of cases, leads to the recovery of lost kilos and, in the worst, to health problems.
So, let's take a look at how to lose weight correctly and maintain the results forever! We have compiled for you the TOP 10 principles of proper nutrition that will help you get in shape even without dieting.
If you follow these tips systematically, safely and consciously, you will enjoy every meal, you will not have to strictly limit yourself in food, and at the same time, the extra pounds will leave you without the painful feeling of hunger and severe suppression of appetite, that are familiar to you. to everyone who has ever been on a diet.
Principle 1. Lose weight slowly and correctly
Let's immediately agree with you (and you with yourself) that you should forget about tempting diets forever: 10 kilograms in 10 days, minus 5 kg per week, etc.
Of course, if you try hard, gather your willpower and do not abandon a strict monodiet (most likely it will be one of its varieties), then it is quite possible that you will even achieve the promised result.
But this will have nothing to do with the question of how to lose weight correctly. In this case, another question is relevant: at what cost?
It is impossible to eat buckwheat and cabbage leaves all your life, it is unthinkable to give up carbohydrates forever. As soon as the eliminated food products return to your refrigerator, to your table, to your plate, the kilograms that you lost so much will not be long in coming.
Principle 2. How to lose weight correctly: the calorie counter knows
Anyone who wants to lose weight effectively, that is, seriously and for a long time, must remember two important words: "calorie count. "And it doesn't matter where they come from.
- If you consume more calories than you burn, your weight increases.
- If you burn more calories than you consume, your weight decreases.
So the goal of any diet is to reduce the amount of calories consumed through food. This can be done in several ways: you can choose foods with fewer calories, you can eat less overall, or you can combine both methods in a way that suits you best.
However, it is precisely a too abrupt reduction in calorie intake that is the reason for many failed, and therefore incorrect, attempts to lose weight.
- If you skip meals or don't feel full because your portion sizes are too small, you will feel hungry and constantly crave snacks or high-calorie foods.
- If you have ever been on a diet for at least a week, then you know how the psycho-emotional background deteriorates sharply, the mood worsens, irritability appears for any reason, leading to the fact that a person lashes out at family and friends. .
Principle 3. The correct way to lose weight while being well nourished is to eat small meals frequently.
The simplest strategy to lose weight properly is a combination of three small, nutritious meals with a snack in the middle of the day and in the evening. As a result of this nutrition system, you can have up to five meals a day!
Okay, this is much better than skipping breakfast, lunch or dinner. Frequent meals prevent hunger from developing, and small, dense, nutritious portions ensure the consumption of sufficient nutrients without excess calories.
Keep in mind that three small meals plus snacks are not the same as a chewing habit. It is about eating something constantly throughout the day without taking into account hunger and satiety. This eating behavior leads to excess calories and weight gain.
Frequent divided meals will prevent you from falling into the despair and despondency of a hungry person. After all, very soon you will be able to have a snack again, how and with what - the following principles will tell you.
The main thing that people who lose weight with this system notice is that they have never eaten as much as during said weight loss. And it is easier for the body to get rid of fat reserves: frequent meals not only increase metabolism, but also signal to the body that there is nothing to fear, there is no threat of hunger and there is no need to store nothing for future use.
Below we give you some simple and easy to implement tips to make it easier for you to eat five meals a day and make it as varied as possible:
- Plan ahead what you will eat during the day, including snacks. It is best to do this the day before.
- If you decide to lose weight the right way, feel free to bring healthy foods to work or school in convenient, airtight containers.
- Prepare food for the new day in the evening. Then you can always eat foods with a pre-calculated calorie content, instead of buying snacks and other high-calorie products that are the first to be available in stores when you want to eat.
- Don't rely on the same foods as snacks (like bananas or apples), even if you really like them. Monotony is also a kind of hunger. Five divided meals a day and a large amount of foods with a low calorie content and glycemic index allow you to have a varied diet without leaving the chosen daily "calorie corridor".
Principle 4. To lose weight correctly, do not deprive yourself of nutrients, simply choose their optimal proportion
Changing the composition of nutrients in the diet and the effect of such experiments on accelerating weight loss remains the goal of many nutritionists. Let's dwell on this topic in more detail, because many diets preach: give up carbohydrates, eliminate fats from your diet, accumulate protein and slimness is guaranteed.
- In general, the recommended macronutrient distribution range suggests that 45 to 60% of calories will come from carbohydrates, 20 to 35% from fat, and 10 to 35% from protein.
- Some nutrition experts believe that a healthier approach to losing weight is to increase protein intake to 45% and reduce carbohydrate intake to 25%.
- Several studies report that protein diets cause greater weight loss compared to carbohydrate diets with the same amount of calories. And also that a diet with fewer carbohydrates and more proteins prevents weight gain after reaching the target value.
Carbohydrates: enemies or friends of those who decide to lose weight correctly?
The theory that carbohydrates cause weight gain and therefore reducing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet leads to weight loss has gained wide popularity and gained many followers.
Surely you or someone around you also tried to lose weight with a low-carbohydrate diet. Although it is impossible to completely eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, its consumption can be drastically reduced, so it would be more correct to call this type of diet low in carbohydrates.
According to the scientists' findings, increased consumption of sugary and carbohydrate-rich beverages correlates with the weight gain seen in both children and adults in recent decades. It is logical to assume that as carbohydrate consumption increases, waist size also increases. But how exactly do carbohydrates affect body fat growth?
Some researchers argue that it is insulin, others that it is foods with a high glycemic index, and others that carbohydrates change hormones that suppress appetite, which is why hunger arises after eating foods with carbohydrates.
The body needs insulin to process glucose. After eating, it responds to an increase in blood glucose levels and transports it to the cells.
The more carbohydrates a person consumes, the more insulin they need to maintain normal blood glucose levels. But this is not the only function of insulin. This pancreatic hormone also promotes fatty acid synthesis and lipogenesis in the liver.
Excess glucose that is not converted to glycogen and used for energy is converted to fatty acids and stored as fat.
Theoretically, the more carbohydrates ingested into the body, the more insulin the pancreas secretes and the greater the likelihood that glucose will be stored as fatty acids in adipocytes (fat cells).
Insulin also prevents beta-oxidation of fatty acids by inhibiting lipolysis of fat stored in adipose tissue, causing fatty acids to be retained in adipocytes.
Therefore, the effect of insulin on lipid metabolism creates a tendency toward fat concentration. To avoid elevated insulin levels, it makes sense to switch to a low-carb diet.
But there is another side of the coin. The composition of the diet can influence the production of hormones that suppress hunger. As a reminder, hunger increases as ghrelin levels increase and decreases as leptin levels increase.
Choose carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.
The evidence supporting the idea that carbohydrates contribute to weight gain is promising. . . But!
When researchers tested the effects of mixed-calorie diets, high-carb/low-fat or high-protein/high-fat/low-carb, on weight loss, they found no benefit from a high-protein diet: weight loss was the same!
In addition, restricting carbohydrates significantly reduces the quality of the diet and the choice of dishes in general. Do you remember what you ate when you were on a low-carb diet?
It is very difficult to follow a strict low-carbohydrate diet and at the same time lead an active lifestyle: work, study, drive a car, play sports.
"A diet based on a slight restriction of daily calories (10-15% of the usual level) and a significant restriction of foods with a high glycemic index works well. First of all, these are sugar and sugar-containing products. In addition to a fractional diet and less red meat.
If you are really wondering how to lose weight correctly, remember these simple rules:
- A balanced diet for weight loss should include whole grains, legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, and as few high-glycemic carbohydrates as possible.
- Leave simple carbohydrates on the store shelf and carry complex carbohydrates with you.
- If you add foods rich in saturated fats to your diet, such as whole milk, whole milk cheese, fatty meats, butter, they affect your cardiovascular system. Substitute white meat, skinless chicken, fish, nuts and oils, which are not only good for your waistline but also for your health (but remember: even unsaturated fats contain nine calories per gram, so don't eat too much). of nuts and oils, no matter how healthy they are (it's too easy to go overboard with calories).
- The best combination for losing weight is low-calorie foods: fruits, vegetables, grains, some protein and some fat. This is a combination that has all five major food groups, is well balanced, and can meet nutritional needs.
Principle 5. When losing weight correctly, volume matters.
In this case we are not talking about your shapes, but about the content of your plate. Both main meals and snacks should be of sufficient size to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
A healthy diet with a proper weight loss strategy includes:
- consumption of foods with low energy density and high volume;
- rejection of foods with high energy density and small volume, which can easily complete the daily caloric intake, but still do not make you feel full;
- Emphasis on low-calorie "bulk" foods: vegetables with high water content and fruits, which will give you a quick start to satiety and reduce hunger, and thus the number of calories consumed.
In fact, if you eat a sizable bowl of salad at the beginning of your meal (large volume, low energy density) you will probably end up consuming at least 10% fewer calories than you would otherwise.
A similar effect can be achieved if you add vegetables to soups and sandwiches: the portion size will increase, satiety will occur sooner, and you will consume fewer energy-dense foods.
Energy density of foods.
- Low:These foods have between seven-tenths and one and a half calories per gram and are rich in water and fiber. Examples include most vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, cantaloupe, strawberries, broccoli, and cauliflower. And also soups with light broth, yogurt and cottage cheese.
- Average:These products contain one and a half to four calories per gram, and they also contain less water. These include baked goods, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, steaks, hummus, whole wheat bread, and cheese.
- High:These foods have four to nine calories per gram and are low in water. These include chips, crackers, cakes, butter, butter, fatty meats and bacon.
The main thing you should remember is that the basis of the diet should be foods with a not too high energy density and a high fiber and water content, and the rest can be eaten little by little, and as a result your diet will be balanced. and your weight will go down.
Principle 6. Fiber and water will help you lose weight correctly
Fiber promotes satiety and is found in most fruits and vegetables. It has been proven that overweight people consume less than people with normal weight. That's why high-fiber foods are a key part of a weight loss diet.
It has long been a truism that it is recommended to drink more water to lose weight.
Let's add some useful tips for every day:
- It is advisable to drink drinking water without gas, without flavorings and additives (as a rule, they are all sweet, that is, they contain carbohydrates that are not necessary for you);
- Always carry a bottle of water with you in your bag, keep it handy in your car and on your desk;
- It is not recommended to drink a glass in one gulp, it is better to drink in small sips and frequently;
- the water should not be too cold, the room temperature is optimal;
- If you drink half a glass of water 10-15 minutes before meals, you will probably eat a little less.
"Overeating is one of the main causes of obesity. The problem is that a person gets used to the feeling of fullness in the stomach and then stops noticing it completely. That is why it is important to develop healthy eating habits. "
Principle 7. Thinness begins in the intestines: how to lose weight correctly using knowledge about the microbiome
Eating more plant foods changes the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract in a way that can have a positive effect on weight.
The term "microbiome" itself refers to the billions of microscopic organisms that live in the human body, including the gastrointestinal tract, skin, lungs, genital tract, and oral cavity.
Most of them are concentrated in the colon, where they participate in metabolic functions.
For example, gut bacteria quietly do many useful things for humans:
- helps with digestion;
- affect metabolism;
- extract energy from undigested food;
- synthesize vitamins, including vitamin K;
- regulate the composition of adipose tissue;
- They control the peptides released in the gastrointestinal tract.
There are more than a thousand species of bacteria that live in the intestines. They vary from person to person, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity and body mass index.
Recently, scientists have discovered a link between certain bacteria and obesity. If this is true, could we change the composition of our gut bacteria and stop the obesity epidemic?
The way you eat, both short and long term, determines what bacteria you will have in your gut and how they will manifest.
Dietary changes affect the body's bacterial metabolism and immune functions by fermenting nutrients and altering the intestinal barrier, allowing bacteria and other intestinal organisms to enter the bloodstream, turning certain genes on or off.
By understanding the role that diet and gut bacteria play, new approaches can be found to prevent obesity.
Principle 8. How to lose weight correctly? Moving!
Regular physical activity not only naturally increases the daily caloric deficit needed to lose weight, but also helps reduce sedentary habits, which are often accompanied by the desire to chew something. When you walk you burn calories. Sitting in front of the television with a bag of chips, on the contrary, you write.
People are recommended to spend between an hour and an hour and a half a day doing moderate physical activity, which can help prevent weight gain or promote weight loss.
Moderate physical activity is walking at a speed of five kilometers per hour and its equivalents: light gardening, cycling, swimming.
The more you exercise, the more oxygen will be consumed and the higher your metabolic rate will be. Consequently, more calories are burned throughout the day, even at rest.
Well, if you combine cardio and strength exercises, your metabolism will speed up even more: muscles require more energy. Keep in mind that a person who weighs more than 70 kg will burn more calories and a person who weighs less will burn less.
Research shows that walking ten thousand steps a day (about seven kilometers) is enough to significantly reduce the risk of obesity. But people walk on average between nine hundred and three thousand steps, and to increase this number to ten thousand, most need to make a conscious effort.
Principle 9. Are you going to lose weight the right way? Understand the essence of aerobic and anaerobic exercise.
Even if you are very far from sports, to start the path of adequate weight loss you need to regulate your life not only with nutrition, but also with movement.
It is not necessary to break sports records, it is only advisable to increase physical activity, but not on a whim, but in a completely conscious and determined way. You can only move for a limited time, but with your mind, it is not in vain that there are special groups of exercises for losing weight.
So what are the potential benefits of different types and intensities of exercise in the context of weight loss?
- Aerobic exercise is low-to-moderate intensity physical activity that triggers aerobic reactions to produce adenosine triphosphate. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins provide energy for aerobic exercise, whether brisk walking, jogging, hiking, or skiing.
- Anaerobic exercises include weight lifting, fast running, jumping rope, and climbing stairs. They are more intense than aerobics, and they also have a shorter duration, because they simply cannot be maintained for as long as a lower intensity load. With anaerobic exercise, less fat is oxidized and more glycogen and glucose are used for energy production.
Although aerobic exercise (moderate physical activity) has many health benefits, such as helping to control blood glucose levels, reducing blood pressure, and increasing high-density lipoprotein levels, especially in overweight and obese people, Research shows that in the context of weight loss, they give negligible results.
Combine exercise and lose weight correctly
In a recent study conducted at the American Duke University (Durham, North Carolina, USA), scientists looked at subjects (there were more than two hundred volunteers) who were overweight and obese. The first group performed aerobic exercises, the second with weights and the third combined both.
The first group ran about twenty kilometers per week on a treadmill or another equivalent activity. The second group worked with weights three times a week: three sets per day, eight to twelve repetitions per set. The third group did both.
After ten weeks, the first and third groups had lost more weight and fat than the second. It is interesting to note that the third group also had a significant decrease in waist circumference, which was not observed in the others.
Another study tested the hypothesis that short-term aerobic activity combined with anaerobic exercise guarantees better results than aerobic activity alone.
Sixteen obese people were divided into two groups. The first performed half an hour of aerobic exercise for four weeks, while the second performed twenty-five minutes of aerobic exercise and another five minutes of anaerobic exercise.
These five minutes resulted in a significant reduction in body fat compared to the results of the first group.
Total body fat, visceral fat, and abdominal fat also decreased significantly. Add anaerobic exercises to your workouts and the accumulated fat will be broken down more actively.
It is also important to choose the right exercises, with a lot of weight, so as not to hurt yourself.
Principle 10. Do not deviate from your plans: motivation and confidence are the main thing when implementing a plan to lose weight correctly
How many good weight loss initiatives have failed not because of the inability to lose weight, a genetic tendency to be overweight and other excuses that overweight people give in, but because of banal laziness.
If you seriously decide that this time will be the last, be consistent and methodical. It is not that difficult and can even become an exciting quest, especially if you manage to awaken your passion for sports and the desire to win.
How to do it? Here are some tips:
A food diary or food diary will be of great help in systematizing the weight loss process according to the rules described above and, most importantly, in increasing motivation.
A food diary will allow you to keep track of what you eat during the day, when, where and how much, in what mood you are, and how intense your physical hunger is. With this information, you can change your environment, your reactions to it, or both to improve your eating behavior and change your weight.
Even if you have been overweight all your life, this can only mean one thing: all attempts to lose weight were not suitable for your body. Try again by adopting 10 principles on how to lose weight correctly!