If you are wondering how to lose extra pounds, not just 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 strategically correct path.
Let's find out what proper weight loss means and how you can lose weightRight, but how -wrong? Everything is quite simple here.
If you are still carrying unwanted weight despite all your previous attempts to lose those hated pounds, then you were probably losing weight incorrectly. How to lose weight correctly?
Obviously, so that the kilos don't come back and, of course, without damaging your health, because nobody wants to be thin, but nobody wants to pay for the results achieved with wounds and taking medication for the rest of their life.
Inadequate weight loss leads to obesity
Increasingly, nutritionists cite inadequate weight loss as a leading cause of the obesity epidemic. The more people try to lose weight, the more they end up weighing. It's a shame, boring, but it's true!
Obviously, the problem lies in weight loss methods that are harmful to the body, which, at best, leads to the return of lost pounds and, at worst, to health problems.
So, let's take a look at how to lose weight correctly and keep your results forever! We have compiled for you the top 10 principles of proper nutrition that will help you stay in shape even without dieting.
By following these tips systematically, confidently 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 strong appetite suppression, familiar to everyone I've ever dieted.
Principle 1. Lose weight slowly and correctly
Let's immediately agree with you (in turn, yourself) that you should forever forget about tempting diets à la: 10 kg in 10 days, minus 5 kg per week, and so on.
Of course, if you try very hard, gather willpower and do not abandon a strict mono-diet (most likely it will be one of its varieties), then it is quite possible that you will 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 leaves and cabbage all your life, it is unthinkable to give up carbohydrates forever. As soon as the eliminated foods return to the fridge, to the table, to the plate, the kilos that you lost so hard will not be long in coming.
Principle 2. How to lose weight correctly - the calorie counter knows
Anyone who wants to lose weight efficiently, that is, seriously and for a long time, needs to remember two important words: "number of calories". And it makes no difference where they come from.
- If you consume more calories than you burn, your weight will increase.
- If you burn more calories than you consume, your weight will decrease.
Therefore, the goal of any diet is to reduce the number of calories consumed through food. This can be done in several ways: you can choose foods that are lower in calories, you can eat less overall, or you can combine the two methods in a way that suits you.
However, it is precisely too sharp a reduction in calorie intake that is the reason for many unsuccessful and therefore incorrect attempts to lose weight.
- If you skip meals or don't feel satisfied because the portions are too small, you will feel hungry and constantly crave snacks or high-calorie foods.
- If you have been on a diet for at least a week, you know how the psycho-emotional context deteriorates drastically, the mood worsens, irritability appears for any reason, which leads to the fact that a person attacks family and friends.
Principle 3. The correct way to lose weight and be well fed is to eat small meals frequently.
The simplest strategy for adequate weight loss is to combine three small, nutritious meals with a midday and evening snack. As a result of this nutritional system, you eat up to five meals a day!
Agree, this is much better than skipping breakfast, lunch or dinner. Frequent meals prevent the development of hunger, and small, dense, nutritious portions ensure that you consume enough nutrients without excess calories.
Note that three small meals plus snacks are not the same as a chewing habit. It involves eating something constantly throughout the day, without taking hunger and satiety into account. This eating behavior leads to excess calories and weight gain.
Frequent fractional meals will prevent you from falling into the despair and despondency of a hungry person. After all, very soon you will be able to 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 they did during this 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 anything for future use.
Here are some simple, easy-to-implement tips to make it easier to eat five meals a day and make them as varied as possible:
- Plan in advance what you will eat during the day, including snacks. It's best to do this the day before.
- If you decide to lose weight the right way, feel free to take healthy foods to work or school in convenient, airtight containers.
- Prepare food for the new day in the evening. So you can always eat foods with pre-calculated calorie content, instead of buying chips and other high-calorie products that are the first to arrive in stores when you want to eat.
- Don't rely on the same foods for snacks (like bananas or apples), even if you really like them. Monotony is also a kind of hunger. Five fractional meals a day and an abundance of foods with a low calorie content and glycemic index allow you to eat a varied diet, staying within the chosen daily "calorie corridor".
Principle 4. To lose weight correctly, don't deprive yourself of nutrients, just choose the ideal proportion
Changing the nutrient composition of the diet and the effect of such experiments on accelerating weight loss is still the focus of many nutritionists. Let's delve deeper into this subject, as many diets preach: give up carbohydrates, remove fats from the diet, load up on proteins - and thinness is guaranteed.
- In general, the recommended macronutrient distribution range suggests that 45 to 60 percent of calories will come from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fat, and 10 to 35 percent from protein.
- Some nutrition experts believe that a healthier approach to weight loss is to increase your protein intake to 45% and reduce your carbohydrate intake to 25%.
- Several studies report that protein diets cause greater weight loss compared to high-carb diets with the same number 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 great popularity and gained many adherents.
Surely you or someone around you has also tried to lose weight with a low-carb diet. Although it is impossible to completely eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, it is possible to drastically reduce their consumption, which is why it would be more accurate to call this type of low-carb diet.
Increased consumption of carbohydrate-rich, sugar-sweetened beverages is correlated with weight gain seen in both children and adults in recent decades, according to scientists' findings. It is logical to assume that as carbohydrate consumption increases, waist size also increases. But how exactly do carbs affect body fat growth?
Some researchers argue that it all comes down to insulin, others that it comes to foods with a high glycemic index, and still others that carbohydrates alter appetite-suppressing hormones, which is why hunger occurs after eating foods rich in carbohydrates.
The body needs insulin to process glucose. After eating, it responds to rising blood glucose levels and transports it to 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 not used for energy is converted to fatty acids and stored as fat.
Theoretically, the more carbohydrates ingested by the body, the more insulin is secreted by the pancreas and the more likely glucose is stored as fatty acids in adipocytes (fat cells).
Insulin also prevents the beta-oxidation of fatty acids, inhibiting the lipolysis of fat stored in adipose tissue, which causes fatty acids to be retained in adipocytes.
Thus, the effect of insulin on lipid metabolism creates a tendency towards fat concentration. To avoid high insulin levels, it is logical to switch to a low-carb diet.
But there is another side to 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 high-carb/low-fat or high-protein/high-fat/low-carb diets on weight loss, they found no benefit of a high-protein diet: weight loss was the same!
Furthermore, carbohydrate restriction significantly reduces the quality of the diet and the choice of dishes in general. Remember what you ate when you were on a low carb diet?
It is very difficult to follow a strict low-carb 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, it concerns 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 the simple carbs on the store shelf and take the complex carbs with you.
- If you add foods rich in saturated fats to your diet, such as whole milk, whole milk cheese, fatty meats, butter, they will affect the cardiovascular system. Replace them with 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, however healthy they may be - it's very easy to overdo the calories).
- The best combination for losing weight is low-calorie foods: fruits, vegetables, grains, some proteins and some fats. This is a combination that contains all five main food groups, is well balanced and can meet nutritional needs.
Principle 5. When you lose weight correctly, volume matters.
In this case, we are not talking about your forms, but the contents of your plate. Both main meals and snacks should be large enough to leave you full and satisfied.
A healthy diet with a proper weight loss strategy includes:
- consumption of foods with low energy density and high volume;
- refusal of foods with high energy density and small volume, which can easily meet the daily caloric intake, but still not make you feel full;
- emphasis on low-calorie "bulk" foods: vegetables with a high water content and fruits, which will give you a quick onset of satiety and reduce hunger, and with it the number of calories consumed.
In fact, if you eat a sizable plate of salad at the start of your meal – large in volume and low in energy density – you will likely 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 less energy-dense foods.
Energy density of food
- Low:These foods have seven-tenths to one and a half calories per gram and are rich in water and fiber. Examples include most vegetables and fruits, including tomatoes, melons, 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, in addition to containing less water. This includes baked goods, hard-boiled eggs, dried fruit, steak, hummus, whole grain bread, and cheese.
- High:These foods have four to nine calories per gram and are low in water. This includes chips, biscuits, crackers, cakes, butter, butter, fatty meats and bacon.
The main thing to remember is that the basis of the diet should be foods with not too high an energy density and a high fiber and water content, and the rest can be consumed little by little - and as a result your diet will be balanced and your weight will decrease.
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 of normal weight. That's why fiber-rich foods are a fundamental part of a weight loss diet.
It has long been a truism that it is recommended to drink more water when losing weight.
Let's add some useful tips for every day:
- You should drink drinking water without gas, without flavorings or additives (as a rule, they are all sweet, that is, they contain carbohydrates that are unnecessary for you);
- Always carry a bottle of water in your bag, have it handy in the car and at your desk;
- It is not recommended to drink a glass in one gulp, it is better to drink it in small sips and frequently;
- the water should not be too cold, room temperature is ideal;
- If you drink half a glass of water 10-15 minutes before meals, you are likely to eat a little less.
"Overeating is one of the main causes of obesity. The problem is that people get used to the feeling of fullness in their stomach and then stop noticing it completely. That's why it's important to develop healthy eating habits. "
Principle 7. Thinness starts in the gut - how to lose weight correctly using knowledge about the microbiome
Eating more plant-based foods changes the bacteria in your 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 and genital tract, and oral cavity.
Most of them are concentrated in the colon, where they are involved in metabolic functions.
For example, gut bacteria silently 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;
- control 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, gender, ethnicity and body mass index.
Recently, scientists 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 long and short term, determines what bacteria you will have in your gut and how they will manifest themselves.
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 by turning certain genes on or off.
By understanding the role that diet and gut bacteria play, new approaches to preventing obesity can be found.
Principle 8. How to lose weight correctly? In motion!
Regular physical activity not only naturally increases the daily calorie deficit needed to lose weight, but also helps reduce sedentary habits, which are often accompanied by the urge to chew something. When you walk, you burn calories. Sitting in front of the TV with a bag of chips, instead, you type.
People are advised to spend an hour to 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 is consumed and the higher your metabolic rate will be. Consequently, more calories are burned throughout the day, even at rest.
Well, if you combine cardiovascular and strength exercises, your metabolism will speed up even more - muscles require more energy. Remember that a person who weighs more than 150 pounds 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 that number to ten thousand, most people need to make a conscious effort.
Principle 9. Will you lose weight the right way? Understand the essence of aerobic and anaerobic exercise
Even if you are very far from sports, to follow the path of proper weight loss you need to regulate your life not only with your diet, but also with your movement.
It is not necessary to break sports records, it is only advisable to increase physical activity, but not on a whim, but completely consciously and purposefully. You can only move for a certain amount of time, but with your mind, it's no wonder that there are special groups of exercises to lose weight.
So what are the potential benefits of different types and different 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, running, hiking or skiing.
- Anaerobic exercises include weight lifting, fast running, jumping rope, and climbing stairs. They are more intense than aerobics, in addition to having a shorter duration, because they simply cannot be sustained 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 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 insignificant results.
Combine exercises and lose weight correctly
In a recent study carried out at the American Duke University (Durham, North Carolina, USA), scientists observed individuals (there were more than two hundred volunteers) who were overweight and obese. The first group did aerobic exercises, the second did weight exercises, the third combined the two.
The first group ran about twenty kilometers per week on a treadmill or other 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 lost more weight and fat than the second. It is interesting to note that the third group also showed 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 produces better results than aerobic activity alone.
Sixteen obese people were divided into two groups. The first did half an hour of aerobic exercise for four weeks, while the second did 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 first group's results.
Total body fat, visceral fat, and abdominal fat also decreased significantly. Add anaerobic exercise to your workouts and 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 injure yourself.
Principle 10. Don't deviate from your plans: motivation and confidence are the main factors in implementing a plan on how 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 use, but because of banal laziness.
If you seriously decide that this time will be your last, be consistent and methodical. It's not that difficult and can even turn into an exciting quest, especially if you manage to awaken your passion for the sport and the desire to win.
How to do this? Here are some tips:
A food diary or food diary will be of great help in systematizing the weight loss process in accordance with the rules described above and, most importantly, in increasing motivation.
A food diary will allow you to monitor what you eat during the day, when, where and how much, in what mood and how intense your physical hunger is. Using 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 carrying excess weight all your life, this can only mean one thing: all attempts to lose weight have not been suitable for your body. Try again by adopting 10 principles on how to lose weight correctly!