How magic diets mislead us
Let’s start right away with honest and truthful information and stop misleading ourselves. Please, remember this and do not be fooled by the tempting headlines of articles, videos, and other advertising products.
There is no quick way to lose weight. Weight loss requires a well-informed effort to change your habits and lifestyle.
The word “diet” is misleading; in fact, diets don’t work. They can help you lose weight for a while, but after they are over, patients gain weight again and often even more than before.
Sure, a popular shake diet or a prescription weight-loss drug can help you lose weight quickly, but what happens after the diet is over? Is it possible to stick to a shake diet for the rest of your life? Will your doctor be able to tell you that you can safely take stimulants all the time?
Your plan should be effective and realistic in the long run. An effective way to maintain a reduced weight is to change your lifestyle. And any diet book, trick, trick, cocktail, or supplement that tries to convince you otherwise is just an advertisement designed to convince you to buy such products.
Don’t let yourself be deceived.
10 tips based on practical experience that will help you lose weight and not gain it again.
1. Exclude the reasons related to any health problems
Before you start a weight loss program, you should visit your doctor. You will need to discuss their plans for the weight loss, getting approved to regular workout and tested for the presence of certain health problems. A simple blood test is often used to check for diabetes and thyroid problems, and several more tests may be required to make sure that you are healthy enough to start a weight loss program, and that you do not have health problems that contribute to weight gain.
Also, be sure to discuss with your doctor the medications that you take regularly, as some medications can contribute to weight gain.
2. Determine how much weight you are overweight
Before you begin to lose weight, it is very important to determine whether you are really overweight and how much it is. As one of the tools for determining a person’s normal weight, almost all doctors use the body mass index (BMI):
BMI = weight in kilograms divided by height in meters
A BMI of 25 to 29 is rated as “overweight”, 30 and above corresponds to” obesity”, and 40 and above is defined as”pathological obesity”. Note that this formula does not take into account the weight of the muscle mass. For example, bodybuilders based on the calculation of BMI can get the result “pathological obesity”, although they certainly do not have it. Therefore, despite the fact that BMI is a useful tool, if you have a large muscle mass, you should treat the results obtained by this method with caution. There are many useful online calculators to help calculate BMI.
Another way to estimate your weight (and track the results) is to measure your waist circumference. Instead of standing on the scale, look at how your clothes fit. A waist circumference of more than 35 inches (76 cm) in women and more than 40 inches (101 cm) in men is associated with an increased risk of overweight-related health problems.
3. Set yourself short-term and long-term goals
How much weight do you need to lose? Ask your doctor what your ideal weight should be, but also set yourself an initial goal for weight loss and other intermediate goals. Set realistic short-term goals, because if you expect to lose too much weight too quickly, it can cause unnecessary frustration.
Studies show that in people who are obese or overweight, even a 5% weight loss has a positive effect on health. This number becomes the very first goal for many people. In general, plan to lose 0.5-1 kg per week. Slow and steady. If you try to lose weight faster, then there is a high chance that you will gain it again just as quickly.
4. Take small steps
When starting a long-term weight loss plan, start with small changes. If you set realistic goals and gradually achieve them, you are more likely to succeed in the long run. For example, if you consume lemonades or juices, consider giving up only these products for the first week or two. Then, after you’ve done that, try switching from white, starch-rich bread to whole-grain bread, for example. Over the next couple of weeks, try to start walking for 5 minutes every other day. And so on.
If you try to do too much quickly, it increases the likelihood that you will abandon your plan altogether. Make a list of all the small steps and changes you need to make. Then do them one by one. The race is won by the one who acts steadily, but slowly.
5. Reduce your portions
Even if the diet consists only of vegetables and fruits, it can still lead to weight gain if you eat too much of them. Therefore, it is very important to observe the correct portion size. Half of the contents of your plate should consist of vegetables, a quarter – from a source of pure protein (skinless chicken, turkey, fish), and cereals or starchy foods should be no more than a quarter.
One of the easiest ways to reduce portion size is to simply use a smaller plate. Another way is to eat slowly, so that your brain has more time to process the process of eating and enjoy it longer, which creates a greater sense of satiety.
6. Limit your carbs
The most harmful products often have a liquid form — lemonades, juices and alcohol. These drinks contain an excess of calories and should be discarded. Other culprits are bread, rice, tortillas, beans, potatoes and pasta, everyday foods that are consumed in too large quantities.
Make sure that your portions of carbohydrates are rational in size, try not to take up more than a quarter of the plate. And instead of products containing white starch, choose products from whole wheat, complex carbohydrates. That is, instead of white rice, choose brown rice. At first, you may not be very tasty, but over time you will get used to this change.
Extremely low-carb diets (less than 60 grams of carbohydrates per day), such as the latest fashion trend — the ketogenic diet, will really help you lose weight. But is it possible to stick to them for a long time? For most people, no. If you decide to stick to one of these low-carb diets, it is very important to choose a source of healthy proteins and fats — you do not want to exchange weight loss for the formation of plaque in the blood vessels and heart disease.
7. Choose sources of healthy fats and proteins
Choose sources of healthy fats and proteins — such as peanuts, nuts and seeds, avocados, and soy. When cooking, use olive oil or cooking spray instead of higher-fat vegetable oils or butter. Avoid fried food. Switch to 1% fat milk or even skim milk. Limit your consumption of red meat by eating skinless chicken, turkey, or fish instead.
Be careful about salad dressings, always read the information on the label, because they often contain too much fat or carbohydrates. Consider using only lemon juice or vinegar.
8. Eat fiber
Fiber gives you volume and gives you a feeling of fullness for a long time. According to research, people who consume a lot of fiber are at a lower risk of obesity throughout their lives, as well as a lower risk of diabetes.
Adults should consume 25-35 grams of fiber per day. However, most people consume it in insufficient quantities. Aim to consume at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day. Choose wholegrain foods (100% wholegrain wheat bread, brown rice, etc.) instead of refined foods (white bread, white rice, etc.). If you can’t get enough clippings from your food, consult a dietary supplement. However, you should increase the amount of fiber consumed gradually, otherwise, if you immediately start consuming it in large quantities, this can lead to undesirable symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract.
9. Increase your physical activity
Mathematics tells us that to correct weight, you need to use less energy than you spend — there is no other way. The most successful weight loss programs include not only dietary changes, but also physical activity. Even though dieting alone is more effective at reducing weight than exercise alone, it’s best to use both. In addition, routine exercises contribute to the long-term preservation of the results of weight correction and, of course, have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.
Again, if you lead a sedentary lifestyle, start with small steps (and this is not a joke). Start with very short walks (non-stop) for 5 minutes almost every day. After that, increase their duration to 10 minutes, then to 15 minutes, and so on, until you reach 30 minutes of continuous cardio training. Please note that when “cardio training” your heart should beat fast, and you should sweat.
It is ideal to combine cardio training with endurance training.
10. Reward yourself
Periodically reward yourself for great efforts and achievements with a meal that you like, but no more than once a week and by controlling the portion size. If you try to completely abandon your favorite food, then you are more likely to abandon your weight management plans.
Treat yourself with something special, because after all the effort and hard work, you undoubtedly deserve it.
Read more: HOW TO START TRAINING