There are many ways to lose weight quickly.They are different:
- extent of damage to health;
- "parts of the body" on which weight loss occurs;
- the necessary amount of willpower to maintain the chosen weight loss strategy.
Below we look at four principles of proper weight loss, based on the latest scientific research.How quickly you can lose weight with their help depends on the individual characteristics of your body.
Methods for ultra-fast weight loss and associated RISK
In order to avoid disappointment from the unreasonable interest in the title of this article, let's sober up right away.
First of all, there is always a health risk associated with losing weight very quickly.By super fast we mean thousands of kilograms per week, for example.
Second, not everything we understand about losing weight is about reducing fat ballast in the body.
The most frequent question is "how to lose weight fast?"understood as "within a short time (usually a few days) to see another number on the scales or to fit into smaller pants/dresses from childhood."
Body weight and the circumference of its individual parts when losing weight can change at least because of:
- decrease in the amount of fat in the body;
- destroy muscle mass;
- decrease in the number of muscle cells;
- remove fluid from the subcutaneous layers.
Which of these methods is right for you?
"Lose weight" very quickly(in the sense of changing the scale readings down) by removing excess fluid from the body, for example, with the help of diuretics, which are actively used by professional athletes and drying the body.
The price of the issue is the risk of serious side effects, including death.Diuretics belong to the class of one of the most dangerous sports chemicals.
The currently fashionable detox diet belongs to the class of diets for rapid weight loss.This is one of the reasons for its popularity.
But what causes weight changes on this diet?Due to the same loss of fluid from the body, muscle cells destroyed due to the almost complete lack of protein in the diet and their size decreased due to a decrease in glycogen reserves in the muscles, which "bind" water.
The same applies to losing weight with laxatives: when they are used, the amount of fluid removed from the body increases.
We have given three real working examples of very fast weight loss.It is their main featurethe effect is very short-lived, the percentage of fat does not change and there are huge risks of harming health: The weight returns to normal within a few days as soon as you jump off the diet.
Therefore, from all of the above, it is important to understand the following:losing weight quickly (say 10 kg per week) due to fat mass is almost impossible.
In addition, the rate of weight loss is closely related to the individual parameters of the body.A person weighing 150 kg and a fat percentage of 40% can tell you how he lost 7 kg per week, but for you, with your 65 kg and a fat percentage of 15%, the value of 7 kg can only be achieved in six months, following the same methodology ...
Therefore.
Below we will give you the science-based principles of proper weight loss, after which you can lose weight as quickly as possible, taking into account your individual characteristics.In this case, our recommendations will help to:
- do not harm your health, but improve it;
- maintain muscle mass and even increase it;
- develop a life rhythm for yourself that you can always stick to.
Well-known methods of losing weight extremely quickly are associated with enormous health risks.Moreover, they do not burn fat, but only remove water from the body
How to lose weight quickly and without harm to your health?Main principles
1. Reduction in calorie intake
Losing weight should always start with this.
Too many calories are the most important cause of obesity in our society, according to scientists.But they constantly try to prove to us that we only do a little sport...
It is often the manufacturers of unhealthy food products that promote a healthy lifestyle and emphasize the need to be physically active.Thus, they divert our attention from the real cause of obesity - their products.
In a study of African tribes who spend the whole day on the move, the scientists found that the level of energy expenditure of their representatives is not much different from the level of office workers in developed countries.
This does not mean that Africans do not move much.No.
Directlythe amount of calories burned during physical movements is very small, but about ~20% of the daily energy expenditure: if hunters from Africa spend, say, about 500 Cal during the day (on one movement), then an office worker spends about 200 Cal.A difference of a few hundred calories is insignificant.
So, the main rule for losing weight is this: the body starts burning fat when we eat fewer calories from food than we need to maintain life processes.This is the so-called calorie deficit.
With some reservations, the following statement is true:The greater the calorie deficit, the faster you will lose weight.
Main disclaimer:The higher the calorie deficit, the higher the risk of health problems.
Recommended caloric restriction -300-500 Calfrom basal metabolism.
The first rule for losing weight: reduce the number of calories you eat;The greater the calorie deficit, the faster you can lose weight
2. Eliminate carbohydrates from your diet
Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) stimulate the release of the hormone insulin, which is responsible for controlling blood sugar levels.It does this by transporting excess glucose to storage: glycogen and fat.
If you do not lead an active lifestyle, then consider that all desserts go completely with fat.
When insulin levels in the body are low, conditions are created for the active use of fats for energy..To achieve this, you just need to eat less carbohydrates.
The vast majority of diets are based on this principle, including intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet and the Dukan protein diet.
When insulin levels are low, another weight loss mechanism mentioned at the beginning is activated: the kidneys remove excess sodium from the body, which binds water.What does this affect?The thickness of skin folds decreases.
The action of diuretics, used by professional athletes to dry the body, is based on this principle: these drugs also remove sodium and allow you to achieve very lean muscle relief.
Although diuretics carry a high risk of very serious side effects, there is no risk with carbohydrate restriction since the body is simply getting rid ofexcesssodium
Simply remove carbohydrates from your diet and you will lose weight quickly;At the same time, appetite will decrease and the thickness of the skin will decrease
3. Eat more protein, healthy fats and fiber
So, we have figured out the main principle of fast weight loss.
The next step is to maintain muscle mass and avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Every meal should contain protein, healthy fats, and low-carb vegetables.This combination will provide the necessary 20-50 g of carbohydrates for rapid weight loss without the need for exact calculations using formulas and calculators, as well as an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals.
Eating protein is very important for weight loss for several reasons:
- The protein has a thermogenic effect, i.e.it increases the internal metabolic rate by 80-100 calories.A little, but still.
- Protein foods fill you up better, reducing appetite and the desire to snack throughout the day.We talked about this in topics about the benefits of cottage cheese and eggs for weight loss.
- Protein keeps muscle mass from breaking down during a calorie restricted diet.
Protein sources:
- Meat (lean parts): beef, chicken, pork, lamb;
- Fish and seafood: salmon, trout, shrimp, lobster;
- Eggs and dairy products.
Vegetables
Vegetables are natural sources of vitamins and minerals, and are also high in fiber and water, which fill your stomach and keep you full, and are very low in calories.You can eat them in any quantity without fear of gaining weight.This is your secret to avoiding the crippling hunger.
The only important thing is to avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes.
Recommended Low Carb Vegetables:
- Broccoli;
- Cauliflower;
- spinach;
- Brussels sprouts;
- white cabbage;
- Salad;
- cucumber;
- Celery.
Fats
When we eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, which are the body's main source of energy, it is important to increase the intake of another source of energy provided by nature - fats.
Recommended healthy fats:
- olive oil;
- linseed oil;
- coconut oil;
- avocado;
- butter
- nuts.
Include the following types of fats in every meal and don't be afraid to gain weight:Limiting carbohydrates and fats while dieting is a cure for failure, since you will not get enough energy, and therefore you will not be able to stick to the diet described for a long time.
Build each meal around protein, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.
4. Exercise to boost your metabolism
No, you don't have to run.MoreoverRunning is not the most effective sport for losing weight, as is commonly believed.
In general, if you compare a proper diet and sports, the first one, as shown above, is much more important when it comes to losing weight.
-What are the best sports for quick weight loss?
Those in whichthe internal metabolic rate is maximally activated.
In principle, any physical activity is beneficial, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training are most effective for weight loss.They significantly stimulate the rate of internal metabolism, which falls when losing weight.
The stimulated metabolic state, during interval training and during strength training, can last up to 2 days.
According to scientific data, metabolism accounts for about 70% of daily calories: the higher the metabolic rate, the more calories are burned.
In addition, training helps to strengthen and increase muscle mass: the more muscle mass, the more calories needed to maintain it, the less of them are converted to fat.
The higher your internal metabolic rate, the faster you will lose weight;High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength exercises boost your metabolism for up to 2 days
Does it make sense to count calories when losing weight?
No.
It is important to understand which foods you can eat and which should be excluded: the basis should be protein, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables, and you should try to limit the amount of simple carbohydrates.
Sugar and fructose are particularly harmful for weight loss.They not only carry "empty" calories, but also cause changes in the body at the hormonal level, which encourages overeating and causes a large number of diseases.
Have one fasting day a week
Fanaticism is rarely beneficial.Now that we have figured out how to lose weight quickly, it is important to understand that rare indulgences will not harm yourself.
On any diet, especially at the beginning, when your usual lifestyle changes,You can give yourself one "fasting" daywhen you can eat more carbohydrates and familiar foods.That's fanaticism, of course.
Such a day is usually called a "cheat meal" day from the English "cheat meal" - "cheat with food".
Always try to stay as healthy as possible in the foods you choose.
When it comes to carbohydrates, satisfy your appetite with all natural foods: oatmeal, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit.
And it is better to do this more than once a week.More often, the less rapid the weight loss process will be.
It is important to understand:A cheat meal day is allowed during weight loss, but not absolutely necessary..During it, your weight may increase a little, but mainly because of the fluid that will "disappear" over the next few days.
During weight loss, one fasting day per week is allowed, when you can eat more carbohydrates and familiar foods.
how fast can you lose weight?
On the low carb diet described aboveyou can lose about 1-4 kg per week, sometimes more, sometimes less.
The more overweight you areand fewer attempts to lose weight in the past,the faster you will lose weight.
One scientific experiment showed that a low carbohydrate diet (~50 g per day)does help you lose weight much fasterthan a diet restricted to fat (30% of total calories).Over 6 months, obese women lost an average of 8 kg on a low-carb diet and 4 kg on a low-fat diet.
What's interesting is that those women who ate a few carbohydrates were allowed to eat as many other approved foods as they wanted.Those.they didn't have to deal with the debilitating feeling of hunger.But as a result, the calorie content of their food per day decreased by about 500 calories compared to usual.
The principle "eat as much as you want" is the basis of the Dukan protein diet.But carbohydrates are excluded from the list of permitted foods.
Look at the graph below: it's a good illustration of how quickly you can lose weight by eating fewer carbs.
How fast you can lose weight by limiting carbohydrates in your diet: The vertical axis is body weight, the horizontal axis is time in weeks;The graph at the bottom is the rate of weight loss on a low-carb diet, the top is the rate of weight loss on a low-fat diet.
During the first few weeks, you may feel low in energy as your body takes time to adjust from using carbohydrates as an energy source to fats.
After this, your well-being will improve significantly, as will your health.
Scientists say that a low-carb diet improves blood sugar levels, reduces the concentration of bad cholesterol and increases the concentration of good cholesterol, and normalizes blood pressure.
How quickly you can lose weight on a low-carb diet depends on many factors.The average rate of weight loss is 1-4 kg per week