Bella Adams
The biggest problem with diets is that they deplete you, make you feel hungry, and, accordingly, the growing sense of dissatisfaction makes you want to put the weight loss idea far to the bottom of the closet. It is not surprising if your body starts to protest and return to your usual routine, and even if it remembers how it was “starved”, it will definitely keep more kilograms and, accordingly, centimeters on your body in reserve.
30 rules for losing weight that work
#1 Reduce the number of carbohydrates in your daily diet
The main technique of diets is to reduce sugars and starchy foods (carbohydrates).
If you combine reducing the number of excess carbohydrates with moderate exercises, such as walking, then your body will start to consume more fat, and, accordingly, you will start to lose weight.
What is a negative energy balance that is necessary for weight loss? Dietary rules: daily calorie needs, energy balance.
Reducing the amount of easily accessible, simple carbohydrates or carbohydrates with a high glycemic index. Reducing sharp rises in blood glucose and, accordingly, sharp rises in insulin secretion allows you to reduce your appetite and not feel hungry. Reducing the number of carbohydrates is a quick, easy way to lose weight.
According to the rules of healthy eating, carbohydrates should account for 45-65% of the calories of daily energy intake from food.
If your daily energy requirement is 1600 calories, then 720 – 1040 calories are provided by carbohydrates. It is known that 4 calories are contained in 1 g of protein. So 720 – 1040 calories come in the form of 180 – 260 g of carbohydrates. If your goal is to lose weight, try to eat fewer carbohydrates.
#2 Don’t add sugar to your food
In general, adding sugar has become a problem in the modern world. We’re used to eating sweets, our taste buds are used to it, so we crave more sweets. Choose recipes that don’t require sugar. If your tea or coffee doesn’t taste good without sugar, reduce the amount gradually, add lemon zest, cinnamon, or cardamom, and try to get used to new flavors.
Studies have shown a link between excessive sugar consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Read labels carefully, as sugar can be added to canned foods.
#3 Replace easily accessible carbohydrates with complex ones
Instead of the usual white bread, eat whole grain, dietary bread. Cook brown rice instead of white rice. Choose pasta made from durum wheat. Buckwheat is a healthy source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
#4 Add fiber
Fiber, bran, and oilseed meal can be added to yogurt and salads.
Fiber increases the volume of food, which makes you feel fuller. More fiber means a longer feeling of fullness, as well as better gut health.
#5 Eat protein
The protein requirement is calculated at 0.8 g per kg of body weight. Most women need 45-50 g of protein per day, while men need 55-60 g of protein daily. If we focus on the daily energy requirement for the body, then 10-25% of calories should come from protein. It should be remembered that vegetable proteins are less easily absorbed. People who follow a vegetarian diet or fasting should combine a variety of foods to get complete proteins, i.e. to provide the body with all the essential amino acids that make up proteins.
If your daily energy requirement is 1600 calories, 160 to 400 calories of that should come from protein. It is known that 4 calories are contained in 4 g of protein. That is, 160 – 400 calories should be in 40 – 100 g of protein.
The daily protein requirement depends on the physical activity of a person, that is, if you play sports, your body needs more protein and vice versa.
Protein is often touted as the best way to diet due to the stronger feeling of satiety and satisfaction from protein foods. However, firstly, the body, which needs glucose, synthesizes it from protein, and secondly, we cannot eat more proteins than we need, all the excess must be excreted by the kidneys in the urine, or deposited in the form of salts, as in gout.
Healthy proteins are in:
- The meat of lean varieties: chicken (sternum fillet), veal, and lamb.
- Fish: trout, salmon.
- Eggs: chicken eggs, quail eggs.
- Legumes: lentils, beans, soybeans.
#6 Eat fats
The daily fat requirement for you individually can be calculated from your daily energy requirement. For example, if in your case it is 1600 calories, 20% to 35% of these calories should be provided by fat, i.e. 320 to 560 calories should be from fat. It is known that 9 kcal is contained in 1 g of fat. So, 320 – 560 calories are 36 – 62 g of fat. Your daily fat requirement is 36 – 62 grams of fat.
Healthy fats are in
- Flaxseed oil
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
- Avocado
#7 Choose vegetable oils
Our body needs unsaturated fatty acids, in particular omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which we can get from vegetable oils, such as olive oil, flaxseed oil, and others. It is worth mentioning that flaxseed oil is the leader among other vegetable oils in terms of omega 3 fat content, namely 53%.
#8 Eat sea fish
Fish is a source of omega-3 fats that are not found in other foods. Fish also contains a large amount of vitamin D and other healthy substances.
#9 Seeds and nuts
Seeds and nuts are a source of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Nuts are a healthy snack that perfectly satisfies hunger. Seeds and nuts can be added to salads, making them tasty and interesting. Of course, it’s worth remembering that nuts also contain a lot of calories, so don’t eat more than one handful a day.
#10 Eat vegetables
Vegetables are rich in fiber and water. Vegetables are low-calorie foods that are also high in beneficial nutrients and oxidants – unlike the “empty calories” of snacks, chips, and sweets. When you move a large volume of vegetables, they give you a feeling of satiety, stomach fullness, and pleasure from eating. As a result, we don’t feel psychological that we are restricting ourselves, that we are lacking food.
Vegetables that are low in calories:
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Brussels sprouts
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
#11 Eat 3 meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and 2 snacks
The body works best when it receives nutrients on time, and regularly. When we plan our meals throughout the day, we avoid long periods without food, which can lead to severe hunger. It’s good for us to eat at certain times. This way, the body develops its own rhythm and habits. When we are hungry, it is harder for us to control what we eat, and we will reach for fast food unwillingly. Between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plan and prepare snacks to prevent “hungry” raids on the chocolate bar.
#12 Don’t skip breakfast
If you want to lose weight, never skip breakfast. Plan breakfast in the evening, and prepare everything for cooking, so that you can prepare and enjoy breakfast in the morning. Many people believe that there is no need to eat breakfast if you don’t really want to. However, studies have clearly shown that those who ate breakfast achieved the best weight loss results. This can be explained by the fact that after sleeping, you don’t get food for a long time, sometimes this period lasts 10-12 hours. This corresponds to the principle of so-called intermittent fasting, which has its own meaning and benefits for the body. However, without eating at home, at work around 10 or 11 o’clock, you will be looking for cookies, chocolate, or other goodies. If it’s convenient for you, then make yourself breakfast, and lunch and take it with you to work.
#13 Keep healthy food in sight
It is convenient to keep a basket of fresh fruit, a container of sliced carrots, nuts, seeds, and yogurt in a visible place in case of sudden hunger.
#14 Drink enough water, especially before meals
Drinking water helps you lose weight. Warm water before meals helps to improve digestion and, consequently, metabolism.
#15 Don’t drink sugary sodas
Sugary water contains a lot of empty calories. When you are thirsty, choose plain still water.
#16 Don’t drink juices, eat fruit instead
Most juices contain added sugar, which serves as a preservative. Instead of juice or fresh fruit, it is better to eat whole fruit, so you will get fewer calories and fiber, which will give you a feeling of fullness.
#17 Reduce your coffee consumption
There are different recommendations for coffee consumption. Sometimes it is advised to give up coffee altogether. However, if coffee is your friend, reduce the amount of coffee you drink per day. Drink black coffee with spices and water. Avoid coffee cocktails that contain a lot of calories.
#18 Eat eggs for breakfast
Cook 1 egg for breakfast. Eggs are a source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Eggs quickly give you a feeling of fullness.
#19 Drink green tea
Green tea contains a lot of powerful antioxidants and is a good thirst quencher.
#20 Probiotics, symbiotics, and prebiotics
A healthy gut is important for health. Beneficial bacteria are found in yogurts, which are best made by yourself, as manufacturers may add sugar. Sauerkraut and cucumbers are also useful.
How to improve the intestines (gut)? Dysbiosis, probiotics, and prebiotics.
#21 Reduce salt, avoid monosodium glutamate, and use spices
In addition to sugar, we are used to adding salt to our food. There is especially a lot of salt in canned foods, pickled foods, and marinated and smoked meat. Excessive salt contributes to water retention in the body, which can lead to edema. However, food should be tasty and attractive, so use a variety of spices. Spices promote the secretion of digestive juices and enzymes; they speed up metabolism. Look for the flavors you like! By the way, many spices contain nutrients and antioxidants, such as turmeric.
How to use spices and herbs, and what goes with what? Spices and herbs.
#22 Practice 16/8 intermittent fasting
One of the schemes of intermittent fasting involves 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating. For example, a person can eat between 10 am and 6 pm. The rest of the time, he or she is limited to drinks.
#23 Get smaller plates and cups
Using smaller utensils psychologically helps you eat less food and, as a result, get fewer calories on a daily basis. However, quite often overweight people finish their meals and snack in a hurry, so setting a rule to eat only at the table, from certain plates, will be a useful tip.
#24 Mindful eating
The habit of watching TV, reading a book, or “hanging out” on social media has a negative impact on nutrition. You don’t eat, you don’t taste, you don’t enjoy, you don’t get pleasure from food! Fast mechanical eating is a problem, you need to learn mindful eating, mindfulness eating, to be in the moment here and now. By being present during meals, you can extend the time, chew your food better, which will affect the quality of digestion, and not miss the signal from your brain that you are full.
#25 Eat slowly, chewing thoroughly
Eat slowly, and carefully, and chew for a long time. By chewing food, we can grind it well with our teeth and prepare it for the next stage, because there are no teeth in the stomach. By chewing food, we enable our brain to better understand its composition and, accordingly, to release the enzymes necessary for digestion. Poorly chewed food is less accessible to digestive juices and enzymes. This causes rotting or fermentation. Slow eating is also beneficial because we feel full in time and do not overeat.
#26 Physical activity
Not just eating, but also moderate exercise can help you achieve good results in terms of weight loss and overall health. To lose weight, you need to perform so-called aerobic or cardio exercises for 30 to 60 minutes.
#27 Keep a diary of food, physical activity, and well-being
The diary is useful not only for monitoring the number of calories consumed and physical activity. A diary is indispensable for self-knowledge and self-analysis. With the help of a diary, you can understand the situations and emotions that provoke stressful binge eating and uncontrollable bouts of severe hunger.
It is important to set realistic goals and recognize your successes. After all, the overall goal is not only to lose weight but also to acquire healthy lifestyle habits.
#28 Practice positive thinking
While dieting, especially when our expectations are excessive, we can find ourselves in a situation of dissatisfaction with ourselves and our achievements. We need to appreciate our smallest successes and practice positive thinking. The problem of excessive food consumption and overeating is complex. The help of a qualified psychotherapist will often be appropriate.
#29 List of things that motivate you to lose weight
While preparing for the path of weight normalization, take the time to write a list of things that motivate you to lose weight, and that form a strong desire to succeed. For example, the desire to look good, to be more active, to have better immunity, to be healthy, and to feel good. Write down a list of motivations and post them in a prominent place, for example, on the refrigerator.
#30 Sleep well
Good quality sleep is the key not only to feeling good but also to not having an excessive appetite. Studies show that poor sleep is accompanied by higher calorie intake.
You should go to bed at 10-11 p.m. and sleep for 8-9 hours. The room should be well-ventilated, dark, and quiet. The bed should be comfortable for your back.
Your path to a perfect figure should not be a quick race, but rather a long marathon. The changes that need to happen should become your habits, your second nature. By making a choice in favor of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, you will not only achieve weight loss but also change your life for the better, and be healthier and more cheerful. Good luck on your journey to health!
