We start losing weight when the body spends more calories than it consumes.
In other words, you need to either burn more calories or consume fewer calories. Most of those who are trying to lose weight, reduce calories consumption and burn calories with the help of physical exercises and sports.
Fitness and active lifestyle, of course, constitute an important part of the weight loss process. But some people are not able to exercise regularly because of health problems, lack of time or a simple lack of interest in sports.
Fortunately, as some results of research show, the diet plays an important role in the process of losing weight. In comparison with the sport and physical exercises, diet changes will be more effective to reduce the calorie intake.
How to change your diet
Tip #1: Calculate the number of calories you consume daily
Any weight loss program implies reducing the calorie intake. With the technique of calories calculating, you will not only be aware of how many calories you have consumed but will pay more attention to what you eat.
Think about how you can reduce your calorie intake (by calculating total calories consumption per day). Calculate the number of calories with the help of special calculator (depending on your weight, height, age and activity).
The fact is that the possibilities and needs of the body differ from person to person so it is better to calculate the optimal amount of calories individually.
The minimum number of calories consumed per day constitutes 1200 calories. If you start a diet that is based on fasting, the body begins to lack the nutrients, because it will stop receiving most of the vitamins, minerals and proteins from food.
Tip #2: Create a diet plan for yourself
If you don’t exercise to lose weight, you just need to cut your calorie intake. Making an individualized diet plan will help you choose what food you should eat and how many calories you’ll consume at the same time. Your diet should be balanced, and the number of calories should fit in the specified range.
Spend some time recollecting and writing down at least some of the dishes and the foods that you ate in the last few days.
Then count the number of calories for each meal. For example, for breakfast, you have consumed 300 calories, for lunch a couple of meals at 500 calories for each one, and in the evening you had a few snacks at 100 calories for each. Such a list and analysis will help understand which foods you ate during the day and how many calories you consumed.
In order to make your diet balanced, check whether it contains enough fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and dairy products.
Tip #3: Your diet should be balanced
To lose a few kilos and become healthier, the calorie count should be within the normal range. Your diet should include foods from the five major groups. Try to include such foods in your diet:
- Fruits and vegetables. These products contribute to the rapid satiation, they are quite low in calories, and contain a minimum of fats. Fruits and vegetables promote weight loss, in addition, they contain a lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which are required to maintain the metabolism. Try to eat not too sweet fruits and vegetables.
- Proteins. Basically, proteins can be found in lean meat, eggs, pork beef, beans, dairy products, and tofu. Proteins contribute to the rapid satiation, that is why you will not feel hunger for a long period of time.
Tip #4: If you frequently snack, then let it be healthy food
If you want to lose weight, it is quite normal to have several snacks with low-calorie products. If you start making a few snacks between each meal, the weight loss process becomes really slow.
Snacks are possible only if the interval between meals is 5-6 hours. If intervals between meals are long, you can become very hungry, and than you will eat more than you have initially planned.
Don’t forget to count the calories of each snack. They should be included in the total plan of calories consumed. Choose snacks with the caloric content of not more than 100-200 calories.
Recommended snacks: ¼ cup of nuts, Greek yogurt, hard boiled egg, celery, peanut butter.
Tip #5: Try to cook food correctly
It is not recommended to cook good fresh food with oil. Remember that oil (butter and sunflower), which is mainly used to fry foods, is rich in fat. Don’t eat different sauces, as they can slow down the process of losing weight.
The best way to cook food is without frying it. For example, you can cook on a grill or steam it.
If it’s possible, use olive or canola oil.
How to maintain a healthy weight
Tip #1: Check your weight 1-2 times a week
It’s important to monitor your weight loss and health. Such observations will help to notice the results and evaluate the effectiveness of the diet. Through this analysis, you will know if you need to bring some changes.
Keep in mind that normally you can lose about 0.5-1 pounds per week. Be patient and don’t rush things. If you want to lose weight and not to gain weight after the diet, it is better to lose weight slowly.
To make your observation more precise, it is better to be weighed at the same time of the day and in the same clothes (or without it).
Tip #2: Join a support group
The support of colleagues, friends and family during your diet is very important. Their support will help you stick to your diet and lose weight. You can contact the support team in order not to abandon your diet.
Think who of your friends would like to lose weight too. In most cases, it is much easier for people to lose weight together in a group.
You can find a support group or online support group, where people come together each week or month to discuss their achievements.
Tip #3: Praise yourself for achievements
Create some rewards for the achievement of some small goals, this reward will motivate you to move on. Let it be something interesting that you want to get a long time. Here are some ideas for a reward:
Buy a couple of new things or new shoes.
Have fun playing golf or other active play.
Sign up for a massage or other spa treatments.
How to change your habits
Tip #1: Keep a food diary
Keep a record of what foods and meals and how much you’ve eaten for the day – thus you can control yourself. Moreover, people who have food diaries lose weight much faster and for a long time than those who do not have such diaries.
To keep a food diary, you can buy a notebook, and you can download the app to your smartphone. Try to spend some time keeping records every day. Remember that you have to do this in order to stick to your diet and control yourself.
Tip #2: Have a rest
A normal night’s sleep should constitute 7-9 hours. Only in this case you will be able to look after your health and well-being. Keep in mind that healthy sleep plays an important role in the process of losing weight. Studies show that people who sleep less than six hours a day (or not sleeping at all) weigh more than those who normally get enough sleep.
Start going to bed earlier. If you get up early in the morning, try to go to bed early to increase the total sleep time.
In order to sleep more and have normal sleep, turn off all gadgets (including computer and phone).
Tip #3: Try to be more active
It means all daily activities – walking up the stairs, the way to and from work / school and home. This type of activity does not particularly help burn calories, but it is important to maintain weight.
Despite the fact that it is possible to lose weight without training at gyms, it is recommended nevertheless to be more active. Improve your daily activity (which has already been mentioned above). You will notice not only weight loss but also improve the mood and get a burst of energy.
Try to gradually increase your daily activity. For beginners – try walking up the stairs instead of the elevator and during commercials on TV go do something around the house.
Attend physical activity events, which include any activity. It can be golf, swimming, or just a picnic in the park with friends, where you will be able to play outdoors.
Recommendations
The essence of the weight loss process is to burn more calories than you consume. But it is very important to get those calories from a balanced diet. It should include optimal amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to make the body receive all necessary substances for the life.
Always carry a bottle of water. Thus, you will drink water throughout the day, and it will turn into the habit.
Don’t skip breakfast! Breakfast is charging you in the morning and gives strength for the day, triggering metabolic processes in your body.
Warnings
Do not refuse meals, especially breakfasts! You might think that the refusal of meals will help lose weight, because you reduce your calorie intake, but, in fact, the effect will be the opposite. Fasting is unhealthy and leads to weight gain in the long run, rather than reducing it.
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