There are many ways to lose weight fast.They differ:
- the degree of damage to health;
- "body parts" that cause weight loss;
- the necessary amount of willpower to maintain the chosen weight loss strategy.
Below, we look at the 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 the associated RISKS
In order to avoid disappointment due to undue fascination with the title of this article, let's sober up immediately.
First of all, there are ALWAYS health risks associated with losing weight extremely quickly.By super-fast, for example, we mean several tens of kilograms per week.
Second, not everything we mean by weight loss is about reducing the fat ballast in the body.
The most common question is "how to lose weight fast?"it means "seeing a different number on the scale within a short period of time (usually a few days) or fitting into the smaller pants/dresses of youth".
Body weight and the circumference of some of its parts may change during weight loss due to at least the following:
- reduces the amount of fat in the body;
- destruction of muscle mass;
- reducing the volume of muscle cells;
- removal of fluid from the subcutaneous layers.
Which of the following methods is right for you?
"Lose weight" very quickly(in the sense of reading the scale) can be done by removing excess fluid from the body, for example, with the help of diuretics, which are actively used by professional athletes when drying the body.
The price of release is the risk of serious side effects, including death.Diuretics belong to one of the most dangerous classes of sports chemicals.
The currently fashionable detox diet also 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?The same loss of fluid in the body, the destruction of muscle cells due to the almost complete lack of protein in the diet, and a decrease in their size due to a decrease in muscle glycogen reserves, which "binds" 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 really working examples of very fast weight loss.Their main characteristic isthe effect lasts for a very short time, the fat percentage does not change, and the risk of health damage is enormous: Your weight will return to normal within a few days as soon as you stop dieting.
So based on the above, it is important to understand the following:losing weight quickly (say 10 kg in a week) is almost impossible due to the fat mass.
In addition, the rate of weight loss is strongly linked to the unique parameters of the body.A 150 kg person with 40% body fat can tell you how he lost 7 kg in a week, but for you at 65 kg and 15% body fat, 7 kg can only be achieved in six months, following the same method...
Therefore.
Below, we will introduce you to the scientifically based principles of correct weight loss, by following which you can lose weight as quickly as possible, taking into account your individual characteristics.In this case, our recommendations will help:
- do not harm your health, but improve it;
- maintain muscle mass and even increase it;
- create a rhythm of life for yourself that you can constantly stick to.
The well-known methods of extremely fast weight loss involve enormous health risks.Moreover, they do not burn fat, but only remove water from the body
How can you lose weight quickly and without damaging your health?Main principles
1. Reduce your calorie intake
Losing weight should always start with this.
According to scientists, too many calories are the most important cause of obesity in our society.But they persistently try to prove to us that we exercise too little...
Most often, manufacturers of unhealthy foods promote a healthy lifestyle, especially with regard to the need for physical activity.This is how they divert our attention from the real cause of obesity - their products.
During the study of African tribes that spend the whole day in motion, scientists found that the level of energy consumption of their representatives is not much different from that of office workers in developed countries.
This does not mean that Africans do not exercise a lot.Not.
Onlythe amount of calories burned during physical movements is very small, the daily energy consumption is only approx.20%: if the African hunters say approx.500 cal are spent during the day (only for movement), then an office worker approx.200 cal.The difference of a few hundred calories is negligible.
The main rule of losing weight is the following: the body starts burning fat when we eat fewer calories from food than are necessary to maintain life processes.This is called a calorie deficit.
The following statement is true with some reservations:The bigger the calorie deficit, the faster you will lose weight.
Main disclaimer:The greater the calorie deficit, the greater the risk of health problems.
Recommended calorie restriction -300-500 Calfrom basal metabolism.
The first rule of weight loss: reduce the number of calories you eat;The bigger 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, whose task is to regulate blood sugar levels.It does this by moving excess glucose to storage: glycogen and fat.
If you do not lead an active lifestyle, note that all desserts are full of fat.
If the body's insulin level is low, the conditions for the active energy use of fats are created..To achieve this, you simply 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.
In the case of low insulin levels, another weight-reducing mechanism mentioned at the beginning also comes into play: the kidneys remove excess sodium from the body, which binds water.What does this affect?The thickness of the skin fold decreases.
Diuretics used by professional athletes to dehydrate the body are based on this principle: these drugs also remove sodium and allow very lean muscle relief.
While diuretics carry a high risk of very serious side effects, carbohydrate restriction carries no risk as the body only gets rid ofexcesssodium
Simply remove carbohydrates from your diet and you will lose weight quickly;At the same time, the appetite decreases and the thickness of the skin fold decreases
3. Eat more protein, healthy fats and fiber
So, we figured out the main principle of rapid weight loss.
The next step is to maintain muscle mass and avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Each meal should consist of protein, healthy fats, and low-carb vegetables.This combination provides the necessary 20-50 g of carbohydrates for rapid weight loss without the need for precise calculations with formulas and calculators, as well as sufficient vitamins and minerals.
Consuming protein is very important for weight loss for several reasons:
- Protein has a thermogenic effect, i.e. it increases the rate of internal metabolism by 80-100 calories.A little, but still.
- Foods containing protein fill you up better, reduce your appetite and the desire to snack during the day.We talked about this in the materials about the weight loss benefits of cottage cheese and eggs.
- Protein prevents the breakdown of muscle mass during a low-calorie diet.
Protein sources:
- Meat (lean parts): beef, chicken, pork, lamb;
- Fish and seafood: salmon, trout, shrimp, lobster;
- Eggs and dairy products.
Vegetables
Vegetables are a natural source of vitamins and minerals, they are also high in fiber and water, which fill the stomach, fill you up, and are very low in calories.You can eat them in any quantity without fear of gaining weight.This is the secret to avoiding 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 primary 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 fat in every meal and don't be afraid to gain weight:Limiting carbohydrates and fats while dieting is a recipe for failure, as he does not get enough energy, so he will not be able to follow the described diet 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.In additionRunning is not the most effective sport for losing weight, as is commonly believed.
In general, if we compare proper diet and exercise, the former, as shown above, is more important for weight loss.
-What are the best sports to lose weight fast?
Those in whichthe rate of internal metabolism is maximally activated.
In principle, all physical activity is beneficial, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training are the most effective for weight loss.They significantly stimulate the rate of internal metabolism, which decreases when losing weight.
The state of stimulated metabolism can last up to 2 days during both interval training and strength training.
According to scientific data, metabolism accounts for approximately 70% of daily calories: the higher the metabolism, the more calories you burn.
In addition, training helps to strengthen and increase muscle mass: the greater the muscle mass, the more calories are needed to maintain it, the less it turns into fat.
The higher your internal metabolic rate, the faster you will lose weight;High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and strength training boost your metabolism for up to 2 days
Does it make sense to count calories when losing weight?
Not.
It is important to understand which foods can be eaten 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.Not only do they carry "empty" calories, but they also cause hormonal changes in the body that lead to overeating and many diseases.
Have one fasting day a week
Fanaticism is rarely beneficial.Now that we have figured out how to lose weight fast, it is important to realize that infrequent indulgences do not harm us.
During any diet, especially at the beginning when your usual lifestyle changes,You can give yourself a "fast" daywhen you can eat more carbohydrates and familiar foods.Without fanaticism, of course.
Such a day is usually called a "cheat meal" day from the English word "cheat meal" - "cheat with food".
Always try to stay as healthy as possible in the foods you choose.
As for carbohydrates, satisfy your appetite with whole foods: oatmeal, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit.
And it is better to do this no more than once a week.The more often, the less fast the weight loss process will be.
It is important to understand:A cheat meal day is allowed while dieting, but it is by no means necessary..During this time, your weight may increase slightly, but mainly because of the fluid that "passes" in the following days.
During dieting, one fasting day per week is allowed, when you can eat more carbohydrates and regular foods.
How fast can you lose weight?
On the low-carbohydrate diet described aboveyou can lose about 1-4 kg per week, sometimes more, sometimes less.
The more overweight you areand the fewer attempts to lose weight in the past,the faster you will lose weight.
A scientific experiment showed that a low-carbohydrate diet (~50 g per day)helps you lose weight much fasterlike a low-fat diet (30% of total calories).Over 6 months, obese women lost an average of 8 kg on a low-carbohydrate diet and 4 kg on a low-fat diet.
What is interesting is that during the experiment, the women who ate few carbohydrates ate as much of the allowed food as they wanted.Those.they didn't have to deal with the debilitating feeling of hunger.But as a result, the daily calorie content of their food was reduced by about 500 calories compared to normal.
The "eat as much as you want" principle is the basis of the Dukan protein diet.But carbohydrates are excluded from the list of permitted foods.
Check out the graph below to see how quickly you can lose weight simply by eating fewer carbs.
How fast can you lose weight by restricting carbohydrates in your diet: the vertical axis is body weight, the horizontal axis is time in weeks;The lower graph shows the rate of weight loss with a low-carbohydrate diet, and the upper graph with a low-fat diet.
During the first few weeks, you may feel low on energy as your body needs time to switch from using carbohydrates as an energy source to fat.
After this, your well-being will improve significantly, as will your health.
According to scientists, a low-carbohydrate diet improves blood sugar levels, lowers bad cholesterol and increases 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