There are many ways to lose weight fast.They differ:
- degree of damage to health;
- "parts of the body" that cause weight loss;
- the amount of willpower required to maintain your 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 the RISKS associated with it
To avoid disappointment from the unwarranted fascination with the title of this article, let's get straight to the point.
First, extremely rapid weight loss ALWAYS poses health risks.By super-fast, we mean, for example, tens of kilograms per week.
Secondly, not everything that we mean by weight loss is related to the reduction of fat ballast in the body.
The most common question is "how to lose weight quickly?"is understood as "seeing a different number on the scale in a short time (usually a few days) or fitting into the smaller pants/dresses of youth".
Body weight and the circumference of its individual parts may change due to at least the following reasons when losing weight:
- reduce the amount of fat in the body;
- destruction of muscle mass;
- reduction of muscle cell volume;
- removal of 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) can be done by removing excess fluid from the body, for example, with the help of diuretics, which are actively used by professional athletes to dry the body.
The price of emission is the risk of serious side effects, including death.Diuretics belong to one of the most dangerous sports chemicals.
Currently in fashion, the detox diet also belongs to the class of diets designed for rapid weight loss.This is one of the reasons for its popularity.
But what causes weight change on this diet?Due to the same loss of fluid from the body, the destruction of muscle cells due to an almost complete lack of protein in the diet and a decrease in their size, due to the reduction of glycogen reserves in the muscles, which "bind" water.
The same applies to losing weight with laxatives: using them increases the amount of fluid removed from the body.
We have provided three really effective examples of very fast weight loss.Their main feature isthe effect is very short-lived, the percentage of fat does not change and there are huge risks of harm to health: the weight returns to normal within a few days as soon as you stop the diet.
So, with all of the above in mind, 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 highly related to the individual parameters of the body.A person weighing 150 kg and 40% body fat can tell you how he lost 7 kg in a week, but you at 65 kg and 15% body fat can achieve 7 kg in only six months, following the same methodology...
Therefore.
Next, we will introduce you to scientifically based principles of proper weight loss, according to which you can lose weight as quickly as possible, taking into account your individual characteristics.In this case, our recommendations will help:
- does not harm your health, but improves it;
- maintain muscle mass and even increase it;
- create a life rhythm for yourself that you can stick to permanently.
Certain methods of extremely fast weight loss are associated with huge health risks.In addition, they do not burn fat, but only remove water from the body
How to lose weight quickly and without harming health?Main principles
1. Reduce your 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 persistently try to prove to us that we do not exercise enough...
Most often, it is the manufacturers of unhealthy food products that promote a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on the need to be physically active.Thus, they divert our attention from the real cause of obesity - their products.
When studying African tribes that spend the whole day in motion, scientists found that the level of energy consumption of their representatives does not differ much from the level of office workers in developed countries.
This is not to say that Africans do not move much.No.
Simplythe amount of calories burned during physical movements is very small, only around ~20% of daily energy expenditure: if hunters from Africa spend, say, around 500 Cal during the day (only in motion), then an office worker around 200 Cal.The difference of a few hundred calories is negligible.
So, the main rule of slimming is as follows: the body begins to burn fat when we eat fewer calories with food than are necessary to maintain life processes.This is the so-called calorie deficit.
With some caveats, the following statement is true:The greater 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 limit -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. Exclude carbohydrates from the 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, keep in mind that all desserts go entirely to fat.
When the level of insulin in the body is low, conditions are created for the active use of fat for energy..To achieve this, you simply need to eat less carbohydrates.
Most 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 earlier is activated: the kidneys remove excess sodium from the body, which binds water.What does it affect?The thickness of the skin fold decreases.
The action of diuretics used by professional athletes to dry the body is based on this principle: these drugs also excrete sodium and allow very lean muscle relief to be achieved.
Although diuretics carry a high risk of very serious side effects, carbohydrate restriction does not, as the body only gets rid ofredundantsodium
Just remove carbohydrates from your diet and you will lose weight quickly;At the same time, the appetite will decrease and the thickness of the skin fold will decrease
3. Eat more protein, healthy fats and fiber
So, we have 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 include 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 to make precise calculations using formulas and calculators, as well as a sufficient supply of vitamins and minerals.
Eating 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.
- Protein foods fill you up better, reducing your appetite and cravings during the day.We talked about it in the materials about the benefits of cottage cheese and eggs for weight loss.
- Protein prevents the breakdown of muscle mass on 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 fills the stomach and keeps you feeling full, and is very low in calories.You can eat them in any quantity without fear of gaining weight.This is your 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;
- Cucumbers;
- Celery.
Fat
When we exclude carbohydrates from the diet, which are the primary source of energy in the body, it is important to increase the intake of another source of energy provided by nature - fat.
Recommended healthy fats:
- olive oil;
- linseed oil;
- coconut oil;
- avocado;
- butter;
- nuts.
Include the following types of fat at every meal and don't be afraid to gain weight:Restricting carbohydrates and fats while dieting is a recipe for failure, because you will not get enough energy and therefore will not be able to follow the described diet for a long time.
Build protein, non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats at every meal.
4. Exercise to boost your metabolism
No, you don't have to run.In additionRunning is not the most effective sport for weight loss, as is commonly believed.
In general, if you compare proper nutrition and exercise, the former, as shown above, is much more important for weight loss.
-What are the best sports for quick weight loss?
Those in whichthe rate of internal metabolism is maximally activated.
In principle, any physical activity is beneficial, but the most effective for weight loss are high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training.They significantly stimulate the internal metabolic rate, which decreases with weight loss.
The stimulated metabolic state during both interval training and 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 into fat.
The higher your internal metabolic rate, the faster you will lose weight;High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and strength training boost metabolism for up to 2 days
Does counting calories make sense when losing weight?
No.
It's important to understand what foods you can and should avoid: lean protein, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables, and try to limit simple carbohydrates.
Sugar and fructose are particularly harmful to weight loss.They carry not only "empty" calories, but also cause changes in the body at the hormonal level, which provokes overeating and causes a huge number of diseases.
There is one fasting day per week
Fanaticism is rarely good.Now that we have figured out how to lose weight fast, it is important to realize that infrequent indulgences will not harm you.
Following any diet, especially in the beginning when your usual lifestyle changes,You can give yourself one "fast" daywhen you can eat more carbs and familiar foods.Without 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 your food choices.
When it comes to carbohydrates, satisfy your appetite with whole natural foods: oatmeal, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit.
And it is better to do it no more than once a week.The more often, the less rapid the weight loss process will be.
It is important to understand:A cheat day is allowed when losing weight, but it is by no means necessary..During this time, your weight may increase slightly, but mainly due to fluid, which will "disappear" in 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?
Following the low-carb 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.
One scientific experiment showed that a low-carbohydrate diet (~50 g per day)helps to lose weight much fasterthan a low-fat diet (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.
Interestingly, in the experiment, the women on the low-carb diet were allowed to eat as much of the other allowed foods as they wanted.Those.they didn't have to contend with the debilitating feeling of hunger.But as a result, the calorie content of their food decreased by about 500 calories per day compared to normal.
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.
Check out the chart below: it's a good example of how quickly you can lose weight just by eating less carbs.
How fast can you lose weight by limiting carbohydrates in your diet: vertical axis is body weight, horizontal axis is time in weeks;The bottom graph is the rate of weight loss on a low-carb diet, while the top graph is the rate of weight loss on a low-fat diet.
In the first few weeks, you may feel low on energy as your body needs time to adjust from using carbohydrates as an energy source to fat.
After that, your well-being will improve significantly, as well as your health.
Scientists say that a low-carb 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 weight loss is 1-4 kg per week