When it comes to nutrition and, more specifically, losing weight, every news is welcome! But the problem is that not everything you hear / read around is proven.
You may have heard, for example, about different types of diets that promise significant weight loss within a few days; about various foods that help in the weight loss process etc. But, after all, what to take into account?
Far from the fad diets? and advice? What happens by word of mouth among lay people on the subject, there are some guidelines (scientifically proven and recognized by professionals in the field) that can help a person lose weight. This is what you see in the list below.
1. Drink water
One study found that drinking water can increase metabolism by 24 to 30 percent, helping a person burn calories.
Functional nutritionist Helouse Odebrecht explains that water participates in many metabolic pathways associated with the weight loss process. "Among them, we can mention the promotion of oxygen for energy generation and lipolysis (fat burning)," he says.
Also read: Coffee: How much can I take per day?
Often the body is asking for water and the individual confuses this feeling hungry or craving for food. In this situation, the lack of a hydration schedule throughout the day can interfere with the weight loss process ?, he adds.
Helouse further explains that water also has the function of assisting the elimination of toxins through the urine. "A dehydrated body tends to concentrate this urine and not eliminate toxins, so it can stimulate the body to accumulate more body fat," he says.
Some standardized calculations can help the individual to know their daily amount of water needed. "One is the calculation of 35ml of water per kg of weight per day, being adjustable for those who are very overweight," explains the nutritionist.
Helouse stresses that drinking water throughout the day is very important. But specific times or strategies are not scientifically elucidated yet. That is, drinking water half an hour before meals, for example, can be a good hydration practice, but there is no specific reason for it. We understand that water can stimulate absorptive processes and improve the digestibility of food. So in this case this practice can be very beneficial to aid in the digestibility of food ?, highlights.
2. Eat egg in the morning
One study showed that eating breakfast egg causes more satiety, significantly reducing the intake of other foods throughout the day? which consequently helps in weight loss.
Also read: 100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories
Helouse points out that the egg is a very complete food, rich in vitamins, minerals, excellent source of amino acids (protein) and good fats. "It is already considered as a superfood and studies associate the consumption of eggs (with yolks) with the improvement of good cholesterol, HDL, in the treatment of obesity or weight loss process, because it is an excellent source of protein and ensures satiety," he says. .
Yolk, formerly in the history of Nutrition, was considered a villain in healthy diets. "Today, after a lot of scientific research, is considered very important because it is an excellent source of vitamin E, antioxidant, also very important in the general diet and weight loss process," says the nutritionist.
According to Helouse, for breakfast, eggs add protein early in the day. Or do they replace other sources of protein that are sometimes not as good as sausages (ham, turkey breast)? rich in preservatives, dyes and other chemical additives, also associated with overweight and obesity ?, says.
However, warns the nutritionist, egg preparation has to be healthy. • They should be made cooked, scrambled without fat, grilled, poached, without using fried foods. Incrementing with natural spices such as oregano, parsley, chives, pepper, saffron is also very welcome ?, he explains.
3. Drink Coffee
Several studies indicate that coffee consumption contributes to weight loss. This is because the caffeine present in the drink causes it to have a thermogenic action, increasing caloric expenditure. In addition, the substance also contributes to fat burning ?, explains Helouse.
Read also: 11 Proven Benefits of Avocado
The recommended use of coffee, according to the nutritionist, is 3 to 4 cups of 50ml per day. "Importantly, this action can be harmed if coffee is consumed with sugar," he warns.
4. Have Green Tea
Currently, several studies have evaluated the fact that green tea can help a person lose weight.
Helouse points out that tea is a widely used drink, second only to water as the most consumed beverage in the world. ? Green tea, the most studied of teas, is rich in polyphenols, especially catechins. Among a variety of beneficial health effects attributed to green tea consumption, great attention has been focused on its effect on reducing body fat ?, he says.
Also according to the nutritionist, Epigallocatechin Galate is the main bioactive compound present in green tea and its anti-obesity effects are being investigated. Such effects are associated with various biochemical and physiological mechanisms. Among them, one can highlight the stimulation of lipid metabolism by combining catechin intake and the practice of regular exercise ?, he says.
"Despite the promising effect of green tea and its bioactive compounds on obesity treatment, studies have yet to go further," says Helouse.
Also read: 11 Amazing Reasons For You To Drink More Water
5. Consume Coconut Oil
Helouse explains that coconut oil is a short-chain saturated fat that is harnessed by intestinal cells and does not go the same way as animal saturated fats. "Not being thus considered harmful to health," he says.
Studies on its consumption and weight loss are not conclusive, according to the nutritionist. "But understanding that it is a fat, consumed in optimal amounts, can also work satiety and lessen the compulsion," he says.
Its antifungal benefit, Helouse adds, is well presented in the studies and is a very interesting ally of candida treatment.
The nutritionist points out that coconut oil can be used in preparations such as cakes, pies, breads, on top of fruits or even in capsule. "The recommendation of the studies is about 2 tablespoons a day for benefits," he says.
6. Reduce Refined Carbohydrate Consumption
These types of carbohydrates are considered as high glycemic index products. ? That is, do they have the ability to rapidly increase blood glucose (sugar) and thus increase insulin production? is an anabolic hormone that tends to store fat in this situation ?, explains Helouse.
"Not forgetting that these foods are generally associated with others and become highly caloric and non-nutritious foods, since they were refined and lost in the process, many nutrients," adds the nutritionist.
One study found that rapid absorption of glucose after eating high-glycemic index meals (such as refined carbohydrates) induces a few hours later hunger, a desire to eat and, consequently, increased food intake. .
7. Eat Fiber
Helouse explains that fibers help to lose weight in the first place because they promote a feeling of satiety by their power to expand within the body, always when in contact with water or liquids.
In addition to this function, the fibers act as a stimulus to good bowel function, causing toxins, byproducts of diet and metabolism to be eliminated through the feces. A stopped bowel allows the absorption of these toxins and hormones that are associated with weight gain through altered metabolism and also associated with increased risk of diseases such as bowel cancer and breast cancer, among others, explains the nutritionist.
Thus, Helouse guides, ingesting fiber is important not only in the process of weight loss, but also in the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, cholesterol and increased triglycerides and hypertension.
8. Eat fruits and vegetables
Does this food group, Helouse explains, offer very important nutrients? which are vitamins, minerals and fiber. "Many of these nutrients act directly on the formation of enzymes and hormones linked to the process of weight loss or weight maintenance," he says.
Because they are rich in fiber and have a good amount of water, these foods also help in the process of compulsion and satiety. "They are still low calorie and nutritious foods," adds the nutritionist.
9. Eat in smaller dishes
One study found that using smaller plates and cutlery, one tends to eat less.
10. Chew slowly
Some studies show that chewing slower can help a person eat less and increase the production of hormones linked to weight loss.
Helouse points out that this measure is important, not only for those who want to lose weight, but for everyone. • Chewing is very important for you to preserve good digestion and complete absorption of nutrients, since in the mouth we have already begun to digest some nutrients. Wrapping the food with saliva also helps sterilize this food ?, he says.
"In the process of weight loss, chewing works with the axis of satiety, which reflects information to the brain, thus reducing the compulsion and extra food consumption," he says.
11. Do not drink sugar-sweetened drinks.
One study points out that beverages are contributing significantly to the increased calorie consumption of a diet.
The attention in this case is to sodas, industrialized fruit juices or even natural (but sweetened with sugar) fruit juice.
12. Use Whey Protein
One study showed that replacing part of calories with Whey Protein (whey protein) can aid in weight loss and increase lean muscle mass.
It is noteworthy, however, that Whey's consumption should always be directed by a nutritionist or doctor so that it can actually provide good results.
13. Sleep well
A lot of people don't believe it, but sleeping well is as important as physical activity and eating in a balanced way.
Studies show that lack of adequate sleep is one of the biggest risk factors for obesity.
14. Do bodybuilding
To prevent muscle loss during a weight loss process, bodybuilding is very important. In addition, studies show that weightlifting helps keep metabolism active, significantly aiding weight loss.
15. Do Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic exercise is a great way to burn calories and improve a person's physical and mental health. They are particularly effective in losing visceral fat, according to one study.
16. Don't Diet, Eat Healthy
One of the problems of sticking to? Diets? is that they almost never work in the long run. Many people who resort to heavy dietary restrictions to lose weight end up getting fat again (and sometimes gaining even more weight than they previously had).
To achieve safe and effective results, the ideal is to "learn to eat correctly". Therefore, the help of a nutritionist is essential in a healthy weight loss process.
The surefire formula to lose weight
Helouse points out that healthy eating and physical activity are supporting in the process of weight loss, one complete the other. Physical activity promotes caloric expenditure or increased metabolism by increasing lean mass and thus stimulates weight loss. A healthy and adequate diet for each age, weight and goal is extremely necessary for this process to occur in a healthy and safe way ?, he says.
Why not adhere to the fad diets?
One of the risks of adhering to? Fad diets? ? that usually promise faster weight loss? is that they are not individualized at all. "They completely disregard all the biochemistry and physiology of the individual, disregarding blood tests, disease, family history," says Helouse.
These diets, according to the nutritionist, propose weight loss through malnutrition of the body, ie lack of any nutrient, without any balance, and can be very harmful to health. ? The big problem is that when the person reaches the end, they do not know how to continue and most of the time ends up returning to the initial weight or even higher than the initial, due to nutritional imbalance and possible consumption of muscle mass occurred in the body. period of the radical diet ?, he says.
Still according to the nutritionist, there are minor risks such as decreased immunity, hair loss, lack of disposition, weakness, poor skin and nails. "As well as more important risks such as enzymatic deficiencies, hormones, changes in the central nervous system, all associated with nutritional imbalance," he says.
Psychologist Luciana Kotaka, specialist in Obesity and Eating Disorders, coauthor of the books? Slim Behavior with Health and Pleasure? and? Slim Stomach vs. Fat Thinking? points out that? dieting? It is counterproductive. • People lose weight at first, but then recover later leading to the famous weight regain. The risks are diverse, but the most serious are eating disorders that have been growing alarmingly among teenagers and adults. Diseases such as anorexia, bulimia, compulsion, orthorexia, pregorexia are some common examples today ?, he says.
The psychologist adds that the? Accordion effect? It also affects the emotional "due to the feeling of helplessness, discouragement, depression and low self-esteem that these people develop and / or becomes accentuated".
The nutritionist Helouse points out that an adequate diet plan associated with regular practice of physical activity is the main tool for the prevention of obesity and its comorbidities (association of at least two pathologies in the same patient).
How to lose weight: the psychological side
Not everyone knows, but controlling anxiety in a weight loss process is very important.
The psychologist Luciana explains that it is normal to have a degree of anxiety, "but when it becomes pathological, it can influence the eating pattern of many people, leading to increased food consumption as a way to slow down the bad feeling you are feeling."
This way, adds Luciana, if a person is very anxious, they will not be able to control their desire to eat, with the heavier and heavier foods being the main target (such as carbohydrates and fats).
The psychologist gives some tips on how to act in these very anxious cases:
- It is important for the person to seek help from a psychologist and, in many cases, even a psychiatrist who specializes in obesity and eating disorders, to be properly treated.
- Physical activity, yoga, acupuncture greatly help to decrease anxiety. Each person will respond in a way, so it is important to allow yourself to experiment.
Want to lose weight: How healthy is it?
Unfortunately, some people end up becoming? Obsessed? with the idea of losing weight? which, of course, is not healthy either.
Luciana points out that the line between health and obsession is very thin. A significant portion of treatment seekers have very serious body image distortion. "As they cannot visualize the body as it really looks, they set out on a frantic search for the" perfect body "without measuring the medium and long term consequences," he says.
Ideally, the psychologist adds, the person who wants to lose weight seeks a professional nutritionist who prescribes a proper diet; If you work in therapy your ideal of beauty, in what is possible or not, the beliefs you have built about the ideal body, so as not to fall in the risk of moving from health to disease.
Each person reacts in a way to the dietary changes, says Luciana. The ideal is always to focus on gradual change, respecting your time, your metabolism, doing your best without suffering. If you change your habits, do a physical activity, consequently lose weight ?, says.
Luciana points out that it is healthy to want a body with a "better contour", seeking to have health above all. "But when you start living around weight, it starts to become an obsession, as in the case of orthorexia." where only organic foods, grains, vegetables and legumes are consumed; all products need to be screened by the consumer; making these people move away from family, friends and social events because they can't feed themselves out of this context ?, he says.
"Every person who weighs themselves daily, thinks about food all the time, only reads articles about diets, starts to get sick because they can no longer focus on other things?" As if to be happy you had to be thin? Comments Luciana.
The psychologist adds that many people still fail to go out with friends, go to the beach, even having beautiful bodies, why not? a tummy and deprive themselves of these pleasures. "The limit between healthy or unhealthy is the way a person conducts his life, whether or not he is overweight," he concludes.
Now you have good information if you want to lose weight. But remember that the most appropriate way is to look for a nutritionist to follow a personalized diet. Also remember that controlling anxiety is very important in this process.
Have real expectations about weight loss and patience, after all, safe results are gradually achieved.
Why You’re Not Losing Fat (4 HIDDEN Mistakes You Don’t Realize You’re Making) (April 2024)
- Food, Diets, Weight Loss
- 1,230
