There is no magic formula for losing weight: to shed a few extra pounds, you have to change your diet and carry out activities that allow you to burn calories. As for the diet, keep in mind that nowadays there are many diets, from the ketogenic one to the paleo one up to the Whole 30 diet. to vegetables, fruits and lean protein sources. For the new eating style to be sustainable, you need to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity every week, whether it's cardiovascular exercise, high-intensity interval training, or weight lifting. When combined, proper nutrition and exercise will help you lose weight in no time. You will get back in shape, feel good and gain self-confidence!
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Prepare Nutritious and Low Calorie Dishes
Step 1. Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables at each meal
Vegetables should make up the bulk of your diet because they are low-calorie and contain many essential nutrients for staying healthy. Many experts recommend at least 4 servings of vegetables a day, but if you want to lose weight, you should eat more. By consuming a generous portion of non-starchy vegetables with each meal, you will feel full without overeating.
Non-starchy vegetables include cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, lettuce, asparagus and other delicious vegetables that you can prepare in a variety of ways, thus avoiding getting bored
Step 2. Include a serving of lean protein sources in each meal
Lean protein sources include chicken and eggs, white fish (such as salmon and tuna), some cuts of beef, and legumes. Protein promotes weight loss because it helps the body build muscle mass and accelerates metabolism.
- A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is this: A single serving of meat is about the same size as the palm of a hand.
- If you don't eat meat, there are many even healthier plant-based alternatives! Look for them in the refrigerated counter and among the frozen foods in the supermarket.
Step 3. Replace refined carbohydrates with whole grains and fiber
Several studies show that if you want to lose weight faster, you need to follow a low-carbohydrate diet. However, instead of eliminating them all indiscriminately, you exclude refined ones and processed sugars; therefore opt for whole grains and fiber. This food category should make up one of the two smallest parts of each meal, which is a portion or about 1/4 of the plate.
- Healthy carbohydrates are found in fruits, legumes (including chickpeas, lentils, and black beans), whole grains (such as oats, brown rice, quinoa, bread and wholemeal pasta), and starchy vegetables.
- Calculate portions based on the type of carbohydrates. Read the nutrition label on the food packaging and weigh them properly before eating.
Step 4. Opt for low calorie sauces and dressings
The dips you use to flavor your favorite foods are often a sneaky form under which you consume calories and carbohydrates. One tablespoon of mayonnaise, for example, can contain up to 90 calories! So, choose low-calorie products to flavor your dishes.
You can also season them with herbs and spices, which naturally contain fewer calories and are tastier
Step 5. Indulge in some nutritious snacks between meals
In the context of a nutritious diet it is possible to have a snack from time to time that helps to lose weight by inhibiting hunger and the desire to swallow everything. So, make sure you choose foods that satisfy you, but are nutrient-rich and low-calorie at the same time.
- Here's how to have a healthy and satisfying snack: a medium-sized fruit, such as a banana or an apple; one serving (30 g) of nuts; a bag of carrots and celery with hummus; raw ham.
- In the supermarket you can find many snacks in 100 calorie packs. Stock up and keep a couple on hand in case you get hungry later in the day.
Part 2 of 5: Reducing Calories In The Form Of Liquids
Step 1. Stop drinking sodas, fruit juices, alcohol and other high calorie drinks
One of the simplest ways to reduce your daily calorie intake is to start eliminating drinks other than water, because we often forget or don't know how many calories they contain. To lose weight quickly, you will need to eliminate them from your daily diet.
Step 2. Drink 8 to 13 glasses of water per day
Water helps you lose weight because it fills the stomach and reduces appetite without providing hidden calories. Aim to drink around 8-13 glasses a day.
Contrary to popular belief, water retention and abdominal bloating from water depend on not getting enough fluids
Step 3. Buy a tasty drink that is low in calories
If you have a hard time drinking just water, you can opt for other liquids, but make sure they are low-calorie and low in sugar or carbohydrates. Coffee and tea are a great choice as they are mainly composed of water. If you don't like them, make a sugar-free lemonade, opt for a sports drink, or try flavored water.
Part 3 of 5: Adopting Healthier Eating Habits to Lose Weight
Step 1. Keep a food diary to track what you eat
Dietitian may be an expensive and sometimes hard to find solution, but you can use a smartphone site or application to get the same results for free. A special application, in fact, allows you to enter what you eat by specifying the quantity in order to inform you about the daily intake of calories and other nutrients. Having this data, you can control your eating style and set more concrete goals for weight loss.
- As you enter what you consume, try to see what times of day you eat the most, the foods you get the most calories from, and how many nutrients your favorite dishes contain. This information is essential for reviewing your meal plan.
- Some great apps to try are MyFitnessPal, Yazio, and Lifesum. You can find them (along with many others) in the Apple App Store and on Google Play and install them for free.
Step 2. Try intermittent fasting
Instead of having 3 large meals during the day, try to eat it all within 8-10 hours, then fast until the next day. Choose a time window - for example, 11am to 7pm or 9pm - and eat in that interval. Outside of these hours, only drink water or calorie-free drinks.
- Studies have shown that intermittent fasting can speed up metabolism and increase body fat loss when combined with regular exercise.
- To get started easily, choose a couple of days a week to fast, then increase the number of days until you can fast intermittently throughout the week.
Step 3. Eat heavier meals early in the day and decrease portions towards the evening
Foods contain the same number of calories before and after 8pm, but you are unlikely to be able to exercise at night or just before bed. Instead of having a frugal breakfast ending the day with a sumptuous dinner, eat more in the morning and at lunch, avoiding overdoing it at dinner. This way, you can work off the calories consumed during the first two meals throughout the day.
If your schedule doesn't allow it, you can also try to eat less but more often, rather than having three meals a day. Basically, you should eat enough to keep yourself full, but don't overdo it because you're hungry, which can happen when you're on an empty stomach
Step 4. Give yourself a little break from the rule to avoid stressing yourself
It can be difficult to eliminate several foods at once, especially if it prevents you from eating the ones you prefer. So, once or twice a week treat yourself to something you've taken off your diet, like a serving of ice cream or a glass of wine. In this way, you will be able to tenderly control the uncontrolled desire for food, avoiding the risk of compulsive eating.
There are healthier versions of junk foods (like ice cream, cookies, chips, or wine). Often, you find them on the shelves next to consumer products. If not, you can order them on the Internet and have them delivered directly to your home
Part 4 of 5: Doing Aerobic Exercise
Step 1. Start with about 30 minutes of aerobic activity per day
In addition to changing your diet, you need to do cardiovascular training. Cardio exercises are those that, by increasing the heart rate, accelerate metabolism and allow you to burn fat. Jogging, running, swimming, biking, and the rowing machine are great to start with if you've never done much cardiovascular training before.
Try to choose a moderate intensity sport. You need to feel your breath shorten, sweat and increase your heart rate
Calculate your THRZ (Target Heart Rate Zone):
The THRZ, or target heart rate zone, is between 60% and 90% of your maximum heart rate. First, calculate your maximum heart rate with this simple subtraction: 220 - your age. Then, multiply the result by 0, 6, or 0, 9 to find your target minimum and maximum heart rate.
Step 2. Practice High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
This is a great way to shed more fat in a single training session. This type of training involves increasing your heart rate for a short period of time, taking a break, then increasing your heart rate again.
Turn 1-2 cardio sessions per week into high-intensity interval training. The combination of HIIT and cardiovascular activity (for example, 30 minutes of jogging) allows you to lose a lot of weight
Try training in the following way:
• Take a sprint for 1 minute and then jog for 2 minutes. Repeat 4 more times.
• Perform 45 mountain climbers, 20 pushups, 1 minute plank, 20 crunches. Rest for 1 minute, then repeat 4 more times.
• Do 50 jumping jacks, 15 burpees, 15 lunges on each leg. Rest for 1 minute, then repeat 4 more times.
Step 3. Move more during the day
In addition to practicing planned and structured exercises, try and be more active throughout the day so that you burn more calories.
- If you can, take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- When shopping or running errands, park far away so you can take a stroll.
- If you have a business meeting with a colleague, ask them if they would like to walk while you talk.
- Bring lunch to work and look for another place to eat.
- Do quick exercises, such as crunches, jumping jacks, or lunges during commercial breaks while watching TV.
Step 4. Gradually increase the intensity of the workout
If the weight loss has stopped or stabilized, you probably need to extend your workout or increase its intensity. When the body begins to get used to a certain physical activity, it receives a lot of benefits, but it tends to burn fewer calories. To solve this problem, spend more time on cardiovascular exercises or increase the speed of execution.
For example, if you run 20 minutes a day, try adding another 5 or 10 at a time. Alternatively, you can run faster for the same amount of time
Part 5 of 5: Increase Lean Mass
Step 1. Do muscle strengthening every week
It is another type of training that in the short term helps you lose weight and in the long term prevents you from regaining the lost pounds. You should try to do 3 sets of 12 reps for each exercise (biceps, triceps, chest press, push-ups, or deadlift). To determine the weight to be lifted, start with the smallest one and increase it until you feel some difficulty while performing.
Muscle strengthening alone doesn't burn a lot of calories. However, it helps increase lean mass and speed up metabolism or the body's ability to burn calories
Step 2. Practice simple bodyweight exercises
Increasing muscle mass does not necessarily require the use of weights. You can perform many exercises with just the body. The great thing is that you can train like this wherever you want: in the office, at home, at the park and wherever you have some free time!
- Among the bodyweight exercises consider: push-ups, planks, squats, lunges, mountain climbers and burpees.
- Try to do 15 repetitions for each bodyweight exercise you have chosen or, instead of doing a full set, hold the position for 1 minute repeating it 2 more times.
Step 3. Train the major muscle groups in order to lose weight throughout the body
There are 6 main muscle groups to think about when preparing the muscle strengthening card: chest, biceps, triceps, lats, legs and shoulders. You should devote at least 20 minutes to each, training each group a couple of times a week, interspersed with a day of rest.
