"Losing a size" means losing 1.5-5 kg, according to the definition given to the expression. While it is possible to lose 0.5 to 1.5 kg in a week without any health risks, being able to lose 5 kg is not only unlikely, it is also dangerous and can even lead you to gain even more weight in the long run. Losing a size can help you reduce your waistline by a few inches for a special event, but ultimately, if you want to keep your weight and shape, you need to make permanent changes to your diet and lifestyle.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Changing the Power
Step 1. Eat healthily
A widely used saying in recent years is "You can't outrun a bad diet". Scientists have found that the composition of your diet has a greater impact on weight and overall health than limiting calories and physical activity. A diet consisting of lean proteins and vegetables is ideal, especially if you are trying to lose weight.
- If you can, always eat whole foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, chicken, almonds, and brown rice.
- When shopping for processed foods, check the nutritional information to make sure they are low in sugar, saturated fat, salt, and high in fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Step 2. Learn how a weight loss diet is composed
You can follow this example diet every day for a week, making variations. When preparing meals, do not add salt. Also, make sure you only drink water and unsweetened tea!
- Breakfast: Half a pear, half a cup of wild blueberries, coconut milk, flaxseed smoothie and hemp heart, a rye cracker with almond butter.
- Lunch: Carrot soup (without salt) prepared with carrots, zucchini, fresh ginger, turmeric, onion, mix of spices for poultry and pepper, as well as fresh salad with chopped carrots and beets, garnished with pumpkin seeds and extra virgin olive oil garlic flavored olive.
- Dinner: Green cabbage and red onion sautéed in extra virgin olive oil, garnished with coconut and curry sauce, a salad of chopped carrots and chard with sunflower seeds and 125g of baked chicken breast.
- Snack (if necessary): an apple or a pear, or half an apple or pear plus 10 almonds.
Step 3. Eat healthy proteins
Your body burns more calories to digest proteins than fats and carbohydrates. Try replacing carbohydrates with lean proteins, such as lean beef, turkey, fish, chicken (white meat), tofu, nuts, legumes, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
Step 4. Limit carbohydrates
Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates are not bad and are an integral part of a healthy diet; however, low-sugar diets have been shown to promote weight loss, so if you're trying to lose weight quickly, you need to limit your intake of these nutrients.
If you decide to continue eating carbohydrates, choose only whole, unprocessed sources, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. The foods mentioned are excellent sources of fiber, which contribute to weight loss
Step 5. Limit your sodium intake
Based on your age, you shouldn't consume more than 1,500-2,300 mg (if you're over 51) of sodium per day. In excessive doses, it can cause high blood pressure (leading to heart disease and heart attacks). It can also cause water retention, making you appear bigger than you really are.
Step 6. Increase your fiber intake
Researchers have found that eating enough fiber is crucial to a healthy diet and can contribute to weight loss. Aim for around 30g of fiber per day.
Step 7. Eat more spices
Spiced foods contain natural chemicals that can speed up metabolism. Add a tablespoon of red or green chilies, chopped or powdered to your dishes. Try putting cayenne pepper in homemade soups.
Step 8. Drink more water
Studies have shown that drinking between 375ml (for women) and 500ml (for men) of water before each meal can help you feel fuller and eat less. If you don't already, you will find that drinking more water will help you lose a couple of pounds in a short time.
- To calculate how much water you should drink every day, simply multiply your weight in kg by 30 and you will get the amount of water in ml. For example, if you weigh 70 kg, you should drink 2,100 ml of water a day.
- Not getting enough water can slow down your metabolism. Drinking at least eight glasses a day will make it easier for you to burn calories than for those who drink less. Try to accompany all snacks with a glass of water.
- Be careful not to drink too much water, otherwise you risk serious health problems.
Step 9. Drink black coffee or green tea
When taken in moderation, these drinks help build up energy and speed up your metabolism. However, you must drink them without adding any milk or sugar! Also avoid overdoing it, as too much caffeine can cause health problems. Aim to drink 2-4 cups of green or oolong tea a day or 1-4 cups of coffee a day, depending on the amount of caffeine in the blend.
- A cup of coffee can contain 50-300 mg of caffeine. Do not take more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, unless you are a teenager, in which case the maximum dose drops to 100 mg per day.
- Make sure that caffeine has no interactions with any medications you take. If you take diet pills that contain caffeine, you need to be very careful not to exceed 400 mg per day.
- The effects of an overdose of caffeine include insomnia, nervousness, irritability, stomach pain, rapid heartbeat, muscle spasms.
Part 2 of 4: Changing the way you eat
Step 1. Reduce your calorie intake
The amount of calories you should consume each day varies by age, gender, height, activity level, and weight. To lose weight, you need to burn more energy than you get from food.
- A woman between 19 and 30 who leads a sedentary lifestyle (minimum physical activity every day) should consume approximately 1,550-1,800 calories per day to maintain her weight and should limit herself to 1,000-1,250 calories per day to lose weight.
- A man between 19 and 30 who leads a sedentary lifestyle should consume about 2,050-2,200 calories per day to maintain his weight and should limit himself to 1,250-1,650 calories per day to lose weight.
Step 2. Don't go hungry
When you limit calories a lot, your body may think you're starving, so it holds onto everything you eat, leading to weight gain. The quality of what you eat is more important than the quantity. Whole foods help you feel fuller with fewer calories; Also, pay attention to how you feel while eating and stop when you are satisfied, not when you are full.
Step 3. Eat small portions more often than usual
By eating only two or three large meals a day, with hourly intervals of fasting, your metabolism will slow down when you are not eating. Conversely, by having a snack or light meal every 3-4 hours, you keep your metabolism at a steady pace and burn more calories throughout the day.
Step 4. Have a light dinner
Aim to eat at least 66% of the day's calories before dinner, which should be the lightest meal. For example, eat a soup and a salad, avoiding the carbohydrates and proteins of meat. Having a lighter dinner will also help you sleep better and be well rested, another important aspect of losing weight.
Step 5. Don't eat right before bed
There isn't much evidence to support the argument that eating at night causes weight gain, but doing so can lead to indigestion if you lie down immediately after eating food, or insomnia if you eat foods like chocolate.
Science has amply proven that the calorie deficit rule also applies to the night, so if your evening snack is part of the meal plan you've established for your day, you shouldn't have any problems; complications arise if you don't have a healthy snack before bed or if you eat something that doesn't make you sleep well
Step 6. Learn the difference between hunger and thirst
Often when we feel hungry, we actually need to drink. If you are hungry, try drinking a glass of water and see if the urge passes. If after 20 minutes you are still hungry, run for something to eat!
Step 7. Eat slowly
It takes the brain about 20 minutes to send a signal to the stomach that you are full. If you binge in 10 minutes, you would eat a lot more than you need to be full. Slow down and enjoy what you eat. You may find it helpful to set an alarm for 20 or 30 minutes to make sure you don't eat too quickly.
For some people, it is helpful to wait 2-3 minutes between bites
Part 3 of 4: Physical Activity
Step 1. Train for 30-60 minutes every day
Depending on your health and physical abilities, you can walk, run, swim, go to the gym and lift weights. The secret to losing weight is to get your heart rate up between 75% and 85% of its maximum value.
Step 2. Build Muscle Mass
Gaining muscle mass speeds up your resting metabolism, so you'll burn more calories even without exercising.
- Do weight exercises, try yoga or pilates. All strength workouts allow you to gain muscle mass and help you lose weight.
- Make sure you leave at least one day of rest between weight training sessions so that your muscles have time to regenerate.
Step 3. Do aerobics
High intensity exercises cause you to burn more calories, for longer, than low or medium intensity exercises. Try taking an intense aerobics class, or take sprints when you go for a run or walk.
Step 4. Get moving every day
In addition to working out and building muscles, you can lose weight simply by becoming more active.
- Walk while talking to a friend on the phone.
- Exercise with weights while watching television.
- Go for a walk with a friend instead of sitting with him in a bar.
Part 4 of 4: Try Temporary Solutions
Step 1. Try a drainage bandage
Body wraps can help you momentarily lose up to one pound of fluid weight, making you look slightly thinner for a short time. However, remember that the results are only temporary and won't last more than a day or two.
- You can have a cosmetic bandage in spas. Search the internet for the health club with the best reviews in the area.
- Be sure to ask in advance what ingredients the bandage contains. If you have any health problems or are taking any medications, ask your doctor if the ingredients in the treatment are causing you problems.
- If you have sensitive skin, cosmetic wraps with clay are more suitable for you than those with scented oils.
Step 2. Try to fast
With this method you avoid eating and drinking partially or completely; it can help you lose a few pounds temporarily, but you will usually regain the weight when you start eating again. Fasting for a few days is not dangerous if you are in good health, as long as it keeps you well hydrated. Conversely, fasting for longer is a health risk.
- You can try to drink only water for a certain period, without eating or drinking anything else.
- Another type of fasting involves consuming only liquid foods, such as fruit and vegetable juices or broths.
- You can also try to fast by consuming almost exclusively liquids, with a light meal every day, usually consisting of whole grains, vegetables and possibly lean proteins.
- Don't fast if you have diabetes; in this case, not eating can lead to dangerous fluctuations in blood sugar. You should avoid fasting even if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have a chronic medical condition. If you are unsure whether you can fast safely, ask your doctor for advice.
Step 3. Put on modeling underwear
The garments of this type are made with rigid but flexible fabrics, specifically designed to make problem areas flatter; flatten the belly and love handles, tighten the thighs and lift the buttocks. You can buy them in almost any lingerie store.
- Corsets also tighten the tummy, waist and make you look much slimmer.
- Note that supportive underwear and corsets, as well as any clothing that is too tight, can cause health problems if worn for too long. Risks include meralgia paresthetica (painful burning and tingling in the thighs), digestive problems, including acid reflux, and an increased risk of blood clots for people with poor circulation.
Step 4. Lose weight due to liquids
Our body is capable of holding about 2.5 kg of water. By reducing your sodium intake, increasing your fiber intake, exercising, using cosmetic wraps, and even though it may seem odd by drinking more water, you can reduce water retention.
If you are a woman, you will likely accumulate more fluids when you have your period. If you know that you will have your period during a trip or on a special day when you care about looking thinner, you can consider continuing to take the pill beyond the natural course of your period (this can delay your period). If you don't take the pill, fight off water retention by getting lots of fiber, water and avoiding sodium
Advice
- To help you lose weight, try visualizing a leaner, healthier version of yourself. Studies have shown that even just visualization improves health.
- When trying to lose weight, sleeping well is imperative. When we are tired, we are more likely to make bad choices; for example, eating that croissant in the pantry for breakfast instead of wasting time making a smoothie or a bowl of cereal. If you die of sleep, it becomes even more difficult to get off the couch and go for a run! Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night.
- There is no scientific evidence to suggest that it is best to burn calories at certain times of the day. When you have to decide what time to train, choose the best moments for you, the ones you can respect most consistently, in order to reach your weight loss goals.
- If you already eat a healthy diet and train regularly, it will not be easy for you to lose even 1.5 kg in a week without drastically reducing your calorie intake or increasing the intensity of your workouts a lot.
Warnings
- Trying to lose weight quickly can be dangerous for your health. Even losing 1.5kg in a week isn't easy, so be careful while you try. If possible, ask a doctor for advice to make sure you don't have any medical conditions (such as heart or back problems) that can be adversely affected by changes to your diet and exercise program.
- Make sure you have all the appropriate equipment to train. For example, if you decide to start running, you must have running shoes that offer support to the foot and absorb impact well. Otherwise, you risk serious problems with your feet, legs and lower back, which will force you to lead a more sedentary lifestyle and gain even more weight.
- Extreme diets (which provide less than 1,200 calories per day for women and less than 1,800 calories for men) allow some people to lose weight; be careful, though, as they can be counterproductive, leading to a reduction in muscle mass and a slowing of metabolism. In short, an extreme diet can lead you to gain weight in the long run.
