Friends, in this article we will tell you how you can lose those extra pounds using "healthy" methods without pointless radical diets. Some of the tips in this article are unique and not found anywhere else. Think of both "traditional" weight loss methods and "non-traditional" methods - the psychology of weight loss.
If slimness is your goal, following our simple tips to steer your thoughts, feelings and actions in the right direction, you will surely succeed!
Psychology: How to lose weight? I'm going!
Of course, since we do not know your weight and your other data, it is impossible to build a specific plan that will allow you to lose X kg in Y weeks.
But we will give you the best advice that has been scientifically proven to work many times. We will not burden you with terms, numbers and other boring things. Let's take a brief look at nutrition and physical activity and look in more detail at the psychological aspects of weight loss.
How much can you lose weight in 1 week?
On the Internet you will find many articles and sites that will promise you results in a short time. Unfortunately, much of the information in them does not relate to real life. Don't believe the talk. Check everything first.
There are many factors to consider for weight loss, not a single magic pill. These factors include your age, height, body fat percentage, current diet, physical activity, etc.
However, there is a general rule of how much weight can be lost in a week. Nutritionists believe that you can lose up to 1, 5 pounds without harming your health. So don't be fooled by the promises of the ignorant, check and consider their advice before applying.
Being overweight is fat! Of course, you always want to lose fat, but you can also lose water or glycogen (sugar in the body). The latter often happens when you start a carbohydrate diet.
4 ways to lose weight
There are 4 types of weight loss. If you look at any diet, it will somehow relate to one of these four ways:
- Food;
- Movement;
- Stress management;
- Thinking.
In order not to overwhelm you with information, we have divided the 16 tips given in the article into these 4 categories. Therefore, everyone will find something of their own.
But first, let's compare weight loss with diet and exercise.
Diet or exercise
If you look at studies that lasted more than 15 weeks, you can see the following results (number of pounds lost after 15 weeks):
- Diet without training group: 10, 7 kg weight loss.
- Movement without diet group: 2, 9 kg.
- Diet for exercise: 12, 0 kg.
It's easy to see that nutrition is more important than exercise.
1. Diet
8 of the 16 tips in this article are all about diet. Almost all of them affect the quantity and quality of food consumed. With their help you can lose weight even without sports.
Tip 1:Eat slower. This may sound like a joke, but you will be surprised how effective this trick is.
People who eat fast are 115% more likely to be overweight than people who eat slowly.
Here are some explanations:
- On average, a person eats 10-15 minutes. If you eat slowly, then during this time you eat less, consume fewer calories. This is logical.
- Chew hard, which also reduces calories.
- Blood sugar levels are less pronounced, which makes it easier to burn fat.
Jill Johnson
Tip 2:Start your day with protein like cottage cheese!
Many people start their day with carbs. Here are the cons:
- Carbohydrates have a high "nutritional factor" that makes you eat more and more.
- Carbohydrates cause an increase in insulin, which leads to the accumulation of fat in the tissues.
Instead of carbs, you should eat protein for breakfast. Studies show that eating protein for breakfast leads to:
- People think 60% less about food;
- People have 50% less appetite for snacks in the evening;
- People eat 400 fewer calories a day.
This is a great way to reduce calories and thus lose weight fast.
Tip 3:Drink half a liter of water before each meal.
This will speed up weight loss by 40%! Studies in adults and the elderly show that drinking half a liter of water 15-30 minutes before meals accelerates weight loss by 44% over a period of 12 weeks compared with people who do not drink before meals.
There is an explanation for this: by drinking half a liter of water before a meal, the feeling of hunger decreases, which ultimately leads to a reduction in the amount of food consumed.
Also, people often confuse feelings of thirst and hunger. Drink a glass of water to make sure you are really hungry.
Tip 4:Avoid fizzy drinks and sweetened fruit juices.
The problem for many people is that they don't read the composition. You should know that soda and fruit juices are your biggest enemy because they are loaded with sugar.
But there is a nuance here. This does not apply to freshly squeezed natural juices, as they contain fruit fiber. This slows down the absorption of sugar. If these fibers are removed from the fruit juice, it will be poorly absorbed by the body.
Replacing high-calorie drinks with water can help you lose weight.
Here are some facts about soda:
- The likelihood of developing diabetes increases dramatically with the use of carbonated beverages (compared to water and even juices).
- The risk of diabetes increased by 33% with a glass of soda a day.
- Daily soda consumption is associated with a 67% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Artificial sweeteners are addictive, so it's hard to give up soda.
- In a study of rats consuming artificial sweeteners, the following happened: They ate more and their metabolism slowed down. The same thing happens with a person.
Tip 5: Avoid "hidden" sugar.
About 80% of everything sold in the supermarket contains sugar. Even if it is not written directly about it. The fact is that manufacturers often "encode" sugar using words that customers do not understand. Most of these aliases end in "ose" or contain terms such as "syrup" or "molasses".
"If you don't give your body the best, you just rob yourself"
Gillius Irving
So we get blur. In fact, if we do not recognize the code word, we will assume that the product does not contain sugar.
There is another trick. Manufacturers of substances containing sugar often indicate at the end of the composition. Many people simply do not read the composition completely, thus allowing themselves to be misled.
Important! Always read the list of ingredients and look for hidden sugars by code names.
Tip 6:Eat less carbs.
People eat too many carbohydrates. If we compare our current eating habits with those of people living in nature, then we can understand that we, the inhabitants of the city, have deviated a lot from the right path.
In a study from 2000, scientists found how much people consume who live in harmony with nature. If we compare this with the average diet of modern man, we come to the following conclusion:
- Man by nature: Protein 19-35% Fat: 28-47% Carbohydrates: 22-40%;
- Urban man: Protein: 15% Fat: 30% Carbohydrates: 55%.
Therefore, you need to eliminate some carbohydrates and replace them with healthy fats and proteins.
Tip 7:Eat more fiber.
Adding fiber to your diet lowers blood insulin. Fiber is found in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, cereals and legumes.
Dietary fiber also provides a faster feeling of satiety, which means you automatically eat less. The reason for this is that fiber is absorbed for a long time.
Therefore, it is recommended that you add one of these foods to each meal.
Tip 8:Eat carbs and protein after a workout.
If you eat carbs right after a workout, your body will continue to burn fat.
Carbohydrates also help regenerate your muscles by activating growth hormone HGH. Protein is needed to build muscle.
2. Movement
The following 2 tips are related to exercises.
Tip 9:Short but intense workouts.
When it comes to sports, people usually start with cardio. But cardio has some drawbacks.
So with short, intense workouts, you can burn 7 times more fat than cardio. Because in them you train on short tracks, alternating them with breaks. For example, 30 seconds of very intense exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
5 sets of high-intensity exercises in 20 minutes will be much more useful than the same 20 minutes of cardio.
Tip 10: Exercise before eating.
This is a unique tip.
Weight loss is due to the fact that less insulin is released because it is simply unnecessary. Excessive insulin secretion is your enemy because it causes the formation and storage of fat, especially around the abdomen.
Exercises just before meals will provide your muscle cells with energy.
"A man who can eat anything without gaining weight should not do so in the presence of a woman"
Rita Radner
Of course, you won't be able to train hard before each meal, but you can just do some short exercises like squatting, imaginative punching, etc.
3. Stress Management
Stress is an underestimated topic when it comes to weight loss. If you have recently experienced a lot of stress, then you will lose weight more slowly as you lose weight.
Let's continue our line of tips.
Tip 11: Avoid chronic stress.
Stress releases the anti-stress hormone cortisol.
If cortisol levels are high, this leads to fat deposits in the abdomen. In addition, blood sugar levels rise, which makes weight loss very difficult.
If you are on a radical diet, you may be exposed to high levels of stress. This will also increase the amount of cortisol.
By the way! Cortisol is not your enemy. It is a hormone designed to reduce the harmful effects of stress. Cortisol itself is not bad, it shows you how stressed you are. In this respect, it is similar to cholesterol.
Here are some ways to significantly reduce stress levels:
- Meditate;
- Move more at home or at work;
- Listen to your favorite music;
- Failure to follow a radical diet;
- Be in nature more often.
Tip 12:Get enough sleep.
Sleep has a big impact on weight loss. Here are some facts:
- Lack of sleep increases the likelihood of obesity by up to 50%;
- Lack of sleep leads to fluctuations in the hormones leptin and ghrelin, as a result of which appetite is poorly regulated;
- People who miss 15 hours of sleep a week from their normal cortisol levels increase by 50-80%.
A person needs at least 6-7 hours of sleep. For some more, but not more than 9 hours. Here are some tips for the best sleep:
- Don't use your gadgets after 8pm. And don't watch TV. Better, of course, not to watch at all, but at least after 20: 00;
- Don't drink caffeinated beverages in the evening, such as coffee, cola, tea;
- Go to bed at the same time;
- Don't look at your watch while lying in bed.
"The only way to lose weight is to reconsider your goals in life"
Cyril Conley
4. Thinking
Thinking is also an underrated topic when it comes to losing weight. In the meantime, this is extremely important. This is not about losing weight with the power of thought, but about the inner core and motivation.
With the wrong thinking, of course, you can lose weight. But the effect will be short-lived. Returning in this case is a matter of time.
Internal or external motivation? How to find motivation to lose weight?
People often say, "I HAVE TO LOSE WEIGHT. "The word "must" implies that the desire comes from outside. Such people do not want to lose weight for themselves, their desires are imposed, they want to do it for others.
There are two reasons for this:
- Lose weight for a partner or loved ones.
- Lose weight to meet certain social norms.
But to lose weight, there must be inherent motivation, it must move you forward. The only person you want to lose weight for is yourself!
Therefore, you need to convert "I need to lose weight" to "I WANT to lose weight" and honestly admit to yourself why you want it. It is best to write down these reasons on paper, then you are more likely to see the big picture.
Note! You should always think - "I want to lose weight" (internal, the best motivation to lose weight), instead of - "I need to lose weight" (external motivation).
It should be noted separately that women need more motivation to lose weight than men. Women are more susceptible, so they are more likely to be deceived and therefore need more motivation.
Tip 13:Food should not be considered a stomach filler.
Many people view food as simply filling the stomach. It's a shame because we need food for more than that.
There are two main purposes:
- Getting energy to maintain the psyche;
- Getting nutrients to support the body.
If you focus on these two goals, you will automatically eat healthier foods. Hunger will no longer be a signal for a quick filling of the stomach. You will choose cleaner, natural and fresher foods.
In addition to the result in the form of weight loss, health and joy will come as a bonus. Agree, not bad?
Tip 14:Seek help.
Seeking support is a good idea to increase your chances of losing weight. You do not have to go through all the steps yourself.
There are several options:
- Look for a boyfriend or girlfriend to play sports with;
- Share your weight loss plan with family and friends who can help or just support you;
- Join a group of people who are losing weight just like you.
All of this can give you the extra motivation you need. Losing weight is a difficult and slow process, the support of other people is very important here, because situations will inevitably arise that will take you back. To overcome them, a friend's shoulder will be useful to you.
Tip 15:Set realistic goals.
People overestimate what they can achieve in the short term and underestimate what they can achieve in the long term.
Many people who lose weight like to believe in extremely fast weight loss. They have very high short-term expectations, which of course do not come true. Thus, people lose motivation and faith in success.
Long-term prospects are underestimated not only by weight loss. This often happens to novice entrepreneurs: they want to become millionaires as soon as they start a business and do not think about how big their company will become if they work for 5 or 10 years.
I've been on a diet for 14 days and I've already lost. . . 14 days!
Tommy Cooper
Important! Set realistic weight loss goals. Divide each goal into small sub-goals and gradually achieve them. Every small victory will give you confidence.
As a result, you will have the strength to solve your main task and the weight loss process will not be hell for you.
Tip 16: Don't force yourself to radical diets.
Diet is often not so good because it prevents a person from satisfying his needs. Yes, throwing pies at night is something so necessary, but you also have to work carefully and smoothly with it.
Very often the diet makes a person think even more about the food he wants to eat. It must suppress unwanted thoughts. As a result, a person is constantly in a tense state, and in the meantime the desire only increases, it will not lead to anything good.
If you artificially suppress your desires, sooner or later the mind will not withstand the pressure and will explode. This principle applies to all areas of life, not just weight loss.
Therefore, one should not constantly think: "I want this, but I can't", but on the contrary: "I can, but I don't want it".
Psychological weight loss tricks
So, we come to the fun part. How to make yourself lose weight?
Psychological Tricks - Read and memorize.
Tip # 1. Use small plates.
A series of studies show that you automatically eat less when you use small plates. People always fill their plates in the same way, no matter how big.
If the plate is large and there is little food on it, you will create the impression that you have eaten very little. If the plate is small but full, you will feel like you have eaten a lot. Look at this.
"My wife started seeing a nutritionist and lost three hundred dollars in two months"
Robert Order
Tip # 2. Use tall, narrow glasses.
According to scientists, you can drink up to 50% less when using tall and narrow glasses. This is because it seems to you that the cup is large, although in reality it is not. When you drink from it, your psyche sends the same signals to your brain as if you were actually drinking from a large glass.
So use tall glasses for alcoholic or high-calorie drinks.
Use low and wide cups when drinking herbal water and tea.
Tip # 3. Use red plates for fatty foods.
Another trick: eating high-calorie foods from red plates will happen in much smaller quantities than everyone else.
We associate red with "stopping", so we will subconsciously shorten the feeding time.
Everyone knows that there are times when there seems to be enough on the table, but there is still food on the plate. We often end up feeding the machine without realizing that the body is already full. So, the red plates will not allow you to do this, at the first signs of satiety we will stop, we will not overeat.
Recommendation # 4. Eat in company.
People eat almost 40% less when guests or strangers are at the table.
Their presence creates additional pressure and does not allow a person to forget and overeat. . .
Recommendation # 5. Don't watch food ads.
People who regularly watch food on TV eat 30% more than those who don't watch TV.
"The less substances, the better the metabolism"
So be careful when watching TV.
Tip # 6. Hang a mirror in your kitchen.
Many studies show that the mirror in the kitchen can help you lose weight.
This is due to the fact that it is often unpleasant for a person to watch him eat. In addition, he may look outside at his inappropriate food behavior. This can be considered.
Tip # 7. Make it harder to find junk food.
The likelihood of snacking is significantly reduced.
For example, if you store candy in a transparent container, you will be more likely to open it and consume more calories per day than if the container is opaque.
It's better to keep unpleasant things outside the kitchen. This is the psychology of nutrition for weight loss.
Conclusion
Unable to understand the vastness. Even this article contains too much information to assimilate and start applying at once. Even if you try, nothing good will come of it.
It is better to move gradually, choose 2-3 methods for yourself, learn them and gradually, day after day, introduce them into your life. This will help you achieve results much faster. This is the whole psychology of weight loss.