Friends, in this article we will tell you how you can lose extra pounds using "healthy" methods without a reckless radical diet. Some of the tips in this article are unique and cannot be found anywhere else. Consider both "traditional" methods of weight loss and "non-traditional" - the psychology of weight loss.
If your goal is slimness, following our simple tips to direct your thoughts, feelings and actions in the right direction, you will surely achieve success!
Psychology: How to lose weight? Go!
Of course, since we do not know your weight and other data, it is impossible to make a specific plan that will allow you to lose X kg in Y weeks.
But we will give you the best advice, the effect of which has been scientifically proven many times. We will not burden you with terms, numbers and other annoying things. We will briefly consider diet and physical activity and dwell in more detail on the psychological aspects of weight loss.
How much can you lose weight in 1 week?
You will find a lot of articles and websites on the internet where you will be promised to achieve results in a short time. Unfortunately, most of the information in them is not real life. Don't believe in fairy tales. Check everything first.
There are many factors to consider for weight loss, there is no magic pill. These factors include your age, height, body fat percentage, current diet, physical activity, etc.
Still, there is a general rule about how many pounds you can lose in a week. Nutritionists believe that you can lose up to 1, 5 pounds without harm to health. Therefore, do not be fooled by the promises of the ignorant, check and consider their advice before you sign up.
Excess weight 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. So everyone will find something of their own.
But first, let's compare weight loss with diet and exercise.
Diet or movement
If you look at studies that lasted more than 15 weeks, you can see the following results (number of pounds lost after 15 weeks):
- Group "Diet without exercise": weight loss of 10, 7 kg.
- Movement without diet group: 2. 9 kg.
- Exercise diet: 12, 0 kg.
It’s easy to see that diet is more important than exercise.
1. Diet
8 of the 16 tips in this article are related to nutrition. Almost all affect the quantity and quality of food consumed. With their help, you can lose weight without playing sports.
Tip 1:Eat slower. This may sound like a joke, but you’ll be surprised at how effective this trick is.
People who eat fast are 115% more likely to be overweight than people who eat slowly.
Here are a few explanations:
- A person's meal lasts on average 10-15 minutes. If you eat slowly, then during that time you eat less, consume fewer calories. That is logical.
- You chew a lot, which also reduces calories.
- Blood sugar levels are less pronounced, which makes it easier to burn fat.
"A healthy lifestyle will take away your poor health, lethargy and fat"
Jill Johnson
Tip 2:Start your day with proteins like cottage cheese!
Many people start the day with carbs. Here are the disadvantages:
- Carbohydrates have a high "nutritional factor" which 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. Research has shown 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 lose weight so fast.
Tip 3:Drink half a liter of water before each meal.
This will speed up your weight loss by 40%! Studies in adults and the elderly have shown that drinking half a liter of water 15-30 minutes before a meal accelerates weight loss by 44% over 12 weeks compared to 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 is reduced, 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 need to know that soda and fruit juices are your biggest enemy because they are full of sugar.
But there is one 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, the body will absorb them poorly.
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 daily glass of soda.
- 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 an animal study on 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 about it directly. The fact is that sugar manufacturers often "code" using words that customers do not understand. Most of these pseudonyms end in "axis" or contain expressions such as "syrup" or "molasses".
"If you don't give your body the best, you just rob yourself"
Gilius Irving
That's how we got the splurge. 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 sugar-containing substances are often indicated at the end of the composition. Many people simply do not read the composition to the end, thus allowing them to mislead you.
Important! Always read the list of ingredients and look for hidden sugars by code names.
Tip 6:Eat fewer carbs.
People eat too many carbs. If we compare our current eating habits with the habits of people living in nature, then we can understand that we, the residents of the city, have quite deviated from the right path.
In a 2000 study, scientists determined how many carbohydrates people who live in harmony with nature consume. If we compare this with the average diet of a modern person, we come to the following conclusion:- Man of Nature: Proteins 19-35% Fat: 28-47% Carbohydrates: 22-40%;
- Urban Man: Protein: 15% Fat: 30% Carbohydrates: 55%.
So you need to remove some carbs 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, grains and legumes.
Dietary fiber also provides a faster feeling of satiety, which means you automatically eat less. The reason for this is that fiber takes a long time to digest.
It is therefore recommended that you add one of these foods to each meal.
Tip 8:Eat carbs and protein after exercise.
If you eat carbs right after exercising, your body will still burn fat.
Carbohydrates also help in muscle regeneration by activating HGH growth hormone. Protein is needed to build muscle.
2. Movement
The following 2 tips are for exercise.
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 in short distances, alternating them with breaks. For example, 30 seconds of very intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest.
5 sets of high-intensity exercise over 20 minutes will be far more beneficial than the same 20 minutes of cardio training.
Tip 10: Exercise before meals.
This is a unique tip.
Weight loss is due to the fact that less insulin is released, because it becomes simply unnecessary. Excessive insulin release is your enemy as it causes the formation and storage of fat, especially around the abdomen.
Exercising just before a meal will give your muscle cells energy.
"A man who can eat everything without gaining weight should not do so in the presence of a woman"
Rita Radner
Of course, you won’t be able to exercise intensely before each meal, but you can only perform some short exercises like squatting, hitting an imaginary punching bag, and so on.
3. Stress Management
Stress is an underrated topic when it comes to losing weight. If you have recently suffered a lot of stress, then you will lose weight more slowly while losing pounds.
Let's continue with a series of tips.
Tip 11: Avoid chronic stress.
Stress releases the anti-stress hormone cortisol.
If the cortisol level is high, it leads to belly fat deposits. In addition, blood sugar levels rise, which makes it very difficult to lose weight.
If you are on a radical diet, you could be exposed to high levels of stress. It 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 in itself is not bad, it shows you how stressed you are. In that respect, it is similar to cholesterol.
Here are some ways to significantly reduce your stress levels:
- Meditate;
- Move more at home or at work;
- Listen to your favorite music;
- disrespect for 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 and more, but no more than 9 hours. Here are some tips for the best sleep:
- Do not use your devices after 20: 00. And do not watch TV. Better, of course, not to watch at all, but at least after 8 p. m . ;
- Don’t drink caffeinated beverages in the evening, like 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 rethink your life goals"
Cyril Connolly
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 inner core and motivation.
With the wrong way of thinking you can of course lose weight. But the effect will be short-lived. The return in this case is a matter of time.
Internal or external motivation? How to find motivation to lose weight?
Often people say, “I MUST lose weight. ” The word “must” implies that desire comes from outside. Such people do not want to lose weight for themselves, their desires are imposed, they want to do it for the sake of others.
There are two reasons for this:
- Lose weight for a partner or loved one.
- Lose weight to meet certain social norms.
But in order to lose weight, there must be an inner motivation, it needs to move you forward. The only person you want to lose weight for is you yourself!
So you have to turn “I need to lose weight” into “I WANT to lose weight” and honestly admit to myself why you want to. It’s best to write these reasons down on paper, so you’re more likely to see the bigger picture.
Note! You should always think - "I want to lose weight" (internal, the best motivation to lose weight), instead - - "I need to lose weight" (external motivation).
Separately, it should be noted that women need more motivation to lose weight than men. Women are more sensitive, so they are more likely to get lost and that is why they need more motivation.
Tip 13:Food should not be considered a stomach filler.
Many people only look at food to fill their stomachs. Too bad, because we need food for more than that.
There are two main purposes:
- Gaining energy to maintain the psyche;
- Getting nutrients to support the body.
If you focus your mind 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 food.
In addition to weight loss results, health and joy will come as a bonus. Agree, not bad?
Tip 14:Get help.
Seeking support is a good idea to increase your chances of losing weight. You don’t have to go through all the steps on your own.
There are several options:
- Look for a boyfriend or girlfriend who will play sports together;
- Share your weight loss plan with family and friends who can help or simply support you;
- Join a group of people who are losing weight 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 bring you back. To overcome them, a friendly shoulder will come in handy.
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 are not met. Thus people lose motivation and faith in success.
Long-term prospects are underestimated not only by weight loss. This often happens with ambitious entrepreneurs: they want to become millionaires right after starting a business and do not think about how much their company will become if they work for 5 or 10 years.
I've been on a diet for 14 days and I'm already lost. . . 14 days!
Tommy Cooper
Important! Set realistic weight loss goals. Divide each goal into small sub-goals and gradually achieve them. Every little win 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 push yourself to a radical diet.
Diet is often not so good because it prevents a person from meeting their needs. Yes, throwing pies at night is so necessary, but you need to work with it carefully and smoothly.
Very often a diet makes a person think even more about the food he wants to eat. It must suppress unwanted thoughts. As a result, the 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 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".Psychological tricks for weight loss
So, we come to the part where we talk about the middle ground. How to make yourself lose weight?
Psychological Tricks - Read and Remember.
Tip # 1. Use small plates.
A number of studies show that you automatically eat less when you use small plates. People always fill their plates the same way, no matter how big they are.
If the plate is large and there is little food on it, you will have the impression that you have eaten very little. If the plate is small but full, you will feel like you have eaten a lot. Check.
"My wife started visiting a nutritionist and lost three hundred dollars in two months"
Robert Order
Tip # 2. Use tall narrow glasses.
According to scientists, you can use up to 50% less when using tall and narrow glasses. This is because the glass seems to you to be large, although in reality it is not. When you drink from it, your psyche sends the brain the same signals as if you were actually drinking from a large glass.
Therefore, use tall glasses for alcoholic or high-calorie drinks.
Use low and wide glasses when drinking herbal water and tea.
Tip # 3. Use red plates for fatty foods.
Another trick: eating high-calorie foods from red plates will appear in much smaller amounts than everyone else.
We associate the red link with "stopping", so we will subconsciously shorten the meal time.
Everyone knows he has time at the table when he seems to have had enough, but there is still food on his plate. We often eat on the machine, not realizing that the body is already full. So, the red plates will not allow you to do that, 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 extra pressure and does not allow the person to forget and overeat. . .
Recommendation no. 5. Don’t look at food ads.
People who regularly watch food on TV eat 30% more than those who do not watch television.
"The less substance, the better the exchange"
So be careful when watching TV.
Recommendation # 6. Hang a mirror in your kitchen.
Many studies show that a kitchen mirror can help you lose weight.
This is due to the fact that a person is often embarrassed to watch him eat. In addition, he can look outside at his inappropriate behavior in relation to food. This can be thought about.
Tip # 7. Make it harder to access junk food.
The probability of taking snacks that are harder to get is significantly reduced.
For example, if you store sweets in a transparent container, you are more likely to open them and consume more calories per day than if the container is opaque.It's better to keep all the nasty things out of the kitchen. This is the psychology of a weight loss diet.
Conclusion
Impossibility cannot be understood. Even this article contains too much information for us to digest 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, study them and gradually, day by day, introduce them into your life. This will help you achieve results much faster. That’s the whole psychology of weight loss.