How to lose weight quickly and without harming your health?4 principles based on scientific evidence

There are many ways to lose weight fast.They are different:

  • harm to health;
  • "parts of the body" because weight loss occurs;
  • the necessary amount of willpower to maintain your chosen weight loss strategy.

Below we look at four principles of proper weight loss, based on the latest scientific research.How fast you can lose weight with their help depends on the individual characteristics of your body.

Methods for Super-Rapid Weight Loss and Associated RISKS

To avoid disappointment due to an undue fascination with the title of this article, let's sober up right away.

First, losing weight very quickly ALWAYS carries health risks.Super fast means dozens of kilos per week, for example.

Second, not everything we understand by losing weight has to do with reducing body fat.

Most often the question is "how to lose weight quickly?"is understood as "within a short period of time (usually a few days) seeing a different number on the scale or fitting into smaller pants/dresses from childhood."

Body weight and circumference of its individual parts when losing weight can change at least due to:

  • reduce the amount of fat in the body;
  • destruction of muscle mass;
  • reduce the volume of muscle cells;
  • remove fluid from the subcutaneous layers.

Which of these methods is right for you?

"Dies" very quickly(in the sense of changing the scale down) can be done by removing excess fluid from the body, for example with the help of diuretics, which are actively used by professional athletes when they dehydrate the body.

The price of the release is the risk of serious side effects, including death.Diuretics belong to the category of one of the most dangerous sports substances.

The current fashionable detox diet also belongs to the category of fast weight loss diets.This is one of the reasons for its popularity.

But what causes weight changes on this diet?Due to the same loss of water from the body, the destruction of muscle cells due to the almost complete lack of protein in the diet and their reduction in size due to the reduction of glycogen reserves in the muscles, which "binds" water.

The same applies to losing weight with laxatives: when they are used, the amount of fluid removed from the body increases.

We have given three practical examples of very fast weight loss.Their main feature isthe effect is very short-lived, the fat percentage does not change and there is a high risk of health damage: The weight returns to normal within a few days as soon as you jump off the diet.

So, from all the above, it is important to understand the following:losing weight quickly (say 10 kg per week) due to fat mass is almost impossible.

In addition, the rate of weight loss is highly dependent on individual aspects of the body.A person weighing 150 kg and 40% body fat can tell you how to lose 7 kg in a week, but for you, at 65 kg and 15% body fat, only 7 kg can be achieved in six months, following the same methodology...

Therefore.

Below we will introduce you to the scientific principles of proper weight loss, as a result of which you can lose weight as quickly as possible, taking into account your individual characteristics.In this case, our recommendations will help:

  • do not harm your health, but improve it;
  • maintain muscle mass and even increase it;
  • develop a rhythm of life for yourself that you can stick to consistently.

Known methods of losing weight very quickly are associated with enormous health risks.Moreover, they do not burn fat, but only remove water from the body

How to lose weight quickly and without harming your health?Principles

1. Reduce your calorie intake

Losing weight should always start with this.

Too many calories are the most important cause of obesity in our society, according to scientists.But they keep trying to prove to us that we don't do enough sports...

Most of the time, it is the producers of unhealthy food that promote a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on physical activity.In this way, they divert our attention from the real cause of obesity - their products.

In a study of African tribes who spend the whole day on the move, researchers found that the energy expenditure of their representatives is not much different from that of office workers in developed countries.

This does not mean that Africans do not exercise a lot.No.

Justthe amount of calories burned during physical activity is very small, only about ~20% of daily energy expenditure: if hunters from Africa spend, say, about 500 Cal per day (only in movement), then an office worker spends about 200 Cal.The difference of a few hundred calories is negligible.

So, the principle of losing weight is this: the body starts burning fat when we eat fewer calories from food than we need to maintain life processes.This is a so-called calorie deficit.

With some caveats, the following statement is true:The greater the calorie deficit, the faster you will lose weight.

Major disclaimer:The greater the calorie deficit, the greater the risk of health problems.

Recommended calorie restriction -300-500 calfrom basic metabolism.

The first rule of weight loss: reduce the number of calories you eat;The greater the calorie deficit, the faster you can lose weight

2. Eliminate carbohydrates from your diet

Carbohydrates (sugar and starch) stimulate the release of the hormone insulin, which has the role of controlling blood sugar.It does this by moving excess glucose to storage: glycogen and fat.

If you don't live an active lifestyle, consider that all desserts go completely fat.

When insulin levels in the body are low, conditions are created for the active use of fat for energy..To achieve this, you simply need to eat fewer carbohydrates.

The vast majority of diets are based on this principle, including intermittent fasting, the ketogenic diet, and the Dukan protein diet.

When insulin levels are low, another weight loss mechanism mentioned at the beginning is activated: the kidneys remove excess sodium from the body, which binds water.What effect does this have?The thickness of the skin fold decreases.

The action of diuretics used by professional athletes to dehydrate the body is based on this principle: these drugs also remove sodium and allow you to achieve extreme muscle dehydration.

Although diuretics have a high risk of very serious side effects, there is no risk of carbohydrate restriction as the body is only getting rid ofexcesssodium

Simply remove carbohydrates from your diet and you will lose weight fast;At the same time, the appetite decreases and the thickness of the skin fold decreases

3. Eat more protein, healthy fats and fiber

So we have figured out the principle of rapid weight loss.

The next step is to maintain muscle mass and avoid vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Each meal should include protein, healthy fats and low-carb vegetables.This combination will provide the necessary 20-50 g of carbohydrates for rapid weight loss without the need for detailed calculations using formulas and calculators, as well as the supply of sufficient vitamins and minerals.

Eating protein is very important for weight loss for several reasons:

  • The protein has a thermogenic effect, i.e.increases the rate of internal metabolism by 80-100 calories.A little, but still.
  • Protein food fills you up better, reduces appetite and the desire to snack throughout the day.We discussed this in a topic about the benefits of cottage cheese and eggs for weight loss.
  • Protein prevents the breakdown of muscle mass during a calorie-restricted diet.

Protein donor:

  • Meat (lean parts): beef, chicken, pork, lamb;
  • Fish and seafood: salmon, trout, shrimp, lobster;
  • Eggs and dairy products.

Vegetables

Vegetables are a natural source of vitamins and minerals and are also rich in fiber and water, which fill your stomach and keep you full and are very low in calories.You can eat them in any quantity without fear of gaining weight.This is your secret to avoiding crippling hunger.

The only important thing is to avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes.

Recommended low-carb vegetables:

  • Broccoli;
  • Cauliflower;
  • Spinach;
  • Brussels sprouts;
  • cabbage;
  • Salad;
  • Cucumber;
  • Celery.

Fat

When we eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, which are the main source of energy in the body, it is important to increase the intake of another source of energy provided by nature - fat.

Recommended healthy fats:

  • olive oil;
  • linseed oil;
  • coconut oil;
  • avocado;
  • butter;
  • nuts.

Include the following types of fat in every meal and don't be afraid to gain weight:Restricting carbs and fat while dieting is a recipe for failure, as you will not get enough energy and therefore will not be able to follow the described diet for a long time.

Build each meal around protein, non-starchy vegetables and healthy fats.

4. Exercise to increase metabolism

No, you don't have to run.MoreoverRunning is not the most effective sport for losing weight, as is generally believed.

In general, if you compare proper diet and sports, the first one, as shown above, is much more important for losing weight.

-What are the best sports for fast weight loss?

Those whothe rate of internal metabolism is maximally activated.

Basically, any type of physical activity is beneficial, but high intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training are the most effective for weight loss.They significantly stimulate the rate of internal metabolism, which falls when losing weight.

The state of metabolic stimulation, both during interval training and strength training, can last up to 2 days.

According to scientific data, metabolism is about 70% of daily calories: the higher the metabolic rate, the more calories are burned.

In addition, training helps to strengthen and increase muscle mass: the more muscle mass, the more calories are needed to maintain it, the less of them turn into fat.

The higher the internal metabolic rate, the faster you will lose weight;High intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training boost metabolism for up to 2 days

Does counting calories make sense when losing weight?

No.

It is important to understand which foods you can eat and which should be excluded: the basis should be protein, healthy fats and non-starchy vegetables and you should try to limit the amount of simple carbohydrates.

Sugar and fructose are particularly harmful to weight loss.They not only carry "empty" calories, but also cause changes in the body at the hormonal level, which cause overeating and cause a large number of diseases.

Have one Friday a week

Bigotry is rarely good.Now that we've figured out how to lose weight fast, it's important to realize that infrequent indulgences won't do you any harm.

On any diet, especially in the beginning, when your usual lifestyle changes,You can give yourself one "fasting" daywhen you can eat more carbohydrates and familiar foods.Without fanaticism, of course.

Such a day is usually called a "cheat meal" day from English "cheat meal" - "cheat with food".

Always try to be as healthy as possible in the food you choose.

When it comes to carbs, satisfy your appetite with natural foods: oatmeal, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit.

And it is better not to do this more than once a week.The more often, the less fast the weight loss will be.

It is important to understand:A cheat meal day is allowed during weight loss but is absolutely not necessary..During it, your weight may increase slightly, but mostly due to the fluid that will "disappear" over the next few days.

During weight loss, one Friday is allowed per week, when you can eat more carbohydrates and familiar foods.

How fast can you lose weight?

On the low carb diet described aboveyou can lose about 1-4 kg per week, sometimes more, sometimes less.

The more overweight you areand the fewer attempts to lose weight in the past,the faster you will lose weight.

One scientific experiment showed that a low-carb diet (~50 g per day)helps you lose weight much fasterthan a fat-restricted diet (30% of total calories).Over 6 months, obese women lost an average of 8 kg on a low-carb diet and 4 kg on a low-fat diet.

Weight loss plan by limiting carbohydrates in the diet

What is interesting is that in the experiment, the women who ate little carbohydrates were allowed to eat as much of the other allowed food as they wanted.They.they didn't have to fight the crippling feeling of hunger.But as a result, the calorie content of the food per day decreased by about 500 calories compared to normal.

"Eat as much as you want" is the basis of the Dukan protein diet.But carbohydrates are excluded from the list of permitted foods.

Look at the graph below: it's a good illustration of how fast you can lose weight simply by eating fewer carbs.

How fast can you lose weight by limiting carbohydrates in your diet: the vertical axis is body weight, the horizontal axis is time in weeks;The bottom graph is the percentage of weight loss on a low-carb diet, the top is the percentage of weight loss on a low-fat diet.

During the first few weeks, you may experience a lack of energy as your body takes time to adjust from using carbohydrates as an energy source to fat.

After this, your well-being will improve significantly, as will your health.

Researchers say that a low-carb diet improves blood sugar levels, lowers levels of bad cholesterol and increases levels of good cholesterol and normalizes blood pressure.

How fast you can lose weight on a low-carb diet depends on many factors.Average weight loss is 1-4 kg per week