Friends, in this article we are going to tell you how to lose those extra pounds using "healthy" methods without pointless radical dieting. Some of the tips in this article are unique and cannot be found anywhere else. Consider both the "traditional" methods of losing weight and the "non-traditional" methods - the psychology of losing weight.
If slimming is your goal, follow our simple tips to get your thoughts, feelings, and actions in the right direction, and you are sure to succeed!
Psychology: how to lose weight? Walk!
Since we don't know your weight and your other data, it is of course impossible to come up with a specific plan that will allow you to lose X kg in Y weeks.
But we are giving you the best advice, the effectiveness of which has been scientifically proven many times. We will not burden you with terms, numbers and other boring things. Let's briefly cover diet and physical activity, and dig deeper into the psychological aspects of losing weight.
How much can you lose weight in 1 week?
There are many articles and websites on the internet that promise you will get results in a short amount of time. Unfortunately, much of the information in it doesn't apply to real life. Don't believe in fairy tales. Check everything first.
There are many factors to consider in order to lose weight; 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 of how much weight can be lost in a week. Nutritionists believe you can lose up to 1. 5 kilograms without harming your health. Therefore, don't be fooled by the promises of the ignorant, check and ponder their advice before applying.
Overweight is fat! Of course, you always want to lose fat, but you can also lose water or glycogen (sugar in your body). The latter often occurs when starting a carbohydrate diet.
4 ways to lose weight
There are 4 types of weight loss. Somehow, when you look at a diet, it will relate to one of these four possibilities:
- food;
- movement;
- stress management;
- thinking.
In order not to overwhelm you with information, we have divided the 16 tips contained in the article into these 4 categories. Therefore everyone will find something for themselves.
But first let's compare weight loss with dieting and exercise.
Diet or exercise
If you look at studies that lasted more than 15 weeks, you will see the following results (number of pounds lost after 15 weeks):
- Group "No exercise diet": 10. 7 kg weight loss.
- Exercise without a diet group: 2. 9 kg.
- Exercise diet group: 12. 0 kg.
It's easy to see that diet is more important than exercise.
1st diet
8 out of 16 tips in this article are related to diet. Almost all of them affect the amount and quality of the food consumed. With their help, you can lose weight even without exercising.
Tip 1:Eat more slowly. 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's meal lasts 10 to 15 minutes. If you eat slowly, you are consuming less, consuming fewer calories during this time. That's logic.
- You chew hard, which also reduces the calories.
- The blood sugar level is less pronounced, which makes it easier to burn fat.
"A healthy lifestyle will rob you of illness, lethargy and fat"
Jill Johnson
Tip 2:Start your day with protein like cottage cheese!
Many people start their day with carbohydrates. 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 tissue.
Instead of carbohydrates, 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 cut calories and lose weight quickly.
Tip 3:Drink half a liter of water before each meal.
This speeds up your weight loss by 40%! Studies in adults and the elderly have shown that drinking half a liter of water 15 to 30 minutes before meals accelerated weight loss by 44% over a 12 week period compared to people who do not drink before meals.
There is an explanation for this: If you drink half a liter of water before meals, 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. Have a glass of water to make sure you are really hungry.
Tip 4:Avoid lemonades 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 greatest enemy because they are loaded with sugar.
But there is a nuance here. This does not apply to freshly squeezed natural juices as these contain fruit fibers. 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 when drinking carbonated drinks (compared to water and even juices).
- The risk of diabetes increased 33% with a daily glass of soda.
- Daily consumption of soda is linked to a 67% increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Artificial sweeteners are addicting, making soda hard to give up.
- In an animal study of rats who consumed artificial sweeteners, the following happened: They ate more and their metabolism slowed. The same thing happens to a person.
Tip 5: Avoid "hidden" sugar.
Around 80% of all products sold in supermarkets contain sugar. Even if it's not written directly about it. The fact is, manufacturers often “code” sugar with words that customers don't understand. Most of these aliases end with "ose" or contain terms such as "syrup" or "molasses".
"If you don't give your body its best, you are just robbing yourself"
Jilius Irving
So we get a splendor. If we do not recognize the code word, we are assuming that the product does not contain sugar.
There is another trick. Manufacturers of sugary substances are often indicated at the end of the composition. Many people just don't read the composition to the end and get misled by that.
Important! Always read the ingredients list and look for hidden sugars by code names.
Tip 6:Eat fewer carbohydrates.
People eat too many carbohydrates. If you compare our current eating habits with those of people living in nature, you can understand that we - the city dwellers - have strayed quite a bit.
In a study from 2000, scientists determined how much carbohydrates are consumed by people who live in harmony with nature. If we compare this to the average diet of a modern person, we get the following result:
- Man of nature: proteins 19-35% fats: 28-47% carbohydrates: 22-40%;
- Urban Man: Proteins: 15% Fats: 30% Carbohydrates: 55%.
Therefore, you need to remove 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, grains, and legumes.
Dietary fiber also makes you feel full more quickly, which means that you automatically eat less. This is because fiber takes a long time to digest.
It is therefore recommended to add one of these foods to every meal.
Tip 8:Consume carbohydrates and protein after training.
If you eat carbohydrates immediately after exercise, your body will continue to burn fat.
Carbohydrates also help regenerate your muscles by activating the growth hormone HGH. Protein is needed to build muscle.
2nd movement
The following 2 tips relate to training.
Tip 9:Short but intensive training.
When it comes to exercise, people usually start with cardio. But cardio has some drawbacks.
With short, intense workouts you can burn seven times more fat than with cardio. Because in them you train in short runs and alternate them with breaks. For example, 30 seconds of very intense exercise followed by a 10 second break.
5 sets of high-intensity workouts for 20 minutes are far more beneficial than the same 20 minutes of cardio.
Tip 10: Exercise before meals.
This is a unique tip.
Losing weight is due to the fact that less insulin is released because it simply becomes unnecessary. An excessive release of insulin is your enemy as it creates and stores fat, especially around the abdomen.
When you exercise right before a meal, your muscle cells are supplied with energy.
"A man who can eat anything without getting fat shouldn't do so in the presence of a woman"
Rita Radner
Of course, you can't work out hard before every meal, but you can only do a few short exercises like squatting, imaginary punch, etc.
3. Stress management
Stress is an underrated topic when it comes to weight loss. If you have been through a lot of stress recently, as you lose weight, you will lose weight more slowly.
Let's continue our tips.
Tip 11: Avoid chronic stress.
Stress releases the anti-stress hormone cortisol.
When the cortisol level is high, it leads to fat deposits on the stomach. In addition, blood sugar levels rise, which makes weight loss very difficult.
If you follow a radical diet, you may be exposed to high levels of stress. It will also lead to an increase in the amount of cortisol.
By the way! Cortisol is not your enemy. It is a hormone that was designed to help reduce the harmful effects of stress. Cortisol by itself isn't bad, it shows you how stressed you are. It is similar to cholesterol in this regard.
Here are some ways to significantly reduce your stress:
- meditate;
- Get more exercise at home or at work.
- Listen to your favorite music.
- Do not follow a radical diet;
- Be in nature more often.
Tip 12:Get enough sleep.
Sleep has a huge 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, which means that appetite is poorly regulated;
- People who miss 15 hours of sleep a week because of their normal cortisol levels gain 50-80% weight.
A person needs at least 6-7 hours of sleep. For some more, but not more than 9 hours. Here are some tips for getting the best sleep:
- Do not use your devices after 8: 00 p. m. And not watch TV. Better not to watch at all, of course, but at least after 8: 00 p. m.
- Do not drink any caffeinated drinks such as coffee, cola or tea in the evening.
- Go to bed at the same time.
- Don't look at your watch while you're in bed.
"The only way to lose weight is to reconsider 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 through the power of thought, but about the inner core and motivation.
You can lose weight naturally with the wrong attitude. However, the effect will be short-lived. Rollback in this case is a matter of time.
Internal or external motivation? How do I find motivation to lose weight?
Often people 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 relative.
- Losing weight to meet certain social norms.
But in order to lose weight there has to be an intrinsic motivation that should 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 be honest about why you want it. It is best to write these reasons on paper so that you can see the bigger picture.
Note! You should always think - "I want to lose weight" (internally, 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 prone to get lost and therefore need more motivation.
Tip 13:Food should not be viewed as a stomach filler.
Many people see food as simply filling the stomach. It's a shame because we need food for that.
There are two main purposes:
- gain energy to maintain the psyche;
- Get nutrients to support the body.
When you focus on these two goals, you automatically eat healthier foods. Hunger is no longer a signal to fill your stomach quickly. They choose cleaner, natural and fresher foods.
In addition to the result in the form of weight loss, health and joy come to you as a bonus. OK, not bad?
Tip 14:Get help.
Finding support is a good idea to help increase your chances of losing weight. You don't have to do all of the steps yourself
There are different options:
- Are you looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend to do 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 just like you.
All of these 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 as situations inevitably arise that set you back. To overcome them, a friend's 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 rapid weight loss. You have very high short-term expectations that, of course, cannot be met. As a result, people lose motivation and confidence in success.
Long-term prospects are not only underestimated when it comes to losing weight. This is a common thing with aspiring entrepreneurs: they want to become millionaires right after starting a business and not think about how big their business will be 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. Break down each goal into small sub-goals and achieve them gradually. Every little victory gives you confidence.
As a result, you will have the strength to solve your main task and the process of losing weight will not be hell for you.
Tip 16: Don't force yourself to follow radical diets.
Often times, diet is not so good because it prevents a person from meeting their needs. Yes, throwing cakes at night is so-so necessary, but you also need to work with it carefully and smoothly.
Very often a diet makes a person think even more about the food they want to eat. He has to suppress unwanted thoughts. As a result, a person is constantly in a tense state, and while the desire only increases, it does not lead to anything good.
If you artificially suppress your desires, sooner or later the mind won't withstand the pressure and will explode. This principle applies to all areas of life, not just weight loss.
That's why you shouldn't keep thinking: "I want this, but I can't", on the contrary: "I can, but I don't want it".
Psychological tricks for losing weight
So let's get to the fun part. How to lose weight
Psychological tricks - read and memorize.
Tip 1: Use small plates.
A number of studies show that when you use small plates, you automatically eat less. People always fill their plates the same way no matter how big they are.
If the plate is large and has little to eat, you get the impression that you have eaten very little. If the plate is small but full, it seems to you that you have eaten a lot. Listen.
"My wife started seeing a nutritionist and lost three hundred dollars in two months"
Robert Order
Tip No. 2. Use large, narrow glasses.
According to scientists, you can drink up to 50% less with tall and narrow glasses. This is due to the fact that it seems to you that the glass is large when 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.
Therefore, use tall glasses if you consume 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: the consumption of high-calorie foods from red plates occurs in much smaller quantities than from anyone else.
We associate red with "stopping", so that we unconsciously shorten the meal time.
Everyone knows there are times at the table when they seem to have had enough, but there is still food on the plate. We often finish eating at the machine without realizing that the body is already full. So red plates do not allow you to do this. At the first sign of satiety, we will stop; we will not overeat.
Recommendation No. 4. Eat in company.
People eat almost 40% less when guests or strangers are at the table.
Your presence creates additional pressure and does not allow a person to forget and overeat. . .
Recommendation No. 5. Don't watch food advertisements.
People who regularly watch food on TV eat 30% more than those who don't watch TV.
"The fewer substances, the better the exchange"
So be careful when watching TV.
Recommendation No. 6. Hang a mirror in your kitchen.
Many studies show that a mirror in the kitchen can help you lose weight.
This is due to the fact that it is often uncomfortable for a person to watch him eat. In addition, he can look outside at his inappropriate behavior regarding food. It can be thought provoking.
Tip # 7. Make unhealthy foods harder to find.
The likelihood of having snacks that are more difficult to get is greatly reduced.
For example, if you keep candy in a transparent container, you are more likely to open it and use more calories per day than if the container is opaque.
Better to keep all sorts of bad things out of the kitchen somewhere. This is the psychology of diet for weight loss.
Conclusion
It is impossible to grasp the immensity. Even this article contains too much information to digest and use at once. Even if you try, it won't come out good.
It is better to move gradually, choose 2-3 methods for yourself, study them and gradually introduce them into your life day by day. This way you can get results much faster. This is the whole psychology of losing weight.