Proper diet for weight loss is not about strict restrictions, fasting and refusing your favorite food. First of all, it is self-care, food selection and what makes you feel good and improve your quality of life.
The principle all or nothing does not work in this case. There is no need to try to change everything in one day and at once - this usually leads to spoilage and, as a result, to overeating. It is best to make small changes in phases. This will help you achieve more results in the long run. As your small changes become a habit, add healthier rules.
The main thing to remember is that striving for health is a lifelong journey. You need to enjoy it, not stress.
Why eat healthy foods?
In addition to helping you maintain a healthy body weight, eating a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk and protein has other important benefits.
Poor nutrition is the most common cause of immunodeficiency worldwide. Scientists link the occurrence of many chronic diseases with an improper diet. For example, 38. 5 thousand men and 67 thousand women participated in one of the studies. During 8-12 years of observation, it was found that raw food contributes to the deterioration of biomarkers and can also cause heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some types of cancer.
Evidence shows that 30-35% of cancer deaths are due to diet, 25-30% are due to smoking, 15-20% are due to infections and the remaining percentages are due to other factors such as radiation, stress, physical insufficiency of activity, environmental pollution, etc.
Poor diet affects not only physical but also mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, two-thirds of people who eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day do not have mental health problems.
Thus, the link between good nutrition and a healthy weight, reduced risk of chronic disease and overall health is very important to ignore.
How long does it take to form eating habits?
Everyone is looking for a quick fix of weight loss these days, and changing habits that promote it and last for a long time takes time. This has been confirmed by recent studies.
For a long time, it was believed that in order for a habit to emerge, 21-28 days are enough. This statement relates primarily to the activities of a physician named Maxwell Maltz. In the 1950s, he was a plastic surgeon and noticed that his patients took at least 21 days to learn to look comfortably in the mirror after surgery. Moreover, he noted that persons who had one leg or arm amputated needed the same amount of time to lose the sensation of a ghost limb.
As a result, he developed this idea in his book Psychocybernetics, which was published in 1960. Subsequently, the idea was taken up by many doctors, public figures, trainers. Over the years, the word "minimum" has disappeared and the 21-day period has become practically a "scientific" law.
What are the new studies talking about?
Philip Lally is a health psychology researcher at University College London. In a paper published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, Lally and her analytical team set out to find out how long it actually takes to form a habit.
96 people were included in the study. Each chose a new habit for 12 weeks and reported daily whether they followed it or not.
Some people have adopted simple rules such as "drink a bottle of water at lunch time". Others chose more challenging tasks, such as running 15 minutes before lunch. After 12 weeks, the researchers analyzed the data to determine how long it took each person to go from the onset of a new behavior to performing it automatically.
On average, it took more than 2 months, or better 66 days. But the time it takes to form a new habit can vary greatly depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. Overall, the study took people 18 to 254 days.
How to start eating right and what habits can help in the weight loss process?
1. Be in a calorie deficit
The main idea is as old as the world -you need to burn more calories than you consume. . .
A negative balance of calories forces the body to use the accumulated reserves to provide the body with the necessary energy. This energy mainly comes from the body's reserves of carbohydrates and fats.
During the weight loss phase, the daily calorie deficit should be between 300 and 500 kcal.
In addition, it is important to monitor BJU (protein, fats and carbohydrates) indicators.
2. Reduce the amount of fat in the diet
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), preference should be given to unsaturated fats (found in fish, avocados, nuts, etc. ) and reduced consumption of saturated fats (fatty meat, butter, butter, palm, coconut oil, etc. ). . ), as well as trans industrial fats found in baked, smoked, fried foods, convenience foods, pies, chips, crackers, etc.
Fats should not be more than 30% of the total food consumed during a weight loss diet, of which less than 10% should be saturated, and not more than 1% trans fats.
It is not necessary to completely give up fat in the diet. They are essential to provide the body with polyunsaturated fatty acids, namely linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids. They are not produced by the body and are found mainly in vegetable and fish oils.
3. Get enough protein
Protein is the most important building block of the body and should cover about 40% of total energy needs.
When you are trying to lose weight, a diet rich in protein can leave you feeling full for a long time by affecting the hunger hormone ghrelin. Protein also counteracts muscle loss during dieting. The more muscle mass, the more energy is expended and the higher the need for calories.
Proteins of animal origin have a higher biological value than plant proteins. However, they also tend to contain extra fat and cholesterol, so consumption should be moderate.
According to research, a high-protein breakfast can reduce cravings for food and calorie intake throughout the day.
4. Avoid simple carbohydrates
In total, carbohydrates in the diet should be about 30%. They are usually divided into simple and complex. It takes longer to process the latter and produces less insulin, which helps you feel fuller and avoid overload.
Simple carbohydrate foods include sugars, white flour products, jams, fizzy drinks, juices and more. For simple carbohydrates, it is better to choose the first half of the day, when blood sugar levels are low after sleep, glycogen stores are depleted and the body's energy needs to be restored.
For foods high in carbohydrates, whole grains are ideal because, in addition to being high in minerals and fiber, they also saturate the body and promote digestion.
As a guide, you can use itThe Harvard Healthy Food Pyramid. . .
5. If you can not, but really want to
As you know, "forbidden fruit is sweet. "The more you stop yourself from doing something, the more you want it. And the feeling of guilt, which is overcome if you succumb to temptation, makes some people give up and give up on what they started.
Therefore, the first step may not be a complete rejection of the harmful product, but a reduction in portion sizes and a reduction in the frequency of its consumption. Over time, you will begin to experience less cravings for these foods.
6. Avoid drinks that make you fat
Avoid sodas and fruit juices.According to one study, these drinks are low in nutrients, if at all, and excessive consumption led Americans to 20% weight gain between 1977 and 2007.
A 0. 5 liter bottle of cola contains 240 calories and 65 grams of sugar. Beenshte proved that people who drink more water consume on average 200 calories per day less than those who drink other drinks.
Drink water before meals. One study found that drinking water half an hour before meals can reduce appetite and increase weight loss by 44% in just 3 months.
If you are not ready to give up unhealthy drinks right away, use a simple trick that can fool your brain.
See the image below. Which of the lines is larger: horizontal or vertical?
In fact, both lines have the same length, but our brain tends to overestimate the vertical lines. In other words, by transferring this knowledge to the topic under consideration, taller glasses and cups look to us larger and of more capacity than round and wide ones.
That way, you can drink about 20% less from a tall, thin glass than from a small, wide glass without feeling unhappy.
7. Eliminate alcohol
When switching to a proper diet, it is recommended to give up alcohol. Why is this necessary?
- Alcohol causes an increase in appetite by acting on neurons, and also increases the likelihood of breakdown, unhealthy food choices, and overeating.
- Negatively affects digestion, altering gastric acid secretion and motility, leading to metabolic disorders.
- Alcohol causes water in the body to delay, which is why in the morning many find swelling and excess pounds on the scales.
- Drinking alcohol can impair the body's ability to recover from exercise, thus reducing the ability to burn excess calories through exercise.
- Alcohol consumption leads to shorter and lower quality sleep, which significantly affects hunger and forces people to switch from carbohydrates to eating fat. According to research, every 30-minute sleep deficit equals an extra 83 calories throughout the day.
But it is worth clarifying that low-alcohol drinks in moderate doses do not cause significant harm to the body. 100 ml of dry red wine contains 80 kcal, 100 ml of beer contains 45 kcal. For comparison, in vodka - 230 kcal per 100 g. Therefore, a glass of dry wine or a glass of beer can be drunk once a week without prejudice to weight loss.
8. Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide the body with fiber, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. They serve a number of important functions in the body and are essential for healthy metabolic processes.
It is recommended to eat at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables a day (one serving is about 150 g). It is worth noting that excessive consumption of fruits is not recommended because they contain a lot of fructose, in contrast to low-calorie and nutritious vegetables.
9. Pay attention to the speed of food intake
The speed at which you eat affects the size of the serving as well as the likelihood of weight gain. Our brain and intestines are in constant communication, so if your brain is distracted while eating, you may not get a signal if you are hungry or full.
Keep in mind that on average it takes about 20 minutes to get this information, so a slower meal can prevent congestion.
In addition, eating slowly is accompanied by fuller chewing, which also contributes to weight maintenance. Studies comparing different eating speeds show that those who eat fast are 115% more likely to be overweight than those who eat slowly.
10. Redefine the way food is prepared
The way you prepare food directly affects your health.
Frying, smoking, frying, deep frying are all popular methods for preparing meat and fish. However, using such methods, some potentially toxic compounds (polycyclic and heterocyclic) are generated in the composition of food, which are associated with various chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
The healthiest methods include baking, boiling, steaming, and so on. They do not contribute to the formation of these harmful compounds and thus make your food healthier.
11. Eat from small plates
It has been shown that the size of the container can affect how much you eat. In large dishes people place pieces that are, on average, 30% more than in standard dishes.
The same amount of food in a large and small plate is perceived differently by the brain, this is called Delbeuf illusion.
Agree, it looks like the part on the left is quite small. I bet you will want an extra. At the same time, the portion on the plate on the right, stuffed to the brim, is perceived more and, accordingly, there is a feeling that will be more satisfying.
12. Cut spices and flavor enhancers
Salt, spices, store sauces and ketchups should be consumed to a minimum. Many of them contain sugar, colorants, preservatives, flavor enhancers and stabilizers. They have a negative effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
The WHO recommends consuming no more than 5 grams of iodized salt per day (approximately 1 teaspoon). WHO Member States have set a goal to reduce global consumption by 30% by 2025, which should help prevent hypertension and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in adults.
13. Control emotional eating.
Our relationship with food is closely linked to emotional health. We do not always get food to satisfy hunger. Many turn to food to relieve stress or to cope with unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, sadness, loneliness, or boredom. But learning healthier ways to deal with them can help you regain control. Serotonin levels play a major role here.
It is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, manage mood and suppress pain. Since about 95% of serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, and the gastrointestinal tract is lined with hundreds of millions of nerve cells, it makes sense that the internal functioning of the digestive system not only helps with digestion but also in emotional state management.
14. Choose healthy snacks
Snacking is one of the main factors in maintaining a healthy diet and food. If you choose healthy foods that are high in protein and nutrients, snacks can be an integral part of your weight loss. Some of them can even help you stay full throughout the day and limit your cravings for unhealthy foods.
Avoid cookies and sweets, sandwiches and glazed cheeses in favor of dried fruits, nuts, vegetable sticks with hummus, natural yogurt, fruits, etc.
15. Make selections at the supermarket
In supermarkets, there is an unspoken rule of the so-called "Outer Ring". As a rule, the healthiest products are located along the perimeter - fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy products, cereals, etc. Mostly packaged and processed food is placed between the rows.
Why are processed foods harmful? Scientists are increasingly concluding that processed foods, with all their additives, lack of sugar and fiber, can negatively affect the intestinal microbiota and the various bacteria that line its walls. As a result, the risk of chronic disease increases and a fertile ground is created for overeating.
In one study, consumption of processed foods was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, in another - with an increased risk of death from any cause.
In addition, special attention should be paid to labels on products, which indicate storage conditions and composition. Keep in mind that the ingredients are listed in descending order, from highest to lowest. The less the better. Make sure the product does not contain sweeteners such as sugar alcohols, monosodium glutamate (E621), formaldehyde (E240), trans fats, dyes (E102, E104, E110, E122, E124, E129), etc.
16. Do not get distracted while eating
A new study claims that the perception of the sound of food intake affects eating habits. The study included two groups of people who ate fresh food, one with white noise headphones and the other without. As a result, participants who were distracted by the white noise heard less food sound, which made them eat more than those who heard chewing.
Another interesting experiment, the result of which was published in 2016, claims that moving through social networks in which you follow the culinary public or various grocery stores can cause the so-called "visual hunger". In other words, even if you do not physically need food, the body sends a signal to the brain using the hunger hormone you want to eat.
The main thing to remember about a healthy relationship with food is: "Food is not the enemy". Instead of focusing on what you should not eat, think about what healthy, fresh, and delicious things you can add to your meals to diversify your diet. Do not try to change everything at once, create new healthy habits gradually and without stress.
As you know, a balanced diet is at least 50% of the result in the weight loss process! Without it, even the most competent training will not bring the expected results.