Is it possible to lose weight without going to the gym and doing grueling workouts? Of course yes, provided you don't have hormonal imbalance or gastrointestinal problems. Let's look at the most popular ways to lose weight at home.
The problem of being overweight is not only dissatisfaction with one's own body but also the risk of dangerous diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There's no need to starve yourself or work out in the gym until you're exhausted. It is enough to pay attention to your daily lifestyle, because often it is bad habits that cause overweight. Let's discuss how to lose weight properly at home and what you need to pay attention to in order not to lose weight but maintain the results.
Useful information about weight loss
| Legendary | Is it right |
|---|---|
| Eating dinner late contributes to weight gain | Eating less than 3 hours before bed contributes to weight gain |
| We lose weight for a long time, we gain weight quickly | Gaining weight (specifically adipose tissue) is a long-term process no less than losing weight |
| The effectiveness of the diet depends on food restriction | The main thing is to maintain a balance of macronutrients (protein - 35%, fat - 45-35%, carbohydrates - 20-30%) |
| Low-fat foods help you lose weight | The lack of lipids in food will hinder the absorption of vitamins A, E, K, D. Fat itself is a signal of saturation, without them we would eat more. Additionally, low-fat dairy products are often low quality, high in trans fats and vegetable fats in palm kernels. |
| In winter, they lose weight more slowly due to a slower metabolism | At negative temperatures, metabolism increases, calories are consumed faster because they are used for heat exchange |
| Women lose weight more easily | Women lose weight 2 times slower than men. Due to female physiology, a lack of calories leads to fat accumulation. Additionally, on some days during a woman's menstrual cycle, the body tries to accumulate fat under the skin. |
| Strict short-term diets are effective | Short-term diets are ineffective, eliminating water but not excess fat, leading to gastrointestinal disorders and hormonal imbalances. |
| There are foods that contain negative calories | The calorie content of some foods tends to be zero, or more precisely, we cannot digest and absorb these calories (e. g. fiber), but this does not affect the burning of these calories. other fats and carbohydrates |
Causes of weight gain
Many people have heard that the main cause of weight gain is an imbalance between the energy consumed from food and the energy consumed by the body. There are many factors leading to this situation. In addition to uncontrolled eating and a sedentary lifestyle, weight gain is also facilitated by imbalances in the body of cortisol, insulin, leptin, thyroid hormones, vitamin D deficiency and testosterone deficiency. . The main causes of such violations can be grouped into several groups:
- unhealthy diet (increased calorie intake, imbalance, night eating);
- stressful conditions (including lack of sleep);
- taking hormonal drugs and antidepressants;
- endocrine diseases (thyroid disease, diabetes);
- Mental illness leads to uncontrolled eating;
- some diseases of the central nervous system;
- genetic tendency.
Is there a difference in weight loss between women and men?
Weight loss characteristics in men and women are based on physiological differences. It is easier for men to lose visceral fat; the accumulation of this fat in women is related to physiological preparation for pregnancy. Therefore, it is more difficult for women to lose weight in the thighs and abdomen. But it is easier for women to follow a diet, and men have an extremely negative attitude towards diets. Furthermore, the calorie content of men's diets should be higher than that of women.
"Safe" weight loss indicators also vary. Without endangering health, women can lose up to 2 kg per month, men - up to 4. Men lose weight faster. This is mainly due to monthly hormonal changes in the female body. But there is one thing in common - being overweight is harmful to both men and women.
5 ways to help women lose weight quickly at home
Many women wonder: is it difficult to lose weight? Here it should be immediately clarified that losing 15-20 kg in a month and feeling great is possible only on a reality TV show. Everything in life is much more complicated, but there is still a chance for success. There is no need to exhaust yourself with strict diets and live in the gym. It will be easier to change your lifestyle within acceptable limits and aim for reasonable and gradual weight loss. Start with simple and uncomplicated changes.
Nutrition
Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to get results without changing your diet. And we're not talking about strict diets. Nutrition needs to be balanced according to the main indicators: protein, fat, carbohydrates and total calories.
- Try to limit smoked, fried and wheat foods in your diet as much as possible.
- Eliminate sugar as much as possible and replace it with honey, dried fruit or natural alternatives.
- Avoid wheat bread and keep rye bread and whole grain products in your diet.
- Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and bran. This will increase the fiber content of your diet. Replace juices with natural fruits and vegetables.
- Eat more low-fat fermented dairy products, eliminate milk and products with high lactose content.
- Avoid fast food, canned food, hot dogs and carbonated drinks.
- Reduce daily calorie intake by 20%, sugar and hidden sugar intake to less than 15g.
- Make sure your diet has enough protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Water
A very important point in the weight loss process is drinking enough water. It is water that satisfies hunger and increases metabolic rate by 20%.
- Replace your regular drinks with clean water as much as possible.
- Start every morning with a glass of lemon water and honey.
- Drink 1. 5-2 liters of clean water every day.
Brisk walking
The easiest way to lose weight through exercise is to walk briskly or Nordic walking. It doesn't require a lot of time or special equipment but allows you to burn up to 1100 calories in an hour. In addition, it is the safest sport and an effective means of strengthening and supporting most body systems.
- If you have never walked briskly/Nordic walking, start with a 35-minute morning walk.
- Alternate slow and fast steps.
- You need to walk every day. Even one shortcoming will reduce your results, and daily practice will significantly accelerate the achievement of results.
- Pay special attention to high-quality sports shoes and clothing for the season.
Do exercise
For effective training, you do not need gyms and sports equipment. Basic bodyweight exercises can help you lose a few extra pounds each month.
- Push-ups are a very simple and effective exercise. If this is difficult for you, start doing push-ups from a chair or on your knees, gradually moving to the classic form of the exercise.
- Squats will help you lose weight in your thighs. Perform the exercise slowly, gradually increasing the number of squats.
- Plank is a difficult exercise and not everyone likes it. Start with 20-30 seconds, gradually increasing the holding time to 1-2 minutes. If planking is easy for you, complicate the task by using variations.
- Exercise "Burpee" - combines jumping, push-ups and squats. It is extremely tiring but at the same time burns maximum calories and leads to fastest weight loss.
- Jumping rope is a simple and effective cardio exercise that helps strengthen the muscles in the legs and buttocks and is great for weight loss.
Healthy lifestyle
Proper nutrition and exercise are not enough to achieve success. Psychological state, proper rest and new lifestyle play an equally important role.
- If you decide to lose weight, find the motivation that makes the most sense for you.
- As much as possible, try to avoid stressful situations.
- Get enough sleep, spend at least 8 hours a day getting enough sleep.
- Quit bad habits (stories about quitting smoking leading to weight gain are just myths).
- Walk more often, forget about the elevator.
- Do not eat at night or eat high-calorie foods before 5-6 p. m.
- Invent yourself a hobby or go dancing.
5 ways to help men lose weight quickly at home
There is a strong and erroneous belief that it is easy for men to lose weight. In fact, it is much easier for men to gain weight than it is to "lose weight". You can diet, but a sedentary lifestyle will negate all these efforts.
Do exercise
Without physical activity, testosterone levels in the male body will decrease, which affects many metabolic processes. The diet only burns visceral fat, and men can only get rid of subcutaneous fat with regular physical activity.
- Start walking more, increasing the number of steps you take daily.
- Start running, gradually increasing distance and running time.
- Do the physical exercises we discussed above every day.
- Start going to the gym, increasing such workouts to 3 times a week.
- Throughout the day, do interval workouts to burn as many calories as possible.
Proper nutrition
In this case, it is a little easier for men than for women. One feature of men's metabolism is lower leptin concentrations. This hormone regulates appetite and feelings of fullness. Despite the fact that men are less hungry, this diet will only help get rid of visceral fat.
- Create a balanced menu of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Low-carb diets will bring the most effectiveness for men.
- Completely eliminate sweets from your diet and avoid eating at night.
- Avoid alcohol, fast food and carbonated drinks.
- Don't forget about protein - its lack will lead to "burning" of muscles.
- Practice intermittent or intermittent fasting.
Water consumption
Water for men is no less important than for women. Drink more water, increase your daily water intake to 2 liters. We are talking about clean water, not coffee, tea, carbonated drinks and soups. Start the morning with warm water with lemon - this will "jump-start" your metabolism.
Active lifestyle
Don't lie on the couch anymore. Try walking to and from work, get out more often and take short walks before bed. Swimming, fitness, active recreation - all this will bring results significantly closer. Don't forget to rest properly and sleep well.
High motivation
It's much harder for men to motivate themselves to lose weight than it is for women. Enlist the support of your loved ones and start sharing with them your achievements in this matter. If you are a compulsive gambler, reward yourself for every kilo you lose.
And remember that the main reward is good health and happiness.
Doctor's advice on safe weight loss
As a rule, being overweight is always accompanied by problems in many organs and systems. Rapid weight loss is no less dangerous. Strict diets are especially dangerous. They reduce the amount of trace elements and vitamins entering the body. "Dietary stress" increases cortisol levels, significantly weakening the immune system. Men can experience problems in the reproductive system and women such as skin metabolism disorders or menstrual cycle disorders. Any drastic weight loss steps must be approved by your doctor.
Popular questions and answers
The most common questions related to losing weight at home:
- At what time of day should you weigh yourself?
In fact, you should weigh yourself no more than once a week. Checking your weight daily brings little benefit but causes a lot of demotivation and eating disorders. The best time to weigh yourself is in the morning, after going to the bathroom and before eating.
- Which part of the body loses weight first?
When losing weight properly, the best place to lose weight is the part of the body with good blood flow: face, shoulders, chest. If the stomach is large, it will be the last place to go, the capillary network there is poor. If the body lacks protein, men begin to lose muscle mass, and in women, collagen is destroyed and wrinkles appear.
- How much weight loss per month is normal?
If we are talking about safe weight loss without exhausting diets and excessive physical activity, then 2-3 kg of adipose tissue per month is considered the norm. We see this in the study of the body's composition - bioimpedance measurements.
- How to avoid failure during weight loss?
To avoid weakness, follow a light diet and light physical activity. This method is more psychologically pleasant. Motivation also plays a huge role.
- How to maintain your weight loss results?
Follow a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition. This is not a diet that you can "abandon" after a week. If you are prone to obesity, you will need to make lifestyle changes to maintain your results.