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

There are many ways to lose weight quickly.They differ:

  • degree of damage to health;
  • “body parts” through which weight loss occurs;
  • the necessary amount of willpower to maintain the chosen weight loss strategy.

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

Methods to lose weight ultra-fast and associated RISKS

To avoid disappointment from the unreasonable fascination with the title of this article, let's sober up immediately.

First of all, losing weight too quickly ALWAYS carries a health risk.By superfast we mean, for example, tens of kilograms per week.

Secondly, not everything we understand by losing weight has to do with reducing the body's fatty burden.

The most frequently asked question is “how to lose weight quickly?”It is understood as “in a short period of time (usually a few days) seeing a different number on the scale or putting on smaller pants/dresses from one's youth.”

Body weight and the girth 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 suits you?

"Lose weight" very quickly(in the sense of reducing the scale readings) can be done by removing excess fluid from the body, for example, with the help of diuretics, which are actively used by professional athletes to dry out the body.

The price of the issue is the risk of serious side effects, including death.Diuretics belong to the class of one of the most dangerous sports chemicals.

The currently fashionable detox diet also belongs to the class of diets to lose weight quickly.This is one of the reasons for its popularity.

But what causes weight changes on this diet?Due to the same loss of fluid from the body, the destruction of muscle cells due to the almost total absence of proteins in the diet and the decrease in their size due to the decrease in glycogen reserves in the muscles, which “binds” water.

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

We have given three really working examples of very fast weight loss.Its main feature isthe effect is very short-lived, the fat percentage does not change and there are enormous risks of damage to health: Weight returns to normal within a few days as soon as you stop the diet.

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

Furthermore, the rate of weight loss is closely linked to the individual parameters of the body.A person who weighs 150 kg and a fat percentage of 40% can tell you how he lost 7 kg in a week, but for you, with your 65 kg and a fat percentage of 15%, a value of 7 kg can only be achieved in six months, following the same methodology...

Therefore.

Below we will introduce you to the scientific principles of proper weight loss, after which you will be able to 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 that you can constantly follow.

Known methods for losing weight extremely quickly carry enormous health risks.Additionally, they do not burn fat, they only remove water from the body.

How to lose weight quickly and without harming your health?Fundamental principles

1. Reduce calorie intake

Weight loss should always start with this.

According to scientists, excess calories are the most important cause of obesity in our society.But they insist on showing us that we practice very little sport...

Very often, it is the manufacturers of unhealthy food products that promote a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on the need to be physically active.In this way, they divert our attention from the real cause of obesity: their products.

In a study of African tribes that spend all day on the move, scientists found that the level of energy expenditure of their representatives does not differ much from that of office workers in developed countries.

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

onlythe amount of calories burned during physical movements is very small, only about 20% of daily energy expenditure: if hunters in Africa spend, say, about 500 Cal during the day (just moving), then an office worker spends about 200 Cal. The difference of a few hundred calories is negligible.

So, the main rule for losing weight is this: the body begins to burn fat when we eat fewer calories than we need to maintain vital processes.This is the so-called calorie deficit.

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

Main Disclaimer:The greater the calorie deficit, the greater the risk of health problems..

Recommended calorie restriction -300-500 caloriesof basal metabolism.

The first rule of losing weight: 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 (sugars and starches) stimulate the release of the hormone insulin, whose task is to control blood sugar levels.It does this by transporting excess glucose to storage: glycogen and fat.

If you don't lead an active lifestyle, keep in mind that all desserts contain fat.

When insulin levels in the body are low, conditions are created for the active use of fats 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 eliminate excess sodium from the body, which binds to water.What does this affect?The thickness of the skin fold decreases.

The action of diuretics used by professional athletes to dry out the body is based on this principle: these drugs also eliminate sodium and allow relief from very lean muscle mass.

While diuretics carry a high risk of very serious side effects, there is no risk with carbohydrate restriction since the body only gets rid ofexcesssodium

Simply eliminate carbohydrates from your diet and you will lose weight quickly;At the same time, appetite will decrease and the thickness of the skin fold will decrease.

3. Eat more protein, healthy fats and fiber.

So, we have discovered the fundamental principle of rapid weight loss.

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

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

Consuming protein is very important to lose weight for several reasons:

  • Protein has a thermogenic effect, that is, it increases the rate of internal metabolism by 80-100 calories.A little, but still.
  • Foods with protein satiate you better, reducing appetite and the desire to snack during the day.We talked about this in materials about the benefits of cottage cheese and eggs for weight loss.
  • Protein prevents muscle mass from breaking down during a calorie-restricted diet.

Protein sources:

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

Vegetables

Vegetables are natural sources of vitamins and minerals, and are also high in fiber and water, which fill the stomach and keep it 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;
  • white cabbage;
  • Salad;
  • Cucumber;
  • Celery.

Fats

When we eliminate carbohydrates from the diet, which are the body's main source of energy, it is important to increase the intake of another source of energy provided by nature: fats.

Recommended healthy fats:

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

Include the following types of fats in each meal and don't be afraid of gaining weight:Limiting carbs and fats while dieting is a recipe for failure, since you will not receive enough energy and therefore will not be able to follow the described diet for a long time.

Prepare each meal with protein, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats.

4. Exercise to speed up your metabolism

No, you don't have to run.BesidesRunning is not the most effective sport to lose weight, as is commonly believed.

In general, if we compare a proper diet and sports, the former, as shown above, is much more important for losing weight.

-What are the best sports to lose weight quickly?

Those in whichThe internal metabolism rate is activated to the maximum..

In principle, any 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 decreases when losing weight.

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

According to scientific data, metabolism accounts for 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 they are converted into fat.

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

Does it make sense to count calories when losing weight?

No.

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

Sugar and fructose are especially harmful to losing weight.Not only do they provide "empty" calories, but they also cause changes in the body at the hormonal level, which cause overeating and cause a large number of diseases.

Have one fasting day a week.

Fanaticism is rarely beneficial.Now that we have figured out how to lose weight quickly, it is important to understand that unusual whims will not harm you.

In any diet, especially at the beginning, when your usual lifestyle changes,You can give yourself a day of “fasting”when you can eat more carbohydrates and familiar foods.Without fanaticism, of course.

This day is often called a "cheat meal" day from the English "cheat meal" - "cheat with food."

Always try to stay as healthy as possible in the foods you choose.

As for carbohydrates, satisfy your appetite with whole and natural foods: oats, rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit.

And it is better to do this no more than once a week.The more often, the less rapid the weight loss process will be.

It is important to understand:A cheat meal day is allowed during weight loss, but in no way necessary..During it, your weight may increase slightly, but mainly due to the liquid that will “disappear” over the next few days.

During weight loss, one fasting day per week is allowed, when you can eat more carbohydrates and usual foods.

How fast can you lose weight?

About the low carbohydrate diet described aboveYou can lose about 1-4 kg per week., sometimes more, sometimes less.

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

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

Weight loss program limiting carbohydrates in the diet.

What's interesting is that in the experiment, the women who ate low carbohydrates were allowed to eat as many permitted foods as they wanted.Those.They did not have to fight the debilitating feeling of hunger.But as a result, the calorie content of their food per day decreased by about 500 calories compared to usual.

The principle of “eat all 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 example of how quickly you can lose weight simply by eating fewer carbs.

How quickly 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 rate of weight loss on a low-carb diet, the top one is the rate of weight loss on a low-fat diet.

For the first few weeks, you may feel low on energy as your body needs time to adapt from using carbohydrates as an energy source to fats.

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

Scientists say that a low-carbohydrate diet improves blood sugar levels, reduces the concentration of bad cholesterol and increases the concentration of good cholesterol and normalizes blood pressure.

How quickly you can lose weight on a low-carb diet depends on many factors.The average rate of weight loss is 1 to 4 kg per week.