Proper nutrition for weight loss is not associated with strict restrictions, starvation and refusal of your favorite food. First of all, it's self-care, food selectivity and what makes you feel great and improve your quality of life.
In this case, the "all or nothing" principle does not work. You do not need to try to change everything in one day and at once - this usually leads to breakdowns and as a result of this overeating. It is best to make small changes in stages. This will help you achieve more results in the long run, and as your small changes become a habit, add more healthy 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?
As well as helping you maintain a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy products and protein has other important benefits.
Poor nutrition is the most common cause of immunodeficiency worldwide. Scientists have linked the occurrence of many chronic diseases to poor nutrition. For example, one of the studies involved 38. 5 thousand men and 67 thousand women. For 8-12 years of observation, unhealthy foods have been found to contribute to the deterioration of biomarkers and can also cause heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers.
The data show that 30-35% of cancer deaths are related to diet, 25-30% are due to tobacco, 15-20% are due to infections, and the remaining percentages are due to other factors such as radiation, stress, physicalinsufficiency of activity, environmental pollution, etc.
Poor nutrition affects not only physical but also mental health. According to the Mental Health Foundation, two-thirds of people who eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily do not have mental health problems.
Thus, the link between good nutrition and healthy weight, reduced risk of chronic diseases and overall health is too important to ignore.
How long does it take to form eating habits?
Everyone is looking for a quick solution to the problem of weight loss nowadays and changing the habits that encourage it and last a long time takes time. This has been confirmed by recent studies.
It has long been thought that 21-28 days are enough to develop a stable habit. This statement is mainly related to the work of a doctor named Maxwell Maltz. In the 1950s, he was a plastic surgeon and noticed that his patients needed at least 21 days to learn to look comfortably in the mirror after surgery. In addition, he noticed that people who had their leg or arm amputated took the same amount of time to lose the feeling of a phantom limb.
As a result, he developed this idea in his book Psychocybernetics, published in 1960. The idea was later taken up by many doctors, public figures, coaches. Over the years, the word "minimum" disappeared and the 21-day period became practically "scientific "law.
What are the new studies talking about?
Philip Lally is a researcher in health psychology at University College London. In an article published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, Lali and her think tank set out to find out how long it actually takes to form a habit.
The study involved 96 people. Everyone chooses a new habit for 12 weeks and announces every day whether they follow it or not.
Some people have adopted simple rules such as "drink a bottle of water during lunch. " Others have chosen more challenging tasks, such as running 15 minutes before noon. After 12 weeks, researchers analyzed the data to determine how long it takes each person to walk frominitiating new behavior to automatic execution.
On average, it took more than 2 months, or rather 66 days. But the time it takes to form a new habit can vary greatly depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. In total, 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 calorie deficient
The main idea is as old as the world -you need to burn more calories than you consume. . .
Negative calorie balance forces the body to use the accumulated reserves to provide the body with the necessary energy. This energy comes mainly from the body's stores of carbohydrates and fats.
During the weight loss phase, the daily caloric deficit should be between 300 and 500 kcal.
It is also important to monitor BJUs (proteins, fats and carbohydrates).
2. Reduce the amount of fat in the diet
According to the WHO (World Health Organization), unsaturated fats (contained in fish, avocados, nuts, etc. ) and reduced consumption of saturated fats (fatty meats, butter, palm, coconut oil, etc. ) as well as industrial fats should be preferred. trans fats found in baked, smoked, fried foods, convenience foods, pies, chips, crackers, etc.
Fat 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 fat.
It is not necessary to completely give up fat in the diet. They are needed 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 oils and fish.
3. Get enough protein
Protein is the most important building block of the body and should cover about 40% of total energy needs.
When trying to lose weight, a high-protein diet can leave you feeling full for a long time by affecting the hunger hormone ghrelin. Protein also counteracts the loss of muscle mass during diet. The more muscle mass, the more energy is expended and the higher the calories needed.
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 appetite and calorie intake throughout the day.
4. Avoid simple carbohydrates
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 full and avoid overeating.
Common carbohydrate foods include sugars, white flour baked goods, jams, sodas, 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 useHarvard Pyramid for Healthy Eating. . .
5. If you can't, but you really want to
As you know, "the forbidden fruit is sweet. " The more you forbid yourself to do something, the more you want it. And the guilt it overcomes if you succumb to temptation causes some people to give up and give up.
Therefore, the first step may not be to completely reject the harmful product, but to reduce the portion size and reduce the frequency of its consumption. Over time, you will begin to feel less craving for these foods.
6. Avoid drinks that fill up
Avoid fizzy drinks and fruit juices.According to a study, these drinks are low in nutrients, if any, and excessive consumption led to 20% weight gain between 1977 and 2007.
A bottle of cola of 0, 5 liters contains 240 calories and 65 grams of sugar. It has been proven that people who drink mostly water consume an average of 200 calories a day less than those who drink other beverages.
Drink water before meals. One study found that drinking water half an hour before a meal 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.
Take a look at the image below. Which of the lines is bigger: horizontal or vertical?
In fact, both lines are the same length, but our brains tend to overestimate vertical lines. In other words, transferring this knowledge to the subject under consideration, taller cups and mugs seem larger and more spacious than round and wide ones.
This way you can drink about 20% less from a tall and thin glass than from a small and wide glass without feeling dissatisfied.
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.
- It negatively affects digestion, altering the secretion of stomach acid and its motility, which leads to metabolic disorders.
- Alcohol causes water to be retained in the body, which is why many people find swelling and extra pounds on the scales in the morning.
- Drinking alcohol can impair the body's ability to recover after 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 83 extra calories throughout the day.
But it is worth clarifying that low-alcohol beverages 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 affecting weight loss.
8. Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide the body with fiber, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals. They perform 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 bearing in mind that excessive consumption of fruits is not recommended, as 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 portion size as well as the likelihood of gaining weight. Our brains and intestines are in constant communication, so if your brain is distracted during a meal, you may not receive a signal whether you are hungry or full.
Keep in mind that it takes an average of about 20 minutes to get this information, so a slower diet can prevent overeating.
In addition, eating slowly is associated with deeper chewing, which also helps maintain weight. Studies comparing different eating speeds show that those who eat fast are 115% more likely to be obese than those who eat slowly.
10. Redefine the way you prepare food
The way you prepare food directly affects your health.
Grilling, smoking, frying, frying are deeply popular methods of cooking meat and fish. However, such methods generate several potentially toxic compounds (polycyclic and heterocyclic) in the diet that are associated with various chronic diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
Healthier methods include baking, stewing, steaming, etc. 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 proven that the size of cooking utensils can affect how much you eat. In large plates, people put portions, which are on average 30% more than in standard dishes.
The same amount of food on a large and small plate is perceived by the brain in different ways, this is called Delboff's illusion.
Agree, as if the part on the left is quite small. We bet you will want a supplement. At the same time, the part of the plate on the right, filled to the brim, is perceived more and accordingly has the feeling that it will be more satisfying.
12. Reduce 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 tsp). WHO member states have set a goal of reducing 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 eat to satisfy our hunger. Many turn to food to relieve stress or deal 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 key role here.
It is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, control mood and suppress pain. Since about 95% of serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, and the gastrointestinal tract is covered with hundreds of millions of nerve cells, it makes sense that the internal workings of the digestive system not only help digest food, but also manage the emotional state. .
14. Choose healthy snacks
Snacks are one of the main factors in maintaining a healthy diet and nutrition. If you choose healthy foods high in protein and nutrients, snacks can be an integral part of weight loss. Some of them can even help you stay full throughout the day and limit your appetite for junk food.
Avoid cookies and cakes, sandwiches and glazed cheeses in favor of dried fruits, nuts, vegetable sticks with hummus, natural yogurt, fruits and more.
15. Be selective in the supermarket
In supermarkets there is an unspoken rule of the so-called "Outer Ring". As a rule, the healthiest products are located on the perimeter - fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy products, cereals, etc. Between the rows are placed mostly packaged and processedfood.
Why are processed foods harmful? Scientists are increasingly coming to the conclusion that processed foods, with all their additives, sugar and fiber deficiencies, can adversely affect the intestinal microbiota and the various bacteria lining its walls. As a result, the risk of chronic disease increases and fertile ground for overeating is created.
In one study, the consumption of processed foods was associated with an increase in cardiovascular disease, in another - with an increased risk of death from any cause.
In addition, special attention must be paid to product labels indicating storage conditions and composition. Note that the ingredients are listed in descending order, from highest to lowest. The less, the better. Make sure that the product does not contain sweeteners such as sugar alcohols, monosodium glutamate (E621), formaldehyde (E240), trans fats, dyes (E102, E104, E110, E122, E124, E129) and others.
16. Do not be distracted during meals
A new study claims that the perception of sound from food intake affects eating habits. The study involved two groups of people who ate crunchy foods, one with headphones with white noise and the other without. As a result, participants who were distracted by the white noise heard less food noise, which made them eat more than those who heard the crunch.
Another interesting experiment, the result of which was published in 2016, claims that scrolling through social networks where you follow culinary posts or various grocery stores can cause so-called "visual hunger. " In other words, even if you do not physicallyyou 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 shouldn't eat, think about what healthy, new, and delicious things you can add to your diet. to diversify your diet Do not try to change everything at once, form 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.