The "chic heroine" of the nineties was replaced by a healthy and sporty lifestyle. If a couple of decades ago, a model's slimness was enough to be considered a beauty, then the modern standard is a fit and athletic figure. However, regular gym workouts require time, which not all women have. Yes, and strict diets that promise a loss of 10 kilograms a month are not a universal remedy. But how to lose weight without dieting and exercising? Do not believe those who say it is impossible. Perhaps, if you approach weight normalization wisely.
How to calculate your body mass index and why you need it
If you are looking for a way to lose weight without dieting, the first thing you should do is calculate your own BMI - body mass index. This is necessary in order to objectively assess the weight, figure and set the goal correctly. Without a BMI, the desire to lose weight will be vague, vague, because you will not know your optimal weight.
Body mass index is a conditional value created by doctors to assess human weight. It is the relationship between body weight and height. Calculate it using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. For example, your height is 170 cm, this is 1. 7 m, so we multiply 1. 7 by 1. 7 and we get 2. 89 square meters. Let's say your current weight is 75 kg. So, to calculate the BMI, you need to divide 75 by 2. 89. It turns out 25. 95. This is your body mass index.
We compare this figure with the interpretation of the World Health Organization. Note that there may be other ways to interpret BMI on the net, but they are questionable. Focus on WHO evaluation:
- 16 and under - a significant lack of mass;
- 16-18. 5 - insufficient body weight;
- 18. 5-25 - the norm;
- 25-30 - excess weight;
- 30-35 - the first degree of obesity;
- 35-40 - the second degree of obesity;
- 40 and over - severe obesity.
So 25. 95 is the lower threshold for "overweight. "That is, you do not need to lose so much to the norm - 5 kg. If you lose 10 kg, the weight will still be within the medical norm. Therefore, you can set yourself that goal.
But what if your BMI is already in the 20-22 range? This means that you almost certainly shouldn't lose any weight at all. Of course, the body mass index does not take into account the characteristics of the complexion, it is possible that you do not have enough muscle tissue or clear bones. However, if after losing weight your BMI is below normal, it is better not to risk your health and not pursue thinness. When you are not satisfied with your figure at the same time, it may not be the weight, but the need to strengthen your muscles.
If your BMI is 30 or more, you should definitely see an endocrinologist before losing weight. Because with a high degree of probability, you need medical help to normalize your weight.
this should not be forgotten
- Do not use automatic BMI calculators, calculate the index yourself. Some calculators deliberately inflate the results to force you to purchase goods and services featured on the same site.
- Remember that the BMI is an approximate value, the index does not take into account many parameters, such as the characteristics of the complexion, skeletal weight, even gender and age. Therefore, take BMI as a guide, but not as the ultimate truth.
- For a more accurate assessment of your condition, use a special device to determine the percentage of adipose tissue in the body. This indicator will give you a more accurate idea of how many kilograms you need to lose weight and whether you need to lose weight. Because 75 kg of muscle is not the same as 75 kg of adipose tissue.
reasons to gain weight
To determine how you can lose weight without dieting, you need to understand the causes of weight gain. It's one thing to eat a whole chocolate cake every night before bed. It is a completely different matter if you suffer from endocrine diseases, lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not get enough sleep on a regular basis. So what are the reasons for weight gain?
- Unbalanced nutrition. The only way to get an objective picture of your own diet is to write down what you eat and when. It sounds boring, but otherwise your opinion about your own nutrition will not be objective. You may feel like you're not eating much, but in practice, you'll lose sight of lots of snacking or high-calorie alcohol. So, keep a food diary for a week or two, and then go back through it and assess how healthy your diet can be considered.
- Eating disorder. A food diary can also help identify this problem, but an eating disorder is a serious medical problem that you can't manage on your own. You will need the help of an endocrinologist and a psychotherapist who specializes in eating disorders. Possible symptoms of the disorder are feelings of guilt after eating, eating without feeling hungry, alternating strict diets with "failures", discomfort when having to eat with others, etc.
- Sedentary lifestyle. Maybe your diet is in perfect order, but you're moving very little. Evaluate your own activity during the day will help special applications or a regular step counter on your smartphone.
- Regular lack of sleep and chronic stress. Unfortunately, lack of sleep can be the cause of many health problems, indirectly, it can even be a trigger for the development of diabetes. In addition, the body, exhausted from lack of sleep, uses food as an additional source of energy, so you eat more.
- endocrine disorders. Metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, PCOS are not a complete list of disorders that can be accompanied by weight gain. Evaluate your physical and emotional state: are there other symptoms that indicate health problems?
Find out the reason to determine how you can lose weight without dieting at home. First eliminate the very cause of excess weight - consult a doctor and seek treatment, if necessary. Try rearranging your sleep/wake schedule if you don't get enough sleep. It is not necessary to do a lot of exercise to correct a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes it is enough to walk regularly, to walk in the fresh air.
this should not be forgotten
- If you have gained more than 5 kg in a month, although your diet and lifestyle have not changed, consultation with a therapist and endocrinologist is a must. It is almost certainly a medical problem.
- If you're not complaining about your health, but still decide to discuss weight loss issues with a specialist, you should be a licensed physician and not a fitness trainer, trainer, or someone selling "weight loss marathons" online . The human body is a very complex system, and sometimes even medical education is not enough to give good advice on how to lose weight. Athletes, models, fitness enthusiasts cannot be considered "professionals" in these matters.
How can you lose weight without dieting?
Oddly enough, the first thing to do to lose weight is to hide the scale in the pantry. You don't need to weigh yourself every day, even if you can. Once a week is enough. Regular weighing creates neurosis, additional stress, and this interferes with the normalization of weight.
To get in shape without dieting and intense exercise, you will have to change your lifestyle. Yes, it is not easy, but it is the existing lifestyle that has made your body overweight. Plus, not only will you lose weight, but you'll feel better overall if you try to adopt a healthier lifestyle. What does this mean?
Even with a healthy lifestyle, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner. Regardless of whether or not your health problems affect the figure. Behind the daily worries, it can be difficult to find time and money to visit a doctor, but this is a very important task. Your health and well-being must come first.
A healthy lifestyle is a good night's rest. The advice to get enough sleep is easier than following this advice, especially if you work hard and have children in the family. However, a night of sleep of 8 hours is half of health. Try to make a choice in favor of sleep always. Wake up two hours earlier to run or sleep late before work? Get enough sleep. Get more sleep or take a walk around town at night? Sleeping more.
A healthy lifestyle is moderate physical activity. We are not talking about exhausting exercises. However, the lack of movement damages the spine, the nervous and endocrine systems. Go for a walk every day, pick up simple exercises at home for morning or evening exercises. Find a form of physical activity that you enjoy and that can become part of your routine. It can be long walks, jogging, yoga, dancing, active outdoor games, anything as long as you like to move.
Finally, to lose weight without dieting, you'll need to rethink your approach to nutrition. A balanced diet is not synonymous with a hypocaloric diet. On the contrary, it provides you with enough energy, but does not contribute to weight gain.
Principles of a balanced diet
- The basis of the diet are cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruits, and meat products should be less than a third of the ration. Add nuts, seeds, herbs to your diet.
- Minimize alcohol, sweets, high-fat, smoked, and fried foods. If you can't completely give up these products, eat them in small portions and not every day. Let them be a nice exception, but not the rule in the diet.
- Gradually reduce the amount of sugar. Sugar is a great source of energy, but it creates a spike in blood glucose and also hinders the enjoyment of other foods.
- Eat 5 times a day. Unexpected, right? To lose weight without homemade diets, you need to eat more often, not less often. Don't skip meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and at least two snacks in between. However, the portions should not be too large.
- Try to eat the highest calorie foods in the morning. If you want to treat yourself to a scone or a piece of chocolate, do it in the morning. Dinner should be light.
- Do not eat less than two hours before bedtime. Give your body a chance to absorb food before bed.
- Do not skip breakfast. This is the main meal, the lack of a full breakfast often causes you to overeat during dinner and lunch or intercept fast food and sweets on the go.
- Don't starve. Among people who want to lose weight, there is an opinion that the most effective way to lose weight is to organize a hunger strike for the body. It is harmful, ineffective, and in the long term threatens with overeating, as well as metabolic disorders.
Avoid alcoholic beverages: they are high in calories and cause a feeling of hunger. Substitute pan-frying for grilled or baked dishes. Let fried, fatty, smoked be a rare delicacy on the table. For snacks, you can have unsweetened yogurt, fruit, nuts, sandwiches on whole-grain bread. But avoid all kinds of fast food if you want to lose weight without diet and exercise.
Common mistakes when trying to lose weight
The worst mistake you can make when trying to lose weight is trying to lose weight fast. A normal and healthy rate of weight loss is 2 to 5 kg per month. If you lose mass faster, it is stressful for the body. In addition to being unhealthy, in the future it is fraught that the lost mass will return, and you may weigh even more. Also, over time, radical diets and exercises stop working: even when starving, the body does not lose fat tissue. In order not to be in this situation, do not try to lose weight too quickly.
The second common mistake is the complete rejection of fats. Fats are an essential part of the diet. However, give preference to vegetable fats, not animal fats, and make sure that their share in the menu is low.
The third mistake is a sharp reduction in calories. For example, a person calculates the optimal amount of calories and drastically reduces portions. However, scientific studies have shown that it is impossible to reduce the diet by more than 20% of the usual number of calories. So even if you overeat, cut calories gradually.