How To Lose Weight Healthily?

How to lose weight healthily? The answer seems simple: go on a diet and exercise, right? Wrong! Although healthy eating and physical activity are the pillars of healthy weight loss, many other factors, such as genetics, hormones, and sleep quality, are involved.

Each person is unique, and each organism reacts differently to stimuli. Therefore, many people fail to lose weight, even adopting healthy habits. That’s because losing weight with health involves healthy habits and a metabolic balance.

How Long Does It Take To Lose Weight Healthily?

What we see most on the internet are diets to lose weight fast and lose weight urgently and, unfortunately, many people still believe that they can lose 8 kg in 4 days. Some even make it, but this will never be a healthy weight loss.

Speedy weight loss is usually achieved at the expense of restrictive diets. The problem is that these restrictive diets exclude food groups, the so-called “forbidden foods,” causing metabolic processes in the body that are not sustained in the long term. Let’s explain why this is unhealthy.

• Insufficient nutrient intake – the body needs a daily amount of nutrients that are often not supplied when a person is following restrictive diets. This nutritional insufficiency causes weakness, discouragement, tiredness, hair loss, and even weak nails.
• Loss of muscle mass- the significant caloric restriction results in muscle loss, making healthy weight loss even more difficult.
• Accordion effect – keeping weight off is more complicated than losing it. When calorie restriction is stopped, the body understands that it needs to “reserve energy” in case there is another restriction. As the metabolism is slower, the person ends up regaining all the lost weight or even gaining more weight than before the restrictive diet.
• Eating Disorders – Restrictive diets can lead to eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating.

Weight loss is a process, and each person will have their own time to lose weight with health, some faster than others. However, only lifestyle changes towards healthier habits guarantee long-term sustainable weight loss.

Weight Loss Menu

The truth is that there is no magic formula or a ready-made menu that works for everyone who wants to lose weight. Only the Nutritionist can create an individualized and personalized food plan that meets the needs of each person. This professional will analyze each patient’s clinical exams, history, and habits.

Food reeducation is the best way to make a healthier and more balanced diet. Check out some tips to eat better:

• Plan and organize yourself: planning starts when shopping at the supermarket. Make your list in advance and include vegetables, vegetables, and fruits. Avoid buying treats like stuffed cookies and chips. Organize your weekly menu, leaving some foods ready and frozen. It is more practical and saves time in everyday life.
• Avoid processed foods: they are full of preservatives and flavorings that, in excess, can be bad for your health and are associated with diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and circulatory problems.
• Avoid sugar consumption: in excess, it can increase the risk of diabetes. A tip is to gradually reduce the amount of sugar to get used to the taste.
• Reduce the consumption of fried foods: cooking oil causes damage to health, such as an increase in bad cholesterol (LDL). A tip is to replace it with coconut oil, sesame, or extra virgin olive oil; even so, do not abuse frying.
• Eat your meals in quiet environments, without distractions, and with full attention to your food.

Food reeducation should occur gradually and over the long term. There are no “forbidden foods” but balance, which better organizes the intake of portions of these foods more healthily.

Exercise For Healthy Weight Loss

In addition to food reeducation, physical exercise is essential for those who want to lose weight and be healthier. That’s because the benefits of physical activity go beyond weight loss and promote well-being and quality of life.

Among the physical exercises to lose weight, we can highlight weight training. Muscle gain accelerates metabolism and caloric expenditure during and after training, decreasing body fat.

Weight training helps protect bones, strengthens the heart, and increases flexibility. Being a great exercise also for those who need to lose weight after 40 years.

I Can’t Lose Weight; Now What?

As mentioned earlier, some people cannot lose weight even with healthy eating and physical exercise. When this happens, a few factors may be getting in the way:

• Poor quality sleep: Insomnia is associated with several changes in hormones that can stimulate appetite and the accumulation of body fat.
• Body composition: Obesity itself has a “defense” mechanism that prevents body fat loss.
• Hormonal Changes: They can make your metabolism slower than usual and make it difficult to lose weight.
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Insulin and testosterone increase the weight of women who suffer from this syndrome.
• Stress: High-stress levels produce more cortisol, which can cause the accumulation of abdominal fat, loss of muscle mass, and a decrease in caloric expenditure.
• Use of some medications: Some medications, such as those containing cortisone, can also impair weight loss.

As we have seen, healthy weight loss is a long process that depends on several factors. But it is possible to lose weight permanently, without the dreaded accordion effect and without harming your health.

Also Read: Successful Weight Loss With Low-Fat Food