New year, new goals: The basics of a successful weight loss
Many people make new year resolutions like “This year, I’ll change and have a new life”. These resolutions often have to do with a healthier lifestyle. While the determination is important, in terms of success it is even more important to couple it with perseverance, a gradual approach and awareness.
Healthy food + Sports = Weight loss
The simple rule of weight loss is this: you have to burn more calories than what you take in. Reality is of course much more complex. The first and most important step of a successful weight loss is a changed lifestyle.
| By this we mean healthy food consumption and regular exercise. |
You don’t only have to pay attention to what you actually eat, but also to how much you eat. Therefore, the consumed calories must somehow be calculated. You cannot eat for example wholemeal bread without limits (because it contains as much calories as the white flour one, it is healthier only because of the fibres, vitamins and minerals it contains). However, wholemeal bread keeps you full for a longer time, which means you have to eat less and there won’t be any sudden blood sugar level increase, either.
Food supplements to reach our goals
| Besides optimising your food consumption, it is also worth taking food supplements. |
You can stick to your new lifestyle and diet much more easily if you adequately support your metabolism and normalise your appetite. One of the best products for this is the new FAT-X, but the Chromium-containing L-carnitine + chrome is also an excellent solution. The two products can be taken at the same time.
The link between weight loss and protein
You should also pay attention to protein consumption since protein has a thermogenic effect; and the consumption of meals with a high protein content boosts the metabolic process. We also need protein to “awaken” our fat storage. With a high protein intake you can prevent your body from breaking down muscle fibres when it tries to gain energy.
Set objectives
You need to have a long-term goal, but also short-term ones that will ultimately help you reach your final goal. They will give you an initial boost, a sense of success, and will help you remain motivated in the long run. (For example, you may say that you want to lose 5kg by March.) Don’t set unattainable goals because a fast weight loss will take a revenge. It causes a yo-yo effect and your weight cycles back much faster. If you lose over 1kg/week, it is safe to presume that it is coupled with the breakdown of muscle tissue, and you have to starve except for cases of significant obesity.
The mistaken and the right approach to weight loss
1. Starvation, what happens when you decide to fast to lose weight?
Your body kicks into “reserve mode”, which means it starts storing fat because it receives less nutrition, there is not enough energy supplied so your body prepares for hard times. Instead, you should eat healthily and consciously, and take in only slightly less calories than before.
2. No sports
If you don’t do any sports your body starts breaking down the muscles since it thinks that they are unnecessary. It is dangerous not only in an aesthetic sense, but also health wise since the dismantling of spinal muscles can result in back pains. Instead, through regular exercise you should prompt your body to build and not dismantle your muscles! If you exercise, you can even increase your daily calorie intake and it will also get you in excellent shape, because weight loss without exercise can easily result in loose skin.
Ádám Juhász
Bodybuilder & Fitness trainer