The "heroic chic" of the 90's was replaced by a fashion for a healthy lifestyle and sports. If a few decades ago, the impossibility of the model was enough to be considered beauty, then the modern model is a form and athletic figure. However, regular training in the gym requires time, which not every woman has. Yes, and strict diets that promise to lose 10 pounds a month is by no means a universal cure. But how to lose weight without diet and exercise? Do not believe those who say it is impossible. Maybe, if you approach weight normalization wisely.
How to calculate body mass index and why you need it
If you are looking for a way to lose weight without dieting, the first thing you need to do is calculate your BMI - body mass index. This is necessary to objectively evaluate the weight, shape and the right goal. Without BMI, the desire to lose weight will be vague, vague, because you will not know your optimal weight.
The body mass index is a conditional value created by doctors to estimate human weight. It is the ratio between 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 meters squared. Suppose your current weight is 75 kg. So, to calculate BMI, you have to divide 75 by 2, 89. It turns out 25, 95. This is your body mass index.
We compare this number with the interpretation of the World Health Organization. Keep in mind that there may be other ways of interpreting BMI on the internet, but they are questionable. Focus on WHO evaluation:
- 16 and less - significant lack of mass.
- 16-18, 5 - insufficient body weight.
- 18, 5-25 - the rule.
- 25-30 - overweight.
- 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 limit for "overweight". That is, you do not need to lose so much in the rule: 5 kg. If you lose 10 pounds, the weight will still be within the medical norm. Therefore, you can set yourself such a goal.
But what if your BMI is already in the 20-22 range? This means that you almost certainly should not lose weight at all. Of course, the body mass index does not take into account the characteristics of the skin, you may not have enough muscle tissue or open bones. However, if after weight loss your BMI is below normal, it is better not to risk your health and not to chase your weakness. When at the same time you are not happy with your figure, it may not be the weight, but the need to strengthen the muscles.
If your BMI is 30 or higher, then you should definitely consult an endocrinologist before losing weight. Because most likely, you need medical help to normalize your weight.
This must not be forgotten
- Do not use automatic BMI computers, calculate the index yourself. Some calculators intentionally inflate the results to force you to buy goods and services presented on the same site.
- Remember that BMI is an approximate value, the index does not take into account many parameters such as skin characteristics, skeletal weight, and even gender and age. Therefore, take the BMI as a guide, but not as the absolute 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 pounds you need to lose weight and if you need to lose weight at all. Because 75 kg of muscle is not at all the same as 75 kg of adipose tissue.
Reasons for weight gain
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's completely different if you suffer from endocrine disorders, lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not get enough sleep. So what are the reasons for weight gain?
- Unbalanced diet. The only way to get an objective picture of your diet is to write down what and when you eat. It sounds boring, but otherwise your opinion on your own diet will not be objective. You may feel like you are not eating much, but in practice, you will lose a lot of snacks or high-calorie alcohol. So keep a food diary for a week or two, then read it again and evaluate how healthy your diet can be.
- Eating disorder. A diet diary can also help diagnose this problem, but eating disorder is a serious medical problem that you can not 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, switching to strict diets with "harms", discomfort when you have to eat with others, etc.
- Sedentary life. Your diet may be in perfect order, but you move very little. Evaluating 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 eat more.
- endocrine disorders. Metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, PCOS is not a complete list of disorders that can be accompanied by weight gain. Assess your physical and emotional state: are there any other symptoms that indicate health problems?
Learn the reason to determine how you can lose weight without dieting at home. Eliminate the very cause of being overweight first: consult a doctor and seek treatment, if necessary. Try to rearrange your sleep / wake schedule if you do not get enough sleep. You do not have to work hard to correct a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes it is enough to walk regularly, to walk in the fresh air.
This must not be forgotten
- If you have gained more than 5 pounds in a month, even though your diet and lifestyle have not changed, consultation with a therapist and endocrinologist is essential. You almost certainly have a medical problem.
- If you are not complaining about your health, but still decide to discuss weight loss issues with a specialist, it should be a certified doctor and not a trainer, trainer or person selling "weight loss marathons" online. The human body is a very complex system and sometimes even medical education is not enough to give good weight loss tips. Athletes, models, fitness enthusiasts can not be considered "professionals" in these matters.
How to lose weight without dieting
Surprisingly, the first thing you need to do to lose weight is to hide the scales in the closet. You do not need to weigh yourself every day, even if you can. Once a week is enough. Regular weighing creates nervousness, extra stress and this prevents the normalization of weight.
To get fit without dieting and heavy exercise, you need to change your lifestyle. Yes, it is not easy, but it is the existing lifestyle that has led your body to be overweight. In addition, you will not only lose weight, but you will generally feel better 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 your health problems affect your figure or not. Behind the daily worries, it can be difficult to find time and money to see a doctor, but this is a task of paramount importance. Your health and well-being must come first.
A healthy lifestyle is a good night's rest. Getting enough sleep is easier said than done, especially if you work hard and have children in the family. However, 8 hours of sleep is half health. Always try to make a choice in favor of sleep. Do you wake up two hours early for a run or go to bed before work? Sleep enough. Sleep more or take a walk in the city at night? I sleep more.
A healthy lifestyle is moderate physical activity. We are not talking about exhausting exercises. However, lack of movement damages the spine, nervous and endocrine systems. Take a walk every day, get 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 need to reconsider your approach to diet. A balanced diet is not synonymous with a low calorie diet. On the contrary, it provides you with enough energy, but it does not help you gain weight.
Principles of a balanced diet
- The basis of the diet are cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruits and meat products should be less than one third of the portion. Add nuts, seeds, herbs to your diet.
- Minimize alcohol, sweets, rich, fatty, smoked and fried foods. If you can not completely abandon these products, eat them in small portions and not every day. Let it be a pleasant exception, but not the rule in the diet.
- Gradually reduce the amount of sugar. Sugar is an excellent source of energy, but it creates a sharp rise in blood glucose and also diminishes the pleasure 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. Do not skip meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and at least two afternoon snacks in between. However, the portions should not be too large.
- Try to eat the most calorie-rich foods in the morning. If you want to give yourself a bun 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 you go to bed.
- Do not skip breakfast. This is the main meal, the lack of a full breakfast often makes you overeat at dinner and lunch or hinder fast food and sweets on the go.
- Do not be hungry. Among the people who want to lose weight, there is the opinion that the most effective way to lose weight is to arrange a hunger strike for the body. It is harmful, ineffective and in the long run threatens with food overconsumption as well as with metabolic disorders.
Avoid alcoholic beverages - they are high in calories and cause hunger. Replace the frying pan in a pan with grilled dishes or in the oven. Let fried, greasy, smoked be a rare delicacy on the table. For snacks, you can get sugar-free yogurt, fruit, nuts, whole-grain bread sandwiches. But avoid all types 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 to try to lose weight fast. A normal, healthy rate of weight loss is 2-5 pounds per month. If you lose mass faster, it is stressful for the body. In addition to being unhealthy, in the future it is fraught with the fact that the lost mass will return, and you are likely to weigh even more. In addition, over time, radical diets and exercises stop working: even when starving, the body does not lose fat. To avoid this situation, do not try to lose weight too fast.
The second common mistake is the complete rejection of fats. Fats are an essential part of the diet. However, prefer vegetable fats over animal fats and make sure their portion on the menu is low.
The third mistake is to cut back on calories. For example, a person calculates the optimal number 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. Therefore, even if you eat too much, reduce the calories gradually.