Effective weight loss methods are not always the most common. We are often presented with all kinds of diets as a cure, active sports, body wraps, baths and saunas are promoted. Unfortunately, these weight loss methods do not pay off. They allow you to lose weight for a short time, after which the pounds return safely, taking with you a few extra ones.
Why obesity developed
Most of us are convinced that excess weight comes from overeating. This is partly true, but there are basic reasons. Doctors suggest treating obesity as a disease and a professional approach to its treatment.
Science explains the appearance of excess weight by the fact that the energy obtained by food is not completely consumed by the body and is deposited in fat cells. There are 2 types of obesity: hyperplastic and hypertrophic. In the latter, the size of fat cells increases, but their number does not change. In the hyperplastic type, the number of fat cells increases, starting at birth. Doctors attribute this to genetic abnormalities.
Depending on the reasons, the appearance of excess weight is:
- Alimentary. Obesity is caused by overeating and low physical activity. Typically for people over 50, more for women. Overeating occurs due to the banal habit of overeating at night, eating more than necessary, due to sedentary work, under the influence of stress and only out of boredom. Sometimes children also suffer from bad habits if their parents try to feed them high-calorie foods more often. Some adults understand eating fatty foods as a healthy diet. Excess weight also contributes to the habit of lying down after lunch.
- Obesity of the hypothalamus is the result of disorders of the hypothalamus region of the brain. It is responsible for appetite, hormone production. The thyroid gland slows down, while the adrenal glands work intensely. Hormonal disorder occurs. The person constantly feels hunger and desire to eat.
- Endocrine. Weight gain occurs as a result of disorders of the endocrine system (thyroid and pancreas, pituitary, gonads). As a result of hormonal disorders, metabolism is disrupted. Beneficial compounds are not absorbed by the body, the patient feels hungry, and excess food is deposited in fat cells.
In hypothalamus and endocrine obesity, only diet and exercise are indispensable. You will need a consultation with a neurologist, endocrinologist, treatment plan. With a high rate of excess weight, they resort to surgical interventions to remove excess fat, gastric bypass, etc.
When excess weight occurs as a result of overeating habits, irrational unbalanced diet, low physical activity, you can use diet and sports. Control by a doctor and psychologist is necessary if the patient cannot gather himself and change the regime.
When choosing a weight loss method, keep in mind that not all popular methods are effective. Some do not work and even negatively affect health. Think about which method will not help you lose weight.
Weight loss methods that have not paid off
Let's stick to the popular weight loss methods, which have become a tradition among the poorly informed population. These methods are taken as an axiom. But recent research has shown that they do not work. If they give temporary results, then they undermine health.
Starvation
There is a belief: if you eat less, you will surely lose weight. The method works in part if the cause of obesity is just overeating. Then you really need to reduce the portion size.
If a person eats a little, but continues to gain weight, fasting will not help. Scientists have confirmed that severe calorie restriction causes the body to slow down metabolism and store nutrients even more actively. Our body perceives fasting as an emergency because it does not know about our intention to lose weight.
If you have little or even switch to fluid for a long time, you can lose weight. But the state of health will worsen, there will be weakness, memory impairment, attention. Dizziness, fainting is possible.
In addition, there is evidence that after such stress the body can slow down the metabolism for a whole year. Is it worth the risk?
To prove the detrimental effect of prolonged starvation on the body, 11 obese patients fasted for 12 to 117 days (1). Only water and vitamins were consumed. Complications that developed during starvation are: severe hypotension (3 cases), anemia (1 case), gouty arthritis (2 cases).
After eating, all the negative effects disappeared, but a significant amount of protein and potassium was lost in the body. Experts do not recommend prolonged fasting with a history of coronary heart disease or brain disease, gout or liver disease.
Increased physical activity
Moderate physical activity can help you lose weight. But spending the whole day in the gym and exhausting the body is not necessary. Four sets of 10 minutes on a stationary bike will burn 35% more calories than training all day.
You can't eat at night
Experiments at the Donne Nutrition Center in Cambridge have proven that our bodies do not store nutrients over time. It is important how many calories you take in during the day. You may not eat in the morning and during lunch, but eat plenty in the evening and lose weight at the same time.
It is advisable not to eat fatty foods at night: it is difficult to digest, and the body will not have time to use the received energy. But protein foods will be good. It will satisfy hunger for a long time and give energy in the morning.
Don’t eat fatty foods
Not all fats are harmful to the body. There are healthy foods rich in fats that the body needs to function properly (fish, vegetable oils, nuts). They contain fatty acids without which the brain cannot function.
Avoid foods that are not fatty, but rich in fast carbohydrates (pastries, sweets, bread). Glucose is quickly stored in the body in the form of fat. Such products are needed only for high physical activity, which is not relevant for obese people.
There are studies that confirm that people who consume calories daily from fatty foods, and not from carbohydrates, stay in shape longer. There is even such a diet on fats - ketogenic or keto diet, used to treat epilepsy in medical centers.
Eating out and consuming sweetened beverages can be another factor that causes weight gain. Teenagers are especially prone to such obesity. To determine how true this hypothesis is, a one-year study was conducted.
The result is disappointing: obese children and adolescents consumed significantly more meat, sugary drinks and chips, which contributed to a higher intake of calories, fats and sugar compared to obese children and adolescents.
Eat more protein for weight loss
This fact is only partially true. Consuming more protein while reducing carbs helps you lose weight. But you can't follow such a diet for more than 2 weeks.
A prospective (factual) study was conducted with the participation of 43, 396 Swedish women aged 30-49. Patients completed an extensive questionnaire and were followed for an average of 15, 7 years.
As a result, scientists have found that a diet rich in protein consumed on a regular basis, regardless of the nature of carbohydrates (complex / refined) or protein sources (plants / animals) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The body needs carbohydrates to digest food. Without them, acetone levels rise, which can lead to fainting and even coma. Excess protein leads to kidney damage. After a long protein diet, you can end up in the hospital with kidney failure or other diseases.
Sauna, warm compresses of melted fat
This assumption is an absolute myth. During body warming, excess fluid with toxins and toxins is released. After the procedure the person feels light, the scales may show a slight weight loss. But that only happens because of the elimination of excess fluid. These methods have no effect on fat cells.
These methods are popular because they are easy to apply at home. But their results are temporary and questionable.
Proven factors affecting weight loss
Recent research by scientists has identified the most effective methods of weight loss. Some experiments were performed on mice, some were justified in experiments on humans. Here are the most effective ones.
Restoration of circadian rhythms
Circadian rhythms refer to fluctuations in physical activity during the day. In particular, the processing of consumed products largely depends on the lighting and its spectrum.
The test was performed on 2 groups of mice. They lived in the same conditions. One group ate incorrectly, the other in accordance with biological rhythms. The first group recovered quickly. People who want to lose weight are advised to eat at the same time every day and avoid late dinners after sunset. But everyone has their own rhythms.
Another study on humans showed that lifestyle-related sleep disorders lead to an increase in body fat and impaired metabolism. The causal relationship of these associations has not yet been elucidated.
Dedicate at least 7-8 hours of sleep a day
Lack of sleep is directly related to obesity, increasing the risk of weight gain by 89% in children, by 55% in adults. Lack of sleep is accompanied by hunger, which is associated with the production of appetite hormones. Poor sleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings as a result of stress also negatively affect metabolism.
Drink plenty of clean water
Nutritionists, who suggest drinking more water during the day, explain this recommendation by the fact that water suppresses hunger. But its function is different. Studies have shown that water increases fibroblast growth. They speed up energy consumption and burn brown fat. Water also stimulates metabolism and allows you to burn an extra 100 kcal during the day.
Consume more oxygen
Recent studies in the West have confirmed that people who have high levels of carbon dioxide in their blood are obese. The modern person spends more time indoors, where the level of carbon dioxide is high.
When inhaled, the pH of the blood decreases. The acidity of the cerebrospinal fluid increases. Hypothalamic cells, which are responsible for appetite, increase activity. As a result, appetite increases and energy expenditure decreases.
The more you walk in the fresh air, the better your chances of losing weight.
Dietary food leads to gluttony
The experiment was conducted at the British Nutrition Foundation under the leadership of Dr. Jeff Branstorm. Participants were offered 18 foods, with an indication of their caloric content, and asked to determine how much food they needed to satisfy their hunger. More low-calorie food was needed. As a result, participants could no longer control themselves. The portions were large, there was overeating.
It is important to eat well. You don't have to eat only low-calorie foods. You can eat any, but take into account the calories you eat.
It is more efficient and safer to eat more foods that encourage fat burning.
Weight loss protein
Scientists have recently made a sensational discovery. In experiments on mice, BP3 was identified, which reduces the growth of cancerous tumors. During the research, it was established that protein intake contributes to fast fat burning. Scientists are now investigating whether proteins can be used as a weight loss drug and whether they have side effects.
Despite the large number of weight loss methods, proper nutrition is still paramount. If you overeat for breakfast, lunch and dinner, following the circadian rhythms, adequate sleep and adherence to the drinking regime will not help.
Nutritionists and endocrinologists recommend formulating the diet so that the diet contains all the necessary nutrients with the optimal amount of calories. Thus, the balance sheet of BZHU comes to the fore.
The above facts suggest: urgent weight loss by fasting is only possible temporarily. It ends with overeating and weight gain. It is better to adhere to moderate physical activity, a balanced diet, lifestyle according to biological rhythms. Then losing weight is much easier.
In case of obesity caused by disease of internal organs or hormonal disorders, it is necessary to visit a doctor. He will choose the optimal diet and prescribe treatment. It is impossible to choose a diet with serious pathologies on your own.