Effective weight loss methods are not always the most common. Often, as a panacea, we are introduced to all kinds of diets, active sports, body wraps, baths and saunas are promoted. Unfortunately, these methods of losing weight are not worth it. They allow you to lose weight for a short period of time, after which the kilograms come back safely, taking a few more with them.
Why obesity develops
Most of us are convinced that being overweight comes from overeating. This is partially true, but there are underlying reasons. Doctors suggest treating obesity as a disease and a professional approach to treating it.
Science explains the emergence of excess weight by the fact that the energy obtained from food is not fully consumed by the body and is deposited in fat cells. There are 2 types of obesity: hyperplastic and hypertrophic. With the latter, the size of the fat cells increases, but their number does not change. In the hyperplastic type, the number of fat cells increases from birth. Doctors attribute this to genetic abnormalities.
Depending on the reasons, the appearance of overweight is:
- To feed. Obesity develops due to excesses and low physical activity. Typical for people over 50, more for women. Overeating occurs due to the banal habit of overeating at night, eating more than necessary, because of sedentary work, under the influence of stress and just out of boredom. Sometimes children also suffer from a bad habit if their parents try to feed them high-calorie foods more often. Some adults understand that eating fatty foods is a healthy diet. The habit of lying down after lunch also contributes to being overweight.
- Hypothalamic obesity is the result of a disturbance in the hypothalamus region of the brain. It is responsible for the appetite, for the production of hormones. The thyroid gland slows down while the adrenal glands work intensely. Hormonal disruption occurs. A person is constantly hungry and craving food.
- Endocrine. Weight gain occurs as a result of disorders of the endocrine system (thyroid and pancreas, pituitary gland, gonads). As a result of hormonal disruption, metabolism is disrupted. Useful compounds are not absorbed by the body, the patient is hungry and excess food is deposited in the fat cells.
With hypothalamic and endocrine obesity, only diet and sports are indispensable. You will need an appointment with a neurologist, an endocrinologist, a treatment plan. With high rates of overweight, they resort to surgical interventions to remove excess fat, gastric bypass, etc.
When excess weight arises as a result of overeating, irrational unbalanced diet, low physical activity, diets and sports can be used. Control by doctors and psychologists is necessary if the patient himself is unable to pull himself together and change the regimen.
When choosing a weight loss method, remember that not all popular methods are effective. Some don't work and even have negative health effects. Consider which method will not help you lose weight.
Weight Loss Methods That Were Not Worth It
Let us dwell on popular weight loss methods, which have become a tradition among the ill-informed population. These methods are considered an axiom. But recent research has proven that they don't work. If they give temporary results, they harm your health.
starvation
There is a belief: if you eat less, you will definitely lose weight. The method partially works if the cause of obesity is just overeating. So you really have to reduce your portion size.
If a person eats little but continues to gain weight, fasting will not help. Scientists have confirmed that severe calorie restriction causes the body to slow down its metabolism and store nutrients even more actively. Our body perceives fasting as an emergency mode, as it is not aware of our intention to lose weight.
If there is little or even switching to liquids for a long time, you can lose weight. But the state of health will get worse, weaknesses, memory disturbances, attention will appear. Dizziness, fainting are possible.
Furthermore, there is evidence that, after this stress, the body can slow down its metabolism for an entire year. Is it worth the risk?
To prove the adverse effect of prolonged fasting on the body, 11 obese patients fasted from 12 to 117 days (1). Only water and vitamins were consumed. Complications that developed during fasting were: severe hypotension (3 cases), anemia (1 case), gouty arthritis (2 cases).
After receiving the food, all negative effects disappeared, but a significant amount of protein and potassium in the body was lost. Experts do not recommend prolonged fasting with a history of coronary or brain disease, gout, or liver disease.
Increased physical activity
Moderate physical activity can help you lose weight. But spending all day at the gym and tiring your body isn't necessary. Four sets of 10 minutes on an exercise bike will burn 35% more calories than training all day.
you can't eat at night
Experiments at the Donne Nutrition Center in Cambridge proved that our bodies don't store nutrients over time. It is important how many calories are consumed during the day. You can't eat in the morning and at lunchtime, but have a hearty snack in the evening and you'll lose weight at the same time.
At night, it is advisable not to eat fatty foods: they are difficult to digest and the body will not have time to use the energy received. But protein-rich foods are good. It will satiate hunger for a long time and give you energy in the morning.
Don't eat fatty foods
Not all fats are harmful to the body. There are healthy foods with high fat content 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 are high in fast carbohydrates (baked, sweet, bread). Glucose is quickly stored in the body as fat. These products are only needed for high physical activity, which is not relevant for obese people.
There are studies that confirm that people who gain daily calories from fatty foods rather than carbohydrates stay in shape longer. There is even a fat-based diet - a ketogenic or keto diet, which is used to treat epilepsy in medical centers.
Eating out and drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can be another trigger for weight gain. Teenagers are especially prone to this obesity. To determine how this hypothesis corresponds to reality, a one-year study was carried out.
The result is disappointing: obese children and adolescents consumed significantly more meat, sugary drinks and French fries, which contributed to higher intakes of calories, fat and sugar compared to non-obese children and adolescents.
Eat more protein to lose weight
This fact is only partially true. Eating more protein while cutting down on carbohydrates helps you lose weight. But you cannot follow this diet for more than 2 weeks.
The prospective (factual) study was carried out with the participation of 43 396 Swedish women aged 30-49 years. Patients completed an extensive questionnaire and were followed for an average of 15, 7 years.
As a result, scientists have found that high protein diets consumed regularly, regardless of carbohydrate nature (complex/refined) or protein source (plant/animal), are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The body needs carbohydrates to digest food. Without them, the acetone level increases, which can cause fainting and even coma. Too much protein damages the kidneys. After a high protein diet, you may end up in the hospital with kidney failure or other illnesses.
Sauna, hot wraps melt fats
This assumption is an absolute myth. During the heating of the body, excess fluid is flushed out with toxins and toxins. After the procedures, the person feels light, the scales may show a slight decrease in weight. But this only happens due to the elimination of excess liquid. These methods have no effect on fat cells.
These methods are popular because they are easy to implement at home. But their results are temporary and questionable.
Proven Factors Influencing Weight Loss
Recent research done by scientists has identified the most effective methods of losing weight. Some experiments were carried out on rats, some were justified in tests on humans. Here are the most effective ones.
Restoring circadian rhythms
Circadian rhythms refer to fluctuations in physical activity throughout the day. In particular, the processing of consumed products is highly dependent on lighting and its spectrum.
The test was performed on 2 groups of mice. They lived under the same conditions. One group ate incorrectly, the second according to biological rhythms. The first group was quickly recovering. People who want to lose weight are advised to eat at the same time each day and avoid late dinners after sunset. But each has its own rhythm.
Another study in humans showed that lifestyle-related sleep disorders lead to increased body fat and impaired metabolism. The causal relationship of these associations remains unclear.
Devote at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day
Lack of sleep is directly related to obesity, increasing the risk of weight gain by 89% in children and 55% in adults. With lack of sleep, hunger occurs, which is associated with the production of appetite hormones. Unsatisfactory sleep and frequent nocturnal awakenings as a result of stress also negatively affect metabolism.
drink lots of clean water
Nutritionists, suggesting drinking more water throughout the day, explain this recommendation by the fact that water suppresses hunger. But its function is different. Research has shown that water increases the growth of fibroblasts. They speed up energy consumption and burn brown fat. Water also boosts your metabolism and allows you to burn an additional 100kcal throughout the day.
consume more oxygen
Recent studies in the West have confirmed that people with 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 blood pH decreases. The acidity of the cerebrospinal fluid increases. The cells in the hypothalamus, responsible for appetite, increase activity. As a result, appetite increases and energy consumption decreases.
The more you walk outdoors, the more likely you are to lose weight.
Diet foods lead to gluttony
An experiment was conducted at the British Nutrition Foundation under the direction of Dr Jeff Branstorm. Participants were given 18 foods, indicating their caloric content, and were asked to determine how much food they need to satisfy their hunger. More low-calorie foods were needed. As a result, participants could no longer control themselves. Portions were large, occurred overeating.
It's important to eat well. You don't need to eat only low-calorie foods. You can eat just about anything, but consider the calories consumed.
It is more efficient and safer to consume more foods that promote fat burning.
slimming protein
Scientists have recently made a sensational discovery. In experiments with mice, BP3 was identified, which affects the reduction in the growth of cancerous tumors. During research, it was found that the introduction of protein contributes to rapid fat burning. Scientists are investigating whether the protein can be used as a weight-loss medicine and whether it has side effects.
Despite the large number of weight loss methods, proper nutrition is still paramount. If you overeat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, following circadian rhythms, getting enough sleep, and maintaining your drinking regimen won't help.
Nutritionists and endocrinologists recommend formulating the diet so that it contains all the necessary nutrients with the ideal amount of calories. Therefore, 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 gaining weight. It is best to adhere to moderate physical activity, balanced diet, lifestyle according to biological rhythms. So losing weight is much easier.
In case of obesity caused by disease of Organs internal organs or hormonal disturbances, it is necessary to consult a doctor. He will select the ideal diet and prescribe the treatment. It is impossible to choose a diet on your own with serious pathologies.