Basic principles for correct weight loss: what to eat and what to pay attention to

We'll find out if all diets are bad, how to eat to lose weight and maintain results long-term, and whether you need to count calories to do so.The desire for a slimmer figure may lead you to take novel, and sometimes dangerous, steps. But eventually, even if the weight is lost, it comes back quickly. Why does this happen?Generally speaking, when the cause of excess weight is lifestyle and nutrition, drastically reducing your daily caloric intake will only have temporary effects.Professional nutritionists explain the principles that can help you lose weight without damaging your health.

What diet can help you lose weight

So, dieting can indeed help you lose weight. But before you get too excited, let's note an important detail: Any restrictive nutrition won't work and may even cause harm in the long run.Every diet has its drawbacks: For example, a ketogenic diet can worsen existing liver disease, cause kidney problems, and cause mood swings and irritability due to a lack of glucose in complex carbohydrates.Furthermore, the common understanding of diet has always been about restriction, and restriction is associated with malnutrition and breakdown. As a result, even if you "sit" for a period of time and indeed lose weight, the weight will rebound if you don't change your eating habits. This is a proven model.The more varied the diet and the more flexible the nutrition plan, the easier it will be to follow. This means not breaking down and achieving your goals without harming your body. Therefore, a complete healthy diet is better than a restrictive diet.But maybe there's a diet that can help you lose weight without damaging your health?Short-term changes to a "healthy" diet will not cause sudden weight loss. Besides, who says this is the right way to lose weight? By developing new eating habits, you can successfully achieve the results you want.Therefore, the question "What diet can help you lose weight? " is better rephrased as "What is a healthy diet? "

what is healthy eating

A healthy diet is primarily about balance and variety. Your diet should provide you with all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to function properly. The "Healthy Plate" principle will help with this.

1. Eat fruits and vegetables of different colors. Fresh, cooked, dried – any kind.
2. Include whole grain complex carbohydrates in your diet: they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
3. Remember, dairy and plant-based alternatives are great sources of calcium. Choose low-fat foods without added sugar.
4. Try to eat fish and beans at least twice a week.
5. Use different vegetable oils.

Before you start your weight loss journey, brainstorm some of your favorite "healthy" foods so you have more delicious options for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Remember, the best "diet" is the one you stick to.Proper nutrition—without restrictions and the stress they cause—can not only aid weight loss but also improve health. In many cases, even simply switching to a balanced diet can lead to weight loss.However, even if you eat a nutritious and varied diet, it's important not to overeat. In addition to internal guidelines (hunger and fullness), practice can help with this: finding portion sizes that work for you.

Should you count calories when losing weight?

Not the best way to calculate daily calories:

1. Preoccupation with body-related numbers (parameters, weight, kilocalories, etc. ) may contribute to the neuroticism associated with eating disorders;
2. From a quality perspective, not all calories are equal—brownies and avocado toast have different nutritional values;
3. The caloric content depends on the state of the product, for example, the same mass of nuts, whether whole or ground, will produce different calories.

Therefore, calorie counting is more suitable for clinical practice in terms of pathology and/or hospital treatment.At the same time, you can still use calculations carefully to independently understand your nutritional standards and the levels of protein, fat, and carbohydrates you consume.You can use an app or website to count calories - which makes life easier in many ways. But this approach is often inaccurate: after all, what you eat and drink can be forgotten. This means that the final number does not take into account the tens or hundreds of calories consumed.If you control the caloric intake in your diet, do it efficiently: take into account snacks, drinks and various add-ons - sauces and butter - to the main course.

How to calculate your daily calorie intake

To calculate your own correct daily calorie intake, use one of the methods below.

Method 1. Energy demand calculation formula

This EER formula takes into account age, gender, weight, height and physical activity level and is suitable for adult men and women:

• Male EER = 662 – (9. 53 x age) + PA x [(15. 91 x weight (kg)) + (539. 6 x height (m)]
• EER for women = 354 – (6. 91 x age) + PA x [(9. 36 x weight (kg)) + (726 x height (m)]

PA is the physical activity level and can be assigned a value from the following parameters:

• Sedentary lifestyle (little to no exercise) - PA = 1. 0;
• Low activity (light exercise, 1-3 days per week) – PA = 1. 11–1. 25;
• moderate activity (moderate exercise, 3-5 days per week - PA = 1. 26-1. 48);
• Increased activity (vigorous exercise, 6-7 days per week) - PA = 1. 49-1. 94.

Method 2. Harris-Benedict formula

This formula will help you estimate your BMR - your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body requires at rest. Based on BMR, taking your activity level into account, you can calculate TDEE - Total Daily Energy Expenditure.For men:

• BMR = 66. 5 + (13. 75 x weight (kg)) + (5. 003 x height (cm)) – (6. 755 x age (years)).

For women:

• BMR = 655. 1 + (9. 563 x weight (kg)) + (1. 850 x height (cm)) – (4. 676 x age (years)).

To calculate your TDEE, multiply your performance BMR by your activity factor (based on the following values):

• Sedentary lifestyle (little to no exercise) - BMR x 1. 2;
• Light activity (light exercise, 1-3 days per week) - BMR x 1. 375;
• Average activity (moderate activity, 3-5 days per week) - BMR x 1. 55;
• Increased activity (vigorous exercise, 6-7 days per week) - BMR x 1. 725;
• Excessive activity (strenuous exercise, sports and physical exertion) - BMR x 1. 9.

Each of these methods has its drawbacks. For example, the Harris-Benedict equation, although used for many years and serving as a standard guide, does not take into account lean body mass, which affects basal metabolic rate.Furthermore, these equations provide only estimates, and individual differences and metabolism will affect actual energy requirements.Therefore, you should not rely solely on calorie counting. Consider your actual experience and comfort portion sizes, and listen to your hunger and fullness cues.

What is important to know when losing weight

Seven tips for those who want to lose weight.

1. Trying to stay healthy is a great thing until it turns into an obsession. Analyze why you want to lose weight. Your weight may be healthy, but non-environmental motivations can actually cause harm.
2. Fat plays an important role in the body: it protects against cold and hunger, surrounds organs and protects them from damage, and provides the body with energy. Before losing weight, assess how much you need. After all, obesity and fatness are not the same thing.
3. Any restrictive diet is unhealthy for your health. Even if they have effects, they are short-term, but they can lead to neurosis and eating disorders. Remember that for stars it is important to lose weight "here and now", so beautiful photos do not equate to health, and perhaps not to the best example.
4. Excessive added sugar in the diet is one of the main causes of obesity. The most effective diet is to adjust your diet according to the "healthy plate" principle.
5. Weight is affected not only by nutrition, but also by sleep quality, physical activity levels and even psychological and mental state. If adjusting your diet doesn't produce the desired changes, there may be other reasons.
6. Some experts recommend Mediterranean and Scandinavian diets as well as intermittent fasting for weight loss. However, before trying a new diet plan, evaluate your eating habits and preferences. If it's not your thing, don't accept it. Self-imposed eating habits can lead to negative outcomes and damage your health.
7. Of course, don’t self-medicate. If excess weight has caused health problems, seek professional help.