How to lose weight for long term results? Many people would like to lose weight for the long term in a healthy way. We present a guide.
In our culture, where we eat and run, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy weight – and even more difficult to lose weight. If you have ever tried to lose weight, you may think that diets do not work for you. You are probably right: some diets do not work at all and none of them work for everyone – our bodies often react differently to different foods.
But while there is no easy solution to lose weight, there are many steps you can take to develop a healthier relationship with food, reduce emotional triggers for excessive eating and achieve lasting success in losing weight.
The yoyo effect
Who doesn’t know this: Once you have finally managed to lose a few kilos and put your diet back on “normal”, the pounds are back on top faster than you can look. Worse still, you often weigh more than you did before dieting.
This so-called “yoyo” effect is caused by the fact that our body switches to “low flame” when we lose weight.
What has ensured our survival in the course of evolution becomes more than annoying during the diet. In addition, with reduced calorie intake, the basal metabolic rate decreases – the lighter body needs less than the previously heavy body.
If you want to lose weight healthily, it is best to follow these tips:
- Do not lose weight too quickly: Under no circumstances should you lose more than half a kilo per week. The body needs time to adapt to the changed conditions.
- Sport: If you try to lose weight by eating alone, you will fail – so sport is an absolute must! Not only to lose weight, but also to build muscle. Muscles consume more energy than fat – and thus increase the basal metabolic rate. 2-3 times a week one hour of fitness training works wonders!
- Long-term diet change: Only those who change their nutrition in the long term can sustainably lose weight. This does not mean that you have to refuse everything, but chocolate & Co. should only be enjoyed in moderation
- Relaxation: Stress makes us increase faster, relaxation however causes to diminish the calories eaten better.
- Eat consciously: Eating in front of the TV or computer should be avoided at all costs, because it makes you forget all too quickly that your body has already had enough today. Therefore it is better to eat consciously, preferably at a beautifully laid table!
Healthy slimming in the long run: What is the best diet?
Pick up any diet book and it claims to keep all the answers to successfully losing all the weight you want – and keep it away. Some claim that the key is to eat less and exercise more, others that low-fat is the only way to go, while others prescribe the omission of carbohydrates. So, what can you believe?
The truth is that there is no “one size fits all” solution for a permanent, healthy weight loss.
What works for a person cannot work for you, because our body reacts differently to different foods depending on genetics and other health factors. Finding the weight loss method that is right for you will probably take time and require patience, commitment and some experimentation with different foods and diets.
While some people respond well to counting calories or similar restrictive methods, others respond better to more freedom in planning their weight loss programs. So, don’t get too discouraged when a diet that works for someone else doesn’t work for you. And don’t beat yourself up if a diet proves too restrictive for you to follow. After all, a diet is only right for you if you