These Techniques Will Aid in Weight Loss!

Keep in mind that meals should be scheduled individually, because it depends largely on how we work. If we have the habit of getting up in the morning, we should take care that our first meals constitute breakfast. Why is breakfast so crucial? Well, after waking up, our liver glycogen levels are low and they amount to around 20 grams, which is considerably less than its standard level (around 100 grams). Breakfast should be properly balanced and provide all the necessary nutrients – proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fibers, and minerals. Insufficient amount of glycogen (a form of stored glucose) may lead to a deterioration in our overall wellbeing, particularly in the morning hours. Why is regularity in meal times so important? Let's remember that long breaks between meals may lead to decreased concentration, drowsiness, fatigue, and weakness. The feeling of hunger also increases, which may result in uncontrolled eating. These states are associated with a decrease in blood glucose levels. Our meals should be adjusted to our lifestyle, waking up time, and bedtime. It's worth remembering that our first meal should be consumed within an hour of waking up, and our last meal, such as a light dinner, should be consumed around 2-3 hours before going to bed. During the day, we should not forget about proper hydration, because losses of water in the range of 1-2% may be the cause of a significant decrease in the performance of our body. Remember – we lose water daily through urine, feces, sweat, and breathing, so it's important to replenish it. To determine our water needs, we can use the formula 1 kcal = 1 ml of fluid.

It is essential to understand that there are no miracle solutions to lose weight when reducing body mass. We need to introduce a diet based on a negative energy balance. But how do we do that? We need to start by calculating our basic energy needs. This is the amount of energy that our body uses for maintaining vital functions such as the work of the heart, lungs, or other organs. If we have access to basic data (body mass, age, height), it is best to use the Harris-Benedict formula, modified by Rowena and Shizgala. To this value, we need to add the energy used for work, physical activity, and spontaneous physical activity. Only after accurately calculating the total daily energy requirement can we introduce a negative energy balance, for example, by subtracting around 500 kcal. The negative balance should be maintained throughout the week, including weekends, because sometimes the kilocalories reduced during the week can be compensated for on a weekend. In this case, the body weight will not decrease because the negative calorie balance is not maintained.

By controlling the products you consume, you can prevent the body from receiving an excess of calories. There are several methods that can help limit daily energy intake. Avoid adding milk or sugar to your coffee. If you can't imagine a coffee without milk, choose one with a lower fat content. Pay attention to the fat in meat and remove it if it's visible. Do the same with poultry. Choose meats with a low fat content and avoid products such as pates, sausages, salami, peasant sausage, bologna, and bacon. Use yogurt instead of cream, avoid mayonnaise or mix it with yogurt, choose cheeses with a low fat content, add olive oil to salads instead of fatty sauces, eat fruit in controlled amounts instead of sweets. Prepare meals in a way that promotes a light diet. Avoid frying. Combining all these nutritional rules with physical activity guarantees success. As you can see, the proposed dietary changes are not radical, but they do require self-control. This method of weight loss is based on providing the body with all necessary nutrients, thus avoiding nutritional deficiencies.