Losing Weight- Where to Start?

Losing weight is simple, but often not easy to implement.

To lose weight, you really only need to know a few things. Easy enough. Unfortunately, it might be a while before you start to see results. Here are a few basic tips for losing weight.

The Key: Less Calories

To lose weight, you basically just have to burn more calories than you eat. If the body does not get enough energy from the food you eat, it will start to use its fat reserves. You can create a calorie deficit by reducing your calorie intake or exercise more. It sounds easy, but is it?

Often, diet fads result in fast weight loss, although the weight lost is usually from water and muscle, which is not exactly healthy. Fat loss is what is really important.

When dieting, it is very important to eat enough protein. Otherwise, the body starts to lose muscle. Carbohydrates and fat are different. Here, only the calories you eat count, regardless of what kind of food they come from.

Choosing the Right Diet

To find a good diet that really helps with fat loss, you have to keep the following in mind:

• To lose weight you need to cut calories
• You need to get enough protein to maintain muscle mass.
• Make sure your diet is comfortable enough to stick to in the long run
• Your diet should consist mainly of unprocessed and filling foods.

Whether or not you count your daily calories is up to you. Some people enjoy counting and find it effective, and some do not.

When it comes to protein intake, consider your activity level. The less you exercise, the less protein the body needs. If you exercise a lot, 1.4-2 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight is a good guideline for estimating what you need per day.

Why Protein is Important for Losing Weight

Protein:

• protects the body from losing muscle
• satisfies well and prevents food cravings
• prevents a decrease in your metabolism (i.e. how many calories you burn at rest)

Do You Have to Exercise to Lose Weight?

No, as long as you eat fewer calories, you will lose weight. However, exercise can only help you. Strength training protects against muscle loss, and endurance training increases calorie consumption.

Prevent the Yo-Yo Effect

The key to keeping weight loss is changing your behaviour. To prevent gaining back weight that you have lost consider these tips:

1. Leave room for flexibility: if you are too strict with yourself, you might be tempted to fall back into old habits. So treat yourself every once in a while.
2. Routines are important. It is easier to resist temptation if you stick to a set routine.