In order to lose weight, you don’t always have to torment yourself through a diet. If you are already changing small everyday habits, you can declare war on excess kilos. These six basics will help you lose weight optimally.
Low carb diets, the ketogenic diet, or intermittent fasting can help you lose body fat. However, weight loss does not necessarily mean that you do not eat certain foods.
Here you can find out which simple changes you can use to optimize your metabolism and how you can lose weight in a healthy way.
The secret recipe: calorie deficit
If you eat fewer calories than your body uses, you will automatically lose weight. A moderate calorie deficit of 150-300 calories a day can be achieved by consuming foods with a low glycemic index, for example – sweets, cookies, crackers, french fries, burgers and much more would be taboo.
At the same time, the daily calorie requirement increases during exercise.
In order to plan for the calorie deficit, it makes sense to first calculate your personal basal metabolic rate and total metabolic rate.
How many additional calories are burned through exercise must be added individually to the total turnover. In purely mathematical terms, you can also eat more on training days.
Think healthy fats and lean proteins
Fats don’t make you fat! Unfortunately, this rumour persists. Healthy sources of fat such as nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, avocados, hemp oil and olive oil contain a lot of calories, but they also ensure a long satiety. High-fat fish such as salmon or herring should also be served at least once a week.
All of the foods mentioned provide the essential omega-3 fatty acids that the body cannot produce on its own.
In addition, eat protein-rich foods such as eggs, legumes, low-fat quark, grainy cream cheese or lean chicken several times a day. Proteins and healthy fats help maintain muscles – and the more muscle you have, the more calories your body uses when it is resting.
Watch out for complex carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are very often demonized as fattening food. In order to lose weight, however, you don’t have to do without pasta, bread and the like.
Better: Reach for complex carbs, i.e. products such as wholemeal bread, wholegrain pasta, lentil pasta, oat flakes, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth or even potatoes.
These contain important filling fiber, which promotes healthy digestion, and vital substances.
Weight training with weights
Endurance sports such as jogging or cycling burn many calories, but the focus should also be on strength training at least two to three times a week to boost the metabolism.
Because strength units also promote muscle building – and can thus accelerate the weight loss process.
Try HIIT training
Many experts agree that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best training method for losing fat.
Researchers at the School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney found in a study that regular interval units cause a breakdown of visceral fat (dangerous “brown fat”) in the abdominal region.
Other positive properties of HIIT: it saves time, promotes endurance as well as muscle building and has an enormous afterburn effect.
Get a good night’s sleep
Lack of sleep causes the body to release the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels eventually lead to cravings, fatigue, and mood swings. The risk of reaching for high-calorie snacks is therefore great.
The following applies: At least seven to eight hours of sleep per night should be.
