How to lose weight? What should you start with?

It is easier to achieve the goal when you have a clear action plan for a day, a week, a month and so on.

Even regular diets are a kind of nutritional plan, because they all guarantee a certain result. But what to do if you don’t know where to start to lose weight correctly?

AS. The first thing you need is a step-by-step action plan. It will free you from fears about future difficulties and help you mentally tune into the weight loss process.

How to start losing weight?

1. Set a clear goal

This is a very important stage when losing weight: formulate your goal, form correct and effective motivation.

Your weight loss goal is something you need to keep in mind at every stage of your weight loss journey. To visualize it, or to make it as concrete and real as possible, you can draw it, glue it, photograph it, or assemble it from something. The important thing is to be able to see it clearly and work towards it.

A) How much weight do you want to lose exactly?

To achieve something you need to understand well what you are aiming for. To understand how to lose weight, you need to know what the optimal weight indicator is or what specific forms you want.

You can calculate the optimal weight using some existing formulas. Or remember what weight you were when you felt beautiful and thin. It would be best to avoid setting high standards, but rather set realistic goals, dividing weight loss into phases.

B) When do you have to lose weight?

You need to determine the period in which you want to lose weight. This is necessary in order not to lose concentration and to have a stimulus. The terms must also be realistic and achievable. Taking into account the rate of weight loss of 2-4 kg per month (this is the optimal rate of weight loss when burning fat), calculate the desired time to achieve your goal, plus 1-2 months to consolidate the result and develop the body’s elasticity.

It will be motivating if the date by which you are trying to lose weight coincides with an important event or significant holiday. The desire to look extraordinary will be an additional incentive for you.

2. Calculate the daily calorie intake of your diet

To lose weight, you need to consume more calories than you get from foods and drinks.

A) Calculate your daily calorie intake

Calculate approximately how many calories you consume per day based on your normal lifestyle.

B) Calculate your calorie intake

To do this, remember everything you ate yesterday or what you eat during the day. If it seems too difficult for you to remember everything, write down everything you eat and drink and in what quantities for a few days. And then calculate calories using the product table.

Keeping a food diary will help you get a true picture of what and how much you eat (similar to a training diary). Even if it seems like you don’t eat anything anymore, that doesn’t mean you should lose weight quickly.

C) Calculate your daily calorie intake for weight loss

For this, take the figure of daily calorie consumption and decrease it by 10%, but not more than 300 kcal, because a sudden decrease in total calorie intake will cause the body to go into economy mode and start storing fat.

Your daily diet should absolutely not be less than 1200 calories, but should vary between 1500-2000 kcal, depending on your physique. If you calculated the calorie content of the diet and got a figure above 2000, you need to reduce the calorie content of the diet by no more than 100-200 kcal. This is enough to avoid hunger and discomfort. And necessarily include physical activity!

3. Calculate your protein, fat and carbohydrate needs

The body needs 0.8-1 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight per day. But if you wonder how you can lose weight without losing muscle, but on the contrary fat, then the amount of protein should be increased to 2 grams per 1 kg of weight (but without exceeding the norm of 200 grams of protein per day, even if your weight exceeds 100 kg).

To lose weight, the amount of fat consumed daily should not exceed 50-60 grams.

The rest of the calorie content comes from carbohydrates. But remember that you need to consume complex carbohydrates. Fresh vegetables can be consumed in unlimited quantities (except potatoes). Just be careful with the salad dressing if you eat vegetable salad.

4. Calculate the water requirement

Increased water consumption is a good thing. Carry a small bottle of water with you and drink it gradually throughout the day, refilling it as needed. This will distribute the right amount of water throughout the day. It is recommended to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day, increasing the volume in hot weather.

5. Develop an individual menu

How can you lose weight by preparing an individual menu? Within an hour of waking up, you need to serve breakfast, during the day – 3-4 more meals (2 main + snacks). The break between meals should not exceed 3-4 hours.

The menu must be drawn up taking into account individual food preferences and, of course, the calculations obtained. Try dividing your daily calorie intake into more or less uniform meals. However, the last meal should be the lightest and the first the heaviest.

That’s all I wanted to tell you. I wish you all the best and reach your goal. Before!