Losing weight is less about the perfect diet and exercise program and more about changing the habits that brought you to the weight you are. No one suddenly gets fat in the morning. Small but regular lifestyle changes for the worse lead to excess weight. And the same small changes in the right direction, but every day, lead to big results.
Losing weight is a bad reason to test how much willpower you have. On the contrary, the fewer attempts you force yourself to make every day, the better. That is why it is worth starting to lose weight by creating a new “friendly” environment around yourself.
People often try to “work hard” to change their habits. And while even the smallest changes may be difficult at first, you shouldn’t test your willpower over and over again. Change your environment and your behavior will change to adapt to it. And you don't have to live on willpower.
If you ask random people in a store to fill their baskets with only healthy products, most likely anyone can do it: most people know what proper, healthy nutrition means and how important it is in losing weight. Even if you believe in miracle weight loss belts and creams, you still know that you need to eat correctly. Why does everyone know what to do to lose weight, but don't do it? Obviously, knowledge about healthy lifestyle is not enough.
We want to make rational, conscious, informed choices based on logical arguments, weighing all possible options. And we believe that we make decisions using reason.
However, most of our decisions are automatic, based on templates and ready-made brain settings. Instead of slowly solving a problem step by step based on information analysis, the brain saves energy and selects an answer from patterns that have formed and become fixed once.
Most of us will strive to finish the ordered portion, even if we have not been hungry for a long time. We often eat more when we are doing several things at once. If you start snacking while watching a TV series or social media feed, you may find yourself with an empty bag or bowl and wonder how this happened? Your attention was elsewhere, so the meal went on autopilot. If we constantly eat large portions, very soon large portions will seem “normal” - and we will regularly overeat.
Setting up a “friendly environment” that helps you is the foundation. What is usually considered the main thing in losing weight is proteins, fats, carbohydrates, calories, etc. - is also important, but someone may never get to this point, because they will break the diet after a few days due to the fact that their whole life has turned into a struggle.
In general, when it comes to organizing a healthy diet, here is the golden rule: make a healthy lifestyle convenient and less convenient - what is stopping you from losing weight.
Do not keep sweets, chocolate, cookies at home
Don't keep inflammatory foods in your house. You will definitely not win in the fight with yourself if something harmful keeps catching your eye and makes you think about how you want it and how you can’t have it.
At 10 pm, when you're sitting comfortably on the couch to watch a TV series, it will be much more difficult to motivate yourself to get up and go to the store when you want something sweet. Let laziness do the work for you, making it more difficult and inconvenient to “get” sweet/bad/high-calorie foods.
How not to lose your temper: 5 main rules
Count all your food
The first time you need to weigh and count your food, this is done so that you have an understanding of what foods you get proteins, fats, carbohydrates from, and also to estimate the portions in your meal. According to scientific data, a person underestimates the amount of food eaten by 30-50%, and also underestimates his physical activity.
Determine adequate calorie intake
The second step will be to determine your caloric intake and balance of BJU (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), taking into account a small calorie deficit (400-500 kcal per day).
Forget about strict restrictions
No demonization of foods and no hunger, you can eat everything (unless you have allergies or specific reactions to certain foods). Of course, preference should be given to healthy food, and leave 15-20% of the diet for all sorts of buns and sweets, but you don’t have to give them up if it’s still difficult without them. This will allow you to calmly stick to the plan and not break down. If you really want something, eat it.
Establish proper nutrition cycles
You can’t be in a calorie deficit all the time, because our body is a tricky thing, it adapts to any conditions, so do everything cyclically: 6-8 weeks in a deficit, 2-3 weeks return to caloric support, eat as much as the body spends. After that, you go into deficit again and continue to lose weight. This approach eliminates breakdowns and bad mood, makes the diet more comfortable, and this result is easily consolidated.
Don't rush to lose weight
There is no need to rush, losing weight is a smooth process, and everything that is fast tends to come back with greater compensation. The ideal speed for losing body fat is 0.5 kilograms per week. Therefore, estimate the time and your weight realistically.
Make preparations
Set aside a few hours on the weekend to make preparations that will save time during the week and relieve you of the desire to eat something high in calories. Vegetables: wash them, cut them and put them in the refrigerator. Store meat in portions, raw or cooked, in the freezer. Prepare the cereals for several days at once and package them in portions.
How to force yourself to exercise
“I can’t force myself to exercise” – you can often hear this phrase from those who want to lose weight. Everything here is also quite simple. Follow these guidelines:
- Choose a sport that you like. Not the one that is trendy or promises amazing results, but the one that you like - workouts that bring pleasure will be more productive. It could be anything: dancing, running, gym, yoga, and so on.
- If possible , find a partner for homework or going to the gym.
- Buy a gym membership or pay for a trainer - this way you will feel sorry for the money you spent, and you will work out.
- Again, look for photos that inspire and motivate you. Motivational videos are also helpful.
- Sports can be safely combined with everyday life , for example, using the stairs instead of the elevator, walking to work, and so on.
You can study at home using video lessons. Also, home workouts will become more enjoyable and easier while listening to your favorite music or TV show. How to force yourself to exercise every day? Usually, if you've already started, it will be much easier to continue. When you are too lazy to study, remember your motivation.
Organize your kitchen
Make the kitchen your assistant. Keep it as clean and comfortable as possible, so you feel relaxed when you walk in there. Keep vegetables and fruits in a visible place. Use the refrigerator door to remind you of your goals, track progress, and more. Buy new utensils or devices for cooking: grill pan or wok pan, steamer, etc.
How to lose weight if you have no willpower
Answers, recommendations and reviews from nutritionists
The motto of all specialists practicing the Ionova method is the following principle:
“It is not the consequences that need to be treated, it is the cause that needs to be treated!”
Today we will talk on the topic “How to lose weight if you have no willpower.” The topic of losing weight is key for almost everyone who comes to our clinic. Many of us have strength and desire, but lack the most important component - willpower. Let's figure out what's what.
What does the concept of “willpower” mean to many of us?
First, let's take a closer look at the concept of “willpower.” For many of us, willpower in the subject of weight loss means refraining from eating junk food or strictly controlling our diet. In some cases, these two rules are combined. According to the results of scientific research and our many years of experience, effective weight loss requires a completely different approach. So, in this case, you should forget about the rigid control system, replacing it with the ability to take care of yourself. To achieve your goal, you also need to develop the ability to love and accept yourself. Let's find a logical connection between the concept of “self-care” and the concept of “willpower”.
The bodily resource of willpower. How to awaken willpower in yourself?
First, let's turn to the concept of the bodily resource of willpower. In order to awaken willpower at the hormonal and bodily levels, you need, firstly, to get enough sleep. Sleep is the key to good physical and emotional health. The second rule is that you need to engage in your favorite physical activity, this way your body will always be in good shape. The next postulate on the path to success is proper nutrition! Dear friends, do not forget about active recreation with loved ones and friends. It’s great if your hobby is dancing, yoga, or group sports games. You can also spend time with children, they have a lot of energy, you will move a lot and you definitely won’t get bored. So, all of the above rules can be combined into the concept of the bodily resource of willpower.
How to lose weight when you have no willpower? Tight control and strict demands on yourself on the way to losing weight. Is it correct?
Research and practice show that overweight patients are too hard on themselves. They forget about an important component - “love and care for yourself.” Instead of care and love, the body receives ruthless control and strict demands. Very often, these two components helped you achieve results at the initial stage some time in the distant past. Let's remember the school and the preparation of students for the Unified State Exam, the preparation of students for entrance exams. We understand that all this has cost us enormous effort and ruthless self-control. In this case, control and demands on oneself brought success.
When talking about losing weight, we are looking at a similar situation. A person chooses a strategy of demands and control. This is an algorithm that worked successfully once, so why not use the formula again? Thus, the system of strict discipline is transferred to other areas of life. A person does this mechanically, without realizing what is happening. Many people believe that if a system of strict requirements has worked once, then it is an impeccable formula on the path to success. Unfortunately, this is not at all true. A person begins to overly control his world of emotions and everything else that happens in life, too. After this, many are afraid of losing control, going beyond what is allowed, and self-doubt begins. After this, phobias appear.
If we are talking about food, then the rule of control and strict requirements does not work. If we really want something, we should think about the question: “Why”? Very often we have needs that have nothing to do with food. For example, a desire for something new, a desire for freedom, a need to have fun and forget about continuous control. Unfortunately, many people confuse these needs with the desire to eat.
What should you do to avoid becoming a “food slave”? Golden rules for successful weight loss
How to lose weight if you have no willpower? So, let's summarize our conversation. Let's look at 5 golden rules on the path to successful weight loss.
1) allow yourself to take care of yourself, love yourself.
2) develop self-care skills;
3) learn to recognize your needs;
4) satisfy your needs, but not in a food way;
5) increase the level of the bodily resource of willpower.
Love yourself, show care! Believe me, you deserve it. Also remember the efforts of small children: how they take their first steps. Kids fall and rise, but never give up. You should learn to identify your wants and needs. Don't forget that all 5 steps are important in this system. That is why it is forbidden to ignore any component from the formula.
Dear friends, follow the above rules and success is guaranteed. This is a successful formula to always stay slim and healthy.
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More daily activity
Park farther from home or work and walk part of the road, at least in good weather. Get on city bikes. Do not use elevators and escalators - at least walk downwards. Make yourself an “extra 10 calories” rule: consider any need to go somewhere or do something as an opportunity to spend those extra calories and the benefits that they, added together throughout the day, can bring to your figure. Training in the gym is only an hour, so daily activity outside the gym is very important.
Features of the psychology of weight loss
If you don’t yet know how to force yourself to exercise and exercise, then perhaps you don’t understand why you really need it. Psychologists advise dividing this process into several stages:
- Reconsider and change your attitude towards the problem. If you previously tried to force yourself to lose weight, now try to look at this problem from a different angle. You need to enjoy the process of getting in shape and feel comfortable. There is nothing complicated about this - it all depends largely on your beliefs. It is important not to force yourself, but to form new habits gradually.
- Determine the reason why you want to lose weight. Ask yourself this question and try to answer it. Do you want to have fun when you look at yourself in the mirror? Wear nice tight clothes? Feel better and get rid of a number of health problems associated with obesity? Tired of ridicule towards fat people? Great, remember this reason and keep it in mind throughout the rest of the weight loss process.
- Replace old habits with new ones. Your new habits should be beneficial and aligned with your passion. If you have already set yourself up for results and are ready to give up your previous wrong views, it should be easy for you in the future. For example, if you are used to having a heavy dinner, but give up this habit in favor of a light protein evening snack, and you see minus 200 grams on the scales in the morning, this is already a great incentive to move on and not stop.
- In moments when you feel like giving up, remember your motivation and the results you've already achieved .
A great option is to lose weight with someone else.
If there are no people around you pursuing the same goal, you can find accomplices via the Internet, on forums or in groups dedicated to weight loss. Don't be upset, even if something doesn't go according to plan. Just continue to stick to your new habits, and soon the reflection in the mirror will make you incredibly happy.
Optimizing the diet
When choosing a diet, you should not focus on the diets that helped your friends or Instagram celebrities lose weight. We must proceed primarily from our own taste preferences. If the “star” diet is based on eating cereals and legumes that you can’t stand, you won’t lose weight with it, but will only ruin your mood and motivation. Initially, consider only those diets that involve abundant consumption of your favorite foods: fruits, fish, yogurt, and whatever.
Losing weight on your favorite foods allows you to achieve the following goals:
- Every meal becomes a reward for being in control of ourselves and not falling short of our plan.
- Thanks to delicious treats, the body produces joy hormones. They improve our mental and physical abilities, eliminate cravings for desserts and fast food.
- We can be confident that the food will be safely digested. If you suddenly deprive your body of all its usual foods and force you to eat according to new, unfamiliar recipes, this will cause shock to the gastrointestinal tract. Be prepared for stomach upsets, bloating, and even allergies.
Nutrition should be supplied to the body frequently, but in small portions, 150–200 g each. The need for long breaks between meals is one of the most common reasons why those losing weight break their diet. You need to eat 5-6 times a day, planning dinner approximately 3 hours before going to bed. While losing weight, you need to sleep at least 7 hours a day and always at night, and not at any time.
The famous rule “Do not eat after 6 pm” does not suit everyone. If, due to your work schedule, you go to bed after 10 pm, you will have time to become so hungry that insomnia will begin from hunger.
Place food in a small plate and use teaspoons. The brain will have the illusion that in front of it is a bowl full to the brim, and the meal will last for a long time. Don’t rush to swallow a piece - chew it as thoroughly as possible to enjoy the taste longer. If you're eating at home and aren't in a rush, take a few minutes to just admire the food and take in its smell—it's best to do this while the finished dish is cooling.
Warm shades stimulate the appetite, while blue, on the contrary, suppresses it. Before you go on a diet, change the yellow kitchen curtains to blue ones and remove the pink vase from the table. Store oranges behind closed cabinet doors so that they are not noticeable when entering the kitchen. Especially for weight loss, buy yourself a new blue plate, spoon and fork with cold-colored handles.
No matter what you plan to eat, sniff the smells of a fresh apple, banana, or mint for a few seconds before eating. They help us control our appetite and can speed up the weight loss process by 30%.
Do not place bowls of sweets or high-calorie nuts around the house. It is better to replace these delicacies with fresh vegetables, cut into strips, or puffed bran. An ideal snack would be unsweetened apples, celery stalks, carrots, tomato slices, small portions of prunes and dried apricots. Bran is good because when it comes into contact with moisture, it significantly increases in volume and creates a feeling of a full stomach, but at the same time contains a minimal amount of calories.
The following types of healthy snacks can be purchased at sports stores:
- protein bars;
- protein shakes;
- low-fat fermented milk drinks.
Please note: they are not allowed to be eaten in unlimited quantities, but so as not to exceed the daily calorie intake.
