How to lose weight at home: step by step instructions

How to lose weight at home: step by step instructions

Decided to lose weight, but don't know where to start? We offer you step-by-step instructions on how to start losing weight at home (or in the gym) . This memo is suitable for both men and women, regardless of age and the number of extra pounds.

A successful weight loss process consists of two components: a balanced diet and physical activity. So, where do we propose to start losing weight?

NUTRITION: STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1: REMEMBER THE MAIN RULE OF LOSING WEIGHT

The first step on the way to getting rid of excess weight is to remember the main principle of losing weight for yourself. You lose weight when you eat less food than your body can handle during the day. In this case, energy begins to be drawn from the reserve reserves on the body - fat deposits. Therefore, in essence, the process of losing weight is reduced to eating restrictions and creating a calorie deficit .

No matter how much you try to find a magic pill for excess weight, remember that it is impossible to lose weight without dietary restrictions. Although, of course, there are people of the asthenic type who do not get better regardless of the amount of food consumed. But if this is not your case, then you cannot do without dietary restrictions.

There is no magic combination of foods, there are no foods with negative calories (like grapefruit or broccoli, as many are used to thinking) , there are no miracle pills that burn fat. For weight loss, it is enough to eat less than the body is able to spend. Here's a good example:

STEP 2: DECIDE ON THE POWER SYSTEM

Any diets and nutrition systems, in fact, create the very same calorie deficit , in which your body begins to consume fat from its reserves. Therefore, from a practical point of view, it does not matter how you create this "deficit". You can count calories, you can choose a popular diet, you can switch to proper nutrition (PP), you can simply reduce your intake of high-calorie foods. Regardless of which diet or nutritional system you choose, with a calorie deficit, you will lose weight.

Why for weight loss, we recommend switching to proper nutrition :

It is an effective way to lose weight without stress, fasting and low-calorie diets.

This is the most balanced way of eating, suitable for absolutely everyone.

Eating well can help you reevaluate your eating habits so you don't gain weight back.

This way of eating involves a wide selection of products, there are no strict restrictions on food, as in diets.

Proper nutrition is the prevention of many diseases through diet and better choice of foods.

STEP 3: CALCULATE YOUR CALORIE INTAKE

If you are overweight, then you will lose weight on the right diet, even without counting calories. If you are slightly overweight (less than 10 kg), then in addition to proper nutrition, you may need to count calories. Especially if you follow all the rules of the PP, and have not seen any results for a month or two, then it is better to start counting calories to be sure that you are eating with a deficit.

Even if you have chosen a different nutrition system or diet, we still recommend calculating your daily calorie intake in order to understand which numbers to focus on. Be sure to compare your chosen menu with this norm to determine if you have a bias towards excess or shortage of calories.

Whatever diet you choose and no matter how stunning effect you are promised, we do not recommend lowering the daily calorie intake below 1200 kcal. This is both unhealthy and increases the risk of relapse.

STEP 4: OPTIMIZE YOUR DIET

You must understand that even small dietary restrictions are still restrictions. And you probably won't feel full during the day. That is why it is important to optimize your menu in order not to be in constant hunger and not break off the diet.

Remember the simple rules. Start your day with a full breakfast, do not skip meals, drink 2 liters of water, do not take long breaks in meals, do not forget about small snacks during the day. It is especially important not to overuse fast carbohydrates that make you feel hungry due to the release of insulin.

STEP 5: AUDIT THE PRODUCTS

Of course, it is not necessary to completely exclude "sweets and harmfulness" from your diet in order to lose weight. Sometimes it is enough to reduce their number to keep within your caloric intake. But if you want to not only lose weight, but also cleanse your diet, then it will be necessary to revise your list of favorite foods.

Try replacing sweets with fruit, morning sandwiches with oatmeal, and sweet yogurts with kefir. When going to the store, avoid the hazardous sections, trying to linger at the shelves with fruits, vegetables, meat and natural dairy products. So you get rid of temptations and can improve your nutrition, not only during the diet, but also in the future

WORKOUTS: STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

If weight loss is so dependent on nutrition (and it's not for nothing that they say that the result of losing weight = 80% of nutrition, 20% of training) , then why do you need to play sports at all? Let's re-emphasize that training will help you:

burn extra calories

speed up metabolism

tone and tighten the body

maintain muscle mass

increase endurance and strengthen the heart muscle

improve mood and avoid apathy

You can lose weight without sports, but with training, the process will go faster, and the quality of the body will improve. Of course, if you have contraindications or you do not like sports at all, then you do not need to force your body. But if you just consider yourself not athletic enough or hardy person, then in this case it is better to put aside doubts. There are many workouts and exercises for beginners where you don't need to have any previous experience.

You should also not refer to the lack of time. Even the busiest person has at least 20 minutes a day to train at home. It can be evening after work or, conversely, early morning. Even training for 15-20 minutes will help you strengthen your muscles and improve your body, as well as charge you with a good mood for the whole day.

WHAT TO DO, IF..?

1. If you do not plan to train, then we recommend increasing your daytime activity: walking more often, taking long walks, trying to avoid passive leisure. Although increasing daily activity will be beneficial for everyone, regardless of the presence of training and even losing weight. But for those who do not play sports, especially. You can also look at walking-based workouts that you can do at home in front of the TV or listening to music.

2. If you are planning to go to group classes, then choose programs based on the proposals in your fitness club and physical capabilities. If you have time, devote 3-4 hours a week to training in the gym.

3. If you plan to go to the gym, we strongly recommend that you conduct at least a few introductory sessions under the guidance of a personal trainer. Otherwise, there is a risk of ineffective training or even injury.

4. If you plan to train at home, then just for you below is a step-by-step plan for how to start classes.

STEP 1: DECIDE ON THE TYPE OF ACTIVITY

So you've decided to train at home. It is really very convenient, home workouts are only gaining popularity every year. Many even equip a mini-gym at home, purchasing various sports equipment and practicing calmly, without leaving home. The first question that you have to decide for yourself, do you want to do it yourself or according to ready-made video workouts?

Training using ready-made videos is convenient because you do not need to "reinvent the wheel"; a training plan has already been drawn up for you, sometimes even several months in advance. Now there is such a huge selection of home programs that absolutely everyone can choose the perfect workout for themselves. Regardless of your fitness level, specific goals, availability of fitness equipment and baseline data, you will have the opportunity to find the best option.

The great thing about self-training is that you don't need to choose a program for yourself. You can always compose a lesson according to your capabilities, focusing on your basic knowledge or information on the Internet. But this option is only suitable for those who are ready to choose the exercises themselves, correctly regulate the load and train autonomously.

STEP 2: CHOOSE A SPECIFIC PROGRAM

When choosing a program or set of exercises, always start from the following principles:

Choose a program and exercises based on your level of training, do not take training "for growth".

Do not be afraid to progress and gradually complicate your activities.

Change your programs periodically to avoid stagnation and improve your performance.

Use additional fitness equipment to diversify your workouts.

You cannot train only one "problem area" for weight loss, you need to train the whole body.

STEP 3: BUY FITNESS EQUIPMENT

You can work out at home without using additional equipment, but you just need fitness equipment if you want to effectively work on strengthening muscles, diversifying classes, and increasing the intensity of training. Optional purchase heavy equipment and weight ), you can buy a compact   which do not take up much space and is easy to take with you.

STEP 4: PLAN A SCHEDULE

If you exercise for an hour a day, you can train 3-4 times a week. If you exercise for 20-30 minutes a day, then you can train 5-6 times a week. Of course, focus on your individual capabilities, classes can be both more and less frequent. If you take a set of workouts, then usually they offer a ready-made schedule for 1-3 months.

STEP 5: CHOOSE YOUR CLASS TIME

In terms of efficiency, it doesn't matter what time of day you train. Again, it's better to focus on your individual biorhythms. Exercising in the morning will help you to cheer up, but at this time the body is not yet awake, so physical activity can be harder. Working out in the evening is more comfortable for working people, but vigorous exercise at night can disrupt sleep. You can choose the best time of day for classes only by experience.

MOTIVATION AND TRACKING OF RESULTS

It is impossible not to say about another important component of the process of losing weight - about motivation. Without setting a goal and tracking interim results, it will be very difficult to realize your intention. It is the attitude, self-confidence and at the same time a sensible assessment of your own capabilities that will help you lose weight without problems.

STEP 1: COMMIT YOUR RESULTS

First of all, fix your initial data: weigh yourself, measure the volumes, take a photo in a swimsuit. The scales do not always give an objective characteristic, therefore, not only the numbers in kilograms are important, but also the changes in the volume and quality of the body. Weigh yourself once a week, measure volumes and take a photo twice a month. Do not do this more often, losing weight is not sprinting! If you like to weigh yourself every day, then it is better to give up this habit, since such daily monitoring only demotivates.

STEP 2: SET A GOAL

In no case do not set yourself transcendental goals, and even more specific tasks like "I want to lose 5 kg per month." The body may have its own plans for losing weight, and its planned pace may not match your desires. Instead, set yourself training goals, nutritional goals, or outdoor activity goals. In other words, what depends only on you and your motivation.

STEP 3: BE PREPARED FOR DIFFERENT PERIODS OF WEIGHT LOSS

Get ready for the fact that the weight will change abruptly. Usually in the first week, there is an active weight loss - this leaves the excess water from the body. Then the weight falls at a slower pace. Sometimes there can be a good minus, and sometimes weight gain. And this is absolutely normal! This does not mean that you are doing something wrong.

The graph below is a good illustration of the weight loss process. As you can see, from the starting point of 57 kg to the end point of 53 kg, the weight moved in a zigzag manner. At one point, there was even a jump in weight up to 1.5 kg. But if we evaluate the picture as a whole, then the weight has been systematically decreasing in 3.5 months. Please note, not 3.5 weeks, but 3.5 months! By the way, this is about how to lose 10 kg in a month.

STEP 4: TUNE IN TO A LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Many people think that you can sit for 3-4 weeks on a diet, lose the extra 5-10 kg and return to your previous lifestyle with excess food and low physical activity. And this is a very common mistake of losing weight. If you want not just to lose weight by a certain date, but to maintain the achieved result, then you will have to completely change your lifestyle.

Imagine following a diet or eating within a slight calorie deficit and losing weight to the shape you want. What happens if you go back to eating without restriction (with a calorie surplus) ? That's right, you will gain weight again. Therefore, do not look for easy ways, cleanse your diet of harmful, high-calorie, fatty foods. Not for a short time, but for a lifetime, if you want to keep your shape.

STEP 5: DON'T GET HIT WITH BIGOTRY

Losing weight is a really difficult process that requires moral endurance and willpower from you over a long distance. However, we urge you to keep a cool head and not exhaust yourself with hungry diets and excessive physical activity, and also not focus only on the issue of losing weight. Try to live life to the fullest simply by improving your diet and adding all-round physical activity.

If weighing yourself in the morning makes you feel fearful, avoiding food conversations, and constantly feeling overwhelmed, then you may need to let go of the situation a little, stop berating yourself for failure, and rethink your approach to losing weight. Be patient and don't chase quick results. Step by step you will arrive at the desired goal!

This simple step-by-step guide on how to lose weight at home will help you navigate and plan your route to getting rid of those extra pounds. Remember that there is no “magic pill” that will make your figure perfect without effort and care. For a quality result, you will need patience and a dose of effort.