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Winter lethargy
When the sun starts to warm us more than our down jackets and our clothes become lighter and lighter, we start to see the effects of the usually lazier winter months. We must remember that we do not gain weight overnight, the extra centimeters in the waist, hips and thighs are the result of at least several weeks of neglect resulting not only from a lack of exercise and activity, but above all from poor nutrition. Fatty, high-calorie dishes tempt us much more when it is frosty outside, because our body itself demands a larger portion of energy to be able to meet the challenges of winter.
Full mobilization with common sense at the forefront
Just as gaining weight is a long-term process, losing it unfortunately won't happen overnight, so instead of nervously stepping on the scales every day waiting for a miracle, let's rather focus on several weeks of hard work. In order to effectively achieve our intended goal, we must remember that our actions should be coordinated and thought out and include a number of changes in our behavior.
Drastic fasts or torturing ourselves with hours of exercise will not do us any good if we are not consistent in our actions. We will achieve much better results by introducing small changes every day and persistently sticking to new, healthier habits. Above all, let's forget about restrictive diets. Our body, accustomed to luxury, may react unexpectedly to such drastic deficits and instead of eagerly using the energy reserves accumulated in the hips and belly, it will additionally start to put on more fat in fear of worse "times" the arrival of which we signal to it through an improper diet. The basis should be balanced menus, full of complex carbohydrates that give strength, increased amounts of protein and with indispensable healthy fats.
Of course, sensibly spread meals throughout the day are also key. Instead of evening feasting at the table, let's plan our menu for several - optimally 5-7 meals during the day. Unfortunately, humans are genetically conditioned to fight hunger, not gluttony, so a single supply of a large amount of energy in a meal will not be used, and will only result in unwanted - additional centimeters in the circumference. The best way to avoid this is to keep the metabolism at a high level, and unfortunately only frequent but small meals consumed every 2-3 hours can contribute to this.
It is less important how much, more important what!
Diet is always associated with weakness and hunger. Nothing could be further from the truth! A balanced reducing diet should limit – if not completely eliminate only simple carbohydrates in our diet. Let's give up sugar, sweet fruit in the afternoon, sweets, white bread, white pasta, toast and unhealthy snacks. Instead, let's make friends with spelt baked goods, oat and rye flakes, rye flour and wild, parboiled or basmati rice. This is not an impossible challenge! Let's remember that especially in the morning we need energy to function throughout the day, so let's try to make our breakfasts have a lot of complex carbohydrates and protein and we will not only gain the will to work but also will not feel demotivated by the changes we have introduced.
Protein to the rescue
Burning – or metabolic processing of one gram of carbohydrates in the body gives us 4 kcal. One gram of protein – also 4 kcal. However, in the case of the latter, this process is so complicated that it simply becomes unprofitable for the body, because we need more energy to carry it out than we gain from it. Therefore, it is obvious that we do not gain weight from protein, but quite the opposite. Let's repeat this to ourselves out loud! Increasing the amount of high-protein foods in the diet not only protects our muscles from catabolism, to which they are exposed during weight loss, but also speeds up our metabolism, which will result in faster burning of accumulated fat. This valuable element can be found in lean meat, fish, dairy products, eggs and also special high-protein preparations made from whey protein, rich not only in proteins, but also micro- and macroelements and calcium, so let's think about supplementing our diet with a high-protein shake, in addition to or instead of a standard meal.
The more exercise the better!
When spring buds start to appear outside, we should also spend more time outdoors. Without the right amount of exercise, our weight loss will not be as effective as we would like. First of all, let's think about swapping the car for a bike or a walk - such non-exhausting physical activity will not only oxygenate our body but also mobilize every cell in our body to work more effectively during the day.
If we want to think about sports more effectively, we must remember that two types of training play a role in burning excess kilograms – strength training and aerobic training.
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Training
Aerobic training, or "cardio", is all activities that lead to obtaining energy from oxygen combustion. In reality, this means exercises of medium intensity (too much intensity leads to an increase in heart rate, which in turn leads to increased heart work, which pumps blood to muscles that lack oxygen. In order for aerobic exercise to effectively support the burning of our fat tissue, it should be maintained at a level of 55%-75% of the maximum heart rate (~220-age) and last an appropriate amount of time - typically 30-60 minutes, we can additionally support ourselves with appropriate thermogenic preparations or L-carnitine, so that the combustion processes involving oxygen take place in our body even more effectively. Remember that the adjustment of the heart rate value and the time of exercise should be strictly determined in relation to our condition, age and possibilities!
Strength training, on the other hand, is a workout aimed at building or maintaining muscle tissue. Many people underestimate the very important connection between muscle and fat burning.
Muscles as a shock troop
Firstly, strength training itself absorbs incredible amounts of energy. In order to perform the work with our muscles, we need "fuel", which is glucose in the blood or its form stored in the liver and muscles - glycogen. After these stores are depleted, our body is forced to obtain calories from other sources - including the hated fat cells. Secondly, it has been proven that training with weights affects the metabolic rate even several dozen hours after the end of the exercise. The conclusion is simpler - the more efficient the metabolism, the faster we will get rid of unwanted ballast.
Thirdly – the more muscles we have, the more energy we need to maintain them (temperature, nutrition, etc.) - and as a result, our energy demand increases and if we maintain a balanced diet, our body will be forced to search for it itself.
Therefore, we should consider including a few visits to the gym in our weekly schedule and protecting our already developed muscles against catabolism with an appropriate supply of amino acids from dietary protein, or equipping ourselves with an appropriate amino acid preparation – BCAA Xtra or EAA Xtra.
Care and protect, support in crisis!
It is no secret to anyone that losing weight, or what we call reducing fat tissue, is not the most beneficial period for our body. Changing the way we eat, increased physical activity brings with it an increased demand for various ingredients. Let's supplement protein deficiencies with high-protein supplements and we should also think in advance about equipping ourselves with appropriate vitamin and mineral preparations and not forgetting that 60% of our body composition is water - therefore, let's take care to supply it in appropriate amounts not only during weight loss, but every day.
Olympia Pleasant
