Losing weight is not just about cutting down on food or going to the gym for hours and sweating. The reason why many people do not lose weight despite trying hard on a diet is because they do not have a clear understanding of the body’s metabolism and hormones. Here are 5 important secrets that scientifically help in losing weight:
Calorie Deficit Secret: This is the most basic rule of losing weight. Take in fewer calories through food than the calories our body requires to function daily. This does not mean starving, but rather avoiding high-calorie junk foods and eating low-calorie and nutrient-rich foods. The body will start burning fat in the stomach and hips to make up for this deficiency.
The Magic Power of Protein (High Protein Diet): Increasing the amount of protein (eggs, chicken, fish, legumes) in the food we eat will help us lose weight quickly. The body needs more energy to digest protein (Thermic Effect of Food). Also, when you eat protein, the hormone ‘Leptin’, which makes you feel full, increases and the hormone ‘Ghrelin’, which causes hunger, decreases. This will prevent frequent food cravings.
Control insulin levels: Insulin is the most important fat-storing hormone in the body. When you eat white rice, flour, sugar, and bakery sweets, insulin levels rise sharply in the blood and the body starts storing fat. When you include vegetables and spinach, which are low in carbohydrates and contain fiber, in your diet, insulin levels calm down and the body naturally switches to ‘fat burning’ mode.
Weight training and muscle growth (Strength Training): Most people only do walking or running (Cardio) to lose weight. But small-scale weight training exercises are twice as effective. When you increase muscle in the body, the body burns more calories even when we are resting. This will help keep the body’s metabolism rate high.
Deep sleep and low stress: Getting 7-8 hours of deep sleep is as important as diet and exercise. Lack of sleep and stress can increase the stress hormone ‘Cortisol’ in the body. This hormone can cause fat to accumulate around the stomach and make you overly inclined to eat sweets and fast food at night.
