Obesity is a disease characterized by excessive accumulation of white adipose tissue, etc. It is classified in various ways, for example, according to three degrees related to BMI. Overweight differs from obesity in the degree of “fatness” – between both diseases, there is a kind of gradation of adipose tissue. The very share of adipose tissue concerning other tissues (especially muscle) and its location is also essential. It’s important to start the weight loss.
For example, overweight people, whose extra kilograms of fat accumulate more intensively in the abdominal cavity, will sooner have negative symptoms of overweight. In their case, despite the lack of obesity, they may experience health effects similar to those of obesity. Overweight is an increasingly common health problem. Its prevalence has made them an important public health issue.
What are the health and social effects of obesity?
Obesity causes or increases the risk of a wide variety of diseases. The increased energy value of the diet and the deficiency of physical activity are among the basic factors that increase the likelihood of premature death and, more often, concerning individual diseases, are even ahead of smoking. However, overall, they are still lower. Protection against obesity is, therefore, one of the most basic things we can influence when it comes to avoiding various dysfunctions of the body and the faster death they cause.
The most important and common diseases caused by obesity are those associated with the cardiovascular system and metabolic disorders.
The evidence in this regard has been published in “The Lancet” or “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.” It is also known that obesity is a reason or a risk factor for some cancers, including typically female – ovarian or breast cancer – and typically male – prostate cancer. Besides, obesity and overweight may increase the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, and colon cancer.
How to start the weight loss process?
We all know that losing weight depends on intense training, sports activities, and cardio loads. However, there is one main aspect, without which weight loss will not be as effective. The right diet can start the fat burning process. In this case, the body must receive all useful proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, and other components to maintain the body.
The main diet types
Let’s check the main weight loss programs for beginners.
Elimination diets
It is diets that exclude one or more ingredients that cause disturbing symptoms, e.g., rash, diarrhea. It is most often associated with food allergy or intolerance. People with lactose intolerance exclude from the diet of all products that contain lactose in the composition; the same applies to gluten, allergy to a given product.
Mono-ingredient diets
Diets based on only one ingredient, e.g., apple, egg, grapefruit diet. A variation of the mono-diet is also the popular cabbage diet, which is based on cabbage soup. One-component diets are introduced to lose weight or cleanse the body. Nutritionists warn against the use of mono-diets, as they are dangerous and deficient in nutrients.
Protein diets
Such slimming diets are very popular in recent years. A protein diet is, for example, the Dukan diet or the Zone diet. This diet’s assumption is to significantly reduce carbohydrates to increase the amount of protein in the diet. Prolonged use of protein diets can lead to an excessive burden on the kidneys and increased excretion of calcium from the bones.
High-fat diets
High-fat diets have been known for a long time. In Poland, one of the most popular is the Kwasniewski diet, and abroad, the Atkins diet. In the last year, this trend is gaining popularity again due to the ketogenic diet. High-fat diets provide up to 80% of energy (kcal) from fat, which leads to the so-called ketosis. Ketosis helps you lose weight. The Food and Nutrition Institute does not recommend High-fat diets.
Vegetable and fruit diets
This type of diet is represented, among other things. Vegetable and fruit diets exclude most food products, allowing only vegetables and low-sugar fruit. The authors recommend diet as a healing fast (e.g., in autoimmune diseases or cancer), but also as a way to lose weight. A few days of a vegetable and fruit diet constricts the stomach and maybe a good introduction to rational weight loss, but in the long run, this diet is very deficient.
Health diets
There are several health diets. Depending on the needs and the organ that wants to relieve the burden with the diet, low-protein, easily digestible, high-residual diets are used. A specific type of healthy diet is always introduced under the supervision of a dietitian. Some people need to follow a healthy diet only for a strictly defined period (e.g., after surgery). Due to chronic diseases, others have to stick to a given diet for the rest of their lives.
Diet meal replacement
The meal replacement diet is a type of slimming diet in which ordinary meals are partially or completely replaced by industrially produced food in the form of powdered meals, dried meals, or cocktails. The most popular diet of this type is the Cambridge diet. It is a solution that can be treated as an introduction to rational weight loss. Meal replacement diets should only be used by obese people with a BMI of over 30. It’s impossible to find the best diet for weight loss. But you should test it by yourself.
Author’s diets
This category includes all kinds of diets signed with the author’s name, e.g., Montignac, or Dukan diets. Some of these diets have already been discussed in the categories above. Author’s diets are usually based on the authors’ experience and are not supported by clinical trials. When using proprietary diets, it is worth being careful and checking the specialist’s qualifications on the book’s cover.
Diets excluding products of animal origin
Vegetarian and vegan diets are gaining ground for ethical reasons and the sake of the environment. Everything indicates that in the next several dozen years, we will be forced to limit meat consumption. Current positions of nutrition organizations say that balanced vegetarian and vegan diets are safe at all stages of life.
First steps to lose weight
Losing weight is sometimes a necessity when being overweight causes health problems. However, in most cases, the desire to lose weight is justified not by concern for health but also for an attractive appearance. No matter what the motivation to lose weight is, losing weight is not a simple matter. Many people do not know how to lose weight safely and rationally. Maintaining weight is also a big problem. Most people who are slimming find out what the yo-yo effect is. Effective weight loss is possible, but to make it a reality, you need to change your eating approach.
Losing weight is sometimes a necessity when being overweight causes health problems. However, in most cases, the desire to lose weight is justified not by concern for health but also for an attractive appearance. No matter what the motivation to lose weight is, losing weight is not a simple matter. Many people do not know how to lose weight safely and rationally. Maintaining weight is also a big problem. Most people who are slimming find out what the yo-yo effect is. Effective weight loss is possible, but to make it a reality, you need to change your eating approach.
Now let’s speak about the best way to lose weight. When deciding to lose weight, use common sense, and don’t go overboard. You can lose weight quickly with a restrictive diet and gain weight even faster when you return to your old eating habits. How to start losing weight so that it is effective, and the effect is permanent? The diet should be varied. Thanks to this, the risk of nutrient deficiency is much lower. People also should follow these tips:
- Eat light meals five times a day instead of three large meals. It is best to eat only when you feel hungry;
- Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It should not be forgotten, it should contain a portion of carbohydrates and protein, for the first meal of the day it is worth eating whole-grain flakes with milk;
- A light supper should be eaten no later than two hours before going to bed. Otherwise, the consumed calories will be stored as adipose tissue, and the meal will stay in the digestive system for a longer time;
- You should limit your consumption of salt, sugar, white flour, alcohol and saturated fat;
Principles of slimming diets
People who want to lose weight but do not know how to lose weight should consult a nutritionist. A nutritionist will help you establish a diet and dispel any doubts about food. It is worth remembering that the caloric requirement is different for everyone. It is related to age, weight, gender, and lifestyle. Therefore, the diet is largely an individual matter. What dietary advice should you consider while losing weight?
Losing weight diet plan doesn’t have to be difficult or unpleasant. It is enough to make a rational plan of action. A low-calorie diet supported by exercise will help you lose unnecessary kilograms and get your dream figure. It is worth eating healthy and not taking weight loss deadly seriously. Anyone who has struggled with unnecessary kilograms knows that the motivation to lose weight plays a big role. If it is strong, temptations of sweet desserts and unhealthy snacks are no problem. All of the above will allow overweight people to rebuild their bodies and start losing those extra pounds.