How to lose weight without dieting: losing weight without dieting and exercise

The “heroin chic” of the nineties was replaced by a fashion for a healthy lifestyle and sports. If a couple of decades ago, to be considered a beauty, model thinness was enough, then the modern standard is a fit and athletic figure. However, regular training in the gym requires time, which not every woman has. And strict diets that promise a loss of 10 kilograms per month are by no means a universal remedy. But how to lose weight without dieting and exercise? Don't believe those who say it's impossible. Perhaps, if you approach weight normalization wisely.

How to calculate your body mass index and why you need it

If you are looking for a way to lose weight without dieting, the first thing you should do is calculate your own BMI - body mass index. This is necessary to objectively assess your weight, figure and set the right goal. Without BMI, the desire to lose weight will be vague, because you will not know your optimal weight.

Body mass index is a conditional value created by doctors to estimate human weight. It represents the relationship between body weight and height. Calculate it using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. For example, your height is 170 cm. This is 1.7 m, so we multiply 1.7 by 1.7, and we get 2.89 meters squared. Let's say your current weight is 75 kg. This means that to calculate BMI you need to divide 75 by 2.89. It turns out 25.95. This is your body mass index.

We compare this figure with the interpretation from the World Health Organization. Please note that there may be other ways to interpret BMI online, but they are questionable. Focus on the WHO assessment:

16 or less – significant weight deficit;
16-18.5 – underweight;
18.5-25 is normal;
25-30 – overweight;
30-35 – first degree of obesity;
35-40 – second degree of obesity;
40 and above – severe obesity.

So, 25.95 is the lower threshold of “overweight.” That is, you don’t need to lose much to normal: 5 kg. If you lose 10 kg, your weight will still be within the medical range. Therefore, you can set yourself such a goal.

But what if your BMI is already between 20 and 22? This means that you almost certainly shouldn't lose weight at all. Of course, the body mass index does not take into account your body type; you may not have enough muscle tissue or light bones. However, if after losing weight your BMI is below normal, it is better not to risk your health and not pursue thinness. When you are unhappy with your figure, perhaps it is not the weight, but the need to strengthen the muscles.

If your BMI is 30 or higher, then before losing weight you should definitely consult with an endocrinologist. Because with a high degree of probability you need medical help to normalize your weight.

This must not be forgotten

Do not use automatic BMI calculators; calculate the index yourself. Some calculators deliberately inflate results to trick you into buying products and services featured on the same site.
Remember that BMI is an approximate value; the index does not take into account many parameters such as body composition, skeletal weight, even gender and age. Therefore, take BMI as a guide, but not as the ultimate truth.
To more accurately assess your condition, use a special device to determine the percentage of fatty tissue in the body. This indicator will give a more accurate idea of how many kilograms you need to lose weight and whether you need to lose weight at all. Because 75 kg of muscle is not at all the same as 75 kg of fat tissue.

There are three main criteria for losing weight:

1. Active lifestyle 2. Reducing calorie intake 3. Reducing the volume of food intake

Regarding the last two positions, I think everything is clear. The less we eat, the less excess reserves are deposited on our sides, arms and other parts of the body. Calorie counting is needed, essentially, for the same purposes - to create a small deficit of incoming calories for the body, which in turn allows you to quickly lose weight even while sitting at home.

We’ll talk about the calorie content of food and the calories we take in another time, but for now let’s dwell on the main ways to intensify your life while sitting at home. That is, about how to increase your physical activity while almost constantly sitting at home.

Reasons for weight gain

To determine how you can lose weight without dieting, you need to understand the reasons for weight gain. It's one thing if you eat a whole chocolate cake every night before bed. It's a completely different matter if you suffer from endocrine diseases, lead a sedentary lifestyle and do not get enough sleep regularly. So, what could be the reasons for weight gain?

Unbalanced diet. The only way to get an objective picture of your own diet is to write down what and when you eat. It sounds boring, but otherwise your opinion about your own nutrition will not be objective. You may think you're not eating much, but in reality you're missing out on snacks or calorie-dense alcohol. Therefore, keep a food diary for a week or two, and then re-read it and evaluate how healthy your diet can be considered.
Eating disorder. A food diary will help identify this problem, but eating disorder is a serious medical problem that cannot be dealt with on your own. You will need the help of an endocrinologist and a psychotherapist specializing in eating disorder. Possible symptoms of the disorder are a feeling of guilt after eating, eating without feeling hungry, alternating strict diets with “breakdowns,” discomfort when you have to eat in front of others, and so on.
Sedentary lifestyle. Your diet may be fine, but you're not getting enough exercise. Special applications or a regular step counter on your smartphone will help you evaluate your own activity during the day.
Regular sleep deficiency and chronic stress. Unfortunately, lack of sleep can be the cause of many health problems; indirectly, it can even be a trigger for the development of diabetes. In addition, the body, exhausted from lack of sleep, uses food as an additional source of energy, so you eat more.
Endocrine disorders. Metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, PCOS - this is not a complete list of disorders that can be accompanied by weight gain. Assess your physical and emotional state: are there other symptoms that indicate health problems?

Find out the reason to determine how you can lose weight without dieting, at home. First, eliminate the cause of excess weight: consult a doctor and ask for treatment, if necessary. Try to rearrange your sleep-wake schedule if you don't get enough sleep. It is not necessary to exercise vigorously to correct a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes it’s enough to walk regularly and walk in the fresh air.

This must not be forgotten

If you have gained more than 5 kg in one month, although your diet and lifestyle have not changed, consultation with a therapist and endocrinologist is necessary. You are almost certainly dealing with a medical problem.
If you do not complain about your health, but still decide to discuss weight loss with a specialist, this should be a certified doctor, and not a fitness trainer, coach, or a person selling “weight loss marathons” online. The human body is a very complex system, and sometimes even a medical education is not enough to give good advice regarding weight loss. Athletes, models, and fitness enthusiasts cannot be considered “pros” in these matters.

How can you lose weight without dieting?

Oddly enough, the first thing you need to do to lose weight is to hide the scales in the closet. There is no need to weigh yourself every day, even if possible. Once a week is enough. Regular weighing creates neurosis and additional stress, and this interferes with weight normalization.

To get in shape without dieting and heavy exercise, you will have to change your lifestyle. Yes, it is not easy, but it is your existing lifestyle that has led your body to become overweight. Plus, you'll not only lose weight, but you'll also feel better overall if you try to adopt a healthier lifestyle. What does this mean?

Even with a healthy lifestyle, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner. Regardless of whether your health problems affect your figure or not. With everyday worries, it can be difficult to find time and money to visit a doctor, but this is a task of paramount importance. Your health and well-being should come first.

A healthy lifestyle means getting a good night's rest. Advising you to get enough sleep is easier than following this advice, especially if you work hard and have children in the family. However, 8 hours of sleep a night is half your health. Try to always make sleep choices. Should I wake up two hours earlier to go for a run or get enough sleep before work? Get some sleep. Should I sleep longer or take a walk around the city at night? Sleep longer.

A healthy lifestyle means moderate physical activity. We are not talking about exhausting exercises. However, lack of movement harms the spine, nervous and endocrine systems. Walk every day, choose simple home exercises for morning or evening exercises. Find an enjoyable form of physical activity that can become part of your routine. This could be long walks, jogging, yoga, dancing, active games in the fresh air - anything as long as you enjoy moving.

Finally, to lose weight without dieting, you will have to reconsider your approach to nutrition. A balanced diet is not synonymous with a low-calorie diet. On the contrary: it provides you with enough energy, but does not contribute to weight gain.

Principles of a balanced diet

The basis of the diet is cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruits, and meat products should make up less than a third of the serving. Add nuts, seeds, and greens to your diet.
Minimize the amount of alcohol, sweets, rich, fatty, smoked and pan-fried foods. If you cannot completely give up these foods, eat them in small portions and not every day. Let them be a pleasant exception, but not the rule in the diet.
Gradually reduce the amount of sugar. Sugar is an excellent source of energy, but it creates a spike in blood glucose and also dulls the pleasure of other foods.
Eat 5 times a day. Unexpected, right? To lose weight without any homemade diets, you need to eat more often, not less often. Don't skip meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and at least two afternoon snacks in between. However, the portions should not be too large.
Try to eat the most high-calorie foods in the first half of the day. If you want to treat yourself to a bun or a piece of chocolate, do it in the morning. Dinner should be light.
Don't eat less than two hours before bed. Give your body a chance to absorb food before you go to bed.
Don't skip breakfast. This is the main meal; the lack of a full breakfast often forces you to overeat during dinner and lunch or grab fast food and sweets on the go.
Don't go hungry. Among people who want to lose weight, there is an opinion that the most effective method of losing weight is to put the body on a hunger strike. This is harmful, ineffective and in the future threatens overeating, as well as metabolic disorders.

Avoid alcoholic drinks - they are high in calories and cause hunger. Replace pan-frying with grilled or oven-baked dishes. Let fried, fatty, smoked be a rare delicacy on the table. For snacks, you can take unsweetened yoghurts, fruits, nuts, and sandwiches made from whole grain bread. But avoid all types of fast food if you want to lose weight without diet and exercise.

Typical mistakes when wanting to lose weight

The worst mistake you can make when trying to lose weight is trying to lose weight quickly. A normal, healthy rate of weight loss is 2-5 kg per month. If you lose weight faster, it's stressful for the body. In addition to the fact that this is unhealthy, in the future it risks that the lost mass will return, and it is possible that you will weigh even more. Moreover, over time, radical diets and exercises stop working: even when starving, the body does not lose fat tissue. To avoid this situation, don't try to lose weight too quickly.

The second common mistake is a complete rejection of fats. Fats are an essential part of the diet. However, give preference to vegetable rather than animal fats, and make sure that their share in the menu is low.

The third mistake is a sharp reduction in calories. For example, a person calculates the optimal amount of calories and sharply reduces portions. However, scientific studies have shown that you cannot cut your diet by more than 20% of your usual amount of calories. Therefore, even if you do overeat, reduce your calories gradually.

Sleep in complete darkness

By the way, the quality of sleep is not always determined by its duration. To help your body recover properly, you need to sleep in complete darkness. Close curtains tightly, turn off all flickering lights from chargers, monitors and other devices. Or use a sleep mask.

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Extraneous light, even not very bright, disrupts circadian rhythms and negatively affects the production of hormones. Experiments with animals showed that individuals who slept with a constantly flashing light bulb, with the same diet, gained weight faster than those who slept in complete darkness.