How and when to eat right to lose weight without dieting?

What determines whether you lose weight, gain weight, or maintain it?

Although at first, especially for beginners, it may seem that losing weight is extremely difficult, this is not so. On the contrary, it is a fairly simple and fun game. You don't even have to eat exactly according to a detailed plan, down to the last gram of protein, and then blame yourself for eating something that wasn't on the diet plan, messing it up, and feeling like there's no point in trying anything else. tough. This won't work. To succeed, you just need to know and follow certain rules, without which you simply cannot do. And the most important factor is energy balance. [1-3]

• Negative energy balance: A condition in which you burn more energy than you consume, causing you to lose weight and lose weight.
• Equal Energy Balance: A state in which your average energy intake and output are in balance, allowing you to maintain your body weight.
• Positive energy balance: A condition in which you burn less energy than you take in and thus gain weight.

What do all diets have in common?

Whether it's the instant keto diet, the low carb diet, or the lemon diet, their "success" and functionality is due to the fact that they create a negative energy balance (calorie deficit) and, unfortunately, in most cases you only lose weight temporarily. All kinds of diets, detoxification and weight loss programs are just tools to combat calorie deficit. Which tool to choose is up to you. Find something that is slower but the results are permanent, or you will eagerly look for shortcuts to quickly achieve results that will likely replace the yo-yo effect.

What factors influence energy consumption and production?

It's not that simple, there are factors that affect both energy consumption and production, and some of them are not entirely in your hands. But this does not mean that energy balance does not work. These factors “only distort the energy balance.”

• Factors influencing energy intake: appetite in the form of hormones affecting food intake (leptin, ghrelin, progesterone, cholecystokinin or peptide YY), economic and sociocultural factors, actual use of food energy, self-control, stress, emotions or inability to face the problem. overly attractive products without consuming them.
• Factors influencing energy production: basal and resting metabolic rate (BMR and RMR), dietary history (metabolic adaptation), daily activity level (NEAT), sport and physical activity (EAT), thermic effect of diet (TEF), and exercise condition and health status.

If we took two identical twins, gave them the same diet and controlled their daily activities so that they would be the same. Different results may be achieved in both weight loss and weight gain due to the factors mentioned above. That is why each person needs to gradually learn to understand how his body reacts and what specifically is good for him. [4]

How does psychology explain night eating? Why do people stand at the refrigerator?

— It’s paradoxical, but in general, eating at night is normal. Our digestive rhythms are designed in such a way that we are ready to eat at night.

This is biology, but there are also psychological reasons. For example, a person is on a diet and consciously limits himself to food during the day. The body begins to “accumulate” hunger. And at night a person seems to go to bed and lose control, letting go of these restrictions. And an irresistible desire to eat arises, instinct carries you to the kitchen.

I'll tell you more: people who suffer from such night eating may sometimes not realize what they are doing. It seems to them that they simply dreamed about food, and in the morning they are surprised to find out that they ate in reality. The psyche seems to say: if you don’t eat normally during the day, I’ll wait until you become weak-willed.

Notes on the refrigerator.

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Why can someone eat what they want, while others gain weight just by looking at a bun?

“Yes, Carl and Lucy from the second floor are there, they can eat whatever they want and won’t gain any weight. But I'll just take another dumpling and add a kilo. Genetics and a slow metabolism are really unfair,” says Yana, Lucy’s long-time friend. Despite this, everyone cannot look at genetics, a slow or impaired metabolism, but simply more energy throughout the day. Let's look at an example.

Karl and Lucy both work daily : Karl works in the forest with the forest administration, and Lucy is a masseuse. After 8 hours of work, they go to training together, walk the dog, do shopping, and at home Karl has time to cook and Lucy cleans. Yana, on the other hand, has a sedentary job, drives a car all the time, does not play sports, spends most of her free time after work watching TV or at the computer, and also tries to lose weight with the help of various diets. Who cares? Carl and Lucy's energy value may be 2000 kcal more than Jana's , so they can eat much more food without gaining weight. All thanks to an active lifestyle and employment.

If you want to learn about NEAT and its huge impact on health and weight loss, read our article. What is the most important factor when losing weight?

What problems do people most often turn to a psychologist for?

— Often bad eating habits do not mean rapid weight gain. People come who feel good, despite the three extra pounds. These people had a stressful situation, experiencing which they lost their appetite. And now, when the situation is exhausted, the body begins to replenish energy, and they overeat.

There are age-related things. For example, during menopause in women, metabolic processes slow down, but eating habits do not change, hence overeating and weight gain.

The largest category is people who have been overweight for decades, but cannot change their habits. Sometimes they manage to lose a little weight, but then the weight comes back.

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How do you calculate your energy and macronutrient intake for weight loss?

We won't burden you with heavy math and give you a simple solution in the form of our online energy and macronutrient calculator where you can easily calculate everything yourself. But if you want to learn more about calculating energy intake and planning a diet, read our article How to Calculate Energy Intake and Macronutrients for Losing Weight or Gaining Muscle?

Explanation: Doing important athletics in the gym, circuit training in the gym, crossfit, strength training, street workout

Hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, floorball, futsal, tennis, squash, table tennis

TRX system, circuit training, bodypump, aerobics and other activities under the supervision of an instructor

Running, swimming, cycling, paddling

Explanation: I am important to you

Doing important athletics in the gym, circuit training in the gym, crossfit, strength training, street workout

I do team or racquet sports

Hockey, football, volleyball, basketball, floorball, futsal, tennis, squash, table tennis

I'm doing some intense group training

TRX system, circuit training, bodypump, aerobics and other activities under the supervision of an instructor

I engage in physical pursuits, aimed at display

Running, swimming, cycling, paddling

Carbohydrates g Proteins g Fats g

How to eat properly when losing weight?

We have already said that in order to successfully and permanently lose more or less kilograms, you do not need to search Google for the most effective and fastest-acting diets or undergo a month-long detox. All you need to do is eat as much fresh and minimally processed food as possible and watch your diet and portion sizes. It's that simple, just be patient and consistent and track your progress in terms of changes in body weight and body measurements on a regular basis every two weeks under the same conditions.

lunch boxes is a huge help not only for losing weight, but also for improving and restoring your diet . Why? You simply control what you cook from, avoiding various calorie bombs. [5-7] If you want to learn more about food packaging, read our article How to effectively prepare food and lunch box?

How can you improve your diet and reduce your energy needs when eating?

1. Eat more fruits and vegetables. It is recommended to eat at least 400 grams of vegetables and 200 grams of fruits per day, which is approximately 4-5 and 2-3 medium-sized pieces, respectively. Vegetables contain a large percentage of water, fiber and valuable microelements. This will promote healthy digestion and satiety.
2. Take a serving of protein with every meal. Every meal should contain a balanced ratio of all macronutrients, but proteins are like two pieces of poker. The human body cannot create them, so they must be consumed through a varied diet or appropriate nutritional supplements. Protein is essential for muscle growth, optimal immune function or a satisfactory feeling of fullness after eating, and to curb sugar cravings. [8-10]
3. Eat more fermented foods. Fermented foods include sauerkraut, pickles, fermented vegetables, miso, natto, tofu, fermented milk, kombucha, or the spicy Korean fermented vegetables kimchi. This gives you a real dose of good bacteria, fiber and a host of other micronutrients.
4. Try to eat more local and seasonal foods. The shorter the food had to travel to get to your table, the better. Firstly, they can have a higher content of a number of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, and their carbon footprint is much smaller. Try going to farmers markets every now and then or look for farm boxes.
5. Don't eat more than you need. If you have a few extra pieces of vegetables or fruits, nothing much will happen, but if you eat several packs of different sweets or fast food in a day, this will become a problem. By learning to eat according to your needs and avoiding processed foods, you will save on consuming a lot of calories and avoid over-consuming unhealthy fats, sugars and salt.
6. Partially replace animal protein with plant protein. Some meats also contain high levels of saturated fatty acids, the same as some sausages and fatty cheeses. Try eating more legumes and vegetables in combination with grains. You can also try different bean spreads, such as hummus, or meat alternatives, such as tofu or tempeh. This will reduce your intake of saturated fatty acids and enrich your diet with high-quality plant proteins.
7. Choose baked goods made from whole grain flour and cereals. By choosing whole grains, you'll get more fiber and a number of micronutrients found in milled grains. Fiber has a positive effect on your feeling of fullness, preventing you from snacking soon after eating.
8. Find sustainable sources of seafood and fish. It's no secret that we, as a society, are facing enormous species loss, and in the case of fish and seafood, it is due to overfishing that marine resources are not recovering quickly enough. We must be responsible for ourselves and the environment. Therefore, try to note whether the fish and seafood you consume comes from certified and sustainable fisheries. [eleven]
9. Drink tap water. Why? Water is extremely important for our body and we should drink at least 30-45 ml per kilogram of body weight per day . By cutting out liquid calories, including alcohol, and drinking water, quality coffee and tea, you can save a huge amount of calories. After all, a liter of Coca-Cola is approximately 450 kcal, which is equal to the energy hidden in one meal.
10. Eat the rainbow. The more varied and colorful your daily diet is, the better. This leads to greater consumption of various antioxidants and biologically active elements with different ranges of activity. The red color means a decent serving of carotenoids in the form of lycopene. And the dark green color means you can enjoy the interesting effects of chlorophyll.

What are proteins, fats and carbohydrates?

• Sources of protein (1 gram contains 4 kcal) : meat, fish, seafood, milk, dairy products and cheeses, eggs, legumes (peas, beans, all types of lentils, chickpeas, edamame), pseudocereals (buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa). ), tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds, vegetable meat substitutes, fine yeast, whey protein, plant protein, protein bars.
• Sources of fat (9 kcal per gram): nuts and seeds, oils, olives, avocado and butter as a natural component of animal proteins.
• Sources of carbohydrates (1 gram contains 4 kcal): whole grains and cereals (oatmeal, flour, rice, pasta, bread and baked goods), pseudograins, potatoes and sweet potatoes, legumes, fruits and vegetables.

What to exclude from your diet when losing weight?

You don't have to eliminate anything, but it will definitely help if you limit liquid calories, highly processed foods, and avoid snacks. What do you get from it? You'll save a lot of calories that you can invest in better foods, reduce your salt intake, which is linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, and reduce unhealthy fats (saturated and trans fatty acids) and refined carbohydrates. Don't worry, treat yourself to whatever you want from time to time. Will it be pizza, hamburger or something like that? To do this, it is enough to prepare, for example, with smaller portions of side dishes throughout the day and thus create an “energy cushion” so as not to unnecessarily increase energy consumption.

If you eliminate certain foods that you enjoy from your diet day after day, your risk of suddenly overeating and “bingeing” on that particular food increases. Reduce the quantity and enjoy your favorite slice of cake or pizza every now and then.

What to focus on when losing weight?

• Beware of liquid calories , and when you go out with friends for a drink or "one" drink, actually only have one or choose a lower-calorie alternative.
• If you eat fast food, choose the healthiest and least calorie foods. What about a vegetable salad without dressing and pieces of meat? Go easy on fried foods.
• Try to limit sweets in all their forms as much as possible and remember that the first bite is always the best and most enjoyable, so why continue?
• Salty snacks, cheeses and sausages usually contain large amounts of energy in small quantities with added unhealthy fats and salt. When it comes to sausages, choose the best quality ham, the least fatty cheese and try making your own chips at home. You'll love these golden baked American potatoes with yogurt sauce. If you're a sausage lover, buy some ham and cook it at home. You avoid too much salt, use spices to taste, and it really is that simple.

How long does it take to break an eating habit?

— Excess weight is a chronic disease. At the physiological level, a complete cure cannot be achieved; only remission can be achieved for long years. But a person who has been obese always runs the risk of returning to their previous condition.

We are talking about the fact that first of all you need to learn how to eat properly. This takes from a month to three. If after this period a person feels good, loses weight, but “something is missing in life,” then it is important at this stage to find that “something” and begin to enjoy something other than unhealthy foods. This takes another two or three months. And all will be well.

Weight control, weight loss.

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What is known about Nikolai Prokhorov

Nikolai Prokhorov, together with psychologist Vitaly Zhikhrov, created the training “How to stop eating?”
and presented it at the 4th scientific and practical conference “Contact with yourself and others. Gestalt, psychodrama and their modern possibilities”, held on November 23-24 at the Altai branch of RANEPA. Prokhorov has two higher educations - medical and psychological. Actively engaged in private practice and consulting in.

She uses several methods in her work - elements of cognitive behavioral therapy, gestalt therapy, symbolic modeling, computer technology of color pulse therapy, etc.

How many times a day should you eat to lose weight?

The frequency of meals during the day is decided by both professional athletes and strength athletes in order to gain the maximum amount of muscle mass, as well as by those who “simply” want to eat better and lose weight. Timing your meals for stress and regeneration only really makes sense for those who play sports, undergo a high volume of training, or have ambitions to compete in a bodybuilding competition that means the world to them. For other “mortals,” there is no point in forcing yourself to eat eight times a day and stuffing yourself with cottage cheese at night, or necessarily trying to fast just because it’s cool.

Eat as much food a day as you want . This is probably the best advice I can give you. But be careful that your diet does not lose its structure, order and turn into an unruly anarchist. For example, you can skip the traditional 2-3 large meals throughout the day in the form of breakfast, lunch and dinner and supplement these large meals with appropriate snacks as needed and, over time, find what works best for you.

Can't you go without breakfast within half an hour of waking up? Then act on it. Does your breakfast feel more like brunch in the morning because when you wake up you don't even think about eating? That's okay too, keep doing it if it suits you. But aren't you used to eating before bed? Be careful not to overeat in the evening. You keep all the cards in your hand and only play with yourself.

Is food a reflex?

- Yes. “Sweeten life”, “make yourself feel good” - this is what our clients usually say about the reasons. Food is the simplest thing you can think of. A person eats bad things without thinking about what he is doing. He doesn’t understand why or at what point this happens, he simply reaches out and puts what he likes into his mouth.

Working with habits is very difficult. This is a reflex that helped a person survive. Nature cements it in the brain with positive experiences.

Burger. Food.

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What and at what time is best to eat in the evening for successful weight loss?

"I haven't eaten since 5pm and that's how I managed to lose weight. "I don't eat carbs after 6pm because they are automatically stored as fat to prevent weight loss." Have you heard or seen statements like these a hundred times? Let's set the record straight. If your last meal is at 5:30 p.m. when you're usually used to eating at 7:30 p.m., you'll cut back on your meal time and possibly deprive yourself of one meal a day. What will happen? You will begin to spontaneously reduce your calorie intake and may begin to lose weight. What about carbs in the evening that make you fat? I'll disappoint you again, the same food with the same carbohydrate content has the same energy value at 9:00, 14:00, 17:59 and 18:01. Your body can't work black magic, so it can't suddenly conjure up an extra pound of fat from a bowl of Italian pasta for dinner when you're in a calorie deficit. You may also be surprised that in one study conducted on Israeli police officers, researchers observed greater loss of body fat in the group that ate more carbohydrates for lunch, with both groups having the same total energy intake for the day. [12]

What to eat in the evening when losing weight?

Simply put, it's just another meal each day based on a healthy diet and your needs. How about a dinner of grilled trout with American potatoes and vegetable salad? Or fried smoked tofu with green beans and a baked sweet potato or potato salad mix? You should avoid spicy or fatty foods or too much sugar as your last meal of the day. This can negatively impact your sleep and even cause uncomfortable heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux). [13]

When is the best time to eat in the evening?

Most people should eat their last meal about 2-3 hours before they expect to fall asleep. Here, too, of course, there are large individual differences, so you need to know your body. Some people can eat a light dinner even an hour before bed and be fine, but others may need at least two hours. But consuming most of your calories in the evening is not a good idea, so don't starve yourself during the day. This will prevent evening raids on the refrigerator.

Where, from a psychological point of view, should you start getting rid of bad habits?

— All psychology and psychotherapy is aimed at increasing a person’s awareness in any situations where that person’s actions become ineffective. So, first of all, you need to begin to become aware of your bad eating habit and notice it in time. Ask yourself: am I really hungry?

I don’t want to eat, but for some reason I went to the refrigerator, opened it and was looking for something. At this moment it is important to stop yourself and start thinking. This is the first step to destroying your eating habit and building a new, correct one.

A schoolgirl eats pizza.

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Are there any foods that speed up weight loss?

In terms of eating certain foods and speeding up weight loss, there is no such thing. There are not even foods with negative calorie content , as some often try to “sensationally excite” us. Each food contains a certain amount of energy, which it supplies to the body. This amount of energy is never less than the amount that the body spends on processing food in the form of thermal effects.

If you focus on getting enough protein , which has the highest caloric effect (20-30%), you will promote satiety, muscle growth, and control your sugar cravings more easily. Of the received, 100 kcal are proteins, so in reality your body uses 70-80 kcal, and the rest is the energy needed to process protein. Other foods that may help with weight loss include low energy density foods.

How to eat more and lose weight?

Isn't it nonsense to eat more and lose weight? Not at all. When people habitually begin to eat according to the principles of healthy eating, the amount of their dietary intake increases, but the total energy value decreases compared to their previous diet. What causes this? Mainly by eliminating calorie bombs from your diet, which contain large amounts of energy in small quantities, and replacing them with foods that, in turn, contain small amounts of energy in large quantities. This relationship between food volume and energy value is called energy density.

Low Energy Density Foods You Can Eat More of

• Fruits are a natural source of sugar, so you should approach them with a little caution. No matter what they say about it, it has a positive effect on weight loss. You should eat about 200 grams of fruit per day. For example, berries, apples or citrus fruits are very energy efficient. But remember: fruit should be eaten, not drunk. Other low-calorie fruits can be found in the article Fruits and Weight Loss - Which Fruit Has the Least Calories? [14]
• Vegetables typically contain most of their weight in the form of water and even as a result contain very few calories. Cucumber contains 15 kcal per 100 grams, celery - 16 kcal, iceberg lettuce - about 17 kcal, and tomatoes - 18 kcal. Do you now understand why it is important to eat a portion of vegetables at every meal? For example, you can use cauliflower rice, zucchini spaghetti, or celery fries as a side dish.
• Potatoes contain on average only 77 kcal per 100 grams of raw product and are also one of the most filling foods.
• You can also use a variety of fiber sources , which can help keep you feeling full after eating. But don't go overboard with fiber. The total daily dose should be around 30-35 grams. You can use, for example, psyllium or apple fiber, which goes into smoothies or yogurts. Glucomanan also promotes a feeling of fullness.
• At least as a partial sugar replacement, try using the no-calorie sweetener erythritol, which is almost as sweet as sugar and is naturally found in some fruits. You can also use xylitol, chicory syrup or stevia.

How does the “treatment” work?

— It is necessary to develop an individual diet. If we do not “close” biology and a person is hungry all the time, then he will begin to eat forbidden foods at the level of instinct, and no amount of willpower will help here. The feeling of hunger must be satisfied and then psychotherapy can be undertaken.

Often, overeating and excess weight hide not one-time stress, but deep problems, so-called secondary benefits. That is, a person needs excess weight for something.

For example, “if I’m small, no one will notice me”: you have to be big to literally have weight in society.

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In women, excess weight can hide sexual trauma. The patient says that she wants to be attractive, but as soon as she loses weight and begins to receive attention from men, she immediately gets scared and gains weight again.

Sometimes the family “supports” the excess weight of the spouses. For example, as soon as a woman loses weight and becomes more attractive to other men, her husband becomes worried and jealous. And she seems to want to get rid of overeating, but for fear of losing her family she does nothing.

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Sample diet for weight loss

A sample diet for an average 75 kg woman who, according to our macronutrient calculator , should consume 1900 kcal to lose weight, and an average 90 kg man who should receive 2300 kcal to lose weight. The difference in higher energy intake is mainly due to larger portions or additional nutrition. The weight of the ingredients is taken in their raw form.

Weight loss menu for inspiration

• Average woman weighing 75 kg
• Energy value : 1920 kcal (7,676 kJ), protein 150 g (600 kcal or 2400 kJ), saccharides 215 g (860 kcal or 3440 kJ), fat 51 g (459 kcal or 1836 kJ), fiber 30 g
• Breakfast : oatmeal (40g), water (180ml), Just Whey Protein (15g), FitCheat protein chocolate (10g), GymBeam peanut butter (15g), half a banana (55g).
• Afternoon snack : MoiMüv protein bar (60 g) and apple (150 g)
• Lunch : jasmine rice (65 g), Alaskan cod (200 g), butter (5 ml), medium serving size of fresh vegetable salad without dressing (200 g).
• Afternoon snack : Greek yogurt 0% (140 g), crunchy granola (20 g)
• II Post-workout snack: Just Whey Protein (30 g)
• Dinner : couscous (65 g), smoked tofu (90 g), fresh fried mixed vegetables (200 g) in oil (5 ml)

• Average man weighs 90 kg
• Energy value: 2300 kcal (9200 kJ), protein 178 g (712 kcal or 2848 kJ), saccharides 261 g (1044 kcal or 4176 kJ), fat 61 g (549 kcal or 2196 kJ), fiber 35 g
• Breakfast : oatmeal (40g), water (180ml), Just Whey Protein (30g), FitCheat protein chocolate (10g), GymBeam peanut butter (15g), half a banana (55g).
• Afternoon snack : MoiMüv protein bar (60 g), apple (150 g), low fat acidophilus milk (500 g)
• Lunch : jasmine rice (80 g), Alaskan cod (200 g), oil (5 ml), medium serving size fresh vegetable salad without dressing (200 g), omega-3 (3 capsules)
• Afternoon snack : Greek yogurt 0% (140 g), crispy granola (20 g), pear (140 g)
• II Post-workout snack: Just Whey Protein (30 g)
• Dinner : couscous (70 g), smoked tofu (90 g), fresh fried mixed vegetables (200 g) in oil (5 ml)

How to promote weight loss?

We've discussed the energy consumption side of things quite tediously. Let's also focus on energy expenditure because it 's always better to eat and move more . This will facilitate metabolic adaptations that occur unintentionally, and this can be reflected in the famous "metabolic slowdown" due to adaptive thermogenesis. [15]

• Move as much as possible throughout the day and look for ways to use your legs as a vehicle. Use stairs instead of elevators and escalators. Ride a bike. Take regular active breaks at work.
• Exercise regularly. Whether it's running, crossfit, the gym, or whatever. Do strength sports about three times a week (if you enjoy them), and spend the rest of the day doing other sports you enjoy and taking a walk in nature.
• Think about how to actively spend your weekend. Take a weekend bike ride, hike in the mountains, or get at least a few hours of activity every weekend.
• Try using the right supplements to help you manage your calorie deficit. High quality fat burners help you burn a little more energy when stressed and at rest, Appetite Control can help you curb your excessive appetite, and Garcinia Cambogia itself has interesting effects on taste and appetite.

What do you gain from a more active lifestyle? You'll have an easier time losing weight, strengthening your body, feeling better and more confident, and working toward better sleep quality or a stronger immune system.

Is there an algorithm for avoiding eating another piece of cake?

- This is a series of questions to yourself and subsequent actions. You can simulate the situation in an exaggerated way.

1. What happened to me today? I stepped on my foot on the bus, spilled coffee on my dress, and the director yelled at me.

2. What is happening now? Here I am standing in front of the refrigerator.

3. How do I feel now? I'm angry, I'm upset, I'm offended, I'm lonely, etc.

4. What thoughts do I have? Our director is an asshole, after all, he could have listened to me first. I should punch the conductor in the face, etc.

5. How does this make my body feel? There's a lump in my throat, for example.

6. What do I want? This is where it turns out that you don’t want a cake, you just want to express your emotions.

Woman eating donut.

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And the last, decisive question: what can I do about this besides food?

And there are a lot of options: draw the director and cover it with a black felt-tip pen (there are many drawing techniques for expressing anger), walk down the street, meditate, do breathing exercises. You can find many ways to self-regulate on the Internet.

Or just switch - do something that brings you pleasure: chat with a friend on the phone, paint your nails, rearrange the dishes, knit, embroider, lie in a warm fragrant bath, read, watch a movie, clean the house, in the end - who likes what .

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