Obesity is one of the most pressing problems in the modern world. In some countries it has already reached epidemic proportions. In our country, around 47% of men and 52% of women live with excess body weight. Excess weight is not just an appearance defect. It can cause many physiological or psychological disorders. To get rid of fat deposits, you first need to change your eating habits.
What are the dangers of obesity
Obesity is due to the fact that the amount of food entering the body of a modern person significantly exceeds that required for energy production. As a result, the unspent residue is turned into fat. The quality of the products consumed is also important. If the basis of the diet is made up of easily digestible carbohydrates, they will certainly be deposited in the form of ugly folds.
Excess weight should not be perceived simply as a visual disadvantage. It is a risk factor for the development of many diseases. The more adipose tissue grows, the stronger its destructive effect on the body.
Attention: overweight patients are three times more likely to suffer from diabetes mellitus and twice as likely to suffer from pathologies of the liver and cardiovascular system, compared to people of normal weight.
Obesity is a systemic disease that can affect the functioning of all internal organs.
Among the diseases caused by being overweight:
- hypertension;
- Alzheimer's disease;
- blows;
- arthritis;
- male impotence;
- phlebeurism;
- angina pectoris;
- respiratory system pathologies;
- depression;
- apnea (sudden stop of breathing during sleep);
- heart attack;
- gallbladder pathology;
- osteoarthritis;
- diseases of the digestive system;
- atherosclerosis;
- menstrual irregularities.
It is scientifically proven that obesity increases the likelihood of developing cancer of the breast, thyroid gland, colon, gallbladder and kidneys. The most clearly visible connection is between excess weight and malignant neoplasms of the esophagus, as well as the endometrium. On average, body fat reduces a person's life expectancy by 12 to 15 years.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that obese people have impaired metabolism - this slows down the weight loss process. But the situation is reversible. It is possible to "lose" even the heaviest weight. To do this, you first need to change your diet. The main mistake that many people make is trying to give up food altogether. As a result, periods of fasting are replaced by breakdowns. The weight returns in even greater volumes and health problems arise. A professional nutritionist must select a diet for an obese person.
Nutrition Basics for Obesity
The diet to treat obesity needs to be balanced. The body cannot do without essential substances, amino acids and vitamins. An incorrectly selected diet can cause serious endocrine disorders, disturbances in the functioning of the liver, heart and other organs.
The basic nutritional rules for normalizing weight are as follows:
- daily calorie content varies from 1, 700 to 2, 000 kcal. It is calculated individually, taking into account the patient's gender, age, height, physical constitution and physical activity;
- limit the consumption of foods containing fast carbohydrates and animal fats;
- fill the diet with fiber, which is low in calories, but fills the stomach for a long time, creating a feeling of satiety;
- The recommended daily protein intake for an adult with average physical activity is 0. 75 g per 1 kg of weight;
- Divided meals make it easier to control hunger. It is advisable to eat 5 to 6 times a day;
- the daily amount of salt should not exceed 5 g;
- exclusion of spices, herbs, smoked foods, pickles, spicy dishes that increase appetite;
- You should drink a liter and a half of water a day. Before each meal, you should slowly drink half a glass of liquid;
- Boil, bake or steam all dishes. Fried foods should be avoided;
- eat at the same time. Additional snacks are prohibited.
Attention: the norm is considered a monthly loss of 3 kg of weight due to fat. Faster weight loss is very stressful for the body!
A healthy diet for obesity must be combined with dosed physical activity. It is necessary to start with 10 minutes of exercise, gradually increasing the duration and complexity of the exercises.
The listed rules must be observed especially strictly in the first month of treatment. Then the body adapts to the new diet and daily routine. The risk of breakdowns and returning to previous eating habits will decrease.
Prohibited and permitted products
Obese patients are often prescribed the so-called dietary table No. 8. It was developed directly to reduce the volume of fat and normalize metabolic processes.
Attention: for patients with concomitant diseases of the cardiovascular system, liver and digestive organs, individual diets are selected!
Despite the strictness of this diet, it allows for a varied and tasty diet. The list of acceptable products is very extensive. We present the main ones in table form.
| product group | allowed | prohibited |
| flour products | black or wholemeal bread (up to 150 g per day) | White bread; baked goods; puff pastry |
| meat | lean meat; rabbit meat; chicken meat without skin and fat; Peru; (any, up to 150 g per day) | pork; goose; duck; Ram; smoked meats; sausages; stew; salon |
| fish | low-fat types (up to 150 g per day); seafood (up to 200 g per day) | all fatty breeds; salted and smoked fish; canned food |
| vegetables | cabbage; cucumbers; radish; zucchini; pumpkin; tomatoes; turnip; vegetation; seaweed | potato; carrots (occasionally permitted); green pea |
| side dishes | buckwheat; barley; barley grains; green beans | pasta; rice; semolina; legumes |
| eggs | boiled | fried eggs; fried omelet; |
| fruits and berries | sour fruits and berries; jelly; mousses | grape; bananas; figs; dates |
| drinks | coffee; tea; natural juices from sour fruits and berries; mineral water; rosehip decoction | sweet jams; jelly; packaged juices; refrigerator |
| spices | sauces with herbs in weak broth; Tomato Sauce; white sauce with vegetables | mayonnaise; mustard; horseradish; ketchup |
| dairy | kefir; curdled milk; cottage cheese (all low-fat) | hard cheeses; cream; whole milk; cream |
It's a good idea to write the menu in advance, buy all the products and divide them into meals. In this case, you will not need to prepare food "in a hurry" after work - this can lead to overeating.
Sample menu for the day
Breakfast
- cooked meat (100 g)
- roasted beets
- coffee without sugar
Lunch
- vegetable stew
- baked fish (100 g)
- Fruit Gelatin
To have lunch
- borscht without meat (150 g)
- low-fat cottage cheese
- dried fruit compote
Afternoon snack
- fresh apples
To have lunch
- carrot salad with garlic
- buckwheat
Before going to bed, you should drink a glass of low-fat kefir.
Alternative diets
There are many low-carb diet options. Not very strict diets include the exclusion of so-called fast carbohydrates. The principle of creating a diet is similar to "Table No. 8" described above. These restrictions are really useful. They allow the body to receive all the necessary substances and burn stored fat reserves.
Another type of low carb diet is strict. They exclude almost all products that contain these substances. For example, the basis of a protein diet is proteins. They make up up to 80% of the daily diet. These foods saturate quickly, take a long time to digest, relieving hunger. Furthermore, processing plant and animal proteins requires a lot of energy - this consumes up to half of the calories consumed.
These diets are effective, but they must be combined with intense physical activity. Otherwise, proteins not used for muscle mass form nitrogenous compounds, which are excreted by the kidneys. The load on the organs increases, creating the prerequisites for the development of urolithiasis.
Lack of carbohydrates negatively affects the condition of bones, skin and hair. From these chemical compounds, the body produces glucose, the brain's main nutrient. Feeling a lack of energy, the body begins to use not only subcutaneous fat, but also muscle tissue for its production.
The popular keto diet, which involves complete abstinence from carbohydrates, is not advisable for beginners. It is allowed to consume only fats, proteins of plant and animal origin. The purpose of this nutrition is to bring the person into a state of ketosis. This is a type of metabolism in which the body uses ketone bodies (derived from subcutaneous fat) instead of glucose. The diet is also harmful because, along with carbohydrates, a person stops consuming fiber, vitamins and microelements contained in the excluded products.
It is possible to lose weight on this diet, but it is undesirable to do this through complex physiological changes. The diet was originally developed for patients with epilepsy, as a link has been established between ketosis and decreased seizure frequency. The keto diet is not recommended for weight loss, but only for therapeutic purposes.
In any case, before starting this diet, it is best to consult your doctor. Not everyone can impose restrictions on their diet.
Who are diets contraindicated for?
For many diseases, as well as during certain periods of human development, strict diets are contraindicated.
Firstly, you cannot adhere to a low-calorie and restrictive diet in childhood. The foundation of metabolism is laid during intensive growth. Lack of nutrients can cause underdevelopment of the skeleton and internal organs and cause chronic diseases.
In adolescents, a lack of fats and carbohydrates causes inadequate synthesis of sex hormones. In adulthood, this can cause unstable menstrual cycle and reproductive dysfunction.
During menopause, most women gain weight. This is due to the fact that hormonal imbalance affects all processes in the body, including fat metabolism. Strict diets during menopause are not only harmful, but also useless. You can only stop weight fluctuations by taking estrogen medications recommended by your gynecologist.
Limited nutrition for pregnant and lactating women is strictly prohibited. Lack of nutrients during pregnancy can negatively affect the course of pregnancy. Furthermore, malnutrition often leads to the birth of a weak child, with neurological and immunological problems and developmental delays.
In breastfeeding mothers, weight usually returns to normal on its own within a year, as accumulated reserves are "used up" by the body to produce milk with a reasonable and balanced diet. Dietary restrictions can cause hormonal imbalance and even greater weight gain.
There are certain diets for patients with certain chronic diseases. Among the pathologies:
- gastritis;
- heart diseases;
- ulcer;
- intestinal diseases;
- kidney disorders;
- liver and gallbladder pathologies;
- pancreatitis.
People with diabetes and thyroid dysfunction cannot experience nutrition independently. In these cases, weight correction takes place under the strict supervision of the attending physician, who selects the appropriate therapeutic diet for the patient.
How to lose weight without dieting
In most cases, to lose weight, it is not necessary to strain the body with strict restrictions. Just minimize your consumption of fast food, processed foods, creamy cakes and other unhealthy foods.
Following a few simple rules will help you achieve your ideal figure:
- drink plenty of clean water. This will not only provide the cells with the necessary amount of moisture, but also help reduce appetite;
- Exercise will help speed up your metabolism. Just dedicate 10 to 15 minutes a day to exercise;
- eat frequently, in small portions. Don't eat while reading or watching TV. This way you can get distracted and eat much more than you need;
- spend more time outdoors, breathe more deeply. This way the tissues are saturated with oxygen, metabolic processes occur faster;
- Have a good night of sleep;
- do not finish eating "by force". It's good to take short breaks while eating; if you feel full, then you will have enough food.
Between lunch and dinner, you can eat a few slices of dark chocolate with a high cocoa butter content (at least 70%). You can replace it with various dried fruits, which must be chewed slowly. Thanks to this, the brain receives a signal that there is a sufficient supply of glucose and the appetite decreases.
Obesity is not just a harmless cosmetic defect. This is a dangerous pathology that can cause disability and premature death of the patient. It is necessary to normalize weight, but a thoughtless desire for an ideal figure can cause no less harm to a person's health than fat deposits. You need to lose weight correctly under the supervision of a qualified nutritionist.