Weight loss is one of the main goals chosen by people who decide to change their eating habits and start training. No wonder, because who wouldn't want to enjoy an aesthetic figure, right?
The fact is that weight loss is often associated with a small amount of food, high physical activity and the desire for results as quickly as possible. It is known that everyone would like to achieve satisfactory results as quickly as possible, but wouldn't it be better to aim for a healthy and lasting effect?
That is why I personally prefer the term “fat burning”, or “reduction”. A good “weight-loss diet” should lead to fat loss and preservation of muscle mass or aesthetic shapes and proportions. Besides, it is not only the amount of macronutrients consumed and the physical activity factor, but a whole range of dependencies affecting the overall condition of the body.
In my opinion, it is possible, and even necessary, to try to be healthy while at the same time achieving the intended goal. All the more so because a healthy approach will result in maximising the results. How so?
Weight loss and a fat-loss diet
The word “diet” itself is associated with a small amount of food or, if you prefer, a reduced calorie intake during the day. The fact is that calorie intake should be lower than requirements. In addition, expenditure increases as a result of appropriately selected physical effort. Nevertheless, everyone has different requirements, so 1000 kcal, 1500 kcal or other diets of this type will not be the “golden mean” we are so desperately looking for.
In addition, special attention must be paid to the type of products we consume. The less processed and the more nutrient-dense, the better. However, it is worth remembering that what we eat is not only macronutrients, but also vitamins and minerals. What I mean is that the body must be in the right condition in order to be able to take effective action in terms of fat burning. What difference does it make if the scale shows less, if the price is hormonal imbalance, deficiencies or the yo-yo effect? Exactly…
You cannot rush too much, and results take time. It is assumed that the optimal value is to lose around 0.5 kg per week, although in the initial period the value may be higher, which is related to the loss of large amounts of water.
You can eat tasty and healthy without harming your body, and feel good at the same time. Moreover, individually tailored nutrition will produce results and will not harm the body. In addition, it is worth bearing in mind that health is the key to lasting results. A good fat-loss diet should meet certain conditions:
- allow not only to reach the appropriate body weight, but also to maintain it for longer,
- not cause hunger attacks or excessive overeating,
- not disrupt hormonal balance and support its maintenance,
- be well tolerated by the digestive system and not cause digestive problems,
- support the intestinal bacterial flora,
- not be stressful and promote well-being,
- promote the body's regeneration,
- affect the overall state of health,
- not exacerbate inflammation and help eliminate it,
- provide a sufficient amount of macro- and microelements,
- not cause a drop in energy,
- support proper mental function.
What, apart from diet, should you pay attention to?
Diet is the basis, but it must be individually adapted not only to the goal, but also to the needs of the body. Depending on the overall condition, taking into account the previously mentioned conditions it should meet, the focus should be on health aspects. These have a considerable impact on the accumulation of fat tissue or the reduction of its level. Therefore, in addition, the following should be taken into account:
- thyroid condition,
- adrenal function,
- the condition of the intestines and the bacterial flora,
- hormonal balance,
- blood sugar level / glycaemia.
Weight loss. The thyroid matters.
The thyroid is one of the most important hormonal centres, and it also plays a considerable role in the body's metabolic processes. The most common ailment is its underactivity, which, among other things, results in excessive fat accumulation. Therefore, insufficient function of the organ will be a factor promoting fat tissue and at the same time making burning more difficult, whereas proper treatment should promote the loss of stored fat.
Why is that so? First of all, it is worth bearing in mind that hypothyroidism is often associated with a reduced level of leptin, a peptide hormone responsible for the feeling of satiety. It is thanks to it that information about the current energy level is sent to the brain. In addition, it affects the amount of neurotransmitters correlated, for example, with compulsive eating or cravings.
In this respect, disturbances in its functioning will also indirectly result in a deficiency of neurotransmitters needed for the production of growth hormone, which is involved in the mechanism of fat burning.
Thyroid disorders adversely affect the rate of metabolism, which is a key aspect in getting rid of accumulated fat stores. Efficient and proper metabolism is the basis of an aesthetic physique.
It should be remembered that improper weight loss can also be the cause of thyroid problems. So it works both ways.
Hormonal balance is the basis for weight loss
Proper hormonal balance is one of the key elements of health and of achieving any training goal. However, it should be remembered that it is not only about maintaining hormonal norms, but also the balance between them. This is where things get complicated, so it is best to put yourself in the hands of an expert so that they can develop a strategy that will allow the goal to be achieved while improving health condition at the same time.
In the context of reduction and hormonal balance, the thyroid, adrenal glands, blood sugar and, consequently, insulin, as well as the liver, will be important. Therefore, improper functioning of one of the above may already result in a disruption of hormonal balance. This, in turn, makes weight loss almost impossible, and certainly much more difficult. As I wrote earlier, a good diet, often combined with appropriately selected supplementation, will have a beneficial effect on this aspect, as well as on the function of important organs.
The most important factors you need to take care of in this regard:
- an appropriate, healthy diet,
- reducing exposure to stress and increasing resilience,
- eliminating digestive problems,
- taking care of vitamins and minerals,
- an adequate amount and quality of sleep (regeneration).
Interestingly, sex hormones play an important role not only in building muscle mass. For example, testosterone, the flagship male hormone, is also essential for women, although when its level is too high, it significantly hinders fat burning. The same applies to oestrogen in men - too high a level is a major obstacle on the path to weight loss.
Insulin and blood sugar, and weight loss
A poor diet, rich in highly processed products, combined with a preference for large amounts of carbohydrates, can cause quite a mess in the context of weight loss. All the more so because it is most often accompanied by inflammation, which is the basis of many other problems.
By causing sudden spikes in blood sugar, we automatically trigger a similarly sudden release of insulin, the hormone responsible for stabilising glucose. Frequent such phenomena are called the pendulum effect. Insulin also acts as a transporter of glucose, to some extent serving the body's energy needs.
Over time, however, cells become desensitised to insulin, and it has nowhere to put the energy. Everything is therefore stored as fat tissue. This condition, when cells and tissues are insensitive to the hormone, is called
insulin resistance. Of course, it is caused by many factors, not only excessive sugar consumption. Among other things, it is an inflammation-based condition.
In the face of insulin resistance, weight loss is very difficult. One often falls into a vicious circle: we eat less and exercise more. Yet the results are not satisfactory. All the more so because this is accompanied by the suppression of glucagon, and by drastically reducing food in the diet we can lead to deficiencies and other health problems.
Adrenals – a key issue
The adrenal glands are one of the body's most important hormonal centres. Moreover, they often work together with the thyroid, and problems with one of them may also mean disturbances in the function of the other. They themselves are responsible, among other things, for the production of corticosteroids and catecholamines.
Hypothyroidism is associated with a significant deficiency in cortisol production. Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, is the opposite – then we are dealing with overproduction of the hormone (sometimes also of aldosterone and adrenaline). Adrenal problems make weight loss much more difficult. In this context, overactivity and high stress levels are the most dangerous.
The stress hormone promotes fat tissue. Of course, certain amounts of it are necessary for us, although it is its excess that causes the biggest problems.
Chronic, high cortisol levels are often accompanied by fluctuations in blood sugar, increased appetite, sleep disturbances (even insomnia), fatigue, lack of energy, hormonal disorders and deficiencies. As you know from the beginning of the article, these are key factors that make it harder to burn fat tissue.
To avoid adrenal exhaustion or get them back on track, it is worth taking into account:
- reducing exposure to stress,
- supplements that increase stress resilience,
- improving the condition of the intestines and bacterial flora,
- reducing sugar intake,
- giving up stimulants (including coffee),
- giving up hydrogenated vegetable fats,
- eliminating highly processed products,
- adding fermented products (e.g. pickled cucumbers),
- limiting starch,
- adding healthy fats (including supplementation Omega-3),
- introducing moderate physical activity,
- taking care of the amount of sleep, quality and psycho-physical regeneration.
