Weight Loss Routine
Weight Loss Routine - Intro
There are plenty of magic formulas out there to lose weight. Of course, they barely work and they don’t warn you about the health consequences of some extreme changes in your diet.
We want to give you a realistic, effective, and healthy way to lose weight. A good weight loss routine is safe, provides small but consistent results, and it is easy to maintain in the long-term. Actually, it is likely that you are already implementing some of these habits. You just need to optimize the process and set additional goals.
Here are science-backed habits to help you achieve your weight loss goal.
Habits
Morning
Exercise
DESCRIPTION - Caloric restriction in itself is highly beneficial to weight loss, but you need to increase your activity level in order to increase your caloric deficit and shape your body. Regular exercise has been shown to accelerate weight loss if combined with other lifestyle changes, mainly diet. Exercise increases the amount of energy you expel, even if you are at rest, so more calories are burnt. Aerobic exercises are a must, and you can add some strength exercises to complement.
ACTION - Exercise at least 4 times a week for 40-60 minutes.
4X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Morning
Running
DESCRIPTION - Running is a highly demanding activity, which can increase fat loss and calorie expenditure. You can practice it as your only exercise, but it is more appropriate if you also add other types of exercises to strengthen your body. Runners tend to develop a slim, low-fat body type. It has been shown that when it is complemented with changes in the diet, such as less fat and more fruits and vegetables, the results are even greater.
ACTION - Go for a run at least 3 times per week for 20-40 minutes.
2X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Morning
Evening
Review Goals
DESCRIPTION - When it comes to losing weight, setting goals is of the utmost importance. They give you a target and a constant reminder of what you are trying to achieve. Setting goals is a well-known behavioral change technique that has proven to be effective. To make it work, determine how much weight (pounds, kilograms, or percentage of your current body weight) you want to lose and set a timeframe. Don’t worry, there’s no evidence that “realistic” goals are better than “unrealistic” ones to lose weight. You know yourself well enough to determine how far you can go with a challenge.
ACTION - Set a % of weight you want to lose and determine a timeframe. Track and review the goal regularly.
4X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Evening
Don't eat after 7pm
DESCRIPTION - Nighttime eating is related to obesity and other health problems. When you eat at night, the calorie intake increases and is combined with low activity, which is the perfect combination for gaining more weight. You should eat at night only if the meal has many nutrients, is low in calories, and is a small portion.
ACTION - Don’t eat after 7pm if possible.
5X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Evening
Any Time of Day
Caloric restriction
DESCRIPTION - This habit consists of decreasing the number of calories (or energy) consumed through food. Some people consume more energy than they expend on physical activity, therefore they easily gain weight. To decrease the number of calories, you need to replace calorie-dense foods with nutrient-dense alternatives. Increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding trans fats, consuming moderate amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and reducing sugar consumption.
ACTION - Replace calorie-dense food with nutrient-dense alternatives for at least one month and check the results.
5X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Minimize Sugar Consumption
DESCRIPTION - Minimizing sugar consumption is key for caloric restriction. Sugar is an important energy source and we are surrounded by foods that contain it. It is far too easy to over-consume. In the US, people consume more than 300% of the recommended daily intake of added sugars. If you consume less added sugar, it is more likely that you lose weight and, more importantly, that you maintain your weight.
ACTION - Decrease your consumption of packaged foods, candies, and sodas as much as possible.
7X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Avoid Unhealthy Fats
DESCRIPTION - As an important source of energy for your body, fats can make it hard for you to lose weight if you don’t regulate the intake. Also, unhealthy fats increase the risk of some diseases. The best recommendation is to replace trans fats with unsaturated fats and decrease the intake of saturated fats. You should moderate your consumption of red meat, cheese, butter, ice cream and processed foods. There’s evidence that doing so helps to lose and maintain a healthy weight.
ACTION - Avoid trans fats and moderate the consumption of saturated fats.
7X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Capsaicin
DESCRIPTION - Capsaicin is a compound recognized for helping with weight loss. Capsaicin increases the feeling of satiety, which can decrease caloric intake. Also, consuming it stimulates lipolysis, a process in which the body breaks down fat reserves. It is recommended to consume it 1 hour before exercise to increase fat burning in the body.
ACTION - Get a capsaicin supplement and consume it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3X / WEEK
Best Time of Day: Any
Why Core Habits are Important for Weight Loss
Plus Core habits
Sources
ExpandCollapse- Defining the Optimal Dietary Approach for Safe, Effective and Sustainable Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6163457/
- Dietary intakes associated with successful weight loss and maintenance during the Weight Loss Maintenance Trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3225890/
- Weight loss: 6 strategies for success. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752
- Setting targets leads to greater long‐term weight losses and ‘unrealistic’ targets increase the effect in a large community‐based commercial weight management group. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5111772/
- Empirical evidence does not support an association between less ambitious pre-treatment goals and better treatment outcomes: a meta-analysis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23601605/
- The Dose Makes the Poison: Sugar and Obesity in the United States – a Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6959843/
- Effects of sugar intake on body weight: a review. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12760444/
- Quality of Dietary Fat Intake and Body Weight and Obesity in a Mediterranean Population: Secondary Analyses within the PREDIMED Trial. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6315420/
- The Health Impact of Nighttime Eating: Old and New Perspectives. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425165/
- Tips to help you reach your exercise and weight loss goals. https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/tips-to-help-you-reach-your-exercise-and-weight-loss-goals
- Does running with or without diet changes reduce fat mass in novice runners? A 1-year prospective study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25766050/
- Capsaicin as an anti-obesity drug. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-0348-0828-6_7
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