Who follows the diet. Why can't you lose weight?

Almost everyone who decides to lose weight goes on a diet. Now there are a huge number of recommendations for nutrition, or rather, to limit it. But most of the diets that have flooded the Internet and passed by word of mouth are not at all safe and often downright harmful.

Many diets have two unfortunate consequences. The first is to regain excess weight (even with a supplement) after stopping the diet. This happens especially often after fast weight loss... The second consequence is much more serious: the human body begins to suffer from a deficiency of various irreplaceable elements that are not able to synthesize on their own in the required quantities. The result of many diets is hypovitaminosis and vitamin deficiency, chronic dehydration, and micronutrient deficiencies.

One of the most popular diets is ordinary starvation, when the caloric content of food is reduced simply by almost completely eliminating the food itself. At the same time, a person tries not to eat as long as possible during the day, and only when it becomes completely unbearable, he allows himself to have a light snack. This is totally wrong. Fasting is dangerous if you do it often and for a long time. All kilograms dropped in this way usually return quickly, but the stress that the body experiences can lead to the rapid development of complications (existing chronic diseases are exacerbated, or new ones appear). Unsystematic fasting causes a shortage of a large number of different nutrients at once with corresponding manifestations (weakness, fatigue, nervousness, poor sleep, muscle cramps, deterioration of color and decreased skin tone).

Another popular view diets - mono diets... These include kefir diet , as well as buckwheat, rice and other diets. All of them offer to satisfy hunger with one type of food - drink only kefir during the day or eat unsalted porridge. Such a diet for several days leads to a lack of vitamins (primarily B vitamins) and other water-soluble substances, as well as ions.

Vegetarianism, or rejection of meat products - is used not only for weight loss, but also as a permanent way of life. If you prefer a vegetarian menu, then you are at risk for iron deficiency anemia and a lack of essential amino acids. Therefore, with a vegetarian lifestyle, especially on initial stage, when you are just picking up and mastering a new menu, and, as well as can help to early detect a lack of certain substances and change something in the diet.

Law correct diet reads:"The body must regularly receive the required amount of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, as well as enough fluid."

Following certain rules, you can make the process of losing weight no less effective and much more harmless to the body.

Safety rules for dieting:

  • Meals should be varied. Therefore, forget about long-term or frequent mono-diets;
  • Remember that all your cells need water. Therefore, you need to drink at least 4-5 glasses pure water per day, not counting tea and soups;
  • It is better to eat often and in small portions. By reducing the usual size of each portion, you can reduce the calorie content and at the same time not limit yourself in many of your favorite dishes. Such nutrition will preserve the ability to enter the body of all the necessary nutrients;
  • In your diet, give preference to cereals and vegetables, as well as whole grain breads, as sources of slow carbohydrates;
  • It is advisable that you have at least one hot dish every day, soups are especially useful. They will allow you to feel full faster from a smaller amount eaten.
  • Control your well-being not only by subjective feelings, but also by objective indicators. Laboratory blood tests are the simplest and in an accessible way objective assessment the state of the body for observing various diets.

What are blood tests for diets?

Remember that even people who do not limit their diet in any way often do not get all the necessary nutrients... An even higher risk of being deficient in one or more nutrients is in those who follow a high-restriction diet.

Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the state of the body in dynamics while adhering to the diet. The most convenient way to do this is by comparing the indicators of blood tests with the norm, as well as by observing their changes.

Iron deficiency is a common problem for many people. The reason for this may be not only its insufficient intake, but also the increased need of the body for this element. allows you to detect signs of anemia (a decrease in the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin), and a biochemical study establishes the concentration of iron ions in the blood plasma. Thus, analyzes help to identify.

A biochemical blood test detects a lack of ions and in plasma. A deficiency of these ions in the diet can manifest itself as a feeling of muscle cramps, increased fragility of bones, increased nervousness, and decreased memory.

With a lack of some vitamins (ascorbic acid, rutin, etc.), the blood clotting time, the fragility of the vessels, and the duration of bleeding increase. This can be first detected and confirmed with .

Lack of protein in food increases the risk of damage to liver tissue and fatty degeneration of its cells. Signs of liver and lipid abnormalities, as well as a lack of blood protein, can be quickly detected with help. To do this, you need to pay attention to indicators such as total protein, ALAT and ASAT, lipoproteins of various types.

Accessibility laboratory analyzes You can always monitor your health and make the necessary changes to your diet. This approach to losing weight will allow you to get in shape, as well as maintain or improve your health.

Dieting requires strong willpower and motivation. Without dietary restriction, it will not be possible to find slim figure... In what cases is it necessary to limit oneself in food and how to sustain the diet to the end?

Do I need to lose weight

Diet food is a well-formulated diet aimed at solving health problems. Sparing diets are indicated for organ diseases gastrointestinal tract, as well as during the recovery period after abdominal operations. In this case, adherence to the diet is mandatory.

Absence correct diet can lead to exacerbation of diseases, pain and deterioration of health.

Today the word “diet” is associated with weight loss. And it is right. Even therapeutic diets can help you shed those extra pounds. Modern nutritionists offer hundreds of different nutritional systems aimed at achieving harmony.

How to determine if you need to lose weight? First, you need to understand if there is excess weight.

The following symptoms may indirectly indicate the presence of weight problems:

  • dyspnea;
  • difficulties when climbing above 2 floors;
  • excessive sweating;
  • loss of strength in hot weather;
  • swelling.

Important! Determine availability excess weight and the stage of the problem is best in an in-person consultation with a doctor. Perhaps the cause of obesity lies in hormonal diseases. Then not only diet is needed, but also drug treatment.

Weight problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Most people who are overweight have high cholesterol levels, which can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease.

Proven fact: the length and quality of life of obese people is much lower than that of slim people. It is not fashionable to be fat today. Hence, complexes, self-doubt, problems at work and in personal life.

If weight loss is necessary, it is imperative that you adhere to the recommended diet for your health and beauty.

Which option to choose

Today, experts offer hundreds of different diets. You can choose a popular technique or choose an unconventional solution.

Before choosing a diet, it is important to define a goal. If you want to quickly lose weight by a few kilograms by a certain date, then it is better to stop at fast mono diet... It involves the use of one type of product for several days. It is very difficult to follow such a diet, but the results will be impressive. Besides mono-diets significantly save the budget. You should not get carried away with such a diet - this is just a short-term way to gain harmony.

If the number of extra pounds exceeds one-digit number, then the choice should fall on a long-term power supply system. It should become a way of life for years to come. Then overweight will go away, and the habit of a balanced diet will prevent the return of those extra pounds.

Important! In the process of choosing a diet, it is important to consider your own taste preferences, mobility and financial resources.

Can't imagine life without meat, cheese and scrambled eggs? Then the best solution would be a protein-based, low-carb diet. She allows you to eat chicken, cottage cheese, eggs, fish and other hearty goodies.

A protein diet is unlikely to satisfy sweet tooth and fruit lovers. They are better off choosing a low-calorie diet. It will allow you to vary the diet and add healthy sweets.

According to the principle of preference, you can find a good fruit or vegetable diet for your loved one.

For women who cook for families and children, a split meal diet is perfect. It allows you not to prepare diet food separately. The main thing is to follow the order of use different types products and do not mix them.

When the choice is made, you can try to test the diet. For example, have breakfast and lunch as recommended. Too difficult? It might be worth looking for alternatives.

In any case, there is no need to wait for an easy way. The diet requires the mobilization of all personal resources for the sake of an ideal figure.

The right motivation

After choosing one or another nutritional system, it is important to determine the date of the start of the diet. No circumstance should be a reason to postpone it for a few more days.

Don't start your diet tomorrow! Any drastic changes in the menu require preparation, otherwise the risk of disruptions is too high.

Get rid of prohibited foods in the refrigerator and on the shelves in advance. Buy vegetables and fruits. Think carefully about the menu and master a couple of new recipes. Thematic communities on the Internet will help a lot!

Avoid fried and fatty foods a week before the expected date. Drink plenty of fluids, limit your intake of starchy foods and sweets. Do not eat 2-3 hours before bedtime. Gradually getting used to the new menu will ease a strict diet.

So, the X-hour has come, the diet has started. Difficulties can arise in the first 3 days after the start. They are caused by habituation to a new diet. It is important here not to give up, but to wait out the difficulties.

The body can protest and after 2-3 weeks of the diet. It is important to check if this is due to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

What symptoms can signal this:

  • hair loss;
  • a sharp deterioration in the condition of the skin, nails;
  • prostration;
  • visual impairment, "midges" before the eyes.

If you notice at least one symptom, it is better to start a smooth exit from the diet by adding new nutritious foods to the menu.

It is possible to prevent depletion of the body.

It is important to control the balance of the diet, observing the following rules:

During the diet, it is difficult to do without some habitual, but unhealthy food. Some people crave fried potatoes, others lack sweets, and still others dream of sweet soda.

Important! To keep the diet as painful as possible, schedule one “legal” violation per week. For example, every Saturday morning you can enjoy a small portion of a chocolate bar. Waiting for a small holiday will brighten up everyday life with a restrictive menu.

It is important not to abuse the opportunity to pamper yourself. Small portion of encouragement in the morning and increased physical activity prevent the return of the hated pounds.

If you want the diet to be effective, then adhere to the following rules:

  1. Do not eat 2-3 hours before bedtime. At night, you can afford a glass of yogurt without sugar.
  2. Avoid fried foods and alcohol.
  3. Walk and walk more. It burns calories and allows you to distract yourself.
  4. Do not use premium white flour bread and rolls.
  5. Reduce the use of any spices - salt, pepper, herbs. This trick will help suppress the feeling of hunger.

A balanced diet will instill good eating habits and motivate the body to get rid of body fat.

Forcing ourselves to hold on

The decision you make about your diet does not guarantee success. It is important to withstand it without disruption and systematically move towards the result.

Tips for Dieting Every Day Despite Difficulties:

An important video to build your body exactly

Are you still afraid of dieting disruptions? Then watch the helpful video below.

The video will help you understand that many people experience similar problems, and there is nothing wrong with that. You just need to correctly set your goal and realize all the possible consequences.

conclusions

Forcing yourself to diet is not difficult. In order not to break down and not think about food all the time, it is important to find joy in new impressions, emotions and hobbies. Be sure to play sports, buy yourself a painting by numbers, or start attending a dance studio. Indulge yourself in the spa or treat yourself to a massage. Life is full of colors and food is not the only source of pleasure.

Look for motivation, set a goal, and praise yourself for every little victory. Do not forget that the absence of excess weight is a guarantee of beauty, health and longevity.

Being overweight can negatively affect your emotional state as well as your health. A person can lose self-confidence and motivation. It is good for your health to adjust your diet by replacing unhealthy foods with healthy ones and reducing the portion size. For the diet to give desired result, you need to get enough nutrients from food and not limit the diet too much. Any diet will be more effective if you also acquire good habits and have a positive attitude.

Steps

Planning

    Think about what you need a diet for. Having a clear understanding of your goals will make it easier for you to find a nutritional system that you can stick to and that will lead you to the results you want.

    • Fighting diabetes. If you have diabetes, you definitely need to take care of your diet. Cutting back on sugar or cutting it out is the key to a healthy diabetes life.
    • Reducing the risk of heart disease. Foods that normalize blood cholesterol and reduce belly fat can help prevent heart disease.
    • Weight loss after pregnancy. Everyone gains weight during pregnancy, however, chances are you will want to shed it and get back to your previous shape.
    • Preparing for the beach season. With the arrival of warmth, many begin to lose weight in order to look better in beachwear. Sometimes small changes in the diet are enough for weight loss "to the sea".
  1. Pump up your body. Perhaps you would like to strengthen your muscles and gain weight through muscle mass. In this case, you will need to eat more protein, since protein is responsible for building muscle.

    Make sure you can restrict your meals. Before making any dietary changes, talk to your doctor about your diet and ask if it will be harmful to your health.

    Analyze your eating habits. Before you change your habits, you need to understand what they are. Track what, when and where you eat to get a better understanding of your routine.

    • Keep a food diary. Keep it in the kitchen or on your bedside table and write down everything you ate there (full meals, snacks, and even those few spoons of food that you just wanted to try), the time and place where you ate (at the kitchen table, on the couch , In the bed).
    • Keep a diary online. There are apps and websites that you can use to track your nutrition. If the application is on the phone, it will be convenient for you to enter all the data there on time.
  2. Find out what you have problems with. We all have different eating habits and different triggers for overeating. Knowing what makes you eat more than you need will make it easier for you to break the habit.

    • Stress. One of the main reasons for overeating is stress. When a person is tense and restless, he often tries to seize the stress. If this is a problem for you, you should learn to deal with stress in other ways or buy healthier foods.
    • Fatigue. A tired person tends to choose unhealthy foods. If you know that you eat very often when tired, try to take more time to rest and go shopping relaxed and calm.
    • Boredom or loneliness. Have all the friends gone? Can't find what to do? If you overeat when you're on your own, try to find new activities and hobbies that will make you leave the house more often and that will distract you from eating.
    • Excessive hunger. If you procrastinate due to being busy, you will not be able to think about anything other than food for dinner, and you will probably eat more than you need to. If you are familiar with this problem, try to find time for snacks during the day.

    How to choose healthy foods

    1. Learn more about what calories are. Most people who lose weight count calories, but many do not know how many calories their body needs. It seems to us that the fewer calories, the faster you can lose weight, but it is important to consider not only how many calories you consume, but also where you get them from.

      • Men eat an average of 2,600 calories per day, and women - about 1,800. If you want to lose weight, you will need to cut calories in your diet, but you need to consume at least 1,200 calories per day. If you eat less, the body will go into starvation mode and will cling more strongly to body fat.
      • Ask your dietitian or trainer to calculate the calorie intake for you to lose weight. Consider your level of physical activity.
      • Try to get your calories from healthy sources. Eat more fiber (whole grains) and protein (lean meats). This will help you feel fuller longer and have more energy.
      • Skip empty calories. For example, alcohol and potato chips do not saturate the body, but they do bring in extra calories.
    2. Follow the generally accepted recommendations of nutritionists. A person should receive all the nutrients he needs and eat in a balanced way. This means that you should eat a certain amount of foods from all groups, without giving preference to any one of them. You should also eat a variety of foods (for example, eat not only apples, but other fruits as well). It is important that added sugars and saturated fats account for no more than 10% of the calorie intake for each item. Aim to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of salt daily. In addition, there are guidelines for the amount of certain foods to try to eat each day. For instance:

      • Eat 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. One serving of fruit is half a cup of chopped fruit or one small piece of fruit. One serving of vegetables is a glass of leafy vegetables or half a cup of chopped vegetables.
      • Eat 6 servings of grains daily, with at least half being whole grains. One serving of cereals is a slice of bread or half a cup of cooked rice or pasta.
      • Eat 2-3 servings of dairy products a day, with a preference for foods that are low in fat. 1 serving of dairy products is half a glass of milk.
      • Eat 2-3 servings of protein a day. One serving of meat is 85 grams, or the size of an adult's palm. One large egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 30 grams of walnuts, 50 grams of beans can also be counted as one serving.
      • Try to eat foods of all colors of the rainbow: blueberries, red apples, asparagus. Different colored foods contain different nutrients and vitamins.
    3. Eat more lean meat and fish. To build muscle correct work immune system and metabolism, the body needs protein. To get the most out of your protein, choose foods that are high in protein and low in fat.

      Eat whole grains. In whole grain cereals, all parts of the plant are preserved: the seedling, the shell and the endosperm. During processing, the seedling and shell are often removed, due to which the plant loses 25% of protein and at least 17 nutrients. To get the most out of your grains, look for whole grains.

      Eat healthy fat. Not all fats are bad - some must be present in the diet. Monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fats are beneficial: they lower the level of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) in the blood and raise or keep the "good" (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, as well as normalize insulin and sugar levels.

      • Monounsaturated fatty acids are found in avocados, canola oil, nuts (almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamia, and nut oils), olive oil, olives, and pistachio oil.
    4. Cut out trans fats. Trans fats are oils saturated with hydrogen, which is why these fats are often referred to as hydrogenated fats on the product packaging. These fats raise the level of "bad" cholesterol and lower the level of "good" cholesterol in the blood, increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke, and can lead to infertility.

      Read the information on the packaging. Pay attention to nutritional value product - so you can find healthy products. The serving size and nutritional value of a single serving are often indicated on the packaging.

      Prepare your own food. It is very convenient and simple to eat in a cafe or buy semi-finished products, but this way you do not control the amount of food and the quality of products. To lose weight, you need to cook at home. This way you can choose a healthier cooking method (baking instead of frying) and fresh ingredients.

      • Plan your meals in advance. Making a plan for the week will make it easier for you to stay on track and cut out excess food. It will be easier for you if you prepare healthy meals in advance and store them in the freezer.
      • Make cooking fun. Buy yourself some new knives or a nice apron. This will motivate you to spend more time in the kitchen.
    5. Snack in between meals. Yes, you can have a snack! Eating frequent meals keeps the metabolism at the same level and forces the body to expend more calories. Healthy snacks can help reduce hunger and keep you from overeating.

      • It's important to choose healthy foods. Buy fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and low-fat dairy products. For dinner, you can make hummus and eat it with a sliced ​​cucumber.
      • Keep snacks on hand at work. If you have fried almonds on your table, you are unlikely to decide to snack on cookies in the office kitchen.
    6. Add flavor to food. You will want to eat something if it tastes good. You can add salsa to your food to make your food tastier. Sprinkle the sauce over the baked potatoes so you don't have to put the oil in. This will not only get rid of excess fat, but also add some vegetables to the dish.

    What foods to avoid

      Avoid extreme diets. You may want to try some fancy diet on yourself. There is constant news in the media about celebrities who have managed to lose weight on a diet, but it is important to remember that such diets do not always work and, more importantly, they can be dangerous to health.

      • Many of these diets require the elimination of a whole group of foods - for example, carbohydrates. However, a complete diet should include all the nutrients. Avoid diets that prohibit a specific food group.
      • Some extreme diets can lead to health and well-being problems. Extreme diets often involve very few calories, which are very unhealthy. Eat as many calories as your body needs and choose healthy foods.
    1. Avoid processed foods. Processed foods and fast food contain large amounts of substances that should not be eaten: salt, saturated fat, sugar. Of course, if you occasionally eat a burger or semi-finished product, nothing bad will happen, but you should not abuse such food.

      • Saturated fat should account for more than 10% of your daily calories. If you eat no more than 1,500 calories a day, that means you can eat no more than 15 grams of saturated fat. Fast food burgers typically contain 12-16 grams.
    2. Avoid sugary drinks. Sugary drinks, especially soft drinks, can lead to weight gain and obesity. Liquid calories don't stop being calories - they need to be included in the total number of calories per day, so try to eliminate sugary drinks from your diet.

      Skip certain foods if necessary. If you have a medical condition that prescribes restricting certain foods, you will need to be even more responsible in your food choices.

    Lifestyle changes

      Don't ask too much of yourself. Of course, everyone wants to lose weight faster, which can lead to severe calorie restriction and unrealistic expectations. However, a slow and calm approach to losing weight will be more effective. This will make it easier for you to lose weight and maintain the new weight.

      • Start by replacing just one meal a day. To avoid drastic changes, try eating just one healthier meal a day at first. Since the changes will be smooth, you will not feel that all the delicious things have been taken away from you, and it will be easier for you to rebuild.
      • Discard or replace one snack a day. If you always drink coffee and cookies at three o'clock, try replacing the cookies with a peach or skip the meal altogether. You can simply swap the fatty coffee drink for green tea with lemon.
    1. Start moving more. Proper nutrition is the key healthy way life, however, the result will appear faster if you also start to play sports. Studies have shown that dietary changes combined with exercise have a positive effect on overall health and help you lose weight.

      • Try to exercise for at least 60 minutes a day. You can divide this hour into several intervals. For example, you can walk to work instead of driving, or take the stairs instead of the elevator.
      • Go outside. People who play sports on fresh air get more pleasure from physical activity. Find a workout spot near your home, go hiking, or find sports ground in the nearest area and study there.
      • Call a friend. It will be easier for you to stick to your plan if you have company. Invite a friend to join you for a yoga class or for a walk after work.
    2. Get more rest. If you don't get enough sleep, your body may begin to gain weight. When a person sleeps little, more of the stress hormone cortisol is produced in his body. Because of this, a person begins to eat more junk food in order to calm down.

    3. Deal with stress . There is a connection between stress and weight gain. When a person is nervous, the body releases cortisol, which causes weight to build up. Usually fatty deposits appear in the abdominal area. Getting rid of stress is important for the diet to be effective.

      • Exercise regularly. Thanks to physical activity the body produces endorphins, and the mood improves.
      • Take deep breaths. Conscious breathing is very effective method fight stress. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. This will slow your heart rate and help you calm down.
    4. Pamper yourself from time to time. An effective reward system will help you stay enthusiastic and stay on track.

      • Plan a day when you can afford to deviate from the plan. Try eating what you want once a week. This way, you will have something in front of your eyes to wait for, and you will not have the feeling that you are completely limiting yourself.
      • Don't forbid yourself any food completely. A person always wants to get what he cannot. Don't tell yourself that a particular product is banned. Small deviations from your diet can even be helpful.
    5. Track changes. To make it easier to track changes, consider a scoring system.

      • You can use the same food diary that you kept at the very beginning, only now you can record healthy food there. Compare weeks, track dangerous moments and progress.
      • Use an online application. Enter all the data (initial weight, desired weight, nutrition by day) into the application, which will calculate everything for you. Many applications have recipes for healthy dishes and the ability to communicate with like-minded people.
      • Weigh yourself every week. It is important not only what is written in the diary, but also the number on the scales. Select a day for weighing and record the data.
    6. Set realistic goals for yourself. If the goal is unrealistic, you will quickly become frustrated with your diet. Do not ask yourself to lose 7 kilograms a month. Better to set small goals for yourself - no more than a kilogram per week.

      • Goals should be achievable, such as "I will exercise 6 days a week." These goals will be easy to control, and you can always reward yourself for a certain result. But don't reward yourself with food - buy yourself new sportswear or shoes.

I can’t wait for you to complete the fourteen day Stimulant Diet trial to make sure I’m right. The experiences you will receive cannot be described in a thousand chapters.

In the meantime, I have come up with something to maximize your enthusiasm. You are ready?

On the Atkins diet, you can lose more weight and more fat than any diet you've ever tried.

In other words, this diet will give you an incentive, which in scientific parlance is called an exchange advantage. It is this that will allow you to lose weight on the Atkins diet, absorbing as many calories as you consumed while gaining weight. And if on my diet you consume fewer calories, which is likely, this will allow you to lose weight much faster. Remember, I said that when it comes to explaining weight gain and weight loss, the calorie theory has enough flaws to make it questionable. For someone who has worked in this field for a long time, nothing is more obvious.

So let me tell you right here and now that the colossal dietary reward that I call the exchange gain is an arena of controversy and remains so, despite numerous studies supporting its reality. I began to describe this amazing phenomenon long before I heard the very expression "exchange advantage". In 1973, the American Medical Association rebuked the term. Concerned about the extreme success of Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution in promoting low-carb diets at a time when the AMA preferred to support supporters of low-calorie, low-fat diets, the association convened a council of carefully selected dietitians who attacked the low-carb diet in particular on my book as the most striking example of this direction.

Literally all of their criticism could have been easily disregarded or easily refuted by simply reviewing the scientific reports published by that time, but one of the stray arrows was startlingly well-marked as it drew my attention to one of the more remarkable benefits of a low-carb diet for weight loss. The council's verdict read: "There is no scientific evidence to suggest that a low-carb ketogenic diet has an metabolic advantage over more traditional weight-loss diets."

Since I have looked at the scientific studies on ketogenic and low-carb diets over the past fifty years and have found nothing but confirmation of the phenomenon that I am going to demonstrate to you in some detail, I must confess that this statement was more than overwhelming to me. Do experts believe that none of these studies actually took place, or that the studies that did take place are of no value? Since the AMA never bothered to disprove the apparently erroneous claim I made above, and since the exchange advantage remains one of the most visible benefits an overweight patient gains the very minute they are on the Atkins diet, I decided to introduce you to the genuine scientific facts on which the benefits that you will experience during the diet are based.


I know that many of you are far from science and get lost when doctors start talking to you in their professional jargon. But I promise you, if you keep an eye on what I tell you, you will delve into the secrets of the most exciting scientific research that anyone interested in losing weight has a chance to learn about. Before the chapter ends, you will receive a small reward from me: using the example of one of my patients, you will learn how this principle affects a living person and his diet.

To begin with, let me introduce you to the scientific achievements of two brilliant and scrupulous English scientists, Professor Alan Kequick and Gaston L.S. Pavan, whose fruitful experiments in mice and obese people have resulted in an innovative principle, mechanism, rationale and flawless experimental confirmation that a low-carb diet - even with a high fat content! - has an important metabolic advantage over balanced, or traditional, low-fat diets. Let me point out that in this pseudo-contradiction, my allies were not some lunatics writing for a provincial medical journal, but the most prominent representatives of the British scientific community researching the problem of obesity. Professor Keckwick was director of the Institute for Clinical Research and Experimental Medicine at the prestigious London Middlesex Hospital, and Dr. Pavan was a senior research fellow at the hospital's medical center. AMA experts could not have been unaware of their research or its far-reaching significance.

The Kekwick and Pavan saga began in the early 1950s, when they were amazed by many studies suggesting that differently formulated diets provided different rates of weight loss. They read the thrilling clinical studies of Dupont employees by Dr. Alfred W. Pennington, as well as articles by German and Scandinavian scientists that showed patients' successful weight loss while restricting carbohydrates. Then they conducted a study on obese people, and found: those who were on a diet that consisted of 90% protein, and especially on a diet that consisted of 90% fat, lost weight; when they were given a diet with the same amount of calories, but consisted of 90% carbohydrates, they stopped losing weight.

The potential significance of this unexpected discovery impressed Kekwick and Pavan that they devoted nearly two decades of their work together to figure out how and why the theory that all calories are the same turned out to be so grossly wrong. They then replicated earlier animal studies in humans and found the same phenomenon: a 1,000-calorie low-carb diet resulted in active weight loss, while a 1,000-calorie high-carb diet produced very little weight loss. Then they showed that on a balanced diet of 2,000 calories, their subjects did not lose weight at all; when their diet consisted mainly of fat, the same obese people managed to lose weight even if they were given 2600 calories. A typical example was their patient J.W., who lost 4 kg in three weeks of a low-carb diet of 2,600 calories, but did not lose a gram in eight days of a balanced diet of 2,000 calories.

The skeptics, who argued that "a calorie is always a calorie," were shocked and decided at all costs to refute this intellectual bomb that Kekwick and Pavan had dropped on them.

This resulted in a whole stream of scientific research. One of them, sponsored by T.R.I. Pilkington and colleagues, was published in The Lancet in 1960. However, it looked at the 1000 calorie level at which almost everyone lost weight, and only three subjects were kept on 32 grams of carbohydrates, which is the upper limit for their intake for a ketogenic diet. But if you look at their data, you see the same astoundingly rapid weight loss on a limited carbohydrate diet that Kekwick and Pavan demonstrated, with the only difference that Pilkington and his colleagues in one fell swoop threw the first twelve days of the low-carb diet from the calculations - which is exactly and it was the only way to reconcile the finding that all low-calorie diets produce the same results with the experimental data. What was their line of reasoning? They stated that a low-carb diet causes water loss. Where did they get this? Unlike Kekwick and Pavan, they did not study water balance to prove this thesis. With the self-righteousness of people fenced off from life, akin to that displayed by Galileo's contemporaries, who argued that the earth could not revolve around the sun, Pilkington and his comrades concluded that their preconceived theory was an immutable truth.

I am amazed at the AMA nutritionists who, desperate for support, even cited this study. If you do this too often, you can build up a reputation for not knowing how much is twice two.

But Kekwick and Pavan stood their ground. Their data showed that water loss is only a small fraction of overall weight loss. For the next two years, they conducted a study on mice in an exchange chamber. By measuring the loss of carbon in feces and urine, they were able to show that on a high-fat diet, mice excreted significant amounts of unused calories in the form of our friends - ketone bodies - as well as citric, lactic, and pyruvic acids. At the end of the experimental period, they analyzed the amount of body fat in the animals and found that mice fed a high-fat diet were much less fat. However, AMA experts did not even bother to get acquainted with this study, although it was published in the prestigious American journal Metabolism.

The story of Kekwick and Pavan does not end there. Proving the metabolic benefit of an ultra-low-carb diet is real, they discovered and isolated a substance in the urine of low-carb humans that, when administered to mice, caused the same metabolic processes that were observed in mice on a low-carb diet, and was an indicator of fat breakdown. The fat melted before our eyes, the level of ketones and free fatty acids was growing and, most importantly, the excretion of unused calories in urine and feces rose from the normal 10% to 36%! This substance was called fat mobilizing substance (MLV). The MLV is the weapon of your exchange victory. It allows you to eliminate some of the unused calories from the body that you would not be able to get rid of so easily on a low-fat diet.

Kekwick and Pavan have attributed hormonal properties to MLFs, and at least four other groups of experimenters who have approached the topic in different ways believe they have found fat mobilizers as well. Thus, the theory that you have an exchange ally in the struggle to maintain weight has been supported by many researchers.

Many people feel inspired and full of confidence when they start eating a healthy diet. But then, in the cycle of daily affairs and worries, follow a diet it's getting harder. If this has happened to you or you are just about to start losing weight and want this attempt to be successful, read these simple tips. They will help you follow your new lifestyle.

Tips to Help You Diet

Tip # 1

Regardless of what diet you follow, it is very important, because it provides you with energy for the first half of your work or school day, or gives you the strength to complete current household chores. Do not skip it, otherwise by lunchtime you will get very hungry and eat more than you should. Otherwise, having a healthy breakfast will fill you up and eat as much as your diet suggests during lunch.

Tip # 2

If you are used to unhealthy foods, sweets and all kinds of snacks, the lack of them during the diet will cause you discomfort. Replace them with your favorite fruits. It is much healthier for the body, and most likely less expensive for the wallet.

Tip # 3

When eating, choose a plate that is smaller than you are used to. This will help create the feeling that you have eaten the same amount as usual. The meal will be full, while the actual portion will be smaller.

Tip # 4

Get enough sleep. During sleep, the hormone leptin is secreted, according to a study by the University of Chicago, which sends a signal to the brain that it is full. Otherwise, the hormone ghrelin will make you feel hungry. So try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a day.

Tip # 5


Weigh yourself regularly. Nothing motivates more than the realization that proper nutrition week after week gives nice results... It will help you build up your self-esteem and give you an incentive to stick with your diet.

Tip # 6

Have patience. Not all diets have a quick effect, and a lot depends on your metabolism. So don't give up! By doing physical exercise and by eating healthy food, you are sure to achieve the desired result.

Tip # 7

Fill your kitchen cabinet with healthy foods. Buy vegetables and fruits. During your afternoon snack, you can prepare new, tasty and healthy dishes from them.

Tip # 8


Drink plenty of water. Like fruits, it will help you maintain fluid balance and reduce the amount of food you eat. Drink at least 6-8 glasses a day, try to do this before meals to feel somewhat satiated.

Tip # 9

There is no need to give up such familiar foods as bread, yoghurt and cookies, because there are many “light versions” of these products. Therefore, nothing will prevent you from continuing to eat well.

Tip # 10

You can vary your diet adding a little oregano, mustard, or hot pepper to the dishes. You will find the food tastier and you will fill up faster.

Tip # 11

If you are into grains, keep enjoying whole grains. They improve digestion, lower cholesterol levels and help prevent constipation.

Tip # 12


Of course, dieting or not is a personal matter, and just because you're on a diet doesn't mean that your whole family should be eating the same way. But you can change their diet a little to make it healthier. At the same time, you will avoid the presence of food in the house, which may lead you into the temptation to break your diet.

Tip # 13

Just as you take care of yourself on the inside, do it on the outside. Exfoliate your skin, put on cosmetics, use creams, take care of your hair, wear your favorite clothes ... All this will make you feel even more beautiful, and these favorable changes, both internal and external, will be noticeable to others.

Tip # 14

You may not know that alcohol contains a lot of calories, which in our body turn into fat. Try to use it as little as possible, or only on holidays. There is no need to completely abstain from alcoholic beverages, but if you want to see as soon as possible positive results your diet, you should cut back on them.

Tip # 15

Ask your family and friends to help you diet, after all, they are the closest people, and, thanks to their support, you will definitely succeed. Ask them not to offer you chocolate, ice cream, pizza, but rather fruit and. Sometimes there comes a moment when you want to give up everything, and in this case there is nothing better than finding someone who will set you up in the right mood again.

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