The author of the blog, nutritionist, psychologist Regina Nitsievskaya, who lost 60 kg, told BeautyHack what prompted her to lose weight and how to deal with acute bouts of hunger.
Regina Nitsievskaya
The author of the blog about weight loss @fat_go_away_pp. Nutritionist. Psychologist
About the first extra pounds
As a child, I was an ordinary child, extra pounds began to appear after the fifth grade. The reason is banal - overeating. Why I ate so much at such an early age is another question that is difficult to answer.
If you delve into psychology, a common reason for the appearance of excess weight is "protection" from external circumstances. I suppose that in my case it was a reaction to the situation that then reigned in my family.
Surprisingly, no one teased me at school because of being overweight: I had wonderful classmates. On the street, I sometimes heard rare, but very offensive statements and chuckles in my address.
When my weight reached 126 kilograms, I stopped weighing - this was in the 1st year of university. I didn't type any more, but I realized that I needed to do something. Now I weigh about 63 kg., But still do not weigh myself - the reflection in the mirror suits me and the numbers are not important. I can feel fluctuations in body weight without weights, and this device only adds anxiety and stress.
When and how I decided to lose weight
I've been losing weight all my adult life. These were endless cycles of extreme diets (kefir, buckwheat) and food breakdowns, during which the body stored every calorie it received and the weight became more.
Even as a child, I realized that being overweight does not add health, self-esteem, attractiveness, happiness to me, but until a certain moment I could not help myself.
One day I woke up and realized that I was ready for a change. In the beginning, she simply eliminated high-calorie foods: sweets, sauces, fast food, and started playing sports at home. In May 2010, I went to the gym and began to delve into the principles of proper nutrition, trying not to miss a single important detail.
About food disruptions
From time to time, like in childhood, I had food breakdowns. But it normal! Everyone (even professionals) has them. Today, to eliminate this, some practice weekly cheat meals - days when you can eat "forbidden". They are beneficial for metabolism and psychological comfort.
My hack for dealing with food disruptions is: wait it out, draw conclusions, let go and continue on your way with the same enthusiasm.
What else can you help yourself with? When people ask how I avoid breakdowns, they mean what you do so you don't blame yourself for eating a piece of cake and get obsessed with counting calories.
Except for conclusions, nothing can be done here! Fasting days and increasing physical activity the next day is a bad idea. From a one-time overeating you will not gain (plus on the scales is water), and you will get stress for the body, risking provoking another breakdown.
About orthorexia
Orthorexia is a psychological disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to eat the "right" foods. This can lead to bulimia, anxiety disorders, and depression.
At some point, I developed an unhealthy fanaticism regarding nutrition: the list of foods became scarce, and the frequency of sports activities reached 6 times a week for 2-3 hours. I weighed myself in the morning and evening, and +100 gr. on the scales caused panic. Worse than then, morally, I have never felt.
It ended with the fact that I tried the fashionable at that time "drying", got the necessary relief, and when the time came to get out of it, I gained weight again in two weeks, although I ate with a large calorie deficit.
I got depressed. Then I decided that I would not lose weight anymore, but first I would work on my psychological state. I didn't go to a specialist - I came to this intuitively. I realized that the cause of my troubles is a constant internal conflict and wrong attitudes, pulling me down.
What to do in case of acute attacks of hunger?
The easiest way to deal with an acute hunger attack is to eat. If it is not possible to have a snack right now, "make an agreement" with yourself and promise your body to "feed" it in an hour, two, or when it becomes possible.
Remember, constant hunger is a sure way to overeat and become overweight. Try to carry a healthy snack with you at all times and clearly time your meals.
About the support of family and friends
At the beginning of their journey to being lean, they showed no interest in training or my nutritional system. I began to hear words of pride and approval only after I received the first significant results.
To lose weight, a person needs desire, not someone's support! There can be any number of incentives, but all of them may not work, without a sincere desire to change something in your life.
How dietetics became a profession
I came to this through blogging. The more I shared information, the more feedback I received.
Over time, those who were helped by my advice became more and more. This inspired her to study to be a sports nutritionist and organize her weight loss marathon.
At some point, I realized that helping people make their lives better is what I want to do. The realization soon came that in most cases the problem of excess weight is psychological. I went to study further: to become a psychologist. Now I continue to attend seminars that could give me a more complete picture of the problem of excess weight and work with it.
5 "commandments" of harmony
- Take responsibility for your life and for your appearance as well.
- Be able to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger.
- Know your daily calorie intake
- Have several ways to deal with emotional stress.
- Discipline and willpower
Interview: Natalia Kapitsa
