How To Lose Weight At Home: Tips From A Fitness Trainer And Nutritionist

If you're still buying low-fat foods, counting calories, and think that cardio is the only way to lose weight, our article is for you! Especially for BeautyHack.ru, a fitness trainer, a specialist in healthy nutrition and the author of the book “SMART HLS. Life without rigid diets and exhausting workouts”Alena Murlaeva spoke about the most important mistakes of those who lose weight.

Alena Murlaeva

fitness trainer, healthy nutrition specialist and author of the book “SMART healthy lifestyle. Life without rigid diets and exhausting workouts "

- Because of my work, I often come across popular rules about nutrition and exercise. Despite the availability of any information on the Internet and the availability of all kinds of research, some people are still convinced that cling film burns fat, and lemon water removes harmful substances from the body. I propose to deal with these and other myths, dotting all the i's.

Myth number 1. "Low fat foods" will help you lose weight

Coca-Cola zero and low fat cottage cheese are probably the most common "diet" foods. "Zero calories!", "No harm to the figure", "Not extra centimeters" shout labels in the store at every corner. And such goodies are more expensive than usual. What is the reason for the high prices and are they really as useful as advertisements are promoting to us?

High demand always carries a high price, everything is simple here. Marketers throw a hook with a bait "good for health", and girls who dream of getting rid of extra pounds, without looking back, sweep everything off the shelves.

Now let's talk about the essence of "zeroes". In products with 0% fat, all fats are completely or partially removed, therefore, such a product cannot bring any benefit to the body. A true fat-free product, by its very definition, cannot be tasty. Otherwise, it only says that it is full of additives: stabilizers, sweeteners and flavor enhancers (they promote appetite, and not at all remove hunger). The promised 0% fat does not mean 0 kcal, since the reduced fat content is offset by an increase in the proportion of carbons, starches and sugars. So such products are a publicity stunt that is unlikely to help you lose weight, but to spend more money - yes.

Myth number 2. The more water the better

Water, Health and Water Balance, Water Tracker, My Water, Drink and Lose Weight - and there are hundreds of such apps! We are told from everywhere that you need to drink more water if you want to lose weight, because it removes everything harmful from the body. Yes, it certainly does, but when the body requires this water, and not when it is done by force.

“How to understand how much water I need”? "Does it depend on weight or gender?" "The bigger, the better"? Are probably the most common questions I hear. The answer is very simple - it all depends on whether you are thirsty or not. If yes - drink, if not - no need to choke. An additional dose of water is needed in cases of physical activity (compensation for moisture loss with sweat), being in a hot climate (profuse sweating also requires recovery), temperature, diarrhea, vomiting (there may be dehydration due to a large loss of water) and pregnancy.

Myth number 3. You need to count calories

You can go crazy with the number of applications, trainings and courses that tell you how to count calories correctly in order to lose weight. I ate an apple - be sure to write it down in your calorie diary, otherwise you suddenly forget and exceed the daily norm! One gets the impression that you should always take a scale and a calculator with you to keep this meaningless record.

What is important is what we eat, not the amount of food. The body resists when calorie intake is reduced, and this is its natural defense response. Natural foods, rich in fiber, protein and fat, saturate the body, and you, like it or not, will not be able to eat a lot of them. Some people find that calorie counting helps them balance healthy meals with unhealthy foods. After all, in the morning you can eat a pack of chips, and for dinner - chicken breast. But after all, I met the set rate of calories, which means I will not get better! No. It doesn't work that way. And this is not a healthy lifestyle at all, but a mockery of the body.

Myth number 4. You can't eat in restaurants without sacrificing your figure

If you mean McDonald's and other fast food restaurants, then you really can't do without losing your figure. But with the right choice, you can always find what you want. Most restaurants offer separate menus for fasting, vegetarian, anti-gluten-free, and so on. I often hear that "you still have to choose a restaurant, it's difficult." For me, this is very easy, especially if you care about your health. All you need is to go online and look at the menu. The priority is the place where there is a separate grill menu, various fish, seafood and meat by grams. That is, you can order as much as you want. Also win-win options: fish restaurants, steakhouses, Greek restaurants and Japanese food.

Nobody forbids you to ask the waiter to exclude unwanted ingredients from the dish in order to make it dietary.

Myth number 5. Only jogging helps you lose weight

Many people do not even think that losing weight can be done not only with the help of fast and exhausting running, but also with walking. Naturally, to turn it into a full-fledged workout, it doesn't have to be like walking with a stroller or coffee in hand. Brisk walking has its own rules: warm up well, work with your hands (bend at the elbows at a right angle and actively move along the body), maintain correct posture (straight back), use suitable shoes (good shock absorption and a tight fit on the leg), listen to your body (reduce the load during dizziness and nausea), set realistic goals for yourself so as not to deplete the body. You only need three weeks for this type of training to become a habit and delight you and your body.

Myth number 6. Drinking lemon water after meals can help you lose weight

How many questions I have heard about what foods burn fat. And my answer is none. No food burns fat. Even the well-known "slimming" pineapples and grapefruits will not dissolve your extra pounds in the air, no matter how much you eat them. It's the same with lemon water. Yes, water removes toxins from the body. But the point here is not at all in the lemon, but in the water itself. Lemon acts here only as a flavoring additive.