Trans4m 30 Day Challenge – Trans4m Fitness

How to Lose Weight Fast Who wouldn't love to lose a few pounds? Whether you want to gain a more attractive physique or you simply want to increase your overall healthiness and well-being, there are a few crucial steps that anyone can follow (yes, even you!) to quickly and efficiently lose a few pounds. Want to know what's even better? You don't even need any crazy diets completely cutting off entire macronutrients or food groups! And it's not too hard to achieve it either! But before we get into the 8 fundamental steps to losing weight fast, we first need to recognize a few pain points that commonly stop people from losing weight, like: Unending appetite: Who's never felt that craving for a second round or plate of food? Losing motivation to maintain your diet: Have you ever started on a new diet or meal plan but quickly lost motivation after just a few days or weeks? Ineffective diets: Or worse, have you ever maintained a diet but didn't see any significant change occur? Well, luckily for you, all of those problems can be solved! With the correct, science-backed habits and diet, you can: Reduce your appetite; Steadily maintain a diet plan; And quickly lose weight! So... If you're ready to lose weight fast, make sure to read on until the end! 1. Eat the Right Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are biomolecules of great biological importance and form the most abundant type of biomolecules on our planet, formed by carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. And they have several functions, but the main function attributed to them is that of providing energy to your body. However, not all carbohydrates are born the same! Some should be consumed in very low quantities, if at all, while the other is a healthy source of nutrients and energy. But to better understand which is which, and why, let's break down how carbohydrates work first... When we eat a source of carbohydrates, our body breaks down its molecules into small particles until it becomes glucose, which is the main fuel used for muscles and organs. With this in mind, it becomes easier to understand the division between simple and complex carbohydrates. They're based on the speed at which these sugars are absorbed! Simple carbohydrates become glucose and go into your blood faster, while complex carbohydrates take much longer to break down. The absorption speed is determined with the Glycemic Index, which ranks foods based on how quickly the carbohydrates in food affect blood sugar levels. The higher the Glycemic Index, the faster the food will affect blood sugar levels. So, why is that relevant to losing weight, you ask? It's because a secret to weight control is to avoid, or decrease, simple carbohydrates and replace them with complex carbohydrates, which have a lower Glycemic Index, turn into less fat, and are excellent sources of fiber and vitamins! 1 2 3 Simple carbohydrates are quickly digested by the body, generating a peak of glycemia and then of insulin, which causes the body to remove excess carbohydrate from the circulation and store it in the form of fat, favoring weight gain and increasing the blood sugar level. Complex carbohydrates are generally foods rich in other nutrients and fiber, which promotes digestion and absorption of glucose more slowly. With them, the body can use this food as a source of energy over a longer period of time instead of peaking blood sugar and without having to convert any excess into extra fat. Examples of simple carbohydrates (high glycemic index): refined sugar, white bread, pasta, soda, fruit jelly, candies, most chocolates, white rice, cookies, popcorn, watermelon, donuts, french fries, and many others. Examples of complex carbohydrates (low glycemic index): whole foods and vegetables rich in starch such as sweet potatoes, corn, cassava, yams, seeds, and whole grains. 2. Get Enough Dietary Fiber Dietary fiber is a compound of vegetable origin consisting of polymers of carbohydrates. One of the most well-known functions of dietary fiber in health is its role in the gastrointestinal tract. Acting from ingestion to excretion, the viscosity of the fibers helps to delay gastric emptying, promoting better digestion and an increase in the feeling of satiety. In the intestine, they act by decreasing the intestinal transit time and increasing the fecal volume, collaborating in the regulation of intestinal activity. Dietary fibers are divided into two categories: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibers dissolve in water that helps decrease cholesterol and blood sugar. Soluble fiber is commonly found in citrus fruits, apples, oats, beans, carrots, and other foods. Insoluble fibers don't dissolve in water and they help with hydration and preventing constipation. Insoluble fiber is commonly found in wheat products, cauliflower, potatoes, and other vegetables. Another important benefit associated with fiber consumption is the reduction of glucose and postprandial insulin levels, in addition to the reduction of total cholesterol and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. This is because the fiber acts by decreasing the intestinal absorption of these components and, consequently, reducing their blood levels, including collaborating in the fight against chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and other cardiovascular diseases. , Recommendations for dietary fiber intake vary according to age, sex, and energy consumption. But, in general, the FDA recommends 28 g per day for a 2000-calorie diet. 3. Get Enough Protein Research shows that eating enough protein is essential to keep up healthy bodily functions, muscle mass, and can improve body weight. , Proteins are an important macronutrient for the body to produce and maintain essential parts of your body, such as muscles, hormones, tissues, skin, and hair. In addition, proteins are neurotransmitters, which are responsible for transmitting the nerve impulses that form thoughts and physical signals for the body to move. So, if you want a good weight loss diet, make sure that you include a healthy amount of protein in there! Common animal sources of protein include beef, sardines, cheese, chicken, turkey, eggs, and other types of animal meats. Plant sources of protein include tofu, nuts, soybeans, soy milk, chia seeds, and lentils. 4. Not ALL Fats are the Devil Unlike what a lot of popular headlines and buzzwords may have you think, not all fat is bad. Fats are a source of energy and essential for the absorption of multiple vitamins. But it's very important to determine the amount and type of fat to be eaten for a healthy diet. Because some fats are, in fact, the devil. There are three main types of fats in foods: saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats. Consuming excess fats, especially saturated fats, is unhealthy, and most fats consumed daily should be of the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types. Saturated - Saturated fat is a derivative of animal products. It is found mainly in red and white meats, poultry skin, sour cream, butter, yogurt, palm oil, and bacon. It is considered a harmful fat for the human body, mainly because it increases cholesterol, which can cause severe health issues, such as cardiovascular problems. , 1 Unsaturated (mono and poly) - Unsaturated fats, which can be divided into two main types: monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, are mainly of vegetable origin, but can be found in some fish as well. They are found in olive oil, corn and canola oil, almonds, salmon, flax seeds, avocado, and other foods. It results in a reduction of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body, but consumed in excess can still cause health issues and weight gain. Unsaturated fat is generally much better than saturated fat when consumed in moderation, and you should swap out unsaturated fats for saturated fats in your diet whenever possible. 1 1 2 1 3 Polyunsaturated - Polyunsaturated fat is rich in essential fatty acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6, substances that are not produced by the body but should be obtained through food. It also assists in reducing and controlling blood cholesterol levels. It is found in the following foods: soybean oil, sunflower, canola, corn; in fish such as tuna, sardines, and seafood; nuts and pumpkin seeds. Monounsaturated - Following the aforementioned benefits of unsaturated food, products that are a good source of monounsaturated fat are olive oil, avocado, peanuts, walnuts, and canola oil. Trans Fat - Do not consume these. There's no moderation when it comes to trans fat. They are the devil. They're terrible for your health and will negatively impact it even in small quantities. Trans fat is commonly found in deep-fried foods, salty snacks, and many types of frozen food. 1 1 5. Exercise Exercise reduces weight. 1 1 Shocking, I know! To lose weight, it is necessary for your body to increase energy expenditure. Physical exercise, such as walking, running, or cycling, speeds up metabolism, increasing caloric burn. Physical exercise is a great addition to lose weight as fast as possible. Aerobic exercises, such as brisk walking and running, increase heart rate and burn has the potential to burn a lot of calories while resistance exercises such as weight training, favor muscle hypertrophy, which is the increase in muscle size and overall strength. But whether you're doing aerobic exercises or resistance training, either can help with weight loss. If you're just starting out, it's recommended that you choose the one you're most comfortable with, to increase the chance you'll start and maintain an exercise routine. And if you're afraid about not having the motivation to keep up this healthy habit, you may want to find yourself a phone app to help you! Research has shown that utilizing phone apps to help you keep track of your physical exercise can help you lose weight and reinforce the habit! 6. Drink More Water Drinking more water can make your body work more to process it, burning more calories over time, helping you lose weight. 1 2 And that's not all... Drinking water before a meal can actually decrease appetite! 2 As such, you should drink plenty of fluids both during and between meals, as this will help to decrease hunger and help your body process the food you've eaten. Water is also present in fresh foods such as cucumber, tomato, tangerine, among others, which can help increase your water intake during meals. 7. Make Sure You're Sleeping Well Several studies point to the importance of having a good night of sleep - tired people tend to feel a lot hungrier than when they have a good night's sleep, and getting enough sleep is crucial to having good health in the long run. 2 1 2 2 2 3 In addition, people who sleep poorly tend to gain weight more easily. So, if you want to lose weight, you better start sleeping properly every day! 2 Another one of the reasons that sleep might increase your weight is because of stress. Bad sleep can increase cortisol, the stress hormone, in your body. And guess what? Cortisol can not only make you hungrier, but increased stress can also lead you to stress eating. The average person should be sleeping anywhere between 7 and 10 hours, so make sure you're getting the amount of sleep that is right for you, as not everyone requires the same amount! 8. Eat Slower Instead of devouring all your food in a hurry, try slowing down a bit. It can actually reduce your appetite, making it easier to sustain lower-calorie diets. 2 Eating slowly allows enough time for a full stomach to send a signal to the brain that it has received enough food and is satiated. This will prevent overeating, as you might eat faster than it takes time for your brain to receive the signals of satiety and that your stomach is full. As such, you can easily see how respecting satiety is a crucial point of weight loss, and maintaining a good eating speed will help your satiety levels! This habit can also make you more aware of just how much you're eating and what you're eating, which can help you make better decisions in the future. And so, despite today's world frenetic pace, taking the proper time to eat at the right speed can make a big difference in losing weight Be sure and check out our diet information posts here. We even have some very-low-calorie diets if you're looking to lose weight fast!