How to get back in shape after the holidays?

Well, the “salad mountains” and “meat trays” are already behind us, now it’s time to think that spring is coming, skirts will become shorter before you know it! We didn’t delay it and decided now to motivate you to become more and more beautiful. In this article we will understand the methods of losing weight and their effectiveness.

Without delving into biology, I will simply say: there are two ways to lose excess weight - quickly and gradually. Which one to choose is up to you, but you will do it after you read the article to the end.

The first method: rapid weight loss. This includes all the wonderful diets that will help you lose weight (NOT fat!) in a very short time, for example, 15 kg in 10 days.

The principle is simple: you eat less, and the body feeds on its reserves. In the limited “recharge” mode, every living creature tries to save precious energy, while metabolism slows down. So it turns out that at the beginning of a strict diet course you will quickly lose 5-6 extra kg, and then the process will begin to slow down until it stops altogether. And then the worst thing begins... You don’t eat anything! But you're still getting better! Why? Because constant malnutrition is a sure signal to the body that a hunger strike is coming and it is urgent to make reserves of everything that enters the stomach. In addition to the opposite effect, you will notice that your hair and nails will become brittle, your skin will become dry and not so elastic. Cellulite, instead of disappearing, will appear even more.

Among other things, a sharp restriction in food has a very negative effect on the psychological state. Irritability, aggression and mood appear - not the most rosy. If you've ever tried this method, you'll probably remember how difficult it was to resist eating a cookie or a tiny chocolate bar. With such a diet, if you fail, then everything you eat goes straight to fat.

At the beginning of the article, I wrote that this method helps to temporarily lose weight, but not fat. Let me explain: first of all, we consume the most accessible sources of energy - proteins and carbohydrates. You already know from my previous articles that proteins are muscles, and carbohydrates are your energy for life. So it turns out that first you spend carbohydrates (glucose - for brain function, glycogen - for muscle performance, etc.), then proteins from muscles, which the body converts into the substances it needs (the same glucose and glycogen) and only At the very end, fats are consumed.

Conclusion: when you don't have enough food, you use up energy and muscle fiber, but fat stays in its place - on your buttocks, thighs and stomach. The good news is that this can be avoided by using the second method to lose weight.

The second way: gradual weight loss. While you have 4-5 months left before the start of the beach season, you have the opportunity to prepare for it in a measured and planned manner, without disrupting the body’s functioning and without harm to it.

The point is to speed up metabolism, that is, metabolism, as much as possible. You also need to remember that you cannot reduce the total calorie content of your daily diet (it should not be less than 1500 kcal), otherwise the body will again start saving “in reserve” and you will not lose weight. Below we will consider the basic principles in detail.

1. Increase the number of meals per day to 5-6. This is necessary so that the body feels that you are feeding it regularly, so there is no need to create reserves in fat “depots”, but rather the opposite - it is worth getting rid of them. Another benefit of frequent meals is that you won’t be hungry.

2. The break between meals should not be more than 3 hours. Otherwise, the feeling of hunger that arises will serve as an alarm signal for the body that it again needs to make provisions for a “rainy day.”

3. Each portion should fit in your palm, this is about 200-250 g. By eating food little by little, you do not burden the gastrointestinal tract,