Healthy weight loss

Want to lose weight healthily? It’s possible. However, you’ll need some patience. Crash diets that promise rapid weight loss rarely lead to lasting success. Instead, cutting your daily calorie intake by about 500 kilocalories, eating a balanced diet, and getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week gives you a good chance of long-term weight loss. Find out here which tips can help you lose weight!

Healthy weight loss

The formula for losing weight is simple: The body must burn more energy than it consumes – in the form of food. There are two key factors to achieve this: eating less and exercising more. The combination of calorie reduction and physical activity is particularly effective for weight loss.

Anyone who tries to lose weight quickly with a strict diet alone is unlikely to achieve their goal permanently: While it may reduce body weight rapidly, it’s rarely enjoyable and doesn’t provide the body with sufficient nutrients. Usually, old eating habits creep back in quickly, leading to the infamous yo-yo effect: Weight is regained, and often the body ends up weighing even more than before.

It is more advisable to reduce daily calorie intake only moderately. Those who also switch to a balanced, nutritious diet and exercise regularly can lose weight permanently and healthily without sacrificing enjoyment.

Weight loss tips for everyday life

Losing weight is a challenge for most overweight people. What really helps with weight loss? Various tips can make it easier to stick to a diet in everyday life.

• Cooking for yourself : Those who prepare their own meals can ensure they use mostly healthy ingredients. Ready-made foods, on the other hand, are often low in nutrients and contain many saturated fatty acids and hidden sugars. 
• Don’t deprive yourself of “sins”: Even if you want to lose weight, you shouldn’t be too strict. An occasional small treat or a few chips is fine as long as you eat a balanced diet overall.
• Mindful eating: Take your time for meals and enjoy your food without distractions from the television or smartphone. This will help you recognize when you are full sooner and avoid overeating.
• Drink enough: Drink at least 1.5 liters of water or unsweetened tea a day (unless you need to adjust your fluid intake for medical reasons). This will prevent thirst, which can feel similar to hunger.
• Avoid light products: While light products contain less fat, they often contain more carbohydrates, such as sugar, than comparable “regular” products. Alternatively, manufacturers often sweeten them with artificial sweeteners. However, this group of additives is controversial from a health perspective.
• Pay attention to the Nutri-Score: look for it on food packaging. Using a color scale and letter rating, it assesses the nutritional composition of a processed food. 
• Incorporate “movement breaks”: Make sure to include movement breaks in your daily routine as often as possible. For example, use the stairs instead of the elevator, get off the bus one stop earlier, and cycle short distances.
• Document your weight progress: If you want to lose weight in the long term, keep a record of your weight loss or track your progress digitally. This will give you a clear picture of your success and keep you motivated. Weighing yourself once or twice a week is perfectly sufficient.

Reasons for losing weight

Everyone who wants to lose weight has their own personal reasons. Aesthetic considerations often play a major role: in our society, being slim is frequently equated with attractiveness.

From a medical perspective, a few extra pounds are not a problem. So when should you lose weight for health reasons? Doctors recommend it in cases of obesity  (BMI 30 or higher) and overweight (BMI 25 or higher) when certain other health conditions are present. These include:

• Obesity-related health problems (such as high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes )
• Increased abdominal fat
• Conditions that are worsened by high body weight (such as joint or back problems)
• High psychological and social distress

Weight loss has several advantages in such cases, for example:

• The risk of many diseases decreases, such as type 2 diabetes, lipid metabolism disorders, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and urinary incontinence.
• Breathing difficulties are reduced.
• The musculoskeletal system is relieved.
• Fertility improves.
• Psychological well-being increases.

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