¨Take off the bread and you will see how you lose weight¨
¨Burn more than 800 kcal in your workouts and with that you have to lose ¨
¨Use an app to count calories and eat only the calories it calculates for you¨
Will it be true?
For more than 10 years I have been looking to see which way will lead me to achieve my goal, I am sure that you will also feel identified.
And it seems that the "rules" change every year like a fad, filling us with opinions and (sometimes) leading to confusion and frustration.
Our body works every second that we live thanks to oxygen, the oxidation that takes place and the metabolic processes that lead each organ to function properly.
This then leads us to need a fundamental energy currency for life: Adenosine triphosphate (or well known as ATP). ATP is obtained thanks to a process called the Krebs Cycle that consists of metabolizing glucose molecules to convert them into this energy currency. This is how our organism lives, in very very very few words.
And the human being, in order to understand the body, has been trying to measure how much energy our body needs and spends, finding the unit: the calorie.
I explain...
According to Mineduc, ¨The term calorie (symbol: cal) is the name of various energy units based on the specific thermal capacity of water.¨ It means that the calorie measures the energy necessary to raise the thermal capacity of water to raise the temperature by 1ºC . temperature of 1 gram of H2O.
Thus, since 1845, thanks to the French physicist and chemist Nicolas Clément, it was established that in order for the body to achieve balance, it needs to eat the same amount of calories that it expends.
So, starting from this premise: if we eat more calories than we expend then we will be storing energy in the form of fat, if we eat fewer calories than we expend or expend more calories than we eat then we will be converting our body tissue (mainly fat and muscle) into glucose for calories.
That's how weight loss works and that's called a "caloric deficit".
I'm sure you'll think "So Karla, the less you eat, the lower"... sounds like a pretty reasonable conclusion but the answer is: not necessarily .
Seeing that it receives fewer calories than it needs, our body enters a state of "alert", trying to preserve life by slowing down the metabolism (in very few words) and begins to sacrifice very important tissue for weight loss that is muscle mass .
For this reason, it is advisable to opt for a caloric deficit established by a professional, which changes every two, three or four weeks depending on the patient's objective, their needs and physiological changes. So that they do not remain in doubt, a range of recommended caloric deficit is between 10% to 40% less than the total caloric value.
But, then if we count calories and eat whatever it takes to meet the goal... will we be losing weight?
Not necessarily . Our body is a very complex organism, it's not just about "taking away food and that's it" to lose weight.
What's more... do you know if losing weight is the best way to keep your body healthy?
Well, remember that to stay alive you need a specific amount of calories and nutrients to live... that is, if you take away your bread or eat a few calories, you will lose, but for a specific period of time and then your body will adapt to survive. .. that's where the stagnation in your weight or a rebound will come from.
It is important then that you consider these 5 tips that I share with you:
1. Go to a professional to perform a body composition analysis or if that is not possible... not only weigh yourself but also include a record of your measurements such as waist, hip, thigh, calf and arm. So you can record your weight and measurements on a weekly basis to find out if your strategy is working and see how attached you are to the plan.
2. Make a realistic and moderate deficit. Not because you are in a hurry, lower your calories to the maximum and exercise for prolonged periods. This kind of excess will only lead to imbalance, decompensation, injury, binge eating, and poor adherence to your plan.
3. Focus that your macronutrient intake is also balanced depending on your goals . Studies recommend that for optimal fat loss and maintaining health we consume 2 to 3 grams per kg of carbohydrate weight, 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kg of protein and 0.5 to 1.5 g per kg of lipids. I VERY INSIST: this must be done by a health professional with a certificate, specifically, a nutritionist. I only leave these ranges here for you to get to know your body.
4. Beware of obsession . The more often you want to measure, weigh and record your food, the greater the fixation will be on these concepts, which if you do not see the results that "you think you should have" can lead you to feelings of frustration, discomfort and even eating negatively. your relationship with food and your body. Measure yourself if you want, but maybe once every one, two, or four weeks so you can gauge your progress and adherence. Consider being open to not always seeing optimal results and very objectively analyzing what can be improved in your process for the next time.
5. Remember: it's not all calories. The fact that the gym monitor tells you to spend 800 kcal does not mean that you are going to be able to eat 800 more kcal in the day, or that you are going to "lose weight" those calories. Exercise is essential to maintain a healthy heart and body, to stimulate your tissues, generate an oxygen debt and also stimulate greater beta oxidation. The same with food: the fact that one day you have considered that you consumed more food than the day before is not synonymous with punishing yourself by eating less or exercising more: it simply means that you are human.
The key for you to have a great result is beyond the calories in CONSTANCE, ATTACHMENT and COMMITMENT to yourself @, try to see this process as a long-term project and with constant adjustments for continuous improvement and you will see how the results will flow naturally and organically in your life.
The key is to maintain a balance between a caloric deficit (that is, eating fewer calories than you expend) and a varied, sufficient, quality diet and, above all, in total harmony with our sense of self-worth as a person.
It's complex, isn't it?
Well, little by little. With patience you will learn to nurture and love your body.
Have a nice day, night or afternoon, I send you a hug!
