How To Lose 1kg per week With A Flexible Approach To Help You Lose A Safe Amount Of Weight
The safest way lose weight is to lose 1kg per week. However, to lose 1kg in a week can feel like a major commitment for a lot of people, but it can also be very fulfilling. If you embark on a weight loss journey, you need to maintain a high level of discipline, commitment, while also making some major lifestyle changes. It can be challenging, but at the same time it’s also gratifying, and it will motivate you to improve your life, as well as stay in shape.
Losing weight is difficult for different people due to a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it can be due to genetics, bad habits, but it can also be due to medical conditions or a lack of motivation. Since obesity can lead to major health problems, it’s imperative to try and lose weight if you’re over your desired weight limit.
I know how difficult it can be to lose weight from my own, personal experience. But I also know that it’s not impossible, so here are some of the weight loss strategies I recommend everyone to use right away!
Ways To Lose 1kg A Week – Understanding the Principles of A Flexible Approach To fat loss
When it comes to losing weight, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Having an adaptive weight loss routine is the best way to lose weight, and it does wonders. The reason is simple, even if a diet works very well for someone, it might not work for you. Adaptive weight loss is designed from the ground up to be very flexible, and it has these following principles:
1) Slow and steady approach:
One of the wrong ways to approach weight loss is to expect immediate results. Losing weight is something that will require a lot of patience and commitment. Instead of forcing yourself to lose weight fast, focus on sustainable, gradual progress.
Also, keep in mind that if you’re losing weight too fast, that can have downsides too. Quick, unnatural weight loss can slow down your metabolic rate, and it can even lead to muscle loss. In some cases, it might even lead to you regaining weight in the long run. That’s why you want to avoid immediate weight loss, as it’s unhealthy and it might even be dangerous for your body!
2) Sustainability:
If you stick with a very rigid dietary plan, it can be difficult to stick with it for months or years to come. Maybe you want to go out and eat with friends, or share some great moments with your loved ones. It can be difficult to eat along with them due to your dietary restrictions.
That’s the reason why you want an adaptive diet, as you won’t have to stop eating the foods you love. It’s a more flexible approach towards food, and it allows you more variety, which can be a gamechanger. That also means it’s possible to switch things up, try out new foods, while also eating healthily in the long run!
3) Psychological well-being:
As time goes by, you might not like eating the same food every day, over and over. Our body needs variety when it comes to food, and a more flexible diet also has mental health benefits. When we have great food variety, we feel motivated, happy, and we maintain a positive outlook.
Another thing to consider is that being flexible also lets you enjoy some treats and “cheat meals”. Those won’t have a major impact on our diet, but they will make us feel happier, and that will keep us going with our healthy diet!
4) Adaptability:
Let’s face it, life is full of unpredictable moments, so we need to have a diet that can be optimized or changed as needed. Maybe you want to go out with your friends or colleagues, and you can’t eat anything on the menu because your rigid diet prohibits all those meals.
Having a diet that allows you to adapt and still eat healthily is a major priority. Once you do that, you still get to stay healthy while also adjusting the diet according to your needs!
5) Improved relationship with food:
Listening to your body and knowing when to eat can be a major advantage. This is called intuitive eating, and it fits very well within the adaptive weight loss routine. What you want to do is to listen to your body and figure out when it’s time to eat.
When that time arrives, start eating slowly and figure out when you feel full. That’s when you need to stop eating. What makes intuitive eating great is that you still get to eat some amazing meals, and you will not feel you’re dealing with a restrictive diet.
6) Flexibility and adaptability:
When you start an adaptive weight loss routine, you don’t have to worry about not reaching your goals this month. It’s a great weight loss strategy that looks at the bigger picture, and it considers plateaus or potential setbacks.
The focus is on losing weight overtime, not how much you lost this month. You want to have a downward trend, so even if one month you didn’t keep that trend going, you can revert things next month as you stick with your weight loss routine.
How many Calories Should You Eat To Lose 1kg A Week For Multiple Weeks?
Utilizing different dieting techniques
There’s no way the same diet will provide identical results to everyone. That’s because each person has their own dietary needs and requirements. It’s why you want to narrow down the best weight loss method that fits your needs. Rotating through different dietary options can be one of the best ways to achieve such a goal.
Here are some of the top strategies you can use to lose weight:
1. Intermittent fasting:
Intermittent fasting has become very popular because it allows you to modify your eating habits. You won’t eat anything for 12-16 hours, and the remaining time from that 24-hour timespan will become an eating window.
Since you won’t be eating most of the day, this dietary approach helps you increase the growth hormone production. It also allows your body to process the food you ate more efficiently. In the end, that will boost your fat loss, while also making it easier for you to feel less hungry.
2. Calorie counting:
Another great approach towards weight loss is calorie counting. The idea here is to eat less calories than you consume. It also entails counting calories for everything you eat and ensure that you always have a calorie deficit.
Once you eat less calories than you consume every day, that will help you lose fat naturally. A good way to achieve that caloric deficit is by shrinking your portion sizes, eating foods with a low caloric amount, and you can also limit drinks or high-calorie snacks. This will reduce your calorie intake, and improve your body composition.
3. Low-carb diet:
If you choose this type of diet, it can help you lose weight via eating healthy fats and more protein. At the same time, you want to eat few to no carbs. That’s because unused carbs get turned into fat by the human body. If you don’t eat a lot of carbs, then most of them will be used for energy, and that means there’s a lower chance of dealing with an increase in body fat levels. Most of the time, it will even help you lose weight!
4. Mindful eating:
A lot of people choose to eat very fast, and that can be detrimental when you try to lose weight. What you need to do is to eat slowly and enjoy every bite. Doing that can help develop a healthier relationship with food, and in the long run it’s a huge advantage!
5. Carb cycling:
Carb cycling is a great weight loss strategy. The focus is to have days where you eat a large amount of carbs, and then you switch with low-carb days. Ideally, you want to schedule those high-carb days around workouts that are very intense.
The reason why carb cycling works is because it helps you increase fat burning, while boosting muscle strength. It can also lower the blood sugar levels.
Keep in mind that even if these techniques are great for losing weight, that doesn’t mean they will all work for you. Talk with a healthcare expert or dietitian to ensure you go for the right diet that fits your needs!
The Science behind Weight Management
How adaptive strategies prevent weight loss plateaus
When you try to lose weight, it’s very common to reach a plateau at some point. Even if that might not seem like an issue, it certainly becomes one in the long run. However, adaptive strategies can help you avoid these weight loss plateaus.
1. Adjusting Macronutrient Ratios:
Once you start adjusting the macronutrient ratios, you will start seeing positive results. The idea is to shift your fat, protein and carb ratio within your diet. For example, the keto diet relies a lot on a high fat intake. The paleo diet, however, requires you to eat more protein. And then you have the vegan diet, which prioritizes carbs. Each one can be great, depending on your needs.
2. Sufficient Sleep and Stress Management:
Even if you eat healthily, a lack of sleep can be detrimental if you want to lose weight. You always want to have adequate stress management, along with a proper sleep schedule. If you are stressed out or you don’t sleep enough, that will affect your hormone levels, which can encourage unhealthy eating.
It’s very important to make sleep a priority, meditate and find ways to unwind/relax. Doing that will help you avoid any weight loss plateaus, an it can make it easier to lose weight naturally!
Varying Exercises to burn to lose 1kg A Week Without Starving Yourself
Incorporating variety in physical activity
Even if you eat healthily, it can be difficult to achieve your desired weight loss goals without exercising. Not only that, but you need variety in your workouts too. Thankfully, there are many ways to exercise, and you can switch between them as you see fit!
1. Mix up your workouts:
It’s a very good idea to try and vary your workouts by mixing things up. For example, you can dance one day, go cycling, swimming, running, try weightlifting, yoga and so on. You always want to have variety in your workouts, as it boosts the efficiency of your weight loss routine. Your body gets used to the same exercising routine, and your results will not be as good because of that.
2. Switch up your intensity levels:
It’s also a very good idea to try and switch the intensity levels of your workouts. Doing that can prevent plateaus, but it can also make it easier to eliminate calories. What you can do is to start cardio exercising, but also perform things like strength training or even interval training, among others.
3. Explore outdoor activities:
Simple things like exploring the great outdoors can also help you stay in shape. There are all kinds of activities such as playing basketball, golf or tennis that will help you exercise. Plus, you can also go rock climbing, kayaking and so on. Aside from working a variety of muscle groups, it also has a positive impact on your mental health, not to mention it can motivate you to further achieve your fitness goals!
4. Try group classes:
For some people, the best way to exercise and stay motivated is when they work out with a group. That’s why it makes sense to go to a community centre or the local gym. There are boot camps, spinning, Zumba, kickboxing and many other group classes you can try out. They will motivate you, not to mention it can be a great way to make new friends.
5. Incorporate new equipment:
It’s also a very good idea to try and experiment with new equipment too. Things like kettlebells, TRX suspension trainers, medicine balls, resistance bands or stability balls can help quite a bit.
They add a way to optimize and enhance your workouts, while also not keeping them stale. On top of that, you can add variety and challenges to your workouts, while boosting the overall efficiency. Listen to your body and switch things up with new equipment, it will certainly help.
6. Vary the intensity of exercise if you need burn a greater amount of calories:
I think that changing the workout intensity is one of the best ways to avoid reaching a weight loss plateau. Remember that your body will get used to certain workout routines. That’s the reason why you want to switch things up. Here are some great training methods to try out!
· High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
· Strength training,
· Calisthenics
· Peripheral heart action training (PHAT)
Strategies for Over 40s To Lose 1 Kg A Week For Multiple Weeks
The idea of losing 1kg a week when you are over 40 years old might seem difficult. There are many changes that your body goes through, especially from a hormonal standpoint.
1. Estrogen levels decrease:
When a woman enters menopause, the estrogen level becomes lower. The role of estrogen is to increase the metabolic rate and lower insulin resistance. However, since estrogen levels are not as high, the body is encouraged to store fat, especially around your hips.
2. Testosterone levels decrease:
Testosterone levels also take a hit as you get older, for both men and women. Testosterone is important for building muscle mass, especially since having more muscle will encourage your body to burn calories. Less testosterone also leads to a slow metabolism, which in turn makes it difficult to lose weight.
To adjust your exercise and diet, consider the following tips if you are over 40:
1. Strength training:
Resistance training is a great option because it can bolster your testosterone levels. You can opt for a variety of strength training routines, don’t remember to switch things up. Ideally, you should try to have 2 strength training sessions every week, if possible.
2. High-intensity interval training (HIIT):
HIIT is proven to deliver great results, and it can help boost your metabolic rate. If you are dealing with a large amount of stress, then HIIT might not be ideal, since it will add extra stress to your body for a short amount of time, and then you need to rest. However, for most people, HIIT can be great if the focus is to lose weight and also exercise within a short time span.
3. Increase protein intake:
Our body needs protein to build up and also maintain the muscle mass. If you eat more protein-based foods, that will help you counter lower testosterone levels. Ideally, you want to have some type of protein in your food during every meal, even while snacking.
4. Reduce refined carbohydrates:
Refined carbs are unhealthy because they lead to an increase in blood sugar levels. Plus, they encourage weight gain. You want to avoid pasta, rice and white bread, and instead go for whole grains!
5. Increase fibre intake:
The reason why you want to have a higher fibre intake is because it makes you feel full. You’ll eat less, and that can make it easier to lose weight naturally. Eating around 25 grams of fibre on a daily basis can help your weight loss routine, so keep that in mind!
6. Keep your stress levels under control:
As we mentioned earlier, stress can be detrimental for your health and also your weight loss routine. When you are stressed out, that can increase your cortisol levels. There are many activities to try out, ranging from meditating to breathing exercises, yoga, going outside, having a hobby and so on. Try to find activities that calm you down and make them a part of your daily habits, then you will slowly lower your stress levels!
Importance of changing exercise to lose 1kg a week safely to reach a healthy weight.
Switching up between various exercises can be a great way to improve your weight loss routine. Remember, when you are over 40, you are experiencing many hormonal changes. Also, some exercises might not fit your current health/state, for example HIIT is not suitable for situations when you are stressed out.
Even if you do like a specific workout, if you only perform that exercising routine, you will reach a plateau. You don’t want your body to get used to a single workout, so if you switch things up, that can be extremely helpful. Also, talk with a healthcare expert before attempting any switch in your workout routine!
Seeking professional guidance from a nutritionist or personal trainer
Working closely with a personal trainer, nutritionist or dietitian can help increase your chances of losing weight and staying in shape. However, picking the right professional to help you can be difficult. Here are some tips to consider:
1. Ask for recommendations:
A great way to find help is to reach out to colleagues, family members or friends. See who they worked with and also the type of results they had.
Reach out to friends, family members, or colleagues who have previously worked with a professional. Doing that can be very helpful, and it will help you narrow down the best choices!
2. Check professional associations:
Making sure that the nutritionist/dietitian is registered with a professional organization can help quite a lot. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) in the United States or the British Dietetic Association (BDA) in the United Kingdom are some of the main bodies within this niche. Plus, they also have directories where you can find registered professionals within your region!
3. Research credentials:
Many professionals will make a variety of claims, and it’s up to you to verify those and see if they are legit. Check the licenses, certifications and degrees of that specific person, usually those are highlighted on their website.
Also, you can check and see the type of approach that professional has and whether they can adjust it to fit specific needs. Working with a person that can help create a custom plan to fit your requirements is ideal, and if it’s an evidence-based system, it’s even better.
Conclusion
Using an adaptive weight loss strategy is one of the best ways to lose weight and avoid reaching a weight loss plateau. Things like strength training, intermittent fasting, mindful eating and having a flexible diet can help quite a lot, the same thing is valid when it comes to exercising.
It’s a good idea to listen to your body and try these strategies to narrow down what works for you. Remember, even if a strategy worked for your friends/loved ones, that doesn’t mean it will also work for you. Try out various strategies and adapt them to your needs. Making lifestyle changes and varying your workouts will certainly be a part of this process as well.
That’s why it’s a very good idea to use adaptive weight loss strategies, focus on sustainability, but also work with a dedicated professional. It all comes down to embracing a healthier lifestyle, listening to your body and making adequate changes that will provide long term results!