Lose weight without sport: the 5 best tips
It is now accepted that weight loss is 70% based on diet and 30% on physical activity. Nevertheless, many people are resistant to sport, for lack of time, interest or motivation. Is it possible to lose weight without doing sports? If so, what are the tricks to put in place to obtain convincing results?
Tip1:Focus on food
To lose weight without sport, it is necessary to focus on modifying its food intake. When we practice a sports activity, we burn calories, since the body needs energy to nourish the muscles in the effort. Mechanically, if you do not exercise, the daily number of calories consumed by the body is less. Also, it will be necessary to compensate by dietary measures, namely the lowering of energy intake. This food rebalancing will consist of:
- Count calories ingested, every day
- Focus on foods with a low glycemic index, leanproteinsand plenty ofvegetables
- Maintain 3 meals a day, to avoid energy drops that can lead tosnacking
- Choose healthy cooking methods: steamed, grilled, boiled, sautéed
- Avoid all caloric foods: processed foods, sugar in all its forms, saturated fats, refined grains
We can opt for keeping a food diary, which will allow you to become aware of the things to rectify in your diet. You can also get closer to adietician, a professional who will help establish good eating patterns and an appropriate diet for weight loss.
Tip2:Adequate hydration
When you want to lose weight without sport, it is essential to hydrate well, throughout the day. Indeed, the messages of hunger and thirst are picked up by the same brain region – the hypothalamus, so it is possible to confuse the two. The saying goes well “Hunger is a thirst that is ignored”! Also, before eating anything, it may be interesting to drink. This technique not only allows you to reconnect with your real sensations, but it also leads to weight loss.
In addition, drinking plenty of water before meals would help you lose weight, as demonstrated by a study by the University of Birmingham (1)tag. In fact, the researchers observed a moderate weight loss inobese patients when they drank 500 ml of water half an hour before each meal.
To lose weight without sport, it is therefore recommended to drink regularly, including between meals. We will favorwater , Tea without milk or sugar, herbal teas, coffee without milk or sugar, flavored waters without sugar, clear broths without fatty substances.
Tip # 3 : Sleep properly
The result is a tendency to untimely cravings and increased hunger, often satisfied by rich foods (fats, sugar).
In addition, lack of sleep alters fat metabolism. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Lipid Research(2) demonstrated that in just 4 days, three hours of sleep deprivation per night (based on an eight-hour night) resulted in less lipid metabolism. efficient.
Finally, lack of sleep leads to an increase in cortisol levels. Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone”, is a hormone naturally produced by the body, to overcome occasional stressful situations. At low doses, blood cortisol has no deleterious effect on the body. But when produced in high doses and/or continuously, it has harmful consequences on the body, including weight gain. Also, if you want to lose weight without sport, and maintain low cortisol levels, it is in your best interest to sleep correctly and enough. To do this, go to bed early, creating conditions conducive to a good night’s sleep: total darkness, avoidance of screens, low temperature, comfortable clothing, silence.
Tip # 4 : Avoid alcohol
To lose weight without sport, it is necessary to limit or even eliminate alcohol, for several reasons.
First of all, alcohol is very caloric: a gram of ethanol contains 7 kcal, which is almost double that of a gram of Sugar(4 Kcal). Moreover, these calories are hollow, that is to say that they bring nothing to the body and are directly transformed by the liver into fatty acids, which will then be stored in the form of visceral fat. Numerous studies have been conducted on this subject, and all of them are unanimous, like a 2011 meta-analysis published in Nutrition Reviews(3)
In addition, alcohol disturbs the feeling of satietytag. Indeed, alcohol is a psychotropic substance, which acts at the level of the hypothalamus, a structure of the central nervous system which modulates hormonal secretions, including leptin. Thus, under the effects of alcohol, one would feel satiated after having absorbed larger quantities of food than when one is sober.
Finally, alcohol consumption has been shown to interfere with food choices. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in the United States found that nutritional choices under the influence of alcohol were altered(4)tag. Thus, the researchers found that on the days of alcohol consumption, the participants’ diets were higher in fat andSalt, and lower in fruits, whole grains and dairy products, than on the days without alcohol. In question: alcohol inhibits the proper functioning of the frontal cortex, the seat of discernment and self-control.
Tip 5: Pursue the small movements, on a daily basis
Losing weight without sport is possible. Nevertheless, a modestPhysical Activityis still recommended. Small daily movements, although low in calories, can contribute to weight loss. We are talking here about basic physical activity: going shopping, cleaning, climbing stairs, walking your dog. These gestures are necessary to stay healthy. HasSedentary Lifestyle does not only have repercussions on weight, it also leads to:
- Reinforcement of the causes of early mortality
- Risks of cardiovascular disease, Diabetes , high blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis, anxiety-depressive disorders
- Heart muscle breakdown
Also, getting out of the vicious circle of a sedentary lifestyle not only allows you to lose weight, but to stay healthy. Movements such as working standing up, talking on the phone while walking, playing with children or taking a walk during lunch break are all small efforts that are beneficial to weight and health.
Why is sport necessary for health? And why does it facilitate weight loss?
It is possible to lose weight without exercise. However, the results will be slower and perhaps less lasting than if the weight loss process includes a sports activity. Indeed, sport has many benefits.
First of all, it durably modifies the fat mass/muscle mass ratio. As we know, muscle mass is voracious in energy. The greater the muscle mass, the more the calories absorbed are burned, and not stored. BasalMetabolism(minimum daily energy expenditure of the body) is increased when muscle mass is developed. It is therefore more advantageous to lose weight by including a sports routine, because it will then be easier to maintain a healthyweight .
In addition, sport has a positive influence on the various organs. It contributes to the proper functioning of the heart pump, cardiovascular tone, digestive organs and respiratory activity. However, it has been proven that to lose weight permanently, all the vital functions must function optimally. Including a sporting activity in your daily life ensures a certain and lasting weight loss.
Finally, the regular practice of sport can reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, stressand poor sleep. In fact, when you move, the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland release endorphins, a neurotransmitter that acts on the opiate receptors of the central nervous system. This is why sport provides a feeling of well-being and relaxation. However, as previously explained, situations of chronic stress and lack of sleep encourage weight gain. Also sport seems the ideal (even essential) partner for weight loss.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.