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VERIFIED CONTENTAuthor: Maciej Szukała

I don't think anyone needs to be convinced that weight control is the easiest when we combine exercise with diet and properly selected supplementation. However, sometimes it is difficult to find the time or strength for regular training. A change of job, illness or injury all make it difficult to stay fit. Is it possible to maintain or reduce weight despite the lack of physical activity?

Losing weight without exercisedoes not have to be ineffective and slow. It is enough to follow a few simple solutions and after a few days the weight will start to change. Patience is the key. Be consistent and the results will follow.

Take care of the caloric deficit

If you want to lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you spend. Remember that there are many components that make up your total metabolism. When calculating the calories consumed, take into account values ​​such as:

  • energy burned during everyday activities, e.g. walking, climbing stairs (non-exercise activity thermogenesis, NEAT)
  • the thermal effect of food, which results from the fact that the breakdown of food into individual macronutrients also consumes energy (the so-called thermic effect of food, TEF),
  • the level of basic metabolic changes, i.e. energy spent on activities such as breathing or the work of internal organs (the so-called basal metabolic rate, BMR).

The basic energy requirement is calculated as follows:

  • Women - ((9.99x weight in kilograms) + (6.25x height in centimeters) - (4.92x age in years) - 161
  • Men - ((9.99x weight in kilograms) + (6.25x height in centimeters) - (4.92x age in years) + 5

The formula to help you determine your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) needs to take into account all of the factors mentioned above. So it will look like this:

  • TDEE=BMR + TEF + NEAT

In the event of inactivity, the EAT (exercie activity thermogenesis) component, which determines how much energy has been consumed by exercise, should be eliminated.

Unfortunately, there is no algorithm that will allow you to determine the caloric demand with 100% accuracy, although the more variableswe take into account, the closer the result will be to the ideal.

When calculating the demand, consistency and regular measurements are very important, preferably at the same time of the day. If you see your weight standing still for 4-5 days, it's a good sign that you have established your "caloric balance". The question is, how big must the caloric deficit be for you to notice the effects of your work, but not to perceive weight loss as a torment?

Paradoxically, it turns out that reducing the caloric supply too much brings about different effects than expected. Skipping meals, avoiding dinner, or the persistent abandonment of complex carbohydrates and he althy fats not only exhausts the body and weakens the immune system, but also inhibits the natural metabolism, which shifts to the protection of energy reserves.

The drastic limitation of calories also causes serious mental discomfort, nervousness, difficulties with concentration, and in extreme cases, attacks of uncontrolled appetite. In practice, the best results are obtained by gradually reducing the caloric supply and keeping it around -300 to -500 in relation to the daily requirement . In this way, you ensure a slow, but permanent and controlled, and most importantly, safe, weight loss.

To make it easier for you to control your energy needs and calories assimilated, you can use one of the ready-made online calculators or phone applications. You can easily find at least a dozen of them online.

Pay attention to regular me altimes

If you're interested in diet, you've probably heard that most eating patterns assume that your meals are regular, and that more meals are consumed at the expense of volume and energy density (calories per serving).

This argument has its scientific justification. All the receptors present in the human body - not only those responsible for the breakdown of macronutrients found in food - become temporarily saturated if they are active for a long time (molecules of certain substances reach them).

A good example is caffeine, the large and regular supply of which makes adrenergic receptors insensitive. As a result, after a long time, it turns out that even increasing the dose above the recommended dose does not bring the expected results.

It works similarly with food. Taking huge amounts of protein in two or three servings (which in itself accelerates fat burning) will only lead to a burden on the kidneys, excretion of the ingredient with the urine, and will not bring the expected results. The same applies to eg consuming very at one timelarge amounts of carbohydrates. At most, this may disturb insulin secretion, but it certainly will not contribute to their better absorption.

The human body is much better at coping with the frequent supply of smaller amounts of macronutrients, so it is worth eating even 5-6 meals a day, but small than 2 large, even if the sum of calories in both cases will be the same.

Remember not to snack between meals. If you feel you can't take it anymore, eat low-calorie foods like some dried fruit (e.g. apples), drink water and try to get your attention elsewhere.

Adequate fiber supply is essential

Take care of a sufficiently high supply of vegetables and fruit. They are not only valuable vitamins and macronutrients, but also fiber that has key functions in our body:

  • accelerates metabolism,
  • ensures a feeling of fullness for a long time,
  • facilitates digestion.

The World He alth Organization suggests a daily fiber intake of 20-40 grams, but this portion should be divided into several smaller ones. In addition to vegetables and fruits (raw and dried), you can provide fiber, among others made of buckwheat, barley and brown rice, oat or millet, bran and wholemeal bread.

There are soluble, insoluble and partially soluble fractions in dietary fiber. Nutritionists assume that a good source of fiber is food that has at least 3 grams per 100 grams of the product or 1.5 grams per 100 kcal of the product.

Never increase your fiber intake significantly overnight. It is very likely to cause stomach trouble, indigestion or constipation.

Hydration facilitates weight control

Another way that makes it easier to lose weight without exercise is to keep your body hydrated. By consuming water before and after a meal, you eat smaller portions and create a feeling of fullness faster. However, it is worth avoiding drinking drinks while eating, as this inhibits the secretion of natural enzymes in the mouth.

Water consumption also regulates the metabolism, shortening the intestinal passage and accelerating the removal of harmful components from the body.

How much water should you consume? A typical norm is 1.5 to 2 liters, although a lot depends on:

  • weight of the person - obese people suffer from dehydration more often due to the increased need for fluids,
  • environmental temperature and humidity - the warmer and wetter, the greater the loss of water from the body,
  • tendency to sweat - in this case, it is worth considering mineral supplementation, anot just water.

It is worth remembering, however, that drinking too much water regularly (e.g. 5-6 liters a day) is also not advisable, because it may lead to electrolyte imbalance in the body, and in extreme cases, cerebral edema and coma, and even death.

Change the proportions of macronutrients

Diets based on an increased supply of fats and proteins with a simultaneous reduction in the amount of carbohydrates consumed may also be a good solution. These two macronutrients effectively prolong the feeling of fullness. Due to their complex chemical structure, the body takes a long time to absorb them.

During periods of reduction, reducing the amount of calories burned may also lead to a weakening of the body, especially in the transition period. For this reason, taking high-protein foods with high bioavailability (eggs, fish, lean meat) as well as unsaturated omega 3 and omega 6 fats can benefit your he alth.

Changes in the proportion of macronutrients in the diet cannot be equated with popular fasting diets, which are based on a radical reduction in the amount of food eaten. Also, mono-ingredient diets, based on one or more solid foods, but completely negating others, will not be a good solution.

It is worth remembering that our body also likes variety when it comes to nutrition. It is not only a way to provide all the essential ingredients, but also to remove the mental burden that often accompanies the reduction.

Support yourself with supplementation

It turns out that well-chosen supplementation can help not only to improve the results in sports, but also supports the regulation of the body weight of people who do not exercise on a daily basis. What products are we talking about?

Protein supplements

Protein supplements help to supplement the diet with high-value protein when it is difficult to get it with food. They are perfect as a dessert or as a snack between meals, when it is difficult to withstand without snacking. However, it is better to consume them with water, not milk. In this way, we provide less calories and do not irritate the digestive tract with lactose (more and more people are allergic to it!)

Especially at night, it is worth consuming casein hydrolyzate, which is distinguished by a long absorption kinetics. Thanks to this, for many hours the supplement will release amino acids into the blood and prevent catabolic processes, so characteristic of reduction diets.

Supplements that suppress appetite

Many different groups of substances can be distinguished among the nutrients that promote body weight control. One of themthere are preparations based on extracts from natural sources. We include among them :

  • chrome,
  • acai berries,
  • white mulberry,
  • resveratrol.

Each of them works slightly differently - some stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing hunger pangs, others support metabolic balance of carbohydrates. You can buy them all in popular pharmacies and even supermarkets.

In stores with natural herbs you will also find many herbal teas that effectively regulate the work of the intestines, help in the fight against constipation and mobilize fat burning. The most popular ingredients include:

  • mint,
  • lovage,
  • yarrow,
  • crush,
  • artichoke.

This group of preparations is safe for he alth and can be consumed even several times a day, even for a long time. Remember, however, that no supplementation can replace rational nutrition.

Fat burners

Fat burners are also an important group of supplements. Although they work most effectively in conjunction with regular physical activity, they will also bring the expected results without it, although to a lesser extent.

Fat burners can increase thermogenesis (body temperature), suppress the appetite or stimulate the receptors responsible for lipolysis. Many of them contain ingredients such as caffeine, guarana extract from bitter orange or cayenne pepper, which are moderately stimulating.

Thanks to such stimulation of the nervous system, it will be much easier for you to overcome the need for food and mobilize a strong will.

In the case of fat burners, remember to never exceed the recommended dose and the total duration of supplementation, which is usually several weeks. In excess, this type of products can induce:

  • irritation,
  • headaches,
  • increased pressure,
  • palpitations.

Also pay attention to coffee consumed from other sources.

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Slimming