When summer approaches, one of the most repeated words is diet. Wanting to lose weight before the summer season and get your body ready for the beach or the pool is a very frequent concern (sometimes an obsession), although it is not always completely effective.
Because if the means that each one decides to use are not combined with a balanced approach, together with physical exercise, the proposed objectives will not be achieved or maintained over time.
According to the study Reflections on food and health36% of Spaniards resort to some express diet (also called a miracle) before the summer.
And the main cause is that 16% even prefer not to go to the beach or the pool, when there are many people, to avoid prying eyes.
For this reason, the doctor Jose Antonio Casermeiroa doctor and member of the medical committee of , clarifies the most frequent doubts and errors when trying to lose weight.
The million dollar question: Does drinking more water help you lose weight?
Well, it depends on factors such as whether you live in a dry or humid place, whether you play sports or not…
But, on average, if we follow the indications of the (EFSA) the recommendation would be a total daily water intake of 2.5 liters for men and 2 liters for women, adding drinks and food (such as soup or foods rich in water).
If we talk only about water, the data translates into the recommendation to drink approximately 2 liters of water for men and 1.6 liters for women.
Then also, with weight loss there is an increase in blood and more substances will be eliminated by the kidneys, which will obviously need water.
But it is also that water has the magnificent ability to increase the feeling of satiety, since it occupies a place in the stomach.
A general recommendation would be to drink about 200-300 ml of water, in sips, about 20 minutes before each meal. Because this will cause us to start eating with a somewhat attenuated appetite.
Does the consumption of fruit on an empty stomach facilitate the elimination of fats and toxins?
In this myth there is a bit of reason but also a bit of falsehood.
Pizza or a plate of pasta “fattenes” more at night than at lunch
This is because the order in which we eat the fruit, in principle, does not alter its nutritional and energy contributions to the body.
But on the other hand, the avant-garde Nutrition teaches us that a fruit, taken in the afternoon, can help increase the feeling of satiety and reduce the amount of sweets and chocolate that usually appears at those times.
We call this sensation the “evening sugary bulimic drive”, that is, an urgent need to eat sweets or chocolate in the afternoon. And an example of what has been said is premenstrual syndrome.
Why does that compulsion and anxiety occur in PMS?
It happens because brain serotonin decreases. And the fruit can favor the entry of tryptophan into the brain to reduce that sensation, if we take it together with a significant contribution of said amino acid.
In diets such as , we give the patient some supplements enriched in tryptophan, in the form of cookies or chocolate bars, called Serovance, which will greatly help reduce this anxiety.
Carbohydrates, prohibited at dinner?
Nutritional Chronobiology teaches us that carbohydrates at dinner force an increase in insulin that stimulates their receptors during the night, preventing their “night’s rest” and, therefore, decreasing their permeability during the following morning, which makes them much less effective.
Based on these principles, we can conclude that it is true that a pizza or a pasta dish is “fatterier” at night than at lunch.
The most convenient way to maintain weight and for a better functioning of the insulin receptors is to reduce the nocturnal intake of carbohydrates, mainly those that are quickly absorbed.
When we eat slowly we practice what is known as “mindful eating”.
For all these reasons, specialists recommend a dinner made up, for the most part, of vegetables, plus a “clean” protein, that is, grilled, boiled or steamed. They referently recommend fish or shellfish that, in addition, offer us other basic nutrients such as zinc and zinc.
What are the benefits of chewing slowly?
Eating fast can cause us to eat more food than we need. By doing so, we subject our body to an additional effort, which can lead to complications in the future.
Because if we eat quickly, we don’t activate the mechanism that makes us feel satiated.
But what are the reasons? Although we do not realize it, eating more slowly helps to ingest less food and calories.
When we chew slowly, we give our body more time to release the hormones that control hunger and make us feel full.
In fact, it has been shown in the study that eating slowly decreases the amount of food consumed during a meal.
In addition, other studies also reveal that taking our time to chew reduces calorie intake and we feel fuller and longer.
When we eat slowly we practice what is known as “mindful eating”.
It is a technique considered one of the simplest tricks to lose weight, and consists of eating slowly, chewing carefully and savoring each bite.
It allows us to enjoy food more and listen to our body’s signals of hunger and satiety, avoiding compulsive eating.
Of course, chewing everything we eat well is not going to be the panacea for our overweight problems. But it will definitely help.
As long as, of course, we do not forget that, of course, many other unhealthy lifestyle habits also influence the issue of being overweight.
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