Lose weight by changing your diet

introduction

More and more people are worrying about their diet to improve their health. A change in diet is supposed to represent “from unhealthy to healthy” in a simplified manner. If you want to lose weight with a change in diet, you should critically investigate your own motives and requirements beforehand. Pregnant women, the chronically ill and people of normal weight should not necessarily try to lose weight.

Only those who have "too much" should lose weight, i.e. who are overweight and e.g. has a BMI higher than the normal weight (≥ 25 kg / m2). A change in diet also requires preparation, some time and discipline to persevere, otherwise it will not work. It should take place without dietary supplements and so-called medical miracle cures, be healthy and be "tapered off" in order to avoid the yo-yo effect.

In the long term, a healthy and balanced diet will help you lose weight and maintain your desired weight.
You can find out more at: This is how healthy eating works

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How does that work?

A professional diet change is best done with a trained nutritionist. But you can also consult your family doctor or do your own research. People with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or arteriosclerosis, benefit greatly from nutritional advice and, under certain circumstances, get this advice paid for by the health insurance company.

Find out more about the topic: Nutritional advice.

In principle, a dietary change in diet works, regardless of which diet you choose for yourself, according to the same principle: to lose weight, the calorie balance that you eat and drink must be lower than the need or what you burn daily. You can calculate your own calorie requirement using the following Harrison-Benedict formula:

• Basal metabolic rate in men (calories per day)
  • 66.47 + (13.7 * body weight in kg) + (5 * height in cm) - (6.8 * age in years) = basal metabolic rate
• Basal metabolic rate in women (calories per day)
  • 655.1 + (9.6 * body weight in kg) + (1.8 * height in cm) - (4.7 * age in years) = basal metabolic rate

If you know your basal metabolic rate, you can use the labels on food to check whether you are keeping your calorie intake lower than the need. Otherwise there are helpful apps that also include how much you move, how old you are and in what time you want to lose a certain number of kilograms of weight. If you now start a diet, the body is forced to use its own energy, i.e. sugar, fat and protein reserves. If you consume little sugar, the metabolism makes use of the body's own sugar store, glycogen, to maintain a normal, healthy blood sugar level. This is important because, for example, the brain is dependent on an enormous amount of sugar, i.e. energy. Next, the body draws its energy from the fat reserves and when these are used up, e.g. After long periods of fasting or even starvation, the protein stores (in the muscles) are attacked. This muscle wasting is often seen in malnourished old people, the very sick or anorexic and should never be the target of a diet. It is therefore important to consume enough protein and fat in a diet and not to do without them entirely.

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What does breakfast look like after a change in diet?

In the following, a breakfast based on a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet (vegetarian sub-form) and one based on a whole-food diet are presented.

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian:

  • Banana milkshake or chia seed pudding with cocoa.

  • Sugar-reduced oatmeal muesli with plant milk (almond, rice, soy or coconut milk), with fresh fruit.

  • Boiled egg on gluten-free bread with vegan mayonnaise or soy margerine.

  • Two egg omelette with braised mushrooms, tomatoes and chives.

• Whole food:

  • Whole-grain bread with a vegetable spread, low-salt cheese or low-fat fish such as trout (no smoked salmon). Alternatively, lean cooked ham.

  • One or two times a week a fried egg on brown bread.

Also read the article: vegetarian diet.

What does lunch look like after a change in diet?

In the following, one lunch according to a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet and one after a whole-food diet are presented.

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian:

  • Vegan lentil stew

  • Risotto with mushrooms and lemon peel

  • Spaghetti with Tofu Bolognese

  • Lasagne with tofu Bolognese

  • Baked vegetables, quiche

• Whole food nutrition:

  • Whole wheat pasta with vegetable sauce

  • Salmon fillet with parsley potatoes

  • Rice curry with pineapple and coconut milk

  • Oven cheese with wholesome bread

  • Turkey fillets on salad

  • On the grill: lean meat, vegetable skewers, reduced-fat sauces

What does dinner look like after a change in diet?

In the evening, you should not consume foods that are difficult to digest, such as carbohydrates and animal proteins, or cereals containing gluten, sweet drinks or desserts. Since the digestive system goes to sleep from around 6 p.m., it is advisable to have dinner beforehand.

• Steamed or cooked vegetables

• Pea and mint soup

• carrot-ginger soup

• Mashed potatoes with corn and carrot vegetables

• Salads in every imaginable variant, with non-vegetarians with trout or tuna. Vegetarians with seitan or tofu steaks

You may be interested in the following diet by scoring meals: Points diet

Side effect of diet

When you start to eat a low-sugar diet and the body runs up on glycogen stores, energy substitutes for the brain, the so-called ketone bodies, are also formed. The brain is in fact not undersupplied, but it does take some time for it and the entire body to get used to this substitute component. Because of this, at the beginning of a low-carb diet (low in sugar) you sometimes have headaches. Usually these go away after 3-4 days.
Some people also complain of fatigue, irritability, and a nagging feeling of hunger. This, too, only lasts until the body is completely used to the ketone bodies. (This condition is called ketosis, the success of which is advertised, for example, by the Paleo diet.) Switching to a high-fiber diet can lead to significant changes in stool.

If a diet is wrong, too aggressive or too fast, it can lead to feelings of weakness and a decline in performance. This should not be the case with any sensible change in diet.

In the long term, even incorrectly following a diet can lead to vitamin or other nutrient deficiencies. Above all, one-sided vegetarian or vegan diet must be carried out very carefully so as not to neglect essential vitamins, which are mainly found in animal products. The most common vitamin deficiency here would be the B12 deficiency, which unfortunately only becomes noticeable years after the changeover through neurological failures and changes in the blood count. Much earlier and more often, iron and calcium deficiencies manifest themselves through tiredness, reduced performance and a lack of concentration.

Of course, positive side effects can also be that you feel fitter, lighter and healthier.

Read more about this under Vitamin B12 deficiency

Diarrhea after changing your diet

Especially when people switch to a high-fiber diet (or even raw food) and drink more water, bowel movements change. Dietary fiber cannot be digested, but it does retain a lot of water. The stool then becomes pasty to thin. This can also be due to the fact that new foods, especially Fresh fruit and vegetables, the bacterial intestinal flora is supplemented by one or the other bacterium that is not present in “sterile” packaged fast food or canned food. A changed bowel movement should not be a concern as long as it is not real diarrhea (more than three bowel movements per day and more than 75% water content).

Diarrhea can also result from food intolerance. The most common are lactose intolerance and gluten sensitivity. Vegans in particular often breed their own gluten intolerance because they switch to egg-free products that contain artificial wheat as a binding agent.

Persistent diarrhea is dangerous and should be clarified by a doctor.

Read more about this under Diet for diarrhea

Pimples

Pimples are caused by impaired skin flora. Too much fat and sugar in food can cause the skin pores to produce too much sebum. This leads to blackheads and superficial skin bacteria can lead to infections, i.e. pimples. There have also been reports from people who may attribute the development of pimples in themselves to consuming dairy products. In principle, the skin is an organ that does not need any “outside help” from cosmetics, since all cosmetic products cannot penetrate the skin and change something fundamental there. So you should fight pimples through a diet that is reduced in fat and sugar rather than through excessive use of cosmetics.

Read more about this under

• Oily skin and pimples
• Home remedies for pimples

What risks / dangers does a change in diet entail?

As with any diet or form of nutrition, general dietary changes also carry the risk of not being properly followed and can cause a lack of nutrients and vitamins. With regard to social risks, it can of course happen that your own diet meets with incomprehension, criticism or little support in the social environment.

Criticism of a change in diet

People who start a diet sometimes struggle with the required discipline, the increased effort and a slowly emerging effect.It can also be the case that you first have to find your way around the new spectrum of other foods in order to find out what tastes good or what suits you to prepare. When you start to find out more about diets, you quickly notice that everyone claims to be the best and most successful and criticizes the competition.
From a medical point of view, there are actually very few points of criticism. A change in diet should best be accompanied medically or ecotrophologically, then there is no risk of doing it wrong. Doctors warn against one-sided diet and deficiency symptoms.

Medical evaluation of a change in diet by

From a medical point of view, a change in diet is in principle always to be welcomed, provided that the patient is overweight without any relevant chronic diseases. Because along with being overweight, the clinical picture "metabolic syndrome". It is a disease of civilization in our latitudes, which is characterized by the following four diseases (also known as the "fatal quartet"): truncal obesity (obesity), high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus ("diabetes") and dyslipoproteinemia (too high blood lipid levels).

This combined clinical picture is based on a high-calorie diet and lack of exercise. All of this can be avoided, improved and theoretically even cured through a change in diet with, for example, avoiding or reducing animal proteins, and consuming little sugar and fat.

Other diseases are also clearly associated with the Western diet.
It has long been known that eating red, processed meat increases the risk of colon cancer, and that many other types of cancer are associated with eating a lot of meat. This does not mean that meat consumption per se triggers cancer, but that it can promote its development. The exact reasons for this have not yet been clarified.
Gout, for example, could be completely symptom-free if the patients completely avoided animal proteins. Most cardiovascular diseases, as well as osteoarthritis and rheumatism, can be positively influenced by certain diets.

In summary, it can be said that, although it must be critically weighed up which patients should make a change in diet and for what reasons, in principle, a change to a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet has positive effects on health. Whole food nutrition is particularly suitable to prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Where can I find good recipes for a change in diet

If you change your diet with a nutritionist, he can create a nutrition plan and recommend appropriate recipes. (House) doctors with the additional designation “nutritionists” also have helpful instructions. Via the German Nutrition Society, you can find nutritionists in your postcode area and find high-quality recipes.

How much can I lose weight with a change in diet?

You can lose as much as you want with a change in diet, but you should always stick to the range of normal weight people (BMI 18.5 - <26). Regarding the time frame that you imagine, you can turn the screws sport and movement and thus accelerate the weight loss process.

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How can I avoid the yo-yo effect with this diet?

Yo-yo effects do not occur after diets, but after fasting cures when you suddenly eat normally again. However, a change in diet should not be considered for a short time, but healthy eating behavior should be applied permanently. Therefore, the question of the yo-yo effect is almost unnecessary, because it only occurs when you suddenly return to your original "bad" diet. If you have reached your desired weight, you can slowly try to incorporate other foods back into your everyday life, but should then do more sport in order to maintain the desired weight. In order to lose weight without the yo-yo effect, it is advisable to "taper off" the low-calorie diet, which gives the body the opportunity to slowly get used to other nutrients again.

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• Jojo effect
• Lose weight with exercise - these sports are particularly effective

What alternative diets are there for changing your diet to lose weight?

Some of the underdog diets are presented below.

The vegan diet as an enhancement to a vegetarian diet is characterized by the fact that all animal foods (meat, fish, milk, eggs, honey) are avoided.
The raw food diet or Waerland diet shows the same positive results as a lacto-vegetarian diet with a high proportion of raw food (avoiding meat, consuming dairy products). The theory says that meat, fish and eggs are very acidic and should be avoided in order to avoid a deposition of waste products in the acidic tissue (i.e. to prevent obesity). Raw vegetables and cooked foods such as potatoes, fruit and ground grain serve as the basis. Dairy products may be consumed, foods that are preserved, concentrated, high in fat, alcoholic or salty should be avoided.

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High protein diets such as the Paleo diet are designed to reduce body weight by increasing protein intake by 50% of total energy intake. The absorption of fat is said to be very low and the body attacks its sugar and fat stores. It is not suitable for people with gout and diabetes.
The low-carb diet is based on the assumption that obesity is caused by disorders of the sugar metabolism. Fats and proteins should be eaten excessively, while carbohydrates are completely avoided. It is not suitable for people with gout and diabetes.

Read more about this under Low carb diet, BCM diet

High-carbohydrate diets show better results from a medical point of view than other underdog diets. Here more fiber, phytochemicals and vitamins are absorbed.
Combining diets claim that carbohydrates and proteins are digested in different places in the intestine and should only be eaten separately for effective absorption. They show no dietary effect. An example of a food combining diet is the car diet, in which the intake of carbohydrates and fats is divided between the main meals and at the same time prevents food cravings by introducing snacks between meals.

In so-called intermittent fasting, no change in diet is required, rather a certain rhythm is used to switch between food intake and food abstinence (fasting).

Also read:

• Diet in Diabetes
• Diet for gout

What is the effect of additional sport?

Sport has an accelerating effect on weight loss, as the overall consumption of the body is increased. But it only does this effectively if endurance sports and muscle building are carried out at the same time. An adapted diet is necessary depending on how often and how intensively you do sport. It is also important to keep in mind that muscle building begins in the non-exercise phases. "Sports nutrition" should not only take place on days of sporting activity. If you don't have enough time for sport, you can try using Steptracker Apps to increase your total number of steps or find out more about short exercises in the office.

In principle, sport stimulates the cardiovascular system and accelerates the metabolism, but it can also be dangerous. The total consumption of all nutrients is accelerated during exercise and needs to be topped up. If you are dieting at the same time, muscle cramps can occur more quickly (magnesium deficiency) or a paradoxical muscle breakdown. If the body has too little protein or calcium available, the muscle is broken down through exercise in order to be able to bring about a contraction or bones are broken down in order to provide the muscle contraction with the required calcium. Such "extremes" only occur during long periods of hunger or lack of nutrients.

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• The right nutrition for strength training
• Fat Burning Through Weight Training - Is It Possible?

Can you build muscle at the same time?

You can build muscle at the same time as changing your diet, but you need to adapt precisely to the body's increased needs. Muscle building does not mean that you develop more muscles in total, but that the muscle itself grows and more protein chains are strung together. For this, the body needs more protein in its food than before without exercise. Lean meat (turkey), fish (not breaded) or vegetable proteins (soy, tempeh, seitan, tofu, quorn) are best for this.

Change of diet for osteoarthritis

Since osteoarthritis is a chronically degenerative process, nothing can be cured with a change in diet, but it can be improved.
As an initial measure and as a general therapy recommendation, attempts should be made to prevent overloading. This means that people with osteoarthritis should only do sports that are gentle on their joints, such as swimming, cycling, yoga, Pilates or climbing. At the same time, this reduces excess weight, which puts a strain on the joints. A change in diet is therefore a factor that significantly improves the prognosis. It should always be made with the aim of weight reduction and muscle building. She can be accompanied by a nutritionist and a physiotherapist.

Read more about this under Diet for osteoarthritis

What are the costs of a change in diet?

The costs of a change in diet are based in principle on the quality of the food. So it's no secret that organic products are more expensive. If you go shopping in the cheap supermarkets, the consumption of fresh food is no more expensive than that of fast food. You should keep in mind that you don't have to buy more food or more expensive food in total to eat healthily, only something else. The vegetarian or vegan diet is charged with the prejudice of being significantly more expensive, but websites offer recipe suggestions for people with low incomes and all you need is a forward-looking shopping strategy so that the change in diet does not put too much strain on your wallet. The costs of a nutritional consultation amount to different amounts for each consultant, but are sometimes covered by health insurances.