Are you looking for a way to lose weight effectively and sustainably? In this case, forget about draconian diets! These diets promote weight loss in the short term but risk increasing lipid storage in the long term. They cause you to lose more water and muscle than fat and will generate deficiencies in essential nutrients which are not without consequences for the body.
To lose weight sustainably, you must start by rebalancing your diet, or providing your body with all the nutrients it needs to function on a daily basis. This balance is not so easy to find but, once your new eating habits are in place, it will seem completely natural to you.
It is important to combine this diet with regular physical exercise to increase energy expenditure.
Here we give you some advice and tips on the physical activities to favor to burn calories effectively and lose weight sustainably.
Energy balance
First of all, it seems important to understand how the body regulates weight.
Indeed, it is often compared to an energy balance. It corresponds to the balance between our intake, i.e. everything we ingest in the form of calories and which will give energy to the body, and our energy expenditure.
If intake equals expenditure, your weight remains stable.
If you expend more energy than you ingest, you force the body to draw on its lipid reserves and that's when you can start to lose weight.
Conversely, when food intake increases and energy expenditure decreases, your body stores this excess in the form of fat and you gain weight.
Energy expenditure
Energy expenditure includes three components that it is essential to differentiate to successfully lose weight effectively:
- Basal metabolism corresponds to 60% of total energy expenditure. It represents the energy we spend daily to live, to maintain our body temperature and for our organs to function properly.
- The thermal effect of food corresponds to 10% of total energy expenditure. It represents the energy that we expend to digest the foods ingested and therefore to metabolize the nutrients contained in these foods.
- Physical activity corresponds to 30% of total energy expenditure. This is the only variable component on which we can act to increase our expenses. It represents the energy that our body mobilizes for our daily movements but also that spent when practicing a sport . Expenses will be higher or lower depending on the type or intensity of the sporting activity chosen.
Thus, there are only two levers on which it is possible to act to lose weight. You can influence the caloric intake you provide to your body and physical activity .
What physical activity?
Whatever workout you choose, if you integrate it into your daily life, you will burn calories since for your muscles and your heart to activate, they need to use energy . They start by using the sugar reserves available in your body. Once these reserves are exhausted, they use the fat reserves stored upstream. Depending on the intensity chosen, you will obviously burn more or fewer calories . But the most important point for lasting weight loss is regularity. No matter what sport you choose, you need to enjoy yourself in order to stay motivated. If you do a sport that you don't enjoy or if you do it every day, you risk becoming demotivated and giving up too quickly. To obtain visible results and achieve your goal, it is recommended to do 2 or 3 sports sessions per week, lasting 45 minutes (the body draws on our reserves from 30 or 40 minutes).
Be active every day and do a sport you enjoy regularly!
Running
Jogging is an ideal sport for losing weight. It helps burn fat without reducing muscle mass. Therefore, to use the body's lipid reserves, it is recommended to run several times a week (2 or 3 times ideally). You can alternate between endurance sessions, which are rather long, and interval sessions, which are rather short but intense.
Bike
Consider using your bike for short trips. Eco-friendly and fat-burning , this sport is pleasant to practice. You can get some fresh air, take a walk, while taking care of your health and eliminating calories . Depending on your pace, you can burn between 400 and 500 calories in 1 hour.
Water aerobics
Like swimming, aquagym is a very popular water sport . In addition to providing a pleasant feeling of well-being, it helps boost calorie expenditure. In fact, it works all the muscles of the body without feeling the physical effort. However, the temperature of the water being colder than usual and the resistance of the water being greater than that of the air, each movement carried out underwater requires intense physical effort. A 45-minute aquagym session burns 400 to 600 calories .
Jumping rope
This accessory is a great way to tone up while having fun. Indeed, skipping rope training combines cardio training and muscle strengthening, which allows it to provide numerous health benefits. You burn calories , fat , improve your endurance and sculpt your body. Know that 15 minutes of jumping rope is equivalent to 30 minutes of running.
Fitness at home
To burn calories , you can also stay at home and use only your body weight. Indeed, fitness is a great way to work your cardio and muscles. There are several different types of exercises . Burpees are one of the most complete exercises and fat burners par excellence. They mix squats, push-ups and jumps and therefore allow you to mobilize your entire body. Fitness burns an average of 500 calories per hour. Thus, 45 minutes, twice a week allows you to obtain very good results.
Rower
You can practice rowing in the gym or at home. It allows you to work almost 80% of the body's muscles. In fact, the upper muscles such as the shoulders, biceps and those of the lower body such as the abdominals, thighs and buttocks are mobilized. This exercise is ideal for burning calories : in 1 hour you can eliminate up to 625 calories .
Walk
Walking is the simplest physical activity for burning calories . The longer you walk and at a sustained pace, the more you will draw on your reserves. If you walk for 1 hour you can burn up to 300 calories . It is recommended to walk at least 20 minutes a day. No excuse not to walk, there's nothing easier: take the stairs instead of the escalators or the elevator, whether you take the bus, metro or tram, get off one station earlier than usual, walk your dog several times a day to get some fresh air while exercising, or call while walking near your home.
Gardening or DIY
DIY and gardening require a lot of energy , which allows you to lose a lot of calories . If you like taking care of your garden or renovating your interior, take advantage of it!
Housework
These are not the most fun sporting activities , but you can try to get the most out of them. Vacuuming, cleaning windows, ironing, unloading the dishwasher are all household activities that increase the heart rate, burn calories and work several muscles such as those of the arms, chest and legs.
To motivate yourself and have a little more fun than usual, put on some music.
And food?
Practicing a sporting activity is not the only lever for losing weight. Without a suitable diet, sport will sometimes not be enough.
Food is fuel for our body . What you eat determines your fitness, performance, sleep, recovery, health and weight.
Eat your 3 meals a day , breakfast, lunch and dinner, to provide your body with everything it needs to function properly, especially before a workout or sports session. If you're afraid you won't be able to keep up, plan a snack to limit cravings. You risk throwing yourself at the food at the next meal.
Avoid refined sugars, saturated fats , or snacking. Choose a varied and balanced diet, that is to say rich in plants, fiber, micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), proteins and quality fats .
Drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day to eliminate toxins and fats accumulated in your body. Of course, you should increase your water intake if you play sports .
A little help?
To optimize your efforts in terms of diet and sports activity , you can use our Draining Powder . Diluted in a large glass of water , it will help you lose weight while strengthening your metabolism and draining your body.
Indeed, the synergy of carefully chosen natural active ingredients, such as spirulina, caffeine, or green mate, allows for complete action. Organic spirulina helps regulate the quantity of sugar present in the blood, fill any deficiencies and limit snacking between meals. Organic green mate has diuretic properties and therefore helps eliminate toxins and drain the body. Organic guarana is rich in caffeine, a molecule which allows it to promote the breakdown of lipids. Pumpkin seeds help satiate you and reduce cravings for snacking thanks to their high protein content.
This powder perfectly complements your diet to help you improve your figure, whatever the season. It is a 100% natural origin formula made in France which is suitable for all diets (gluten-free, lactose-free, GMO-free and vegan). With a sachet of draining powder you can follow a 30-day treatment, to be repeated without hesitation to continue the effects in the medium and long term. Thanks to its wheat straw measuring spoon, no more excuses for missing a day of treatment! A little advice from us: take your Epycure bottle with you, your powder diluted inside, to hydrate yourself and do your body good all day long.
