The reduction is focused not only on getting rid of unnecessary body fat, but also on enhancing your muscles. It turns out that very often it is perceived as a murderous hunger strike or mistakenly associated with slimming. In the following text we will try to dispel some doubts.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Reduction diet – important information
- Reduction diet and slimming
- Diet for reducing body fat – what should characterize it?
- A balanced reduction diet – do proportions matter?
- An example menu
1. Reduction diet – important information
The reduction diet is a specific dietary scheme, aimed at reducing excess fat and getting rid of unnecessary kilograms. This process is long-lasting and is based primarily on the manipulation of its own metabolism and compliance with certain rules. The basis for the reduction diet is to determine your own calorie needs. Thanks to the calculated balance sheet, we will be sure that we provide the body with as much energy as it is currently needed.
Another matter is the systematic consumption of meals at specific intervals. In the case of an organized diet plan, the body will not allow the development of catabolism. This process was often mentioned as harmful – the effect of its activity is the breakdown of muscle tissue and increase in the amount of fat. It is assumed that meals should be taken in an amount of 4 to even 6 times a day every 3-4 hours, in the case of a larger amount, the space between them should be shortened. Maintaining the regularity of consumption with the appropriate total energy requirement of the diet will stimulate metabolism. The process of “burning calories” will keep a peculiar continuum and will last most of the time.
The reduction process involves the fight against excess body fat and unnecessary kilograms. This means that it is important to determine the size of this “extra ballast”. For this purpose, you should check what type of obesity or excess weight you are dealing with. Thanks to this, we can easily determine which areas of our body should be treated with special commitment and require additional work to enhance their natural structure. We will save our precious time, and we will be sure that our efforts are not wasted.
The last, but often overlooked element of the fat reduction period is monitoring your own progress. Performing periodic measurements of the level of body fat, saving weight or systematic measuring of circuits will allow you to check exactly how our efforts are going. Thanks to this we will be sure if the changes applied in the diet or trainings have been useful or not. In addition, thanks to real effects, our motivation for further work will increase, and hence, it will shorten the time of our efforts to achieve the intended figure.
2. Reduction diet and slimming
The reduction diet consists mainly in juggling calories in one’s own needs. After determining the necessary amount of calories, it is important to clip \ a certain part of our daily portion. For example, if the daily dose of calories from food is 2800 kcal, then from this sum we remove about 100 to 200 kcal. The amount of limited calories depends on the effects we want to achieve. If, after eating a meal, you will feel a great hunger, it means that the amount of calories you throw away is too large. Calculating the demand is not difficult – just use the ready calorie calculators (link to BMR) and define the basic assumptions of the program, and the rest will be dealt with by the application itself. Indicators such as BMI and CPM will prove to be equally helpful.
It should also be remembered that the reduction does not dictate harsh conditions. Of course, you should know that some food products may make it difficult or prolong this process (high-calorie and processed products).
On the other hand, there are no contraindications to salty snacks if our caloric demand agrees with the assumptions made. The question, however, is whether it is worth breaking our assumptions and hindering the whole process? You should know the answer yourself – it is better to look for healthy alternatives for your favorite delicacies and have a peaceful conscience. Therefore, it is worth trying to eliminate completely carbonated and sweet drinks, salty snacks or unhealthy and very fat fast foods from our menu.
Typical slimming is primarily about changing eating habits. Slimming largely refers to people whose self-awareness about healthy eating is at a really low level. People in the course of a typical weight loss should completely change their previous menu and include physical activity in their lives, which is usually absent. Slimming usually refers to people struggling with overweight or obesity.
In both cases, remember that the diet should not be based on starvation! Hunger increases catabolism, which in turn leads to many unfavorable processes for our body, such as a decrease in muscle mass or the downturn of metabolism. The most important is systematics and the use of appropriate products.
3. Diet for reducing body fat – what should characterize it?
In the earlier part, I presented more or less the main assumptions of the reduction diet. At this point, I will try to slightly fill this information with a few equally important issues.
When returning to the subject of food products, you should keep in mind the sources of nutrients. The source of carbohydrates should be products primarily with a low glycemic index, such as whole-wheat pasta and bread, brown rice or coarse groats. The protein should be taken from lean meats and fish as well as dairy products such as curd cheese. Eggs containing proteins and healthy fats will also be helpful in reduction. In the case of fats, it is worth remembering that they are mainly monounsaturated compounds. Here, it is worth mentioning products such as olive oil, rapeseed oil. The nuts or seeds of some plants – pumpkin or sunflower seeds – will prove to be equally helpful. Animal fats should be reduced. Do not forget about vegetables! In addition to having a small amount of calories and diversifying the taste of our dishes, they have a number of other properties. For example, large amounts of fiber, numerous micronutrients and a number of essential vitamin compounds. Thanks to them, we can effectively satisfy our hunger, because we do not really have to limit ourselves in their consumption.
Another aspect is the right training plan. Remember to adapt your physical activity to the aforementioned energy balance, as well as your own performance. Training should cover the entire body during each session. In addition, performing a large number of repetitions with small weights favors a drop in strength, which leads to a reduction in muscle stimuli. Therefore, despite the reduction of body fat, try not to avoid hard training and do not give up weight without a reason. It is also worth remembering aerobic training, which should be performed 3 to 4 times a week – the best will be swimming or interval exercises that will effectively involve all muscle parts and improve metabolism. Whether you will do them after the main training or on the days off is really up to you.
Another thing are the supplements. In the case of a reduction period, it is worth remembering to limit carbohydrate-containing nutrients that will not fit into the estimated energy balance. Very often it is mentioned about thermogenic supplements. Fat burners help in reducing body fat and allow you to achieve your goal faster. Nevertheless, they are not mandatory products – they are only an addition to the diet and are used to highlight or highlight the results obtained so far. However, it is worth to buy vitamin stacks, which will be a complement to the properly prepared Another aspect is the appropriate training plan. Remember to adapt your physical activity to the aforementioned energy balance, as well as your own performance. Training should cover the entire body during each session. In addition, performing a large number of repetitions with small weights favors a drop in strength, which leads to a reduction in muscle stimuli. Therefore, despite the reduction of body fat, try not to avoid hard training and do not give up weight without a reason. It is also worth remembering about aerobic training, which should be performed 3 to 4 times a week – the best will be swimming or interval exercises that will effectively involve all muscle parts and improve metabolism. Whether you will do them after the main training or on the days off is really up to you.
4. A balanced reduction diet – do proportions matter?
In the case of a reduction, the energy balance is extremely important. Counting calories in an easy way allows you to control the weight and correct delivery of the necessary amount of nutrients. It is also very convenient when planning daily meals for working people, who often have problems with time. What’s more, proportions teach regularity, which in the case of reduction is extremely important.
Caloric demand is an individual matter, therefore in most cases it is worth consulting your diet plan with people such as a personal trainer or dietitian. Nowadays, access to mobile food calculators is very common, which further facilitates becoming independent. One of them is the BMR calculator, which you can find on our website.
An example of a balance for a person with a body weight of 80 kg and a height of 175 cm, age 24, energy demand of 2400 kcal.
Protein 1.2-1.6 g / kg body weight
Carbohydrates 3-5 / kg body weight
Fats 25-30% of total energy demand
The way of calculating macronutrients
1 g protein = 4 kcal
1 g carbohydrates = 4 kcal
1 g fat = 9 kcal
Protein 1,5 × 80 kg = 120 g × 4 = 480 kcal
Carbohydrates 3.8 g × 80 kg = 304 g × 4 = 1216 kcal
Fats 480 + 1216 = 1696 kcal
2400 kcal – 1696 kcal = 704 kcal / 9 = 78 g
704 kcal × 100% / 2400 kcal = 29% of the total energy requirement of the diet
Thanks to these simple calculations, we can easily compose your meals and arrange your daily menu.
You can not forget about micronutrients. In addition to the three main nutrients, it should be remembered that the elements and vitamins are also important in our body. Thanks to them, the proper functioning of metabolism and other transformations is possible. What’s more, micronutrients determine the appropriate level of immunity and increase endurance, preventing the development of harmful diseases. It is also worth adding that micronutrient deficiencies can be really serious for health, therefore it is better to prevent their occurrence.
5. An example menu
Meal I – Oatmeal with yogurt, cherries and almonds
Oatmeal – 6.5 tbsp (60 g)
Almonds – 2 tablespoons (25 g)
Natural yoghurt 2% – 0.5 glasses (110 g)
Cherries – 1.5 handfuls (100 g)
Meal II – Toast with goat cheese, arugula and cherry tomatoes
Graham bread – 3 medium slices (100 g)
Olive oil – 1 tbsp (8 g)
Soft goat cheese – 1 serving (25 g)
Rukola – 1.25 handfuls (24 g)
Tomatoes cocktail – 4 pieces (75 g)
Thyme – 3 pinches (2 g)
Sesame – 0.5 teaspoons (2 g)
Meal III – Leczo with chicken, vegetables and millet
Millet – 1 bag (90 g)
Chicken breast fillet – 1 portion (100 g)
Yellow pepper – 1 large piece (150 g)
Red pepper – 1 small piece (70 g)
Olive oil – 2.5 teaspoons (10 g)
Zucchini – 1 small piece (170 g)
Tomato – 1 large piece (230 g)
Onions – 0.75 pieces (65 g)
Garlic – 2 cloves (9 g)
Basil (fresh leaves) – 0.75 handfuls (16 g)
Red pepper (powder) – 1 pinch (1 g)
Herbes de Provence – 3 pinches (2 g)
Oregano – 2 pinches (1g)
Meal IV – Cottage cheese with tomato and chives and bread
Granular cottage cheese – 6 tablespoons (140 g)
Graham bread – 2 large slices (80 g)
Tomato – 1 small piece (130 g)
Chives – 2 tablespoons (9 g)
Meal V – Whole-grain pancakes with spinach, smoked salmon, feta cheese and sun-dried tomatoes
Wholemeal flour – 0.25 glasses (40 g)
Feta cheese – 1 portion (25 g)
Dried tomatoes – 1 handful (25 g)
Eggs – (10 g)
Smoked salmon – 0.75 slices (13 g)
Olive oil – 1 tbsp (8 g)
Spinach (fresh) – 2 handfuls (40 g)
Milk 2% – 0.25 glasses (35 g)
Garlic – 2 cloves (9 g)
Nutmeg – 1 pinch (1 g)