THE ESSENTIAL
- It is recommended to consume protein to promote weight loss.
- Stress influences weight loss.
For several months, you have been trying to lose weight, but in vain. You have however changed your eating habits and resumed sport, but no change has occurred on the scale. There are different reasons that can prevent weight loss. In an interview with the magazine Best LifeDr. Amy Killen, physician in regenerative medicine, and Trista Best, dietician, decipher them.
Stress and fatigue can block weight loss
First cause mentioned by specialists: diets and quick fixes. If you have the unfortunate tendency to change your diet or eliminate certain foods, your weight loss may be impacted. “Anytime a diet requires you to eliminate certain foods (especially the ones you like), control everything you put in your mouth, or starve yourself, chances are you won’t be able to follow it on the long term (…) To be successful on a long-term diet, choose a healthy lifestyle that includes enough flexibility to see you sticking to the program for months or years, rather than days or weeks.”advocated Dr. Amy Killen.
Stress or fatigue can also be factors influencing weight loss. Indeed, we are more likely to give in to sweet or salty cravings during this period. However, these cravings generally go to high-calorie foods. “The effects of chronic stress are very similar to the effects of lack of sleep on weight loss because, like lack of sleep, chronic stress causes high levels of cortisol which can affect your body’s insulin and ability to to burn fat instead of storing it, warned the specialist in regenerative medicine.
It is therefore recommended to sleep at least seven hours a night in order to promote weight loss. It is also better to avoid screens an hour before bedtime and not to eat in the hours before bedtime.
Weight loss: avoid skipping meals
In the context of weight loss, proteins are essential because they promote satiety. The lack of protein during a diet can also lead to snacking. “There is no single answer to the question of how much protein you should consume to lose weight. However, a common recommendation is to aim for 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. body per day. This corresponds to approximately 15 to 20% of your daily caloric intake”, advised Trista Best.
Skipping meals is also a bad habit that slows metabolism and, at the same time, promotes weight gain rather than loss. During her interview, the dietitian recommended eating mini-meals four or five times a day instead of the traditional three large meals.