As temperatures rise, we shed our clothes, and that's when we rush to do something that should be our priority 365 days a year and not just a couple of weeks before putting on a swimsuit or attending a wedding: take care of what we eat and move more.
Therefore, before falling into the trap of miracle diets and all those 'shortcuts' to lose weight that only punish our bodies (and minds), it's worth reviewing the recommendations of those who know about this, the nutritionists:
1. Each of us is unique, and both the diet and exercise should be tailored to our goals, physical condition, and needs. In other words, the miracle diet with which -supposedly- our neighbor lost 15 kilos not only may not be the most suitable for us, but, on the contrary, it can be harmful: "Resorting to miracle diets, quick diets, or the one that worked for my friend or neighbor is not the solution. Each body has its own needs, each body is different, and not everyone responds the same way to caloric restriction, nor has the same energy expenditure. Any fat loss should be done under medical supervision, as it brings about a series of changes in our body, so if we don't do it with the right guidance, we can end up with important vitamin and mineral deficiencies," explains Dr. Conchita Vidales, a graduate in Medicine and head of the Nutrigenetics Unit at DEMYA Martín del Yerro I Amselem.
2. Marcos Vázquez, author of 'Fitness revolucionario,' breaks down the pillars of the 'bikini season.' "Instead of pushing ourselves with those titanic short-term efforts to look good in a swimsuit, those 'I'm going to starve myself' and 'I'm going to spend two hours at the gym,' we should look a little further, think long-term and reflect on what changes we can make in our habits that we can maintain over time."
3. Before going on a diet based on a mere personal estimation, it would be advisable to make sure that we really need to lose weight for health reasons. "To dispel doubts about whether we need to lose weight or not, it is appropriate to undergo a body composition analysis through impedance, a test that analyzes the percentage of fat, muscle, and water mass in our body composition. In addition to these data, it is also essential to know our basal metabolism, which is the energy 'expense' that our body faces to maintain its vital functions at rest, as well as the amount of visceral fat, which is a cardiovascular risk factor," advises Dr. Conchita Vidales.
4. No matter how powerful (or enticing) the message is or how many followers the 'influencer' promoting it has, Marcos Vázquez advises us to steer clear of miraculous solutions. "The worst part of all this is that they take advantage of people's desperation to profit, proposing and selling things that are useless: nutritional supplements, miracle diets, slimming belts, slimming creams, etc. And it's not just that all these 'remedies' are ineffective, which they are, but they can also be really dangerous and cause serious health problems."
5. If our goal is to lose weight, haste is the worst companion. "Losing weight is not a matter of haste; it involves a change in habits and is an investment in our health in the long run. It's not just about eating well, but also about how we spend the energy we consume in the form of calories through movement, adequate rest, and controlling our stress levels. Many people still have the concept that they want to lose weight to look good in a swimsuit. They are not aware that this requires effort. There are no magic formulas, and if there are, they will have some contraindication, for sure. That's why it's very important to ask ourselves what level of commitment we are capable of assuming to make the necessary changes in our lifestyle," explains Enrique González, a Precision Functional Nutrition therapist with training in Biochemistry and Dietetics-Nutrition.
6. Following a restrictive diet is not only a bad idea, but it can also make us gain weight, as nutritionist María Amaro explains: "Our body, when deprived of the nutrients it needs to fulfill its basic vital functions, triggers all alarms. Our mind interprets the lack of food as an attack on our own survival and orders our metabolism to slow down, activating an energy-saving mode. In other words, it burns fewer calories than it would if we weren't dieting to compensate for this lack of 'fuel'."
7. We should also not eliminate foods abruptly on our own, as it can generate more anxiety to eat them and backfire. This is what happens, for example, if we completely eliminate carbohydrates from our diet. "I come across many cases of patients who, in an attempt to lose weight as quickly as possible, drastically reduce carbohydrate intake without considering that, due to the whirlwind of stress, rush, worries, etc. that we face in our lifestyle, there is a very pronounced elevation of cortisol that, in addition to causing a decrease in energy, fluid retention, and increased inflammation, promotes, precisely, the opposite effect: it increases the craving for carbohydrates," explains nutritionist Javier Fernández Ligero.
8. To be healthy and strong, no nutrient should be missing from our table. "The idea is to adopt a diet that follows, daily, the 40-30-30 ratio, based on a balance of macronutrients: 40% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, and 30% fats," advises Natalia Quintero, a nutritionist expert in sports and supplementation.
One of the keys to a successful plan is knowing what type of carbohydrates we consume to reach that 40%. "It is essential to choose carbohydrates with a low or moderate glycemic index -the complex ones- to avoid glucose spikes and the subsequent feeling of fatigue."
9. Drastically eliminating fats from our diet, without distinguishing the type, with the aim of losing weight is another mistake that can have serious consequences for our health. María Amaro helps us understand why. "The so-called 'good fats' are unsaturated fats (fatty fish, avocados, nuts, olive oil, seeds, etc.), that is, those that contain double bonds in their chemical structure and that, unlike saturated and trans fats (those in pastries, ultra-processed foods, sauces, etc.), have a protective and regulatory effect. These 'good fats' are divided into two main groups: monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA), which include the famous omega-3 and omega-6."
10. The key to losing weight lies in breakfast. "We have a poor breakfast, because the main protagonists of our first meal of the day are sugars when this role should be reserved for proteins, which are largely absent in this intake. Therefore, we already start the day with caloric excess and blood glucose spikes that will make us spend the day feeling hungry and snacking." This ultimately leads to a hormonal imbalance that will eventually make us gain weight," reveals Enrique González.
This specialist gives us a golden piece of advice. "Simply by eliminating coffee, which is very stimulating, and carbohydrates from breakfast, replacing them with some proteins (egg or salmon), weight loss can be achieved. Insulin spikes won't be as pronounced (their sharp rises are what promote fat accumulation), we won't spend the morning snacking to cope with the lows, and we'll approach lunch with a different appetite."
11. Intermittent fasting, in addition to many other health benefits, can be a very interesting strategy for weight loss as long as the basic principles are taken into account. The hours of wakefulness we keep - 12, 14, or 16, depending on the chosen method - are as important as the foods we eat during the intake windows. "It's not about overeating every time we eat. We should see what the patient's goal is, whether they want to lose weight and at the same time gain health or if they have just done aerobic physical exercise, but it is most advisable to break the fast - preferably after having done some physical activity - with proteins and 'good fats,' with scrambled eggs with avocado or a can of sardines, for example. This way, all those benefits of intermittent fasting regarding fat oxidation, increased energy, and improved blood sugar control will be enhanced," explains Javier Fernández Ligero.