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Expert interviewed: Wang Baoxiang, attending physician of the Health Management Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University

Global Times Health Client Reporter Tian Yuting

When it comes to losing weight, everyone knows the importance of "controlling your diet and exercising", but some people still fail to achieve satisfactory results no matter how much they control their diet and exercise. Recently, a team from the University of Illinois in the United States has provided a method to lose weight with half the effort through research - supplementingproteinandDietary fiber。

The study recruited 30 people with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25 years old, they attended 19 educational courses and 3 individual counseling sessions over a year, and learned nutrition knowledge, using the "protein-fiber chart", how to choose healthier foods, while implementing a "personalized diet improvement plan" and measuring their weight every day. The results showed that the 22 participants who completed the plan lost an average of 12.9% of their weight. Throughout the study, it was found that the higher the protein and dietary fiber intake relative to calories, the better the weight loss effect.

"When losing weight, it is important to maintain lean body mass." Wang Baoxiang, chief physician at the Health Management Center of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, told the reporter of Global Times Health Client that lean body mass is also called fat-free body mass, which refers to the body mass excluding fat.FatMuscle is the main component of the body's weight. Many people consciously eat less meat when losing weight, but the lack of protein in meat is not only not conducive to weight loss, but will cause muscle loss.

Compared with staple foods and fruits and vegetables, protein takes longer to digest in the stomach, which can be more than 4 hours. The human body needs to consume more calories when digesting protein, which helps to improvemetabolismDietary fiber can increase satiety, reduce appetite, promote gastrointestinal motility, help reduce fat absorption, and also help lose weight. Wang Baoxiang suggested that people who want to lose weight can add more fiber rich in vitamins and minerals to their daily diet.High-quality proteinFoods such as fish, shrimp, chicken, soybeans, etc. According to the recommendation of the Chinese Nutrition Society, adults should consume 25-35 grams of dietary fiber every day. Green leafy vegetables, fresh mushrooms, fungus, pumpkin, bitter gourd, radish, carrot, pear, fresh jujube, etc. are all "big consumers" of dietary fiber.

It can be seen from this that only "eating well will give you the energy to lose weight". If you eat indiscriminately and don't eat any food, not only will you not lose weight, but the effect of weight loss will be greatly reduced. Paying attention to dietary balance and nutritional health is the best way to lose weight.

In addition, Wang Baoxiang reminded people who are losing weight to avoid several misunderstandings.

Myth 1: Faster is better.Rapid weight loss in a short period of time will reduceMetabolismSpeed, causingendocrineDisorder. Weight loss requires an adaptation process. Blindly pursuing rapid weight loss is neither scientific nor healthy. The "Guidelines for Adult Obesity Diet (2024 Edition)" issued by the National Health Commission specifically emphasizes that scientific weight loss must follow the principle of gradual progress. The ideal weight loss goal should be to reduce the current body weight by 5% to 10% within 6 months, and the reasonable weight loss rate is 2 to 4 kg per month. It is recommended to set a goal at the beginning of weight loss: lose about 0.5 kg per week.

Myth 2: Excessive dieting.Many people are used to dieting to lose weight, skipping dinner or simply not eating much all day. Excessive dieting cannot meet the body's most basic nutritional energy needs. Low energy intake will weakenImmunity, disrupting the body's functions and rebounding once a normal diet is resumed.

Myth 3: Dependence on drugs.In the outpatient clinic, many people ask about the method of weight loss through medication. Wang Baoxiang said that the basis and key to weight loss lies in lifestyle intervention. As long as you can control your diet and exercise actively, you can get better results.obesityPeople may need to use medication, but they must strictly follow the doctor's orders.

Wang Baoxiang reminds that in daily life, if you want to lose weight healthily, quickly and scientifically, you should pay attention to two points.

First, eat a balanced diet and control carbohydrates. Eat less highly processed carbohydrates with low nutritional value, such as refined white rice and flour, sugary drinks, snacks, preserved fruits, candies, etc.; make sure that the staple food is a combination of coarse and fine, and appropriately increase the intake of beans such as red beans and kidney beans, or whole grains such as oats, black rice, and buckwheat. You can also use sweet potatoes, yams, potatoes, etc. to replace some staple foods.

Second, be active and exercise for a long time. If you want to lose weight, just walking and strolling is not enough. Ensure at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, etc., at least 30 minutes a day. It is recommended to choose the sports you are interested in and pay attention to warm-up to prevent sports injuries. You can also go to the gym and exercise under the guidance of professional coaches. ▲

Editor: Wang Xiaoqing

Editor-in-Chief: Zhang Mian