Now that the CSAT is over, dieting? Lose weight properly to avoid regrets later.

Dieting is one of the biggest concerns for students after the CSAT. Some people starve themselves in the hopes of losing weight quickly, but this is detrimental to their health. Let's learn how to lose weight properly and healthily.

 

◇Change your lifestyle

The first step to losing weight is to change your lifestyle. Students often have disrupted their physical rhythms due to the habit of studying late into the night and lack of sleep and exercise.

Lack of sleep activates hormones that increase the desire for fatty foods, leading to unknowingly consuming excessive calories. Experts say that getting eight hours of sleep and developing the habit of eating at set times is essential for weight loss.

 

◇Reducing 'store food'

One food students often encounter while studying is "canteen food." On days when they don't feel like eating school lunch, they tend to reach for instant food from the school cafeteria. They often pair it with soda, sweet milk, or coffee. It's also common to fill up on quick meals like hamburgers or tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) when they're stuck at the study room or academy. However, these foods are high in calories and low in nutrients, which can easily lead to fat storage. For the time being, let's stay away from convenience store and canteen food and practice a balanced diet of about 60% protein, 20% carbohydrates, and 20% fat.

 

◇Excessive dieting is prohibited.

Many students choose to "starve" in an attempt to lose weight quickly. However, this is the worst diet in the long run. It actually predisposes the body to fat accumulation and increases the risk of binge eating, hindering weight loss. It also weakens the immune system. A weakened immune system can lead to illnesses caused by external viruses like the common cold, as well as autoimmune diseases that disrupt the immune system's function. Therefore, caution is advised.

To diet healthily and effectively, eat a balanced diet of the five major nutrients at every meal, while reducing your total daily calorie intake by about 500 calories. According to the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, reducing your daily calorie intake by just 500 calories can lead to a weight loss of 0.5 kg per week. 500 calories is equivalent to half a bowl of rice. Simply reduce your daily calorie intake by half a bowl at each meal. The type of food you eat is also important. Foods with a high glycemic index (GI) quickly raise blood sugar levels and cause hunger pangs, making them unfavorable for dieting. Representative low-GI foods include brown rice (56%), tofu (42%), spinach (15%), eggs (30%), and tomatoes (30%).

 

◇Drink plenty of water

Drinking plenty of water is fundamental to dieting. Dehydration impairs the kidneys' ability to eliminate toxins. As toxins accumulate, liver function naturally declines. The liver helps metabolize the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats absorbed from food. A decline in liver function can lead to metabolic problems, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of your diet. Drinking plenty of water facilitates waste excretion, improving organ function and ultimately increasing diet effectiveness. Furthermore, water itself burns calories when digested. Drinking water before a meal can also naturally reduce food intake by filling the stomach with water. A study from Virginia Tech found that people who drank two cups of water 20 minutes before a meal lost approximately 2 kg more than those who didn't.

 

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Excessive dieting is a no-no~

Water is always needed in addition to diet.

I think enough is basic

 

Because your mind may become loose,

You shouldn't keep coming back and forth to the store.