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Why It’s More Difficult to Lose Weight as We Age

Have you gotten a little older and decided to start losing weight – yet feel like it’s not going as fast as it used to? Well, it might not be all in your head. But worry not!

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is a term that collectively describes how your body converts and uses energy.
There’s a difference when talking about metabolic hormones, and metabolism in general – the latter referring to your body’s ability to burn energy.
Most people have probably heard, or even thought to themselves “I’m overweight because I have a low metabolism” or “You can eat anything you want without gaining weight! You must have a high metabolism.” Metabolism is often referred to as a part of our biological make-up that regulates how fast or how slow we burn energy and calories. But the metabolism is so much more than that. Metabolism is all chemical reactions that occur in the body; all the hormones, brain cells, intestinal cells, and fat cells that regulate our health, aging process, body weight, and how we burn calories.
When we talk about having a high or low metabolism – or when we talk about something being wrong with the metabolism, it’s usually in relation to imbalances in the regulation of thyroid hormones; a metabolic disease. If you think you might have a metabolic disease you should see your doctor, as such a disease can influence many aspects of your body.
Even though you feel like you gain weight as soon as you even look at a piece of cake, it’s quite rare that this has anything to do with the metabolic disease – or an imbalance in your metabolism.

How the Metabolism Works

The human metabolism consists of three parts, which all have an influence on your body’s energy conversion.

1. Resting Metabolic Rate/Basal Metabolic Rate

We can call this our “idle energy consumption”. This is the amount of energy your body needs to stay alive when you are idle or resting. The resting metabolic rate is based on age, gender, body weight, and composition, as well as genetics. Your resting metabolic rate makes up approx. 50-70% of the total calories your body burns.

2. Food-Induced Metabolism

The energy your body uses to metabolize the food you consume. How much energy is used is dependent on what you consume. Some foods require the body to use a lot of energy to metabolize (e.g. proteins), while others require almost no energy to metabolize (e.g. refined sugar)

3. Physical Activity Level

This is the part that varies most depending on activeness. A carpenter or tradesperson would, for example, burn a lot more calories than someone working in an office, as the former spend the day doing hard physical labor. Yet all activity increases the number of calories burned. Even small things like tapping on your desk with your fingers while you’re waiting for something. The more you move, the more calories you burn. Depending on how active you are throughout a day, your physical activity accounts for approx. 20-40% of the total amount of calories burned that day.

If you consume more energy than you use, then your body will store this excess energy in your fat reserves to be used later; i.e. you gain weight. This is known as a caloric surplus. If you consume fewer calories than you use, your body will take from your fat stores; i.e. you’ll lose weight. This is known as a caloric deficit. To maintain a normal weight, you must maintain an energy balance. This means that you must consume about the same amount of energy that your body uses.

Why Is It More Difficult to Lose Weight as You Get Older?

As you age, the body becomes better at using energy more effectively. The hormones in your body try to help you save energy, as you get older. That means that the body will eventually need less energy to achieve the same results as it once did when you were younger. Throughout your life, your body will change and develop. Your muscles, bones, and metabolism are continuously developing.

The body functions differently from when it was 10 years old, compared to when it ages to 25, 35, 45, or 65 – even though it’s the same body.
That’s why it’s completely normal to experience changes in body weight and to find that fat might be starting to store itself in different areas where earlier it might have been easier to get rid of. Throughout your life the amount of energy you use daily will change; i.e. when you were younger more energy was required to exist, compared to when you grow older. In your younger years, you would use more energy, yet over time this would decrease as the body adapts and becomes more efficient when it comes to using energy. Energy usage is reduced by two main factors:

Your Diet and Weight Are Affected by the Fact That Your Body Composition Changes as You Get Older

Body composition varies. As you age you will lose muscle mass and store more fat.
The body fat percentage of your average, normal-weight male between the ages of 20 and 30 years lies between 18 and 21%.
Between 40 and 50 years old, that percentage will reach 25%, and for those over 60 years old, the body fat percentage is over 26%.
The same is true for women: they have between 22 and 24% body fat between the ages of 20 to 30 years old, 27 to 30% between the ages of 40 and 50, and for those in their 60’s and older the average body fat percentage is typically over 31%. Fat is built up naturally while muscle mass is reduced because your muscles use more energy.

Your Hormones Change, and as Such Your Diet Will Affect You More

This doesn’t just count for women going through menopause, but also grown men. Your hormone patterns have a lot to do with your weight since they affect things such as if you eat more or sleep more.
As you get older your hormones will work towards trying to save energy, as your body doesn’t have the same capabilities as it did when you were younger. That means that you become more prone to building up fat – especially around your waist.

As you get older, most people who don’t change their diets as more and more candles fill the birthday cake will notice their form getting larger. Your stomach might start bulging and your clothing might not fit as it used to. This is inevitable if you maintain the same diet throughout your life. The fight against becoming overweight becomes harder as the years go on.

Sedentary work and work with little physical activity, poor diet composition, stress, and genetics can all affect the number of kilos you gain. Certain drugs and hormonal imbalances that come with age can also have an impact. Certain hormonal imbalances can be one of the main factors in storing fat.

After you hit 30 years old, the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and androgen don’t work the same way they once did.
Since these hormones are responsible for maintaining the body’s mass, it’s normal to see some changes in your body shape. Especially in the stomach, hips, and thighs, where the white fat tissue is more prevalent.

Read more: Hormones and obesity

Brown and White Fat Tissue

All mammals, both humans, and animals have some sort of fat tissue. The brown fat tissue’s function differs from that of the white in that the brown fat tissue cannot be stored for when we are low on calories. Instead, this fat can be burned, and the energy produced is used to heat the body when it’s cold. There isn’t that much in an adult human.
The white fat tissues are spread throughout the body but are usually more present around the abdominal region (apple-shaped), or around the hips and thighs (pear-shape). These are the fat deposits that many people try to get rid of. As you get older, your body transitions from less brown fat tissue, to more white fat tissue.
That why it’s even more important when you get older to avoid consuming more energy than you are using, and at the same time be aware that the older the body gets, the less energy it needs to keep running. This means that your resting metabolism decreases…
But that doesn’t make it impossible to lose weight! It just means you need to focus a little more on what you eat – as well as how much! This is where Nupo Diet comes in.

Also read: What is the Nupo Diet?

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Nupo and Dinner – How To and How Much?

Lots of people choose to combine Nupo Diet and dinner with their family – the reasons for this vary. With this goal in mind, you need to be sure to get the most out of your efforts.

Six Per Day – Dinner or No Dinner.

We recommend consuming all six Nupo Diet Shakes each day, regardless of whether you are eating dinner or not. That’s because Nupo Diet is designed and optimized to replace your complete daily diet, not just a part of it. The nutritional composition is therefore optimal only when consuming all six shakes per day, regardless if you choose our soups, shakes, or porridge.
It’s almost impossible to replace the nutrients in one or two shakes with the nutrients that you might get from one meal. That means that you will miss out on some essential nutrients to cover your body’s needs. If you don’t get the optimal nutritional composition during your weight loss, your weight loss will consist more so protein and fluids, instead of fat. This means that you, in part, can experience that you might quickly regain the weight you lost, and also lose muscle mass which would previously have helped you burn more calories. Therefore; six shakes per day – regardless of whether you are eating Nupo and your regular dinner together or not. It’s better to eat the extra calories that your dinner contains than to miss out on the essential nutrients that contribute to an optimal and lasting weight loss.
Previously, Nupo had a “token system”, which let you eat a certain amount of “tokens” worth of food every day, alongside the Nupo Diet. This system was discontinued several years ago, yet due to popular demand, we will soon be ready to implement an alternative to the “token” system. Nupo’s Success Guide for permanent weight loss will instead include a point list which will also make it easier for you to get an overview of which foods you pay extra attention to once you’ve achieved your weight loss goals, and want to maintain your new weight.

Avoid Carbohydrates, When You Combine Nupo and Dinner

If you do choose to eat Nupo and dinner together, the main rule to follow is to avoid carbohydrates. Consuming carbs will result in you being unable to enter ketosis.

Also read: What is Ketosis? 

Carbs are found in all grain products – e.g. pasta and bread – which otherwise can be great sources of minerals and fiber, but during weight, loss bread contains more carbs than you’d like. Avoid legumes such as peas, anything that contains sugar, and baked root vegetables – e.g. potatoes, parsley, parsnips, and carrots. Raw carrots can be eaten, yet baked carrots have a high glycaemic index and will disrupt ketosis and your blood sugar.

Are Approx. 800 kcal a Day Enough?

Yes. The energy you need is already stored in your fat reserves. Your body has been saving this fat for a day when you would be in a caloric deficit – and that day could be today! However, it does take a few days on a pure Nupo Diet before you feel your body starting to use this energy. When the body switches from using carbs as its primary energy source to instead using fat, you may experience a dip in energy.

Also read: The first week of The Nupo Diet – what to expect?

I Have Read and Heard That 700kcal Is Not Healthy

If you are eating regular food, then that’s correct. It would not be healthy to experience such a drastic energy deficit, as you simply wouldn’t have the required nutritional profile when eating regular food for under 1300 kcal. Yet with Nupo you’ll get all the nutrients required from the six shakes each day, and as such you have nothing to be nervous about!

Can’t I Just Take Vitamins Instead?

No. It’s not just the essential vitamins and minerals that create the optimal conditions for weight loss. It’s also the essential fatty acids, fiber, and proteins that won’t be covered by vitamin pills.

Can I Replace 1-2 Diet Shakes With a One Meal Bar or One Meal Ready-Made Drink?

No. Nupo Diet is a complete meal replacement, which Nupo One Meal is a single meal replacement.
One Meal bars and ready-made drinks are intended for after the Nupo Diet and when you are transitioning back to “regular food”, where many find it difficult to keep track of their caloric intake. One Meal can replace 1-2 of your three main meals and makes sure that the body receives everything it needs in one meal for approx. 200 kcal per meal. Since One Meal is intended for after your weight loss, they contain more carbs than Nupo Diet. That’s why if you use One Meal as a replacement for Diet, you will never enter ketosis. Ketosis isn’t required for weight loss – but it does make it happen a lot quicker. On top of that, ketosis creates satiety and helps you feel fuller more often, which is worth its weight in gold.
A single One Meal equals two Diet Shakes, in relation to calories, yet in regard to nutritional value, these two can not replace one another.

3 Tips If You Combine Nupo with Dinner

  1. Try to satisfy your hunger before your dinner so you don’t overeat – for example, you could drink a Diet Shake about 30 minutes before dinner, or take two Slim Boost – Fill My Tummy capsules approx. 30 minutes before your meal, so that you feel fuller beforehand.
  2. Avoid eating carbohydrates.
  3. Drink plenty of water with your meals. During a diet, the body will release waste chemicals and accumulated toxins. This needs to be rinsed out of the body, which is done with lots of calorie-free fluids.
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Low-calorie summer temptations

Low-calorie summer temptations

Meet summer with all its temptations – without compromising on your calorie intake. Quick and easy low calorie treats like milkshakes, frappé, popsicles and ice cream.

Traditional Frappé vs. Nupo Diet Caffe Latte

Calories in traditional Frappé: 422 kcal
Calories in Nupo Diet Shake – Caffe Latte: 114 kcal

How to:

Pour 250 ml. cold water in your shaker, add one sachet Nupo Diet Shake – Caffe Latte and 4-5 ice cubes.
Shake together well, pour into a glass, smile and enjoy with a straw – knowing that while you drink this coffee-pleasure, you are providing your body with essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibres and essential fatty acids – with zero excess calories.

Alternative:

You can also use Nupo One Meal +Prime – Caffe Latte Happiness
Pour your ready-to-drink shake into a blender with 3-4 ice cubes and blend to form a milkshake-like consistency.
Calories in alternative Frappé using One Meal +Prime: 206 kcal

TIP!

Replace a bit of water with a cool espresso shot or strong instant coffee, for a less sweet and more prominent coffee taste.
Change 250 ml. water out with 200 ml. water and a half dl. strong coffee and follow the directions above. You can also make ice cubes from coffee.

Traditional Milkshake vs. Nupo Diet with coconut

Calories in traditional Milkshake: 316 kcal
Calories in Milkshake made of Nupo Diet Shake – Strawberry with berries and coconut milk: 183 kcal

How to:

Pour 100 ml. cold water and 100 ml. light coconut milk in your shaker, add one sachet Nupo Diet Shake – Strawberry (or any other of your favourite Nupo Diet Shake) and 2 ice cubes. Shake well and pour the shake into a blender and add 4-5 frozen or fresh strawberries. Blend well, pour into a glass and enjoy with a straw.

Alternative:

You can also use Nupo One Meal +Prime – Strawberry Love
Pour your ready-to-drink shake into a blender with 2 ice cubes and 4-5 frozen or fresh strawberries, blend to form a milkshake-like consistency. Calories in alternative  Milkshake using One Meal +Prime: 206 kcal

TIP!

Use for example fresh mint leaves or lemon balm, and blend in, for a little edge and change. The fresh herbs will add a little extra for taste – and eye. How much depends on your tastebuds. Try with 6-7 leaves to start and see what you think. Mint leaves in the Chocolate Flavour, will also give a refreshing chocolate-minty taste.

Traditional popsicle vs. Nupo Diet with fresh fruit

Calories in a traditional popsicle: 145 kcal
Calories in popsicle made from of Nupo Diet Shake – Blueberry Raspberry and fresh blueberries: 34 kcal

How to:

Pour 300 ml. water in your shaker, add one sachet Nupo Diet Shake – Blueberry Raspberry (or any other of your favourite Nupo Diet Shake). Shake well and pour the shake into a blender and add a small handful of fresh or frozen blueberries, and give it a short blend (berries should not be entirely blended out). Pour the content into three containers – ice tray or form, small cups or what you have at hand in the kitchen) and place in the freezer. After approx 30 min. place a stick into each popsicle.

TIP!

Use for example fresh mint leaves or lemon balm, and blend in, for a little edge and change. The fresh herbs will add a little extra for taste – and eye.

Traditional Ice cream vs. ice cream made from Nupo One Meal +Prime

Calories in traditional ice cream on a stick: 224 kcal
Calories in ice cream made of One Meal +Prime Shakes: 61 kcal

How to:

Take your favourite One Meal +Prime Shake, and an ice form, and pour the form halfway up, and place the form into the freezer. After approx 30 min. take out the tray and pour your second favourite shake into the form, as well as placing a stick into each ice cream, place back into the freezer until frozen.

We used One Meal +Prime Shake – Chocolate Bliss and One Meal +Prime Shake – Caffe Latte Happiness to make the delicious ice creams on the right picture below, and  One Meal +Prime Shake – Strawberry Love and One Meal +Prime Shake – Vanilla Banana Dream to make the lovely and refreshing ice creams you see on the left picture below.

MORE INSPIRATION

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Can Your Metabolism stop moving? How the Metabolism Works

You have probably heard people say things like “It’s not healthy to lose weight too fast, as it’ll make your metabolism stall” or “Your body will go into survival mode” and such. These statements are neither completely true nor false. Let’s start by getting one thing out of the way first. The rate you burn calories will never just stall.

What is the Metabolism?

Metabolism is a term that collectively describes how your body converts and uses energy.
There’s a difference when talking about metabolic hormones, and metabolism in general – the latter referring to your body’s ability to burn energy.
Most people have probably heard, or even thought themselves “I’m overweight because I have a low metabolism” or “You can eat anything you want without gaining weight! You must have a high metabolism.” Metabolism is often referred to as a part of our biological make-up that regulates how fast or how slow we burn calories. But the metabolism is so much more than that. Metabolism is all chemical reactions that occur in the body; all the hormones, brain cells, intestinal cells, and fat cells that regulate our health, aging process, body weight, and how we burn calories.

When we talk about having a high or low metabolism – or when we talk about something being wrong with the metabolism, it’s usually in relation to imbalances in the regulation of thyroid hormones; a metabolic disease. If you think you might have a metabolic disease you should see your doctor, as such a disease can influence many aspects of your body.
Even though you feel like you gain weight as soon as you even look at a piece of cake, it’s quite rare that this has anything to do with the metabolic disease – or an imbalance in your metabolism.

How the Metabolism Works

The human metabolism consists of three parts, which all have an influence on your body’s energy conversion.

1. Resting Metabolic Rate/Basal Metabolic Rate

We can call this our “idle energy consumption”. This is the amount of energy your body needs to stay alive when you are idle or resting. The resting metabolism is affected by age, gender, and body weight, as well as how these aspects relate to your genes. The resting metabolism normally amounts to approx. 50-70% of the total calories your body burns.

2. Food-Induced Metabolism

The energy your body uses to metabolize the food you consume. How much energy is used is dependent on what you consume. There are some foods that the body uses more energy to convert than others (e.g. proteins), while others require almost no energy to metabolize (e.g. refined sugar)

3. Physical Activity Level

This is the part that varies most depending on activeness. A carpenter or tradesperson would, for example, burn a lot more calories than someone working in an office, as the former spend the day doing hard physical labor. Yet all activity increases the number of calories burned. Even small things like tapping on your desk with your fingers while you’re waiting for something. The more you move, the more calories you burn. Depending on how active you are throughout a day, your physical activity accounts for approx. 20-40% of the total amount of calories burned that day.

If you consume more energy than you use, then your body will store this excess energy in your fat reserves to be used later; i.e. you gain weight. This is known as a caloric surplus. If you consume fewer calories than you use, your body will take from your fat stores; i.e. you’ll lose weight. This is known as a caloric deficit. To maintain a normal weight, you must maintain an energy balance. This means that you must consume about the same amount of energy that your body uses.

Can Your Metabolism “Stall”?

During weight loss, there will undoubtedly be some metabolic changes. That said, people’s understanding of the metabolic process isn’t always in line with reality. Even under conditions where the body experiences extremely low energy consumption (and as such quick weight loss), such as on a VLCD (Very low-calorie diet) like the Nupo Diet, the body’s metabolism will never “stall”. Back in 1945, there were studies conducted where a group of 32 men was subjected to a calorie deficit of 55% (approx. 1500 daily calories). Simply put, they had their normal calorie intake halved for a period of 24 weeks. When the experiment concluded, all the participants had, on average, reduced their body weight by 25%, and their body far percentage had fallen to 5%. Additionally, the studies showed no signs that their metabolism had stalled, and there were no signs of their bodies entering any sort of “survival mode”.

Read more: what is the Nupo Diet?

But then why is it that you might have a hard time losing weight, even if you are consuming few calories and maybe even being physically active every day? It’s usually a combination of three things:

Change in Body Weight

When you lose weight, you won’t be moving around as much mass as did before your weight loss. As such, you won’t be burning as many calories doing the same daily activities and workouts as you did previously. With a reduced mass, your body now requires fewer resources to keep your body running. Therefore, it’s important to adjust your calorie intake and physical activity to maintain your weight loss.
You’ll need to consume fewer calories and maintain your energy balance.

You are Subconsciously Doing Less

After a longer period on a tight diet, experiencing weight loss, and reducing your calorie consumption, it’s completely normal to feel worn out. Maybe you’ve even started working out. Perhaps you’ve doubled your cardio over the last 4-6 months, and maybe you’ve reduced your daily calorie count by 500-1000. Despite feeling like you are doing more, your total physical activity may have dropped. NEAT(Non-exercise activity thermogenesis) is everything that you do outside of the gym; going to work, fetching coffee, cleaning, grocery shopping, walking the dog, laundry, etc., and if you are far along on your weight loss journey, you will probably be subconsciously less active – regardless if you are working out at the same time. Your net gain regarding your physical activity outside of the gym (NEAT) will therefore fall drastically. This type of physical activity, as mentioned earlier, accounts for between 20-40% of your total energy consumption, which means this is one of the factors to keep an eye on. A step counter can be a great tool here.

Adjustments in Your Metabolism

As we covered earlier, your metabolism can’t “stall”. But it can certainly adapt to low energy consumption and high activity levels. The quicker you lose weight, the quicker these adjustments will take place. Your body will become more and more effective when converting and using the energy you need, and you will often see major hormonal changes in people who are, or have been, in the process of losing a lot of weight. These adjustments are inevitable. You can use techniques to keep these adjustments down, yet these techniques include breaks from your diet and/or slower weight loss.
These three points are all related and it’s important to understand these processes when you have a greater weight loss goal in mind. Manipulating things like the aforementioned NEAT (your daily physical activity) can have very positive effects on your weight loss and can also ensure steady progression regarding your weight loss for a longer duration of time. Before you label yourself as someone with a “poor” or “slow” metabolism, think about the first two points, and consider what you are eating on a daily basis. We know that people aren’t always the best at guessing how much we eat, or self-tracking in general, so it’s always a good idea to set aside a few days where you write down everything you eat and drink, and how much. Not for the sake of others, but for your own sake. You are probably eating vastly more than you think.

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Keeping up motivation

How to keep up the motivation

Most people know the feeling of being motivated to start a lifestyle change. Then suddenly the motivation disappears and the project seems unmanageable. It is the wrong time. You are stressed. You have a thousand other things you need to attend to, so this will have to wait. You accidentally ate something yesterday, which you had otherwise agreed with yourself that you should not – and now it feels like everything is ruined.

There may be several reasons why we suddenly give up. One reason may also be that we set too high expectations for our own ability. When our goals become too obscure and seem too far away, we may lose the belief that we can complete the project. Therefore, realistic goals are important. Giving yourself a reward when you reach a partial goal can be a great help. For example, a reward can be in the form of a manicure or giving yourself a new clothe-item – or training pants. But be aware! If you are in a weight loss cause, you may have a tendency to reward yourself with food. If you recognize this, have a focus on not rewarding yourself with the habit you are working to change!

In order for the weight loss project to be successful, one must necessarily change some habits. When you change habits, you change something that otherwise fitted into your life. Leaving one’s comfort zone is rarely easy, but in many cases, it is necessary to reach your goal.

Sometimes it can be an advantage if the project is carried out together with somebody else. You can talk together about the process, the ups, and the downs, and motivate each other on difficult days. If you don’t know anybody who is willing to change their habits like you are, you can team up with a good friend who you trust, and arrange for you to meet once a week, to measure your goals. It can help to feel “accountable” toward someone. Seeking professional help can also be an advantage – for example, if you are going to be physically active, it may be an advantage for you to consult with, for example, a physical therapist or a personal trainer. Ally with someone who can help maintain your motivation and get back on track if you have lost motivation – and remind yourself why you want to achieve your goal.

Top 10 keys to motivation

1. Own your successes!

Be aware and take ownership of what you have already achieved. A good day will never return badly.

2. Involve family and friends

Tell your loved ones about your weight loss plans. Also, tell them when you have achieved one of your sub-goals. It greatly helps the motivation to have others cheering you on.

3. Kill the negative thoughts!

You can do this! Be positive and do not drown yourself in negative thoughts about how you may not succeed. Of course, you will! Decide, commit and brag about your results!

4. Set realistic goals and sub-goals and reward yourself when you reach them.

Take one day at a time, in difficult periods. Just decide what you want to do today! Tomorrow is another thing – you will decide on that tonight. Small goals, which can be the number on the weight, the fact that you got through the day, or a pair of jeans that you want to get back into.

5. Ally you with a friend

Motivating each other can be a huge help – also on days where your alter-ego wants to stuff your mouth with chocolate and sweets because you have a bad day.

6. Make sure you have purchased what you need for your Diet and never go shopping when hungry!

The less you have to think about, and the less you have to do to get through the day, the better.

7. Decide for a weekly weigh/measure day

Do the weight or measurement thing once a week. Try to find the motivation in the project rather than the number. Love the journey as much as you long for the goal.

8. If your weight is not down, make a diary of what you eat and drink.

If you are on the Nupo Diet, that is not necessary. You know you are in a calorie deficit and you know you are losing weight. Fluids in the body can occasionally result in the number on the weight standing still. If the number does not move – move your focus. For example to a measurement tape, or how many steps you have taken today (always aim for 10.000 steps per day.

9. Get plenty of night sleep

The magic in our bodies happens when we are asleep. A good night’s sleep gives energy, better mood and gives the body the best conditions for detoxing and embracing the changes and new and healthier habits.

10. Drink plenty of water

While the magic inside the body happens while you are asleep, it can only be so if you’re giving the body the needed conditions to make the magic happen. Water will help you detox and flush out all the accumulated toxins. Water has countless advantages! Drink it. Preferably 2-3 Liters per day during a weight loss.

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The first week of the Nupo Diet – what to expect?

What to expect from the first week of the Nupo Diet.

“Is that normal?”

During the first week of the Nupo Diet, it is perfectly normal to experience some “side effects”.

How much or how little you notice of these depends on which lifestyle you come from. The symptoms, or side effects, you experience make themselves applicable to any strict diet and are therefore not conditional on the Nupo Diet per se. Below we have listed the most frequent “side effects” of a diet. If you have other experiences that you would like to know more about or inquire about, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service.

Headache

If you are used to consuming a certain amount of sugar and from one day to the next, stop it, headache is an almost inevitable side effect as the body responds to the reduced sugar intake. The headache is thus a sign that the body does not get the sugar it is used to. The headache disappears within a relatively short time when your body gets used to being on the Nupo Diet and does not have that hunger for sugary foods. If you make sure you get approx. 300 ml of water with each of your 6 Nupo Diet products a day – and in addition, drink 2-3 liters of calorie-free liquid, there should be nothing to worry about. If necessary, take a headache pill, but there may also be something in “surviving” the headache and knowing that it is the body detoxing.

Dizziness and coldness

If you have been used to consuming 2500-3000 kcal daily and suddenly only provides the body approx. 700 kcal daily to achieve an energy deficit (and consequent weight loss), the body will respond, for example, expressed by dizziness or coldness.

As soon as the body gets used to the new conditions it changes. However, coldness can be something you experience for a longer period of time since you give your body less energy than before, your body needs more energy (from your stored fat depots) to keep you running. This may periodically mean that the body is trying to maintain its core temperature, now that the energy level is reduced and the body must prioritize the use of energy.

Fatigue and inattention

It is perfectly normal to feel more tired, sleepy, lethargic, and having difficulty concentrating the first week of an actual diet. The body has previously had an abundance of energy that is suddenly taken from it. During the period when the body goes from using carbohydrates as its primary source of energy to using stored fat depots as its primary source of energy, one is extra tired. As soon as the body goes into ketosis (fat burning) the energy will return and you will be clear in your head and be re-filled with energy.

You already have all the energy you need in your stored fat depots, but the body’s transition from one fuel source to another will undoubtedly consume a little of the surplus.

Also read: What is ketosis?

Hunger

Hunger is an inevitable part of rearranging one’s diet as much, as you will with a Nupo Diet. If you are overweight, you have given your body more energy than it was able to use, over a period of time. The stomach expands according to the amount of food consumed. Now that the stomach does not get the same amount of food as before, it will “ask for more” until it has become accustomed to the new and limited amount of food.

It usually does so within a week’s time. If the hunger is too hard for you, or demands a lot of your attention – or is directly uncomfortable, we recommend taking a diet supplement that gives you calorie-free satiety, such as Slim Boost – Fill My Tummy.
Water can also provide satiety. When your body achieves ketosis you will find that hunger disappears. Ketosis has the fantastic ability to give a natural feeling of satiety.

Frequent – or fewer – toilet visits

During the first week of the Nupo Diet, you presumably significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake in relation to the lifestyle you come from. It almost applies to everyone, whether you are overweight or just want to get rid of 5 vanity pounds. Carbohydrates bind fluid to the body – actually up to 3 times its own weight! Therefore, when carbohydrate intake is as limited as on the Nupo Diet, the body will let go of a lot of accumulated fluid. This means many pee-trips to the toilet – and a fantastic motivating result on the weight. But don’t be fooled. Losing up to 3 kg during the first week of the Nupo Diet is not unusual. But! Due to the many toilet visits, you may find that it is the fluid loss that has the credit for much of the weight loss in the first week.

In addition, you can expect a stomach that may “communicate” a little more rumble than you are used to. Again, it depends a lot on what lifestyle you come from. If you’ve been used to much dietary fiber in your diet, you may not notice much more than an extra fart during the day. If you have not been used to a lot of dietary fiber, you may experience almost thunderous rumbling from the stomach, air, and possibly an extra toilet visit or two – which is not necessarily the way it usually is. You can experience both diarrhea and constipation during a weight loss course as your body naturally is detoxing.

As soon as the stomach gets used to the many good dietary fibers, it all normalizes again. However, you must be aware – even at length – that you will visit the toilet less. 6 liquid meals a day is super healthy for the body as it absorbs nutrients from the liquid diet much better. We humans rarely chew the food so thoroughly that the body can fully benefit from the nutrition that is in our food. When the food is liquid, the body gets the best conditions to absorb nutrients. But what is left in the intestinal system is sparse and you should, therefore, expect less of these “daily breaks” during your diet.

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How much weight can I lose with Nupo Diet?

How much can you expect to lose with Nupo? It is obvious that this is a primary question, when considering a diet. However, it is also one of the hardest questions to answer, as the amount, and the rate we lose that amount, is very individual.

However, to give an indication, you will typically – after 8 weeks – lose around 10-15% of your starting weight, if you follow the Nupo diet without deviation with 6 sachets per day – and nothing else, but plenty of calorie free liquid. Following this will increase the speed of your results, and fast results are for many equal an increase in the motivation to continue.

NUPO’S WEIGHT LOSS CALCULATOR

Weight loss is simply about providing your body with fewer calories than it actually needs. With Nupo’s weight loss calculator, you get an indication and estimation on how many days it will take for you to achieve your desired weight loss goal with Nupo, or with another type of diet, which provides you with a daily calorie intake of approx. 700 calories. The calculation is based on the 35+ clinical studies that is behind Nupo Diet. For some it goes fast, and for some it goes a little slower – the results are as unique as we are as people.

What have you got to lose?

Estimate how many days it will take to achieve your desired weight loss with Nupo Diet. Read the guidelines here.

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What is a VLCD diet?

VLCD stands for Very Low Calorie Diet. A VLCD diet is characterized by the amount of calories that is consumed per day, which usually is between 600-1200 calories a day. With Nupo Diet, you get approx. 700 calories per day.

Read more about Nupo Diet here.

Calculate your weight loss with Nupo

There is not a concrete formular that shows you exactly how much you can lose with Nupo. However, there are some “rule of thumbs”, which can provide you with a decent indication on what you can expect. The following calculation is therefore not complete precise, but gives you an estimation of what you can expect if you choose Nupo.

To maintain your weight, it is crucial to be in an energy balance. This means that you eat the same of amount energy that your body uses. Therefore, weight gain is due to an indifference in the energy balance, where you consume more energy than your body needs, and the opposite happens when you use more energy than you eat – you will lose weight. How much energy you need per day depends on your metabolism that consist of:

1) Resting metabolic rate

The energy your body needs to keep itself alive, when you are in a relaxing state. This is primarily the energy that your body uses to breath and make your heart beat.

2) Energy conversion

The energy your body needs to transform the food you are eating. Some foods demand more energy from the body to transform (e.g. proteins), and other foods is fairly easy for the body to transform (e.g. simpel carbohydrates such as white bread and potatoes).

3) Physical activity level

Your resting metabolic rate is behind approx. 50-70% of what your body burns, while being physical activity is approx. 20-40%.

The average woman needs approx. 2000 calories per day to maintain an energy balance, while the average man needs approx. 2500 calories. This may deviate a little, however it is not a considerable amount from person to person. The body works different and reacts different to changes – but we can estimate an expected weight loss by following calculation.

Expected weight loss with Nupo Diet

For an average female:

Intake: approx. 700 calories per day.
Calorie deficit: 1300 calories  (1300 x 7 days = 9100)
Calorie deficit per week: 9100 calories.
1 kg. fat tissue is 7000 calories (9100 divided by 7000)
Expected weight loss per week: 1.3 kg.

For an average male:

Intake: approx. 700 calories per day.
Calorie deficit: 1800 calories  (1800 x 7 days = 12600)
Calorie deficit per week: 12600 calories.
1 kg. fat tissue is 7000 calories (12600 divided by 7000)
Expected weight loss per week: 1.8 kg.

Weight loss with a normal, healthy diet

With a healthy and energy restricted diet, it is nearly impossible to cover all the body’s basic nutritional requirements and be in a significant energy deficit at the same time. Therefore, you will undeniably consume more calories with a normal diet. The average female needs approx. 1200 calories per day, to provide their body with something to live of.

Calculation of weight loss with a normal, energy restricted diet – for an average female

Intake: approx. 1200 calories daily
Calorie deficit per day: = 800 calories (800 x 7 days = 5600)
Calorie deficit per week: 5600 calories.
1 kg. fat tissue is 7000 kcal (5600 divided by 7000)
Expected weight loss per week: 0.8 kg.

Expectations and results with Nupo within a period of 8 weeks

The clinical studies show, as aforementioned, that it is possible, with an 8 week period, to lose approx. 10-15% of your starting weight.

A female that weighs 75 kg will, in 8 weeks, be expected to lose approx. 7.5-11 kg. by replacing her diet with Nupo Diet – and therefore end on a weight that is approx. 64-67.5 kg.

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Lose weight after your pregnancy

It is completely natural to gain weight when you are going through a pregnancy. On average, normal-weight women in Denmark gain about 12-15 kilos during their pregnancy.

The extra kilos come from different areas of the pregnancy: 3,5 kilos is the baby, 2 kilos are the amniotic fluid, 2 kilos are an increase in breasts and uterus, 3 kilos are extra water in the body, and the last 1,5 kilos are an increase in fat. If you gain more than 12 kilos, it is probably due to an increase in the amount of fat than the normal 1,5 kilos. However, it is important to emphasize that the weight gained, and the distribution of it varies from person to person.

You have probably heard that you should “eat for two” during pregnancy, but your calorie need is actually only increased by 200-300 calories per day – that is approximately a slice of rye bread with 5 grams of butter and two slices of cheese. Advice would be that it is easier to prevent a bigger weight gain, while you are pregnant than losing the excess weight afterward.

When your pregnancy is over, and you are dying to get back into your favorite pants, it is not recommended that you begin a strict diet if you are still breastfeeding, as your calorie needs are increased by approximately 600 calories per day. For most breastfeeding women, the deposits gained during the pregnancy can handle this extra calorie need. Naturally, this means that you will most likely lose weight at a slow and steady pace if you a normal, healthy diet. After the birth, and while you breastfeed, it is ideal to implement some physical activity by long walks with the baby carriage.

When you are done breastfeeding, you can – in good conscience – begin losing the last kilos. As in all weight loss programs, it is essential that you are in a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight. For example, increase the number of vegetables and fruits in your diet, can cut down on carbohydrate sources such as rice, pasta, (white)bread, and potatoes. If you replace your carbohydrates with vegetables, you will automatically lower the number of calories, as vegetables often have a far lower carbohydrate content than aforementioned.

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Hormones and overweight

Many people that struggle with excess weight, often have issues when it comes to achieving an efficient weight loss. This can be due to illness, or to a lack of thyroid hormones from the thyroid. If you experience a larger increase in your weight, without any changes to your physical activity or calorie intake, it might be due to an underactive thyroid. Around 6% of women are treated for an underactive thyroid, and needs lifelong treatment through medication

The symptoms could be tiredness, changes in the hair’s structure or look dry skin, soreness in muscles and joints, poor ability to tolerate cold and slow reflexes.

If you have an underactive thyroid that affects your weight loss, you must understand that it is not impossible to lose weight, but it might take a bit longer and usual – as always, it is important to remain motivated, and never give up! If you consider Nupo’s VLCD diet, it might be beneficial to see a doctor beforehand. In addition, if you want to lose weight with a regular, healthy diet, I recommend seeing a dietitian first, as you need to make sure that you get all the essential nutrients while maintaining a calorie deficit.

An overweight person, with hypothyroidism, has the same conditions as an overweight person without any health challenges – you need a calorie deficit to lose weight, without it you will be having trouble losing weight efficiently. Moreover, most important is to change your eating habits after a completed diet, to avoid going back to the old habits that resulted in the overweight in the first place.

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The road to a lasting weight loss

Most people, who have been through a weight loss, end up gaining a few kilos afterward – and some even gain more weight than they lost in the first place. It can be extremely difficult to maintain a new lifestyle that is needed after a finished weight loss when you have achieved the weight loss you wished for.

I usually say that weight loss has no end date, as it is a constant battle to maintain a new lifestyle, and keep healthy habits and get rid of the unhealthy, old habits. Often we wish to lose some weight before a certain event, for example; weddings, but it is certainly just as important to remember the lifestyle after the weight loss.

It is not everybody that can lose weight with the correct tools and guidance. As the biggest obstacle first shows itself after the weight loss has been achieved. Many people have issues getting back on track if they have been on a vacation where the diet and activity level have been different from their everyday. Therefore, an essential part of the guidance in weight loss, if to learn the right portion sizes, and which foods should be avoided completely.

It is all about two things, (1) be aware of your calorie balance: maintain a calorie deficit and (2) never let go of the new, healthy lifestyle – make it a routine. The new habits, gained during weight loss, need to be implemented in your every day for the rest of your life. It is all about keeping a balance, if you choose to eat a piece of cake, or some other sweets, you need to prepare yourself, to give up on something else in your diet. Sweets and other snacks that are eaten between meals might be the reason that your weight loss is not as significant as you have wanted.