As a Holistic Health & Lifestyle Educator/Promoter, I often hear time and time again from people who have started a weight loss program on their own but did not continue long enough to see their desired results. In some cases, they lose some or all of the weight but are unable to keep it off and don’t know why. The question remains, how is that possible they say? There are no simple answers to any weight-oriented question, for each and every one of us is different. However, one thing is for certain and needs to be congratulated, these individuals have decided to leave the contemplation stage of change and something to take action, they had an intention to make positive changes in their lives, they then acted on it and then had a relapse. This means these individuals went back to their old ways of doing things and had some sort of negative self-talk creep in their heads telling them that what was being done was impossible, wrong, or something along those lines and they believed it and stopped doing what they had set out to achieve. Their intentions fell by the wayside and they felt as if all was lost and can't be attained, but there is no truth in that defeated mentality talk and there is no time for a pity party.
You see, if you want something different, you are going to have to try something different, this is something I have to often remind myself, as well as my clients and strangers to adhere to lifestyle change. Instead of trying to diet for a short period of time; try to make lifestyle changes gradually that are reasonable and that are consistent, yet easy to stick with so that you do not feel as though you are missing out on certain foods that you know you should not be indulging in, but do love. In 2024, let’s try something different when it comes to shedding some pounds. Let’s start off by thinking differently, instead of depriving ourselves of everything we love to lose weight; let's find alternatives, eat less, drink more water and exercise, or take up a sport that will keep us active. Try having those things you love to eat on special occasions or once every other month or quarter, if you can handle it without setting yourself up for total failure. Commit to making a lifestyle change, not just some 1 to 3-month program and then you go back to where you were before you started. Set the goal to keep at it for 6 months and then a year so that things will feel more normal, instead of forced and so that you can see some serious differences. You must start somewhere and progress with new changes every week or month after implementing your new learning.
In this blog/newsletter, I will provide you with 18 ways to lose weight and keep the weight off if you want to. The great thing is that you can put this into practice today; yes, right now with little to no effort. Read through all 18 and start with as little as three, that you can begin to implement today and for the remainder of the week until you feel confident to add more. Here is your in, so jump on the bandwagon with great cheer. You Can Do It!
18 Tips to Shed Those Extra Pounds:
Drink more water: Hydration is the key to keeping bodily fluids such as blood flowing within the body. When the body is not properly hydrated, it is dehydrated and not functioning at its optimal level. Since our body is composed of mostly water 70%+ water is an imperative part of what is needed to sustain life’s functions. Water first thing in the morning helps to rev up the system so that elimination from previous meals can be released from the body. Make water your new drink of choice on this lifestyle change journey. Avoid sweet drinks other than those made from fresh juice. When out, ask for water, sparkling mineral water, water with lemon or lime, or herbal or green tea. Organic lemons are usually sweet enough to suffice. As your habits change, so will your taste buds, you won’t even miss the sugar. If you must have a sweetener, try stevia, xylitol, or maple syrup.
Food Diary: Keep a Diary of the foods you eat and how they make you feel for a month. The idea is to make you more conscious of what you are putting in your temple and how it is making you feel so you can decide to change or remain the same on what you know to be a fact of what some products are indeed doing to your body.
Mindful Eating: Eat only when you are hungry; not when you are stress. Drink some water when you feel like you want to grab for some food. Or get like Bug's Bunny (What’s up doc?) and grab a carrot or some celery sticks to snack on.
Consume Legumes & Nutrient Dense Foods: Eat more legumes like lentils and quinoa for your protein instead of meat. Quinoa is so versatile; you can make just about anything from it; such as pancakes, burgers, and crumbles but if you are not feeling crafty (Try The Beyond Burger, from Beyond Meat, you won't regret it for it has just as much and in some cases more protein than a beef burger.) You will not be losing out on any of your protein consumption here.
Get Organized & Plan: Plan your meals before you go to a restaurant if you are able. Always get your dressing on the side; no-brainer you say, but you are in control of how much dressing is on that salad so don’t overdo it with carelessness.
Keep Seasonings & Sauces Simple: Use Olive Oil and/or unrefined Sea Salt and Vinegar with Pepper if you like as dressing, instead of creamy dressings which are high in fat. Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) with mother is a great alternative dressing as well.
Minimize Dairy Consumption: Stay away from cheese and mayonnaise for they are guaranteed to help the scale move in the opposite direction of your desires. If you are lactose intolerant stay away from dairy completely for it is a culprit for many allergies and some diseases.
Eliminate Processed Foods: Eat more grilled and baked foods vs. fried food. Limit your intake of fried foods to 0% - 10% of your diet, for there is no health benefits to fried foods; none. Fried foods wreak havoc on your liver. The liver is a powerhouse organ that plays a vital role in keeping you healthy and functioning well. It helps to recycle garbage out of the body by acting as a filtration system.
No late Night Eating & Sleep: Stop eating 2 hours before bed time. Give your food some time to digest before hitting the sack.
Go to bed at a descent yet consistent time more often than not and make sure to get a good 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Yes good sleep can improve your metabolism. Adequate sleep helps regulate energy levels. When you're sleep-deprived, your body may crave more energy-dense foods (often high in sugars and unhealthy fats) to compensate for fatigue, impacting your metabolism.
Eating Out: When out with friends order off the appetizer menu for your meal. If you feel that you can’t find anything on that menu that suits you order off of the main menu and take half home or share with someone in your group to cut down on added calories. You are not required to finish the entire plate just because; you are trying to make some lifestyle changes here and this one will go a long way once you have mastered effectively how to eat outside of the home.
Know When You are Full: At the first sign of feeling full, stop eating. Don’t force yourself to take another bite, begin to drink some water that will soothe you and have you feeling completely full; some herbal tea is helpful too. Eat until you are 80% full so that you have room to move around and not feel lethargic. In Japan, this is called Hara Hachi Bu. 80% full is as if you are 100% full.
Eat less Bread. Simple carbohydrates are not bad, but white bread is not good and wheat bread is not fitting for all so limit your intake. If you have eaten bread every day before, now try once to three times a week. Cut back slowly if need be to give your body time to adjust.
Mind Your Desserts: Have Sorbet instead of ice cream. If you want ice cream, try dairy-free alternatives from brands like So Delicious, Oatly, Planet Oat, or NadaMoo, or better yet make your very own. Consume various natural fruits, eat a fruit salad or event have smoothie.
Eat More fruits & Veggies: Add more fruits and vegetables, but especially those high in fiber. Fiber is essential to help move waste through and out of your body. Your new lifestyle program needs to be one that is high in fiber, we do not want you to keep too much toxins inside. If you are not going every day, you are indeed constipated and that can’t feel good at all. Eating a diet full of fiber will help with relief in days if not instantly .
Cutdown on Fast foods: Limit your intake of chips and fast food places. (If you can’t see or pronounce the ingredients take caution.) Don't eat it unless they are special ethnic cuisine in languages you may be unfamiliar with.
Bowl Eating: Eat most meals in a bowl so that you can gauge exactly how much food you are consuming at one sitting. If you feel the need to eat out look for places that offer foods that are healthy and in a bowl no matter what eating program you are following. Check out Cava, Chipotle or something similar.
Walk Take a 30 to 45-minute walk 5 times a week and be consistent with this for a month if you really want to see some serious results. When you are ready and able make sure to jog and eventually run during the same time frame. As you progress in your lifestyle change journey, you will only get stronger and wiser in the process. If you are in a wheel chair, do a much as you can to move what you can at least 5x a week too.
Drink Your Nutrients: Incorporate a live green drink into your life for one meal a day, at least 3 times a week. An apple, lemon with greens, or a banana with greens (kale/parsley/spinach) are good enough to start you off on the right foot. Add some Moringa for it is full of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Try Matcha instead of coffee. Drinking your meals can be beneficial and less time-consuming than preparing them any other way.
Bonus* If you are having trouble developing or following a plan, seek out help from a knowledgeable Health Practitioner. Once you decide to commit to a healthy lifestyle change, obtain clearance from your Physician and then contact, consult, and hire a Certified/Licensed (Personal Trainer, Health Coach, Nutritionist, Registered Dietitian, etc.) someone who can educate you, listen to you, help you devise a sustainable plan and then hold you accountable to staying on the path to obtain your goals. Now is not the time to wear your feelings on your sleeves; it is the time to start improving your overall health; you have put it off long enough; it is a new year offering you new opportunities. If you are seeking help and are serious about making some positive changes? Contact us! One of our Behavior Change Specialist Professionals may be able to help. All messages are kept confidential; we are HIPPA compliant. We offer coaching in holistic health & well-being covering fitness, nutrition, behavior modification, stress, sleep, diabetes, personal and professional development, and more. Peruse the site to learn more or send an inquiry via the page or sign up for a session.
Conclusion:
Transform your body by trying one or all 18 tips to shed those extra pounds out for starters. You will notice a difference in your body contour in as little as a week or two when you make some simple changes. Life is too short not to live it happily, healthy, and vibrantly; you will notice how your shifts in your thinking, and attitude, along with some of these lifestyle changes will help decrease your pant(s) size and increase your energy, libido, strength, mood, sleep, and consciousness. It is time to welcome your new chapter of change with open arms. Ready?
Physical Activity Disclaimer:*Always consult with your Physician before starting any physical activity program. Starting a new program at a level/speed that you are not familiar with, can be a detriment to your desired goals if you are not in the right state emotionally, mentally, and/or physically.