Weightloss... where to begin? There is a lot of information out there and many people offering quick fixes or cheats. But do any of them actually work? Are they necessary? Or can we truly just eat well and exercise?
The truth is that weight loss is a fairly simple process, it should not be difficult to achieve or to maintain. What I'd like to do today is offer you some quick tips to get you started. At the bottom of this article you'll find the basics for successful and sustainable weight loss - this will work every time in a healthy body.
However, if you're already doing these things and not seeing results, something is not working! It's time to take that next step and figure out what pathway is blocked which is inhibiting your body from breaking down bodyfat. It may be that you need to detox, maybe there are some food intolerances or even nutrient deficiencies causing thyroid dysfunction - whatever it is, there are simple tests available that offer quick and accurate information to get you back on track quickly.
If you are struggling to lose weight despite doing all the right things, click here to book in for a comprehensive health assessment. We'll delve deeper and determine the next step for us to find what your body needs to achieve a healthy weight in the simplest and healthiest way possible.
Step 1: Begin keeping a diet diary. For this you can use an app such as myfitnesspal or mynetdiary / use your smartphone to take a photo of everything you eat / simply write it down. This is really helpful to accurately assess your current eating patterns. Most people find when keeping a record that they eat much more than they had realised - each of those little snacks, sweet treats or extra serves must be accounted for.
Step 2: Now that you have a good idea of what you are eating each day, look for ways to improve this slightly. Aiming to reduce empty calories, refined carbohydrates and sugars is always a great start. You can do this easily with very simple substitutions. Did you know for example that 100g of rice contains 32g of Carbohydrates and 2g of protein, equivalent quinoa contains 15g of Carbs with 4g of protein - this is a very smart switch.
Even better, when you're looking for a lighter meal, substituting with cauliflower "rice" will offer only 2g of carbohydrates and 2g of protein, yet it is an incredibly powerful liver cleanser and a real Nutritional powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Here's what Dr Mercola has to say about Cauliflower: "One serving of cauliflowercontains 77 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C. It's also a good source of vitamin K, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, fiber, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, and manganese." Pretty impressive huh! Definitely worth considering.
Step 3: Exercise! Without exercise your results may be slow and unimpressive. You will lose weight, your skin will clear up and you will feel more energetic - but without exercise your body is inefficient. Exercising not only burns calories and builds lean muscle, it also improves your body's overall efficiency. For example: a daily healthy bowel movement (essential for steady weight loss) is almost impossible without regular abdominal muscle movement - one of the reasons why you're generally all backed up after a long flight or weekend on the couch. Exercise also improves your blood sugar regulation, promotes detoxification, improves mood, actively increases the body's ability to produce melatonin (therefore improving sleep) and serotonin (therefore reducing cravings for sugar and caffeine). I recommend doing some form of exercise every second day at minimum - it doesn't matter what type, just get moving. Pick something you enjoy and begin with that - you can move on to more intensive or effective methods once you're enjoying exercising again. Next week's blog will delve into this further.
Step 4: Balance your meals! Now that you're exercising, your appetite will increase. Load up on the good things and you'll still achieve great success. Refuel incorrectly and you'll find yourself either hungry, tired or gaining weight. A good rule of thumb is that each meal should contain a protein source the size and thickness of your palm, 3 handfuls of vegetables (mostly greens) and no more than a fist size portion of healthy carbohydrates such as brown rice/quinoa/potato/pumpkin. Try to include some protein snacks too such as rice crackers with almond butter / raw nuts etc. Keep your fruit to no more than 2 portions per day for best results.
Step 5: Reasess - now it's time to assess your progress. Are you losing weight -particularly around the middle? Are you feeling more energetic? Are you sleeping better? Are the whites of your eyes glowing white rather than bloodshot? Are the bags under your eyes clearing up? If the answer to any of these questions is no then it's time to be assessed by a professional. If 2-3 weeks of exercise and healthy eating is not producing results, you are likely to find this journey slow and ineffective. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are many assessments which can help to provide a more clear path which will produce more guaranteed results - don't struggle alone unecessarily. Help is available!
At Sydney City Nutritionist we love to make your weight loss journey a happy and success-filled one. We want you to be constantly achieving and will help you to set small achievable goals and provide the support to ensure you have every opportunity to achieve and maintain your weight loss.
If you or someone you know is struggling to lose weight, get in touch today so we can book a comprehensive nutritional assessment to determine the most appropriate steps.
Until next time, stay deliciously healthy.
Jennifer May Adv.Dip.Nut.Med.ATMS.MINDD