Another weight loss blog post? *yawn*

Well it kind of is, yes, but what I really want to do is be real with you and offer advice that is perhaps different from the norm, and most of all that works. I obviously don’t know you and your body, what you’ve tried and what you haven’t, and what will work perfectly for YOU in particular. However, I can say that a great many people have lost weight by incorporating a few (or ideally, all) of the tips below.

You may or may not have the desire to lose weight, but regardless, following these tips will help make you healthier and feel better, period. And who doesn’t want that?!

See, having a healthy weight is simply a result of systems working efficiently and with ease in your body. Keep in mind that I say “simply” lightly, and am not implying that it is simple to bring yourself to a healthy weight… because it usually isn’t. That’s not to say that it’s not doable, because it absolutely is, but it does require some hard work and determination.

I’m being real with you, remember?

So if you’re ready, let’s dive in!

1. EAT 3 meals a day.
   I’ve highlighted the word EAT because I’m emphasizing the fact that first off, you should be eating 3 meals a day and not skipping any. This will keep your metabolism running smoothly and give you a steady supply of energy throughout the day (and hello, nourishment, period!). You’ll be less likely to crave junk because you’ll be avoiding blood sugar dips, and your bod will be more satisfied physically, mentally, and emotionally.

   Now isn’t that fun? The first thing I’ve told you to do is to eat more rather than less. Losing weight isn’t about starving yourself… far from it, in fact. We must get enough nourishment from each meal in order for our bodies to run properly and stay fuelled throughout the day.

2. Don’t snack.
   You may have read about why I stopped snacking, but either way I’ll give you a short explanation here. Every time you eat, your pancreas secretes insulin in order to shuttle glucose from your bloodstream into your cells, where it can be burned for energy. The more often your cells are exposed to insulin (which is pretty much every time you eat), the more likely they are to become resistant to it… meaning glucose is no longer getting into the cell properly to give us energy.

   The result? We feel tired and low in energy. What’s more, the glucose has to go somewhere, so insulin helps to convert it into fat, to be stored in our body for later use. Nice, right?

   Um, not exactly.

   So, we want to give our insulin less of an opportunity to work as a fat-storing hormone and more of a chance of being the fat-burning hormone that it was born to be. Keep in mind that we can only ever be in one mode at any given time: fat-storing mode or fat-burning mode… which do you want to be in?

   That’s what I thought.

   Side note: If you are hungry in between meals, then you should have a small snack (think a boiled egg, handful of nuts, or a few slices of raw cheese). But the goal is to have a satisfying enough meal that holds us over and gives us steady energy right into our next meal so we don’t have to snack. Which brings me to my next point…

3. Include protein and fat in each meal.
   These help to slow the release of carbs into our bloodstream, helping to prevent blood sugar spikes and also giving us steady energy, rather than a rush followed by a crash. Protein includes meat, eggs, fish, beans, lentils, peas, quinoa, brown rice, nuts, seeds, nut and seed butters, protein powder, and dairy products like full-fat plain yogurt or raw cheese. Sources of fat include eggs, fish, oils, butter, nuts, seeds, and avocado.
4. Reduce sugar and other carbs.
   Sorry. It’s a real thing. However, I always like to remind people that I’m a human being too, nutritionist and all. So sometimes I eat things that aren’t really going to help me become healthier, and if I kept eating them, I’d be going in the wrong direction nutritionally. Thus, I don’t have them all day every day, but they do happen on occasion.

   And oh, do I let myself enjoy them.

   Even though less-than-ideal foods will happen sometimes, the goal is to eat healthily MOST of the time. You see, sugar and carb-y foods (pasta, crackers, chips, bread, and so on… even those crunchy rice crackers and rice chips) cause a blood sugar spike, which leads to an insulin spike… and you now know that that ain’t a good thing! (see #2)

   There’s also that one other itty bitty fact when it comes to sugar: it’s addictive. Yup, I’ve felt it, I’m sure you’ve felt it… just about darn near everybody has experienced its nasty effects. And the more pull we feel toward a food (or in this case, ingredient which is in so MANY foods), the way worse off we are in terms of maintaining health and working toward our goals.

5. Get moving.
   *ugh*

   Was that your reaction? I hope not, but if it was, fret not, my friend. Working out doesn’t have to be crazy; in fact, a 20-minute walk daily, or every other day, for that matter, is amazing! Start with something simple like that and make it a habit (this is key) so that it just becomes a part of your life.

   Working on muscle strength (think light weights, sit-ups, pushups, squats, lunges) is actually better for weight loss than cardio is, although the latter is important too. Warm up for about 5 minutes, spend 15-20 minutes on muscle strength, 10-20 minutes on cardio (a brisk walk works), and then cool down and stretch.

   It is SO great to enlist a workout buddy so you can hold one another accountable… you wouldn’t want to let your friend down, would you? It really does make it easier to stick with it and solidify the habit. And, put your workout time in your calendar! It is just as important as your other appointments, so give it the prioritization it deserves.

If you follow one of these tips, amazeballs! If you follow ALL of them, well you are a freakin’ star. (Okay, you’re a star either way, but holy cow, you!)

Either way, do start however works best for you. Some people need to introduce new lifestyle changes slowly, and others want to go all out and Do. It. Up.

Whatever your jam, I’m totally here for you. Please leave a comment below with which tip is your favourite and is the one you’re going to focus on first.

Can’t wait to hear from you!