Healthy Weight for Life
If you've ever been on a diet you know that losing weight can be hard but maintaining weight loss even harder. In fact 95% of dieters gain back the lost weight plus some.
There are so many diet trends out there - but rather than considering a diet, the real question should be "Do I want to be a healthy weight for life?" This moves our priority to managing our weight by making healthy lifestyle changes that you can do for life.
FOCUS ON THE BIG PICTURE (pardon the pun).
The goal is to feel great and have energy - which moves our focus from dieting to healthy habits that support wellbeing.
It's about making positive lifestyle changes:
- restoring the gut microbiome
- managing stress
- decreasing toxin exposure
- eat real food
- adequate hydration
- optimal sleep
- daily movement
There are numerous causes for that “hard to shift” weight:
Microbiome imbalance
Stress
Toxic load
Nutrition
- Processed foods with excess sugar, salt, fat, synthetic preservatives, additives, flavour enhancers, colours
- Nutrient deficiencies
- Inadequate protein
- Insufficient fibreThe force of habits
Emotional eating
Lack of sleep
Lack of exercise
Sugar Addiction
Mindset
1. Microbiome Imbalance
A cool study highlights how our gut bacterial balance can impact weight. Research was done on overweight and underweight mice. A fecal transplant (yes that's transferring poop) showed that transferring microbiota from obese to lean mice resulted in obesity, while the opposite is observed when transferring microbiota from lean mice to obese mice.
For successful weight loss and maintenance, one of the keys is gut microbiome balance.
2. Stress
The cortisol connection. Physical and emotional stress triggers the fight or flight hormone, cortisol - that directs blood flow to the muscles for action, so your body will hold onto fat reserves in case the muscles need extra energy to "fight or flee". Your body really is trying to protect you from that "threat" - real or perceived.
Additionally when under stress, your body will send cues for quick energy hits from sugar and refined carbs. That's really not helpful is it??
For successful weight loss and maintenance, one of the keys is to manage stress.
3. Toxic Load
Did you know that excess toxins are stored in fat cells?
Because the body wants to protect you it will "hide" toxins out of the bloodstream in fat cells to prevent damage to other organs.
The body won't breakdown fat cells and discharge toxins into the bloodstream if the toxic load in the bloodstream is already high.
This is simple math really...
Less toxins in = an easier path to weight loss and management.
By reducing the toxin load, your body senses less toxins in the bloodstream, so it can break down fat cells. It is important elimination pathways are working well to clear toxins from the body. Liver supplements can support your liver to clear toxins.
For successful weight loss and maintenance one of the keys is to reduce toxins from processed food, alcohol and environment.
4. Nutrition
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT! One of the reasons you may struggle to lose weight is that big food companies sabotage you! Many processed foods are developed to "bliss point", that is, enough sugar, salt, fat and flavour enhancers to make you want to keep eating more of and buying their product.
MSG is a widely used flavour additive in processed food. It is listed on the ingredient list as 621, 635, monosodium glutamate, MSG, or flavouring. It is used to increase palatability of food; however MSG switches off the hormone leptin in the brain - your satiety hormone which tells you that you have had enough to eat.
Studies show MSG has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, neurotoxicity and reproductive malfunctions and even low doses has toxic effects.
For successful weight loss and maintenance use alternatives to bring out the savoury flavour and reduce salt and sugar:
1. Celtic salt with over 80 minerals
2. MSG free vegetable or meat stock
3. Oils - sesame, avocado, extra virgin olive oil
4. Mushrooms
5. Parmesan or goat feta
6. Herbs or spices
California will ban ingredients like brominated vegetable oil (neurotoxin), potassium bromate (carcinogenic), propylparaben (endocrine disruptor) and red dye 3 (neurotoxic) found in Skittles and other candies by 2027 to give companies time to take these harmful ingredients from their products.
You can choose today not to support companies that don't care about your health and support your wellbeing and weight management by choosing less processed foods and making these healthy swaps:
Processed foods with additives -> whole foods as grown.
Lollies and sugary snacks -> fresh fruit, raw nuts, seeds, bliss balls, smoothie
Salty snacks -> vegetable sticks with hummus, green drink, edamame
Sugary cereals -> oatmeal, buckwheat porridge, homemade muesli, smoothie, whole grain toast with avo and egg.
Storebought dressings -> homemade dressings
Takeaway fried food -> healthy takeaways -> find joy in healthy home cooking
Soft drinks -> sparkling water with lime, fresh juices
Coffee -> herbal teas, dandelion coffee
Address nutrient deficiencies
Your body needs sufficient nutrients to function properly. Deficiencies in magnesium, chromium, vitamin B1, A, C, E and D can contribute to weight gain or prevent weight loss.
Consume adequate protein
Protein and healthy fats can help us feel fuller for longer and regulate the release of sugar in your bloodstream.
Optimal fibre
Fibre from unrefined carbohydrates like vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds helps prevent blood sugar spikes by slowing the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream.
Optimal hydration
We often mistake hunger cues for thirst cues. Aim for 8 glasses of water each day.
For successful weight loss and management one of the keys is to eat real food, mostly plants and drink water.
5. The Force of our Habits
Food is often associated with a habit, for example, dessert after dinner, snacks while watching tv, a treat with afternoon tea. Changing our habits and triggers to eat can help support weight management.
For successful weight loss and management, one of the keys is to create and establish healthy habits.
6. Emotional Eating
When we are feeling bored it is easy to fill that boredom with food.
Stress or anxiety triggers cortisol (the “fight or flight” hormone) stimulating cravings for quick energy food.
Trauma or abuse may lead to filling unmet emotional needs with food, or using weight as a “protective” shield.
For successful weight loss and management one of the keys is to identify and heal emotional triggers
7. Lack of Sleep
Lack of sleep decreases leptin - the appetite suppressing hormone and insulin sensitivity resulting in craving sweets.
For successful weight loss and managment one of the keys is to sleep 8 hours each night, ideally being in bed by 10pm.
Checklist: cool, dark room, no electronics in room, no devices one hour before sleep.
8. Lack of Exercise
When it comes to weight loss you can’t out-train poor nutrition!!! However movement and physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses for energy. The advantages and benefits of high intensity interval training is that it uses more calories than steady cardio and can keep your body in fat burning mode for up to 24 hours after your have completed your workout.
This is simple math too…
Less empty calories from refined carbohydrates and junk food + increased physical activity so that total energy expenditure is greater than energy intake = weight loss.
Exercise is an important key to weight loss and maintenance and has many health benefits including improved flexibility, stamina, mental wellbeing, blood pressure, sleep, alertness, etc.
For successful weight loss and management one of the keys is to add movement to your day, walking, stretching, weights, sport.
9. Sugar Addiction
Did you know the average New Zealander consumes about 37 teaspoons of sugar each day, which equates to 54 kilograms of sugar per year? Six times the recommended allowance!
New Zealanders should be alarmed that we have one of the highest rates of child and adult obesity in the world, and diabetes type 2.
We know sugar is in soft drinks and sweets but some of the surprising sources of sugar are: bread, sauces and dressings, alcohol, fruit juices, yoghurt, breakfast cereals, muesli bars, etc.
Sugar can harm your health in many ways including: insulin resistance, autoimmune disease, depression, heart disease and premature aging. Sugar also feeds bad gut bacteria, upsetting the gut microbiome balance, which may lead to candida overgrowth.
Sugar hits the reward centres of the brain with a dopamine “high” altering the brain chemistry. As with a drug addiction you need more to feel the same “high” despite negative consequences like weight gain, hormone imbalances, headaches, etc. If you struggle with sugar cravings, you are not alone. Here are some ways to reduce sugar cravings:
How to reduce sugar cravings:
1. Plan your meals and eat balanced meals of whole foods including quality protein and healthy fats.
2. Sleep well, 7-8 hours every night.
3. Exercise helps lower blood glucose levels for up to 24 hours following exercise.
4. Manage stress with self care. Reduce stress levels with correct breathing, a walk in nature, massage, a fun hobby, etc.
5. Plan ahead and curb sugar cravings with fruit, a little dark chocolate or another healthy snack. The type of food matters.
6. Supplement with supportive minerals and vitamins.
7. Reach out for support . If sugar cravings are still a struggle, as a nutritionist and naturopath, I can create a personalised nutrition plan to support your goals.
For successful weight loss and management one of the keys is to minimise sugar and refined carbohydrates.
10. Mindset
Sometimes our inner critic can be very harsh! Our bodies believe our thoughts and words - so make them positive!
If you think you can lose weight, you are right! If you think you can’t lose weight, you are right!
The first step to feeling better about our bodies is not changing our body; but changing how we think about out body, changing our mindset to one of love and appreciation. Be grateful to your body for all that it does for you. Love yourself. Be compassionate. Speak kindly to yourself, as you would your best friend. You are valued. When you love yourself you will begin to make decisions that support your wellbeing and healthy weight. Reflect and identify habits that contributed to weight gain and address the root causes.
For successful weight loss and management one of the keys is to love yourself and ensure your self-talk is positive.
These 10 keys can help you lose and maintain weight loss.
Remember though: that weight management is a journey.
“A slip up does not mean you are back to where you started or that you should throw in the towel. It means you are human!
So start again, you get unlimited tries. Look for signs of progress as you go. These are signs of hope.” - Rachel Mary Stafford
If weight loss were easy, there would not be so many people struggling with obesity. Forget the diets and set yourself up for success by making lifestyle changes you can manage and maintain. Let me support you in your journey to address the causes of the weight, offer the needed tools, and together create a plan to help you reach your health and wellbeing goals.
Book a naturopath consultation today on the contact page.