The Do's and Don'ts of Weight Loss

Do You Find Yourself Struggling to Lose Weight?

Companies are making billions of dollars off of our sick, overweight society. Weight loss pills, weight loss shakes, diet programs, fitness programs, magic pills and fairy dust are being sold without restraint across the nation, and yet we continue to remain a sick and overweight country.  Why?

What I can tell you is, I don't think we have all the answers as to why we are overweight in the first place. Sure, the basic reasons make sense. We don't move enough and we eat too much. Our food is full of additives and preservatives and no longer resembles what nature grows and provides for us. 

What we don't learn in school, is that it isn't only how many calories you eat vs. how many you burn, it's also what type of calories you eat. The body processes protein a lot differently than it does carbohydrates. Every single person is different. If you want to lose weight, you need to figure out what works for you. Here are some helpful hints to guide you in the right direction.

Don't... 

1. Eat a meal without protein. Always include protein in your meals. Protein is the building block of muscle, which keeps your metabolism up. It also keeps you more satisfied because it takes a lot longer to digest than carbohydrates.

2. Starve yourself. It will kill your metabolism. Eat at least 1200 calories a day no matter what size you are, unless otherwise directed by a physician (and seriously, if a Dr. tells you to eat less get a 2nd opinion on this).

3. Lie to yourself. Be honest with yourself about what you eat and your eating habits. Keep a diet journal and don't cheat.

4. Eat in front of the TV. Mindless eating packs on the lbs. If you must eat in front of the TV, eat raw veggies like carrots or celery.

5. Tell me you have a slow metabolism. Sure, everyone's metabolism is different, and some people do actually have a metabolic disorder. HOWEVER - unless you have a metabolic disorder that has been diagnosed, understand that everyone's metabolism can be increased through building muscle, exercise, and eating the right way.

6. Eat beyond satiety.  Eat until you're ALMOST full. Stop. Give yourself at least 30 minutes and if you feel you really need more food, then eat more. Learn to listen to your body again.

7. Go Fat Free. Your body needs fat. It won't release the fat it stores if it's being deprived of fats. Don't go overboard here and eat tons of it, but make sure you're getting a little bit of the good fats every day. Avocado and coconut oil are both great options.

8. Extreme diet. It doesn't work. Yoyo dieters exist because of these. It's all about small changes that add up and are maintainable.

9. Let others spoil it for you. Do not let other enable you. Do not be an enabler. If you're trying to lose weight, let the ones you spend your time with know how important it is to you and set clear rules and boundaries so that they can help you reach your goals.

10. Drink Alcohol. Let me just be super clear about this. If you want to lose weight, and you want to lose it in a decent amount of time, just cut out the alcohol. It is a trainer's worst enemy. Not only do the calories turn straight into organ fat, the most dangerous kind of fat you can have, the alcohol dehydrates you so that your body does not function nearly as efficiently, and it makes you tired and sluggish so that you can't workout to your full potential the next day. Just take a hiatus for a few months and only drink sparingly. 

Do

1. Drink water. Lots of water. If you feel hungry but you've eaten recently, or you have a sugar craving, try drinking water first. And then eat some fruit if you're still craving sugar. This will help a lot.

2. Work out. Nutrition is 80% but the 20% physical activity provides can catalyze your weight loss and help you reach your goals a lot faster.

3. Figure out what works for you. Are you a vegetarian? Figure out how to eat protein at every meal and make sure it's a complete protein. Do you love meat? Think about trying the paleo diet, or southbeach. Do diets make you feel too restricted? Try simply adjusting the way you eat, maybe just one meal at a time.. substitute a salad or something. Only you know what will work for you and if you don't, experiment.

4. Hire a trainer. I hate to plug myself here, but seriously, losing weight is really difficult to do on your own. Enlist the help of a professional if you're not making it on your own.

5. Enlist the help of a friend. If you know someone else who has similar goals, work out together! Eat together! Meal plan together! Whatever it takes. Or join a group fitness class, a boot camp, whatever you need. Most people are socially motivated, and you've got to figure out as many ways to keep yourself on track as you can.

6. HIIT. Nothing stokes the metabolism quite like High Intensity Interval Training. Spike the heart rate over and over and you will burn hot for up to 72 hours post-workout. I've written all about it in a previous blog post. Tabata is my personal favorite.

7. Eat raw produce. Not only is it really great for filling you up for small calorie loads, it also helps your body rid itself of toxins by aiding in digestion. The modern-day American diet does not have enough fiber in it. My doctor also recommended that everyone take Metamucil every day, that's up to you. Just know that constipation is really bad for you, toxins build up, it can cause everything from discomfort, to headaches, to eventual cancer of the bowel. That alone makes me want to go buy some metamucil!

8. Weight Train. I cannot stress enough how important weight training is. Cardio is meh comparatively.  Weight training helps you add muscle, muscle burns more calories than fat and takes up 1/5th the space. Replace fat with muscle and your metabolism will be faster.

9. Utilize technology. There are a million apps out there that can help you lose weight. Food trackers, calorie counters, macros counters, fitness trackers, etc. If you're the type that enjoys technology, or you think these tools will be useful to you, do it! They even have trainer apps out there that tell you what to do. Use those responsibly, though, don't hurt yourself doing something you don't know how to do (use proper form PLEASE).

10. Switch it up. If you reach a plateau, it's time to get your body all scrambled up again so you can drop some weight. Change up your routine, add something new or switch from circuits to slow lifting with tabata at the end. Kickbox. Something. Switch out a meal for salad. Look at your diet and cut something out. Whatever it takes. 

You can do it! Everyone has the potential within them to reach their weight loss goals with some effort and the right knowledge applied.