Okay, so this is a bit gimmicky to write, but it's for a good purpose! I am so tired of posts and videos about losing weight, I see them EVERYWHERE! Losing weight is not a gimmick and it's not a quick fix either, it's a lifestyle change. Losing weight should be a side effect of healthy living. Below are my top 5 tips for reaching a healthy weight and keeping it off!
1. drink water
Okay, thanks captain obvious! I know everyone says this, but it's because it's true! Not just, "oh drink 8 cups daily" but rather drink consistently. It's not enough to drink a crap load in the morning or a night and call it a day, because your body can't put that water to use like it should. You also can't drink 8 cups one day and 3 the next and hope for the best. How much water to drink depends on your body but do make sure you are being consistent and drinking throughout the day! #youllthankmelater
2. eat real food
Again, this might seem like a "duh" moment but to lose excess weight, this is your best option. Real, whole, natural foods means no calorie counting! You eat until you are full (of course that might take some time to learn- stay tuned for another post on intuitive eating later on) and because you are eating whole foods, you are nourishing your body, aiding your digestive system and increasing bulk (important for colon health- but again more on that later). Your body was not meant to eat loads of processed foods. Nor was it meant to be low carb, keto or any other fad diet that can't give you lifelong health benefits. #foodforthought
3. move daily
That does not mean 7 days a week of HIIT workouts to burn excess fat. It means MOVE, everyday. Walking, yoga, Pilates, stretching, boxing, cardio, strength training- it doesn't matter, just make sure you are doing something every day. Exercise is important but so is movement. If you work out once a day for an hour, that's still 23 hours your sitting, sleeping and being sedentary. You're better off incorporating movement into your daily life, so days you can't make it to the gym your still moving your body. Maybe it's a quick 10 minute at home routing or maybe its just pacing around while on the phone, taking the stairs, or parking further away from the store. #abodyinmotionstaysinmotion
4. stop stressing
One word, cortisol. That is the stress hormone. When you are under stress the body produces cortisol as a reaction to the "flight or fight" response, to give your body energy (glucose). As a result your blood sugar levels spike, which means insulin is then produced to counteract the effects and normalize our bodies. The problem comes from prolonged stress! The body doesn't normalize and excess cortisol and therefore insulin are produced, causing the body to be in a constant state of stress, excess glucose to be expended, stored and weight to be gained. Learning how to manage stress is extremely important for the body long term (and not just for your weight!) as stress has been linked to a host of diseases including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, dementia and many more.
5. get some sleep
Again, this might seem obvious, but sleep is so important to our overall health! And more important is QUALITY sleep. Restless, tossing and turning, interrupted sleep is not quality zzz. A main culprit is our obsessions with our devices and electronics- beeping noises or your phone lighting up throughout the night, the electronic frequencies and staying up later to scroll Instagram are all ways your phone may be impacting your sleep. Uncomfortable bed or pillows, a tossing partner or snoring pet, stress and worries keeping you up, are other concerns when it comes to bedtime. Try disconnecting at least an hour before sleep, try an eye mask or ear plugs and get a new pillow, duvet or even a new bed to help improve your duration and quality of sleep. Lack of rest will have you reaching for coffee, sugary snacks and over eating due to choosing high-caloric carbohydrates to get the energy your body needs to function while exhausted. And that my friends leads us right back to our previous stressors and cortisol connection! (see my post for top 5 tips to a restful sleep)