While working within the Integrative Clinical Nutrition field, I’ve met countless people who want to lose weight and most importantly keep it off. I’ve seen them all — and maybe you see yourself on this list — if you’ve ever been a…
yo-yo dieter
fad diet dieter
obsessive calorie counter
diet pill dieter
‘hangry’ dieter
scale obsessed dieter
all or nothing dieter
crash dieter
What do these ways of dieting have in common? They either do not work at all or they’re not sustainable, and the weight comes right back.
So, how do you lose weight, feel good, and keep it off?
Start with shifting your mindset from ‘diets’ to lifestyle changes. Understanding how your body works will guide your new choices, so you’ll finally meet that weight loss goal and stay there.
The key can be surprisingly simple: learn to maintain balanced blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar is the amount of glucose circulating in the blood that either provides instant energy to the cells or gets stored for future use. Glucose is sugar that you receive from carbohydrates like fruit, grains (bread, pasta, cereal), beans, and vegetables (starchy and non-starchy). Insulin is a hormone, produced by the pancreas that regulates glucose in the blood. Too much glucose leads to high blood sugar levels and insulin spikes, and when insulin spikes, you store fat, period.
Ideally, blood sugar levels should not have huge spikes throughout the day as ups and downs are not healthy long term.
You will experience huge insulin spikes when you either wait too long to consume a meal or if you are consuming a high carbohydrate meal. Not all foods have the same impact on blood sugar levels and insulin. Most fat and protein foods have a relatively low effect, releasing glucose slowly and steadily. Using a credible glycemic index (GI) chart (online or download an app) is a great way to measure this impact of a portion of food.
The glycemic index is a carbohydrate ranking scale that ranks food from low GI at 0, to high GI at 100 based on how quickly a food raises your blood sugar. Preferably, you want to stay at 55 or below as low glycemic foods release sugar gradually and therefore prevent a spike in blood sugar. However, moderate glycemic foods help with recovery after exercise - repairing muscles and glycogen stores.
If you want to finally lose that weight, feel great, and keep it off then this is what to focus on:
Eat three meals a day around the same time daily - starting with breakfast preferably within an hour of waking up. The average meal should provide at least four hours of energy before feeling hungry again. A balanced meal should leave you satisfied with a clear head and energy. If you are hungry between meals, then you simply did not eat enough or the meal was missing something, most likely adequate protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, or vegetables.
Remember, healthy fats do not make you fat … sugar does. In fact, healthy fats such as fish, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter and/or ghee, olives, and avocado will keep you fuller longer and keep the cravings at bay.
Eat cooked vegetables over raw. Many go 'salad crazy', eating salads for breakfast, lunch, and dinner when they are on a diet or trying to eat healthier. Unfortunately, this tends to cause bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea, and frustration. We have trouble breaking down cellulose in raw vegetables, so lightly sautéing, steaming, and roasting your vegetables can give you the nutrients you need without the pain. You can also utilize baby spinach or arugula as your lettuce as it is easier to digest than other sources like kale or romaine.
Be sure to include protein in every meal, and make it your first bite. Protein stabilizes blood sugar!
If you’re still having trouble losing weight, have continuous sweet cravings, or have other symptoms including brain fog, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, gas, and/or bloating, then this may indicate other issues that may need to be considered first such as food sensitivities, more serious digestive issues, and gut infections/imbalanced gut flora. Whatever the case may be, we can help you get there.
Check out our weight loss program package for extra support and guidance. This program includes:
1.5 hour initial consultation
5 30 minute follow-up visits
2 week detox program kit to kick start your plan (includes 2 shakes a day, supplement support packets, and a blender/shaker bottle).
Personalized meal plans and recipe ideas
All the support you need!
Questions? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your goals and what Purely Rooted Nutrition and Wellness can do for you.
