The Ultimate A to Z Guide to Natural Weight Loss

 

Eat less and move more is not very helpful, is it? Instead of telling you the same old cliched crap that other health experts convince you is critical, check out this A-Z guide to natural weight loss. These secrets come from my own personal experience from losing 100 pounds (and keeping it off) as well as top health and fitness experts that I trust.

A ccountability

It’s not easy to lose weight, even if you have a supportive family or friends. Find an accountabuddy to help you achieve your goals. You can also talk to me about how health coaching can ease your way into transformation.

B reakfast

Breakfast eaters tend to eat fewer calories and weigh less than non-breakfast eaters, according to the National Weight Control Registry. Breakfast can be SO MUCH more than just a shake in the morning! Spruce up your morning meal with the Breakfast Blueprint.

C alories

Most popular diets focus on counting calories. This can be a tedious and irritating process. Instead of counting calories, you can count colors, servings or macros. In my Release health coaching program, we discover easy ways to incorporate macronutrients for amazing all-day energy.

D iet

Wikipedia defines a diet as the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Instead of following a restrictive diet of what NOT to eat, discover new foods to fall in love with. I once tried a diet that had me munching on cardboard and lemon juice. Well, not really, but it tasted like it. There are many ways to enjoy eating healthy foods WITHOUT searching high and low for some mysterious superfood or supplement.

E motional

Food does not just satisfy our physical hunger. It can also satisfy our emotional hunger. If you suffer from Emotional Eating, it is important to write down your moods when you eat. That is the best way to determine your emotional triggers for eating. Then, you can design ways to avoid or disturb those triggers. Though I have personal experience with emotional eating from my childhood, I am not an expert. Check out www.psychologyofeating.com for some free videos.

F at

Fat does not make you fat! Dr. Mark Hyman hosted a “fat summit” describing how fat is NOT responsible for causing obesity and heart disease. You can read more in his book, “Eat Fat, Get Thin”. I personally have embraced a high fat diet with much success. It is really hard to feel hungry when you’re eating a good amount of fat.

G ym

Gyms are overrated! My personal trainer friends once told me that the average gym member stops going around 8 months. Can you imagine trying to establish a lifetime ritual of hitting the gym? That is exhausting. Instead, sample my top free fitness channels HERE.

H IIT

High Intensity Interval Training is the busy mom’s guide to fast and effective fat loss! This training method features 1-2 minutes at maximum effort followed by 2-3 minutes of low effort or rest, according to https://www.gymaholic.co/  Great HIIT exercises are jumping jacks, jumping squats and burpees followed by lower intensity or rest periods. A 5-minute HIIT session can burn hundreds of calories.

I nterval

Studies have shown that steady state cardio is not as effective as interval training for building muscle and burning calories. Instead of walking for 45 minutes, try alternating walking and running, or change the altitude at which you walk. This is especially effective if you don’t have an hour to work-out. You can still burn calories in half the time.

J ournal

In one month, I was able to drop 20 pounds. The only change between my before and after was I journaled about my eating habits. Using a beautiful journal with a lovely pen can help you stay motivated and create critical awareness around your habits. If you want a template for how to journal for lasting weight loss, join my early bird list for the Hot for the (summer) Holidays challenge coming soon!

K itchen

A messy kitchen can lead to a bigger waist. According to Brian Wansink, Director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab, removing a box of cereal from your countertop can result in dropping 20 pounds in one year. To get more tips on how to improve your kitchen for great results, visit https://www.slimbydesign.org/

L ift

Without lifting weights, we lose 1% of lean muscle mass every year. Did you also know that lifting weights is the only way to burn calories while you sleep? Women over 35 especially benefit from strength training.

M acros

Macronutrients are the main building blocks of a healthy diet. They consist of protein, fat and carbs. While most diet programs focus on just one macro, in reality, we need a balanced mix of all 3 to really eat healthy. I suggest starting with a healthy mix of 30-40% protein, 30% fat and 30% carbs every time you sit down to eat. For more help on what this looks like, join the early bird list for my next challenge.

N o

Shaking your head “no” to food pushers may be your best defense against overeating. Also, don’t be afraid to flex your diet plan to exclude any foods that you don’t enjoy or don’t know how to find. Strengthening your “no” muscle is the best way to stay true to your goals without succumbing to external pressures.

O besity

1.5 billion adults in the world are overweight, and 65% of the world’s population are more likely to die from obesity than malnutrition. None of that mattered to me for a long time, and maybe it doesn’t really hit home for you, either. Are you a mom to a child who is struggling with excess weight? If so, you might benefit from a firsthand perspective of The Truth about Childhood Obesity.

P rotein

The popularity of high protein diets is undisputed. Protein is important to build lean muscle mass, make you feel full, and support your bones. It also has the fewest calories per serving of the macronutrients. Great sources of protein include meat, fish, beans, dairy and eggs. When planning out healthy meals, start with your protein source first.

Q uick

Losing weight fast may result in more weight gain. That is why diets that promise 30 pounds in 30 days are so dangerous. In our convenience economy, we have come to expect quick results. However, quick results are useless if you put it all back on. Develop a slow and steady mindset when it comes to long-term weight loss. A good rate of sustainable weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week.

R epetition

One cheat meal won’t make you fat, just as one salad won’t make you thin. In order to master a healthy lifestyle, get comfortable with repetition. Keep a structure of repeatable meals and rituals that support your goals. Also, repetition is the best way to get results for muscle growth. Doing 3 reps won’t build endurance like doing 20 reps would.

S ugar

We crave sugar from the time we are born. Just as fat was NOT the cause of obesity in the 80s, sugar is NOT the cause of obesity in the 10s. If you eat a lot of processed foods like mac and cheese and noodles, then you are probably eating more sugar than someone who is not. Also, condiments frequently have added sugars. Swap out one processed meal per week for a cooked-from-scratch option to reduce sugar intake effortlessly.

T oning

The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn…while you sleep. Plus, developing muscle tone helps you look better naked AND in that little black dress. Start with some simple but challenging bodyweight exercises or use $10 resistance bands to really work your muscles. Check out this awesome Pinterest board for specific exercises.

U nedible

I can’t tell you how many new healthy recipes I tried, only to throw them in the trash because they were unedible! That’s good. On your journey to discovering new foods and new ways to enjoy old foods, you will find what you don’t like. Refuse to eat food that doesn’t make you feel good on the inside AND out. Explore foods like quinoa, buckwheat, kale, starfruit, and don’t worry if they never again grace your grocery cart.

V egetables

The average American eats 2-3 servings of vegetables a day. The recommended vegetable intake is 8-10 servings. The best way I enjoy vegetables is by roasting them. Roasting allows their natural sugars to caramelize and create amazing flavor, and they keep for longer than raw vegetables. Also, put your leftover cooked vegetables into recipes like muffins, breads, and soups. Go beyond the traditional peas and carrots and try turnips, eggplant, kohlrabi and beets.

W ater

If you feel hungry, chances are good that you are actually de-hydrated. Don’t worry about carrying a huge jug of water with you everywhere you go. The best way to find out the right amount of water to drink for you is in the color of your urine. If the color is more like apple juice, drink more water. If the color is like lemonade, you are right where you need to be! If you don’t like the “taste” of water, try these fruit-infused options.

X ercise

Exercise alone won’t help you lose weight. Studies say that weight loss is 80% diet and only 20% exercise. That doesn’t mean that exercise is worthless. The benefits of exercise include increased mood, better energy, brain development, muscle tone, and better sleep. Skip the gym, and find fun activities you can do outside or in the home.

Y oga

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 2-3 days of flexibility exercises every week. I love my HIIT exercises and lifting like a boss, but I also enjoy stretching to yoga or Pilates as a “break” from the high intensity. Yoga can incorporate meditation and mindfulness or invigorate as much as a HIIT session.

Z zzs

Rest is part of any healthy living program. Most Americans benefit from 7-8 hours of sleep every night. If you don’t get enough sleep, you are more likely to crave sugary or salty snacks, drink too much caffeine, have brain fog, and be overall irritable. Also, if you tone your muscles, you need to allow sufficient time for the muscles to repair the damage. Get plenty of rest for a healthy program.

That is my ultimate A-Z guide to natural weight loss. Like this guide? Download it into a PDF version below.