Natural Health October 2017

FITNESS & Weight Loss
But there are many people who have
a goal to lose weight and want to
know how to do it in a way that
doesn't feel too extreme or punishing
According to Buzzfeed’s list of health and fitness experts –
registered dietitians, nutritionists, and personal trainers – for their
best advice on doable, sustainable, weight loss effort that won't
make you feel sad and hungry.
1. Whatever you do, don't do a detox
or cleanse.
Nita Sharda, RD, owner of Carrots and Cake Balanced
Nutrition Consulting said that detox or cleanse can potentially
wreak havoc on your body and be very unhealthy. Be wary of
products that promote weight loss after a '7-day detoxification'
or a '30-day colon cleanse.' Marketers strategically construct
these products and sell people on the notion that they’ll
somehow become healthier, thinner, happier, and more
attractive after using such products. A consistently healthy, wellbalanced
diet is the best 'cleanse.'"
2. Don't make any food off-limits.
When a food is off-limits it becomes much more appealing. And
if guilt is involved and you do end up eating that food, you’re
going to go for it regret later. Instead, give yourself permission
to get pleasure from food. Just make sure you're enjoying treats
mindfully because you really want them, rather than just
because they are there.
3. Commit to making just one meal a
bit healthier.
Don’t aim to do everything all at once. That works for some
people, but most people need to start with just one thing. Ask
yourself: 'What's the meal that will have the biggest impact
if I change it? And start there. Breakfast is usually the easiest
to change because most people are skipping it or grabbing
something that's not super healthy out of convenience. The
simplest way to change it is to make sure you're getting a
balance of protein, fat, and carbs. A couple whole eggs will
give you your protein and fat. Add a piece of fruit or a half cup
of roasted potatoes to give you some healthy carbs.
4. When it comes to starting (or
returning to) exercise, less is more.
"This means:1. Don't go right into doing extreme workouts and
2. Set yourself up for success by making sure you can hit the
gym twice per week regularly for three to four weeks before you
say you're going to go four to five times per week.Once you
prove to yourself that you can go twice per week, then go to a
three-day per week schedule, and again make sure you can do
that regularly for about a month before going for four days per
week. This way, you're doing things more gradually and setting
yourself up for success," advised Nick Tumminello, owner of
Performance University International in Fort Lauderdale, Florida,
and author of Strength Training for Fat Loss.
5. Make eating out a thing you do for
special occasions.
“Cooking at home means more fresh food that, generally
speaking, will be more nutritious and far lower in calories than
what you're ordering when you go out. If you master batch meal
prep and one-pan meals, you can easily put together delicious,
healthy meals you'll look forward to eating. When you have
something to celebrate (like that it's finally the weekend), go out
and enjoy your special meal," said Danielle Omar, MS, RD,
nutrition consultant and founder of foodconfidence.com.
6. Keep a to-do list where your
workouts are top priority.
To-do lists tend to have a combo of 'must-do' and 'hope-to-do'
items. The most effective way to ensure you get your workout
in is to list what you intend to do at the top of the daily list as a
priority, must-do, the-day-isn't-over-till-this-happens item. Making
the small mental adjustment of thinking of your workout as
something you plan to do vs. something you hope to do is the
difference between doing it and not doing it.
7. Try not to make all your work
breaks snack-based.
Lots of people like to take a break from work by getting up to
grab a snack, not necessarily because they feel hungry but just
because they need to step away from their desk for a bit.
Natural Health * October 2017 VOL 84
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