While we may all wish for a little luck in achieving our weight loss goals, success actually comes from commitment and focus over the long-term. However, there are a few tips you can use to create your own luck when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off.
1. Cut back on refined carbs. Refined carbs include:
- White flour
- White bread
- White rice
- Pastries
- Sodas
- Snacks
- Pasta
- Sweets
- Breakfast cereals
- Added sugars
These foods are low in fiber and have nutrients such as B vitamins, Vitamin E, and healthy fats. They lead to spikes in blood sugar, overeating, and an increased risk of diabetes. You shouldn’t cut out carbs completely; just focus on better types of carbs.
2. Eat Complex Carbs. Complex carbs include peas, beans, whole grains, and vegetables. These types of carbs contain more fiber and nutrients than refined carbs. They will help you feel full longer, level out your blood sugar, and will not increase your risk of developing diabetes.
3. Eat the rainbow. This saying is one of my favorites. It simplifies something that can get very complicated. Different colored fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients, especially antioxidants and phytochemicals. These include the allicin in white produce, anthocyanins in blue and purple produce, lycopene in red produce, beta cryptothanxin in orange and yellow produce, cancer-fighting compounds in green produce, and much more. They are all important for our health. Please don’t feel overwhelmed; we just need to vary the colors of our produce to reap the benefits of all of the different compounds. This not only helps our overall health, but it also aids in weight loss. Fruits and vegetables are naturally high in fiber and water content while low in calories. Having a diet full of different fruits and vegetables will help you feel full without contributing to weight gain.
4. Eat enough protein. Protein is an important macronutrient and is also very important in weight loss. Getting adequate protein can reduce muscle loss, aid in increasing muscle mass, help you feel full, and reduce hunger hormones while increasing satiety hormones. Eating a sufficient amount of protein also helps you burn more calories throughout the day.
5. Move more. Increasing activity is SO essential for weight loss and healthy aging. Increasing activity can reduce high blood pressure, the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, several forms of cancer, arthritis pain, osteoporosis and falls, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Increased muscle mass also increases calories burned, even at rest! We naturally lose muscle as we age, which can lead to weakness, weight gain, and decreased ability to do activities of daily living. We can avoid the effects of muscle loss by maintaining an active lifestyle. Remember, increased activity means increasing your current activity level.
Don’t feel overwhelmed and decide not to progress with the mentality that you aren’t one of those people that exercise at the gym. Those people started somewhere too. Getting the recommended minimum of 150 minutes per week of activity looks different for everyone. It could be lifting weights, using cardio machines, swimming, dancing, playing sports, kayaking, walking, or anything that you enjoy that gets your body moving! If you prefer the help of a professional, please contact CoreLife to get started with one of our fitness trainers.
6. Consistency is key. This is such an important concept in life, as well as in weight loss. We need to focus on making healthy choices that help us reach our goals. We all have moments where we may lose focus, but bouncing back quickly and re-focusing on our goals will, over time, add up to seeing better results.
Applying these tips, regardless of the amount of weight you want to lose or the type of diet you choose, will help you reach your goals and not only lose weight but improve your overall health.