By Clark Wellness, PLLC.
Are you trying to lose weight? Here are a few weight loss tips to help you get started! Whether it’s for health or for happiness, slimming down doesn’t have to be hard or even complicated. The more you know, the more success you will have and the easier the process will be.
1. Drink water first! Studies show that drinking 2 cups of water 30 minutes before each meal can help improve portion control. It can also boost cravings for healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, which improves nutrition status. Not to mention it helps improve focus and it helps you go to the bathroom. Developing the habit of drinking enough water is one of the top predictors of weight loss.
2. Eat plants. Eating fruits and veggies first, before meats or grains, can help make sure you are eating them while you are still hungry. In a sense, it’s a way of prioritizing them to make sure they get eaten. Fruits and veggies are easy to eat, and they can also be easy not to eat.
3. Open face sandwiches, like avocado toast, can be helpful with weight loss. This is because 1 slice of bread (if you can have grains!), is a serving size. Weight gain can easily come from too many carbs, which is what a traditional sandwich is. When you take the top off, you create a low carb masterpiece. If you are still hungry after you eat it, that’s good! Eat some fruit or an extra veggie with hummus.
4. Snack on protein. Carbs can spike and then crash blood sugar levels, so be careful with snacking on them. When you are trying to lose weight, a smarter choice would be a high protein snack, like walnuts, jerky, seeds, lunch meat or 1 ounce of cheese with celery or bean chips.
5. Get moving. Walking 1-2 miles a day can help burn 120-240 extra calories! If you have time, walk a little farther and treat yourself with dessert. Walking will also boost your mood and help you stay regular. Both of these benefits are directly related to weight loss!
6. Healthy fats. Eating healthy fats can help you burn fat! Avocado, banana, olive oil and nut butters are examples of healthy fats that can help weight loss.
7. Use a smaller plate. Portion size is important when you are wanting to slim down. Enjoying smaller meals can improve digestion and reduces calories in a safe way. Still pile on the veggies and eat some fruit on the side, but slow down on the carbs and be careful with meat portions too. Too many ounces of steak or condiment servings in large amounts can add a ton of calories to your plate.
8. Take a probiotic. Taking probiotics helps promote a healthy gut, which supports nutrient absorption. Specific nutrients, like magnesium, b vitamins and vitamin c are linked to a faster metabolism.
9. Drink Green Tea. Green Tea has numerous benefits. Your favorite may be that it helps support detoxification which speeds up metabolism. It also helps improve focus and moods, which can be helpful while making lifestyle changes.
10. Get some sunshine. By getting outside to get some sunshine, you will also get a daily dose of vitamin d. This can boost your mood as well as support hormone balance. Either way, you are less likely to crave unhealthy food. Don’t forget your water when you go outside!
11. Increase the veggies. Make it a goal to fill your plate halfway full with veggies. If part of that is fruit, that’s great too. Fruits and veggies contain excellent fiber which promotes regularity and weight loss. The vitamins and minerals in the veggies and fruits are also very helpful with metabolism.
12. Get some rest. Getting enough sleep is critical to weight loss. When we feel tired we may be cranky and more likely to get completely off track. When we are rested we feel motivated and have a clear head. We are ready to stay on plan and make some progress!
13. Don’t drink your calories. Stay away from sugary beverages like coffee with too much creamer or syrups, sodas or juices with sugar added. It’s best to just drink water, or an occasional unsweetened coffee or tea. When you need calories; eat whole foods!
14. Take a multivitamin. Most days you will probably eat like a pro. However, if you struggle to get the 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies daily, taking a high quality multivitamin can help fill in the gaps and make sure we get the daily nutrition our bodies need..
15. Strength train. Just 2 days a week of strength training can significantly boost lean muscles. The more lean muscle you have, the more fat you burn. Yes, this may cause a pound or two of muscle gain, but you’ll love a little bit of contour as you slim down.
16. Keep track of what you eat. Studies show that those who wrote down their eating habits lost twice as much weight over a 12 week time period. You can write it down on paper or track your foods in an ap like Lose it or Cronometer. Food tracking also helps you see where the calories are so you can be careful with serving sizes. Awareness creates results!
17. Have an accountability partner or a coach! Reporting back to a coach or friend weekly with a report on your progress will help motivate you to make better progress. You are MUCH more likely to skip the extra chips if you will have to tell your friend about it.
18. Weigh-in regularly, at least weekly. Looking at the scale isn’t always fun, but being faced with reality will keep us on track. Most people find weekly weigh-ins helpful. You may find daily weigh-ins are a bit too much. That’s ok. Weigh-in every 2-3 days if you need somewhere in between.
19. Take a ginger supplement. Taking ginger has been shown to reduce inflammation, supports heart health, and increases weight loss results. On average, it can help you lose an additional half a pound to a pound in a month. That adds up!
20. Have your hormones checked. Low thyroid or sex hormones can slow down metabolism and cause weight gain. If you haven’t had them checked out, we suggest calling or emailing Angelica Clark, PA at Clark Wellness for a virtual visit to see what testing you might need.
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