LOVE YOURSELF. I cant stress this enough. Losing weight from a place of self-love vs. self-hate is a game changer. It means that we’re compassionate with ourselves, we’re gentler and we allow the journey to be imperfect. It means that we celebrate our bodies when we work out instead of punishing them.
Eat lots of plants & diversity of plants. This is crucial for gut health and reducing inflammation. If we’re inflamed, we’re more likely to hold on to extra weight, have less energy, and have low moods. All things that are not great if we have weight-loss goals. Plant foods also ensure that we have adequate amount of fibre in our diet which is important for blood sugar management and bowel movements.
Stop snacking. If we’re snacking all day we’re not allowing our migrating motor complex (MMC) to work. The MMC is our body’s clean sweeper system and helps manage inflammation, bloating, and gut health. It turns off the second we eat something – so it helps to be fasting in between meals. Too much snacking can also lead to too much insulin demand resulting in insulin resistance over time, which is one of the major obstacles of steady and sustainable weight loss.
Eat slowly and mindfully. Stop when satiated, not full. This is how we portion control properly – without a diet! Learning our body’s hunger and satiation cues is essential for eating well. Cultivating this connection to our body is so important. Respecting what the body needs allows us to step away from yo-yo dieting restricting and overeating or binging.
Avoid alcohol. Contains empty calories and harms liver health (obviously). Is also destructive to sleep which is so important for managing blood sugar levels during the day. Alcohol is a poison, and the body doesn’t function optimally if we’re consuming it. It has the potential to negatively impact our energy, moods, hormones, and more.
Avoid processed foods. They’re full of toxins too! And loaded with sugars and nutrient-empty “foods.” I don’t actually consider these items to be real food because of their chemical content. Ultra processed foods negatively impact our gut and hormone health, makes us gain weight faster, promotes food addiction, burdens our liver, and more. Always opt for real whole foods. Think farm-to-table.
Spend time in nature. One of the most underrated health interventions. Spending time in nature is so good for our mental health, nervous system, and managing stress – and we’re more likely to lose weight when we lower cortisol (stress hormone). Also, when we feel better we’re more likely to eat and move better! Being outdoors is also great for gut health because it exposes us to microbes in the environment.
Get 7-9 hours of good sleep. Imperative for healthy weight. Deep restorative sleep produces human growth hormone that regulates fat, muscle, bone, hormones, insulin, metabolism, thyroid, and so much more. If we don’t sleep well, we’re temporarily insulin resistant the next day. Also, sleep regulates two important hormones – ghrelin and leptin – which are related to hunger and satiation (respectfully). If these hormones are out of balanced we tend to eat more and crave sugar/carbs the next day as the body’s way of asking for energy when its tired. Sleep is also essential for overall hormone balancing (sex hormones, thyroid, adrenals) which you need working optimally if you want to lose weight.
Manage stress. If cortisol is high, it impedes weight loss. The body is more likely to retain water when we’re stressed. We might also crave more sugar/carbs/salts when we’re stressed. Stress negatively impacts sleep, hormones, thyroid, and gut health. It dampens the whole system.
Lift weights 2-3 times a week (more is not necessarily better). Slow and steady weight training is essential for muscle building which is so important for metabolic health, insulin resistance, and weight management. It’s also a great way to burn calories in a way that respects hormones. Intense exercise like HIIT adds a lot of stress to the body and will also require you to eat more, especially carbs, which could impede weight loss goals.
Find movement you enjoy. Moving your body should feel GOOD, not feel like a chore – or else you won’t do it! This is how we ensure that movement and exercise is a sustainable habit in your lifestyle and not something you need a ton of motivation for. I recommend outdoor sports like hiking, surfing, rock-climbing, biking, horseback riding, or things like yoga, pilates, or dancing.
Have FUN. Laugh loads. PLAY. Don’t take life too seriously. Fun and play is a health intervention! It keeps stress at bay and keeps our vagus nerve healthy – which is the main connection between gut and brain. Enjoying life and experiencing positive emotions does more for your waistline than you think. We eat differently when life feeds us – you might notice that you don’t crave sweets and chips as much!
Love a lot. Forgive often. You’d be surprised how much this impacts gut health. We know that feeling of holding a grudge or feeling tightness in our gut… this is literally the enteric nervous system (our gut’s nervous system) tensing because of our emotional stress. Our body and digestive system work optimally when we feel good, love a lot, and LET GO of thoughts and emotions that we don’t need to hold on to. Forgive for YOURSELF, not for anyone else. It reduces stress and also helps manage emotional eating.
Make sure your vitamin D, iron, magnesium, thyroid, are at good levels. These are important for metabolism, blood sugar management, and energy. If you’re deficient in any of these, a weight loss journey will be an even greater struggle. Why add more challenges? Take care of your vitamins, minerals, and hormones to allow as smooth of a journey as possible.
Walk a lot. Another super underrated intervention for weight loss. NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) movement, like walking, places you in the FAT BURNING ZONE. Just because it’s not intense – doesn’t mean it’s not doing anything. It also won’t spike appetite or cravings. Walking (and other NEAT movement) throughout your day is one of the best ways to manage blood sugar and be in a constant fat-burning state without stressing your body – it actually loves it! Other benefits include: better circulation, improves respiratory health, and offers a mood boost!
