6 Healthy Ways Everyone Can Lose Weight, Part 2

You know how weight loss works: Eat less and move more. But if it were really that simple, we wouldn’t have our current obesity epidemic. With diabetes, heart disease, and other life-altering health woes on the rise, something’s gotta change. But we don’t all gain weight (or fail to lose it) for the same reasons and we definitely don’t all respond to the same fixes. I know the Biggest Loser and other popular reality shows, workout programs, and diets out there would like you to believe that what works for one will work for all, but in my experience (and if you’re reading this, most likely it’s your experience as well), it just doesn’t play out that easily. I get asked almost daily to tell others how to eat and workout, but I can’t honestly do that until I know the person and their habits, lifestyle, culture, genetics, and even their mindset. What works for you may not work for your sister or father or children. So with that in mind, I’ve identified six most common reasons people struggle with their weight. Last week I brought you the first three; now here are the final three reasons. Find the one that describes your biggest obstacle and follow the strategies. If more than one applies to you, mix and match in whatever way best addresses your situation. Start this spring on a whole new track!

4. STRESS AND FATIGUE

Stress can lead to poor food choices, which puts your body on a blood-sugar roller coaster, which then causes low energy. Sleep deprivation can signal to your body to release stress hormones, triggering weight gain. The less time you have to devote to self-care, the harder it is to make the changes that lead to weight loss. What to do:

• Set smart goals. Try this: Draw a pyramid on a piece of paper, and at the top write down your ultimate goal in as much detail as possible. For example, you could write the total number of pounds you want to lose in addition to what the number will empower you to do (run a 5K, embark on a job search, climb a mountain, score a hot date, etc.). For the next row, break that larger goal into monthly goals. From there, you can set weekly and daily goals. It pays off to set this stuff into ink.

• Sleep more. Very funny, yes? Even so, studies have shown that those who sleep less than eight hours a night have higher body mass than people who sleep a full eight hours (I’ll also note that these studies show babies who slept less than 12 hours a day were twice as likely to be overweight by age three). An undeniable correlation exists between sleeping less and weighing more. To sleep more – at least seven hours – avoid exercise, alcohol, and caffeine later in the day, take a bath before bed, and go to bed early.

5. YO-YO DIETING

Following a rigid diet can seem easier than changing your eating habits, but the majority don’t work in the long run and can lead to health problems, not to mention will sabotage your metabolism. Constant dieting also breeds an unhealthy mind-set of denial and reward. What to do:

• Go Mediterranean. If you’re looking for an eating plan to follow, consider the Mediterranean diet. Made up mostly of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, and nuts – and low in unhealthy animal fats and refined food – the Mediterranean diet helps avoid a lot of diseases, including obesity, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Plus, taking pleasure in preparing food and eating with family and friends adds to the nutritional benefits.

• Focus on adding, not subtracting. As mentioned above, you should eat more fruits and vegetables, but also concentrate on consuming quality whole grains like quinoa, amaranth, barley, millet, and spelt. These offer a wide array of powerful antioxidants, as well as fiber, which helps stabilize your blood sugar so your cravings for comfort food are diminished.

• Learn from your mistakes. Always had an all-or-nothing attitude? Dietary mistakes are going to happen, even to the most diligent of us. The trick is to see them as lessons and not as a confirmation that you’re a failure. If you know you tend to eat too much after 4pm, for example, make sure you eat more quality protein and fill up on veggies and the above mentioned healthy carbs at lunch. Or have a lean protein and complex carbohydrate (eat them paired together) as a snack around 3pm to tie you over until dinner.

6. GOAL PLATEAU

Although you eat well and exercise regularly, the spare weight you’re carrying around won’t budge. Happens to most of us at some point. If it’s the last five pounds you’re worried about (also known as vanity pounds), they don’t affect your health but how you look. Maybe your extra weight stems from having a baby or four, or maybe it’s from simply becoming more sedentary. What to do:

• Amp up your exercise. To lose the last few pounds, keep your food intake steady and generate a calorie deficit through exercise. You can either exercise more often or work out harder to push your body out of its comfort zone and melt those last few pounds. If you walk or run, add hills or stairs to your route and strength training to your regimen. If you primarily do the weight machines at the gym, start a spinning class. Just change it up constantly, variety is key!

• Eat frequently. I know I sound like a broken record with this one, but to jump-start your metabolism you should eat breakfast 45 to 60 minutes after waking. Keep it humming with a total of four or five small meals throughout the day. At each meal, get a balance of protein, slow-burning carbohydrates, and healthy fats such as steel-cut oats with a teaspoon or two of almond butter and fresh berries for breakfast.

• Be kind to yourself. To be sure your efforts stem from a healthy impulse instead of outside pressure to look a certain way, do a regular mental check-in and ask yourself what your motivation is. The clients I’ve trained with the lowest retention rate and therefore the lowest success at reaching their goals are honestly the ones that come to me wanting to “look good.” By contrast, the clients who come to me wanting to “feel good” have the best experience and typically see results faster. Accept yourself as you are and be sure your efforts are meeting your true needs – not just a momentary impulse.