Many people blame metabolic problems for weight struggles. But your metabolism naturally regulates itself to meet your body’s
needs. It’s rarely the cause of weight gain or loss. In general, anyone who burns more calories than they take in will lose weight. Anyone who takes in more calories than they burn will gain weight. This can lead to obesity and related problems like diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
A few people have endocrine disorders that cause their metabolism to work slower. You may burn fewer calories and put on weight if you have:
Cushing’s syndrome.
Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland).
Many factors can affect how your metabolism functions. These include losing muscle mass, aging, genes, and being less active.
If you want to speed up your metabolism, do not skip meals. Fuel your metabolism with fresh and vegetables, lean protein and healthy carbohydrates and fats. Exercise and build muscles. Quit smoking. Your metabolism may slow down a bit, but you will lower your risk of cancer, heart disease and other problems.
Clean eating has become a popular term in the world of nutrition and weight loss. It refers to the practice of consuming whole,
unprocessed foods that are free from artificial ingredients, additives, and preservatives. While clean eating is not a diet per se, it can be an effective way to lose weight and improve overall health.
The Benefits of Clean Eating
Clean eating is a lifestyle choice that has numerous benefits, including weight loss. By consuming whole, nutrient-dense foods, you are providing your body with the necessary nutrients it needs to function properly. This can help to reduce cravings for unhealthy foods and promote feelings of fullness, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
In addition to weight loss, clean eating can also improve your overall health. Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. It can also improve digestion, boost energy levels, and promote healthy skin and hair.
Tips for Clean Eating and Weight Loss
If you are looking to incorporate clean eating into your weight loss journey, there are several tips you can follow:
Focus on whole, unprocessed foods: This includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Avoid processed and packaged foods: These often contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients that can sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Read labels: When shopping for groceries, read the labels carefully to ensure that the foods you are purchasing are free from added sugars, unhealthy fats, and artificial ingredients.
Cook at home: Preparing your meals at home allows you to control the ingredients and portion sizes, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help to reduce cravings and promote feelings of fullness.
Practice mindful eating: Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues and eat slowly to avoid overeating.
Conclusion
Clean eating can be an effective way to lose weight and improve overall health. By consuming whole, unprocessed foods, you are providing your body with the necessary nutrients it needs to function properly. By following the tips outlined above, you can incorporate clean eating into your weight loss journey and achieve your health and wellness goals.
Real food is usually unprocessed or minimally processed foods that are rich in nutrients and is a whole single ingredient. For thousands of years, whole foods was 100% of the human diet. Today, many foods are processed, packed in unnecessary calories and harmful to human health. Eating whole foods is the best way to achieve good health and have a quality life. Here are 4 big reasons why you should eat real food:
Packed in Nutrition
Real foods are loaded in vitamins and minerals. Daily dietary needs can be easily met in whole foods unlike processed foods which are high in calories for the wrong reasons. Ever wonder why your take-out doesn’t keep you feeling full for long? Processed foods don’t feed what your body actually needs and can quickly make you feel hungry again. Maintaining a balanced diet based on real foods can not only give your body the nutrition it needs but can also keep you feeling full for longer.
Prevents Sickness and Disease
It’s no secret sugary foods and refined carbs can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and a whole list of other illnesses. Real foods are generally much lower in sugar than processed foods and processed foods are known to cause inflammation which is a major driver of heart disease. The good news is, it is never too late to get healthy. Giving our body’s the nutrients it needs can not only prevent illness and disease but can also prevent conditions from getting worse or even reverse certain illnesses.
Energy Boosting
Feeling tired after a big meal? Contrary to popular belief, feeling tired after a meal is not normal. Food is supposed to boost energy levels which is why many people eat before a workout. Healthy carbs, proteins and fats boost energy levels and give us the strength to power through a workout. Real foods give us the energy to keep our bodies working through the rest of the day.
Real Foods are Delicious
Believe it or not, real foods are delicious. Switching from an unhealthy diet to a healthy one is hard. The good news is, starting is the most difficult part. Once healthy eating becomes part of your permanent lifestyle, you will start to notice you no longer crave the foods you used to crave. Real foods will one day become the foods you naturally crave for. There is nothing better than a home cooked meal using real and fresh ingredients!
It can be hard to attend parties when you are in a weight loss program. You may be worried there won’t be anything at the party you can eat, or that you will get off-track by giving in to temptation. However, all is not lost. Here are 8 tips on how to stick to your healthy diet:
1. Don’t go with an empty stomach.
This will help you avoid feeling starved when you arrive. Eat a healthy, fiber-filled, or high-protein snack before you go to the party.
2. Bring a healthy dish.
You can offer to bring a healthy appetizer, side dish, salad, or lower-calorie dessert. Ask if it would be okay to bring a dish that meets your needs.
3. Opt for lean proteins.
Suppose you are at the party, and you are hungry. Look for the protein that is not fried or dipped with grease. The best options are usually poultry and fish. See if you can find food like shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, or sushi. See also if you can find lean poultry. For example, chicken kabobs can be easy, low-fat choice or grilled breast chicken.
4. Look for fruits and vegetables.
Many parties provide a snack tray stocked with fruits and vegetables. Try filling your plate with fruit and vegetables first. Be mindful if the fruits and veggies are served with dip. You may need to skip the dip unless they have avocado dip.
5. Practice portion control.
Mentally divide your plate into four portions. Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, one quarter with the protein being served, and one quarter with grains or starches or skip this last food group and add fruits instead. Stick to just one plate of food.
6. Eat slowly.
Eating slowly can stop you from eating too much. When your body gets the signal that it’s full, you’re less likely to keep eating.
7. Drink water.
Water helps fill your stomach so that you are less likely to feel hungry. It also gives you something to put in your mouth that doesn’t contain calories or fat. Hold a glass of water in your hand instead. You’ll be less likely to mindlessly nibble on the food at the buffet table.
8. Step Away.
Stay away from the food table. It’s easier said than done. Chatting with friends across the room will help prevent you from filling your plate repeatedly with unhealthy foods. Move your conversation outside to keep the buffet table out of sight. Keeping the food out of your sight is a simple way to keep yourself from eating when you’re not hungry.
Summer is almost here: time to grill! The best part is that grilling can be one of the healthiest ways to cook! Here we have some good grilling ideas:
Grill Vegetables and fruits!
Swap the traditional store-bought barbecue fare like baked beans, coleslaw, macaroni salad and potato salad – which can have a lot of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars – for vegetables and fruits. Grilling vegetables and fruits are a great idea, whether you’re grilling meat or fish to go with them. We all need to eat more vegetables and fruit. Here are some fruits and vegetables that are great to grill:
Tomatoes
Onions
Bell peppers
Zucchini
Eggplant
Asparagus
Endive
Pineapple
Mango
Apple
Pear
Peach
You’ve got to love the idea of infusing flavor into meats, fruits, and vegetables by soaking them in a tasty marinade. Some favorite marinade ingredients include wines, vinegars, lemon or lime juice, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, garlic, onions, herbs, and spices. Example soak Asparagus with small amount olive oil, salt, black pepper, and Italian seasonings for at least 10 minutes and then throw them on the grill for 3-5 minutes. You will love it! Kebabs that alternate small pieces of meat or fish or scallops or shrimp with pieces of onion, red bell peppers, zucchini slices, cherry tomatoes or other produce are a great way to increase vegetable and fruit intake.
Meats
When you’re grilling meat, limit the amount of fat that drips on the coals by starting with lean cuts trimmed of visible fat and skin. If you put a very lean cut of beef or pork, or skinless chicken, or 93% fat free hamburger onto the grill, you’re off to a healthy start. The good fats in fish like salmon and trout have health benefits. And when you grill with skill, your family won’t even miss the red meat, which usually has more saturated fat.
Wrap marinated fish fillets in foil, construct colorful chicken kebabs, or make more savory turkey burgers by mixing chopped red bell pepper, onions into the patties. You can season them with oregano, organic garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Make a simple rub of your favorite spice (such as allspice, chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, garlic powder, paprika or rosemary) and black pepper. Safety tip: never reuse marinade or rub after raw meat has touched it.
Be careful of the portion size!
A healthy portion of any type of meat is about 3 ounces, or the size of a deck of cards, and no more than 6 ounces. If that sounds small, just remember all the delicious grilled veggies and side dishes that will be keeping it company on your plate!
Grill fruits for dessert, salads, or fresh salsas
The natural sugars caramelize in the high heat, giving them extra sweetness and flavor. Try sliced apple, pears, pineapple, halved bananas, figs, nectarines, peaches, or plums.
Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries! These tiny, tasty, and colorful fruits can be grilled in a metal pan, or even better, sealed in an aluminum packet so they steam up nicely. So delectable in salads, in fresh salsas or as a dessert.
Flip It — Flip It Good
Flipping food frequently may help prevent the formation of HCAs, according to recent research using hamburger patties. To turn meat without piercing it (which releases juices that drip onto the coals), use tongs or spatulas instead of a fork.
Whether you are starting your weight loss journey, finding yourself in the middle of the struggle or working on maintenance, these 5 tips will get you back on track:
1. Focus on small changes.
Start now and start small. Moving forward does not have to mean taking a giant leap. In fact, smaller changes are proven to be more effective in the long term than bigger ones. Examples: start 10 minutes work out or walk 20 min each day, fill up on veggies, get more sleep, do not skip breakfast, drink more water, etc.
Instead of focusing on the 20 total pounds you want to lose, put your energy towards the five pounds you can realistically lose in one month.
2. Lose the guilt.
Quit beating yourself up over that cup of ice cream you ate late last night, instead focus on what you are going to do tonight. Have a cup of blueberries with fat free Greek yogurt or apple chips on hand just in case that nighttime hunger strikes again. Focus on the future outcome (like a healthier, lighter you) so you will make better choices in the present.
3. Slowly swap out processed food.
One of the biggest but most important steps to take to lose weight and improve overall health is to eliminate processed foods and replace them with whole foods. Processed foods are designed to be addictive and usually offer little to no nutritional benefit. It is always helpful to plan out your meals when you first start to prevent you from falling back into old unhealthy habits.
4. Use a food journal.
A food journal can keep you aware and conscious. “It keeps you honest by making sure you are aware of your food choices and portion sizes, but also may deter you from choosing a higher calorie item knowing you need to write it down.
. 5. Consider help from the PROS.
Need to jump-start your weight loss plan? Consider talking to one of our experts if you are trying to lose more than 10 lbs.
For a solid two weeks, you followed your weight loss program to a “T”. You followed the menu plan, you bought new kitchen tools, etc. But you step on the scale and feel defeated -the number is the same as it was two weeks ago. Or worse, it’s gone up! First, keep the motivation, but tone down the tension. You are definitely doing the right thing. Plateaus can happen. The really good news is that most plateaus are temporary and short-term.
A study tracking 16,000 men and women provides strong evidence that the scale is one of the most effective tools for losing body fat and keeping it off. So, if you have goals of losing weight, it might be better to shift your relationship with the scale. Here are five ways you can begin to make friends with your scale:
1. Weigh yourself daily.
Provides accountability and you can see your progress. In one study, daily weighers dropped twice as many pounds as weekly weighers.
2. Take the weekly average.
It’s normal for your daily weight to go up and down. However, the key is to avoid riding the emotional roller coaster with your shifting scale weight. Keep the big picture in mind and look for signs of long-term progress.
3. Don’t sweat fluctuations. There can be so many reasons why the scale is not moving. Keep in mind all the reasons for scale fluctuations, including:
You didn’t have bowel movement.
You consumed a lot of sodium.
You ate more food later at night, so it would be sitting in your stomach in the morning.
Carbohydrates will hold on to water, so if you consumed more carbs yesterday, you would retain water.
You are dehydrated.
You’ve had intense workouts, causing inflammation.
You’ve been sick.
You started a new supplement.
Your sleep hasn’t been consistent.
You feel stressed out.
Menstrual cycle approaching.
4. More muscle is a good thing.
If you are exercising, there is a good chance you are adding muscle! And muscle is much denser than fat, which means it takes up less volume than an equal mass of fat. This explains why it’s possible to become slimmer without a significant drop in weight.
5. Promotes good habits.
Another study found that daily weigh-ins led to “greater adoption of weight control behaviors”, such as reducing snacks between meals, cutting back on dessert portions sizes, exercising for 30 minutes or more and increasing daily steps.
Emotional eating can greatly affect our weight-loss efforts. While food can give us a sense of comfort, we can also use food to relieve stress or to simply feel better. This type of eating is a way of filling our emotional needs and not our stomachs. Unfortunately, emotional eating usually makes us feel worse afterwards and leads to overeating accompanied with guilt. Emotional eating can be controlled as long as we can identify our triggers which are key to staying in control.
Start a Food Diary
Keep a food diary and log everything you eat every day. Be sure to include when you ate and how you felt while eating. Over time you may be able to find patterns between your mood and the food you ate. Identifying emotional triggers will help you stay in control and help you differentiate cravings from real hunger.
Find Other Ways to Relieve Stress
Finding other ways to relieve stress will stop us from opening the fridge or scrounging the pantry. Activities such as yoga, reading a book or writing are all great ways to relieve stress. Even simple deep breathing is a form of meditation that can be done anywhere to help us regulate our emotions.
Keep the Temptations Away
If there is no junk food at home, then we can’t eat any! Toss out or give away foods that are high in fat, sugars or calories. Replace unhealthy foods with real foods. Whenever you are feeling a little down, grabbing an apple instead of a bag of chips will not only support weight-loss, but you won’t feel guilty about it afterwards!
Seek Support
During moments of sadness or anxiety make sure to resist isolation. Having a family member come visit or even making a quick phone call can relieve negative emotions. The key to overcoming emotional eating is to find other ways to cope with our emotions other than eating.
A snack is generally defined as any food eaten between meals. A snack portion should be enough to satisfy but not to so much that it interferes with your appetite for a main meal. Snacks can absolutely fit into your diet if you are trying to manage your weight. Having a plan on the type of snacks you pack for work and on the go will help diversify your food selection, vary the nutrients you get and keep you from getting hungry between meals. Remember, think nutrient-dense (fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals) and your snacks will help you get the nutrition your body needs and keep you full.
Here are 10 healthy delicious snacks to try:
¼ cup hummus and veggie sticks (carrots, celery, cucumbers, or peppers).
6-ounce container plain low-fat Greek yogurt with berries (strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries).
21 almonds, 12 walnuts halves, or 45 pistachio nuts.
1 small banana with 2 teaspoons peanut, sunflower, or almond butter.
One ounce of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao)
1 slice 100% whole grain toast (e.g., Melba or Ezequiel) with 1.5 Tbsp. peanut butter.
1 piece reduced-fat string cheese with 1 sliced apple.
Low-fat cottage cheese with blueberries and a sprinkle of granola
1 hard-cooked egg and 1 slice 100% whole grain toast.
4 cups organic popcorn sprinkle with 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan or Nutritional Yeast
Be mindful while you eat. Make eating a relaxing break, away from your computer and work. Enjoy it!
Spring seems like the best thing ever–all the showers and flowers and it is, because the season magically makes you lose weight. You can’t argue with these facts, actual proof that spring is all the things: Beautiful weather makes you want to be more active. Revealing spring clothes zaps your desire to overeat. Cold-weather drinks have fewer calories than warm-weather drinks. The season’s most delicious foods are incredibly healthy. With daylight savings you get more waking hours of sunshine. Green stuff is abundant in the spring and green stuff burns fat. And it just so happens spring is prime time for seasonal veggies like arugula, kale, spinach, and broccoli. Your mood is brighter! most people feel an increase in energy, optimism, and excitement with the arrival of spring. This positive feeling helps to lose weight!
