Returning to what our bodies know; a nourishing diet, healthy movement and balanced emotions, is integral in the pursuit of weight-loss. Not only does it allow us to sustain long-term leanness, but to do so with exuberant energy and vitality! Given the right tools, our weight will regulate and cravings diminish. Read on for my top weight loss tips.
Image via pinterest
1. Eat nutrient dense whole foods
The place to start for weight loss is in switching to a nourishing, nutrient dense whole food diet. Chemicals, toxins and hormones in artificial & processed foods confuse our bodily signals, keeping you only temporarily satisfied, craving sugar and malnourished.
2. Reduce carbohydrates, eliminate sugar and eat more fats
Sugar and foods highest in carbohydrates such as bran, cereal, fruit, sweets, soft drinks, breads, pastas, beans, potatoes, rice and corn increase insulin levels. Insulin’s role is to store excess nutrients for a day of famine, but we are constantly feasting! Excess carbohydrates are then stored as body fat. Your new mantra: Eat fat to lose fat!
Low fat, ‘skim’ and crash diets haven’t worked – why are we all still overweight?
Based on more than two decades of research by world-renowned biochemist and fats expert Dr. Mary Enig, Eat Fat, Lose Fat flouts conventional wisdom by asserting that so-called “healthy” vegetable oils (such as soybean and corn) are in large part responsible for our national obesity and health crises, while the saturated fats traditionally considered “harmful” (such as those found in coconut oil and butter) are, in fact, essential to weight loss and health. Eat high quality pastured animal fat (meat, dairy and eggs), non-farmed oily fish and unprocessed plant fats (cold pressed olive and coconut oil, whole avocado, nuts and seeds). Eating 2 tablespoons medium-chain fatty acids (the kind found in coconut oil) with a meal can cause body temperature to rise after the meal. This means that coconut oil can boost metabolism, helping you to avoid the slowdown in metabolism that often occurs during dieting.
Consult with your Naturopath on how to transition from poor quality fats to whole quality fats. Your liver and gall bladder (organs of fat emulsification and metabolism) may need some herbal assistance.
Image via pinterest
3. Eliminate environmental toxins
They can interfere with glucose and cholesterol metabolism and induce insulin resistance; promote inflammation; alter thyroid metabolism; and impair appetite regulation. These toxins can be found in everything we use & consume such as beauty, personal care and cleaning products, as well as processed foods we eat. Detox stored toxins with the help of your Naturopath and replace nasties with ethical and sustainable natural products.
4. Don’t over-cook your food
Apart from destroying nutrients in your food, toxic cooking by-products are formed when we cook food over 120Celcius. Advanced glycation end product (AGE) is one type of toxin produced via direct heat grilling or barbequing, which can expose food to temperatures in excess of 260°C. AGEs, contribute to age and diabetes-related chronic inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis and obesity.
5. Plan your meals
Take time to source, prepare and create your meals. A well stocked fridge and pantry will stop you from snacking and grazing on empty high calorie food. Eat in a relaxed state and chew your food until liquid.
6. Hormonal imbalance
Have a check-up with your GP and measure the following hormones that may affect your appetite, ability to lose body fat or make energy: Cortisol, insulin, thyroid and reproductive hormones.
These hormones can be balanced by addressing the lifestyle factors, which cause the imbalance alongside specific herbal remedies as prescribed by your Naturopath.
7. Manage stress
Stress can slow your metabolism, make you crave sugars, emotionally eat and lead to weight gain. When you’re under a great deal of stress, your body releases cortisol – a stress hormone. The release of cortisol has been linked with the build-up of abdominal fat.
Consult with your Naturopath on how to manage stress through exercise, meditation, counselling and specific herbal remedies.
8. Cleanse your bowels and liver
Sluggish bowels create bloated, full and inflamed tummies. Toxins are reabsorbed instead of eliminated and as result lead to further inflammation and systemic swelling. Our liver is the organ that not only filters our blood of toxins but is also involved in the metabolism of protein, carbohydrates, fats and hormones. Cleanse and repair these vital organs for increased fat-burning efficiency and a healthier body all round!
Consult with your Naturopath to help you cleanse.
Despite seeming more involved than other dietary fat-blasting regimes, these foundational tips will ensure a lifetime of effortless weight management and, most importantly, health, vitality and happiness!
Follow Anthia Koullouros Website | Facebook | Twitter
