There’s lots of information online about weight loss. Some of it is useful, but most of it can be confusing and unsustainable. As a Naturopathic Practitioner, I believe in a balanced and healthy approach to weight loss.
How to Lose Weight in 5 Simple Steps
1. Eat less processed foods: Minimise processed foods, eat more whole foods and stock up on healthy foods and snacks. Getting rid of those nasty processed foods and replacing them with whole foods and fruit and veg is a great way not only to lose weight but keep your mind happy as well. Processed food can make you feel lethargic, unsatiated and give you brain fog. Whole foods will leave you feeling fuller for longer, add well-needed nutrients to your body and keep everything regular!
2. Drink more water: drinking water can increase the calories you burn by 24–30% for an hour afterwards and may also lead to a reduced calorie intake, especially for middle-aged people. Water is perfect for weight loss when it replaces other beverages high in calories and sugar. Try to drink about 2 litres of water a day.
3. Eat more fruit and veg: fruit and veg are healthy and weight loss friendly. They add water, nutrients and fibre to your diet and usually have very low energy density. This makes it possible to have large servings without consuming too many calories. Studies have also shown that people who tend to eat more fruit and vegetables tend to weigh less
4. Reduce carb intake: reducing the carbs and increasing the good fat and protein helps reduce your appetite. This can result in weight loss that is up to 3 times greater than that from a standard low-fat diet. A low carb diet can also help improve many risk factors for disease.
5. Incorporate cardio and strength exercises into your everyday life: doing any form of cardio such as running or even power walking is a great way to lose weight and improve your mental and physical health. It also helps reduce the risk of diseases such as heart and reduce body weight. Cardio and strength exercises are particularly effective at reducing the belly fat that builds up around your organs and causes metabolic disease.
Depending on what your current diet is like, some of these steps might mean big changes to your eating habits. If it seems overwhelming, take on one action at a time, adding in a new step the following week or whenever you are ready. If you need support, consider signing up to my 90 Women’s Wellness Programme which starts on Monday 14th February.
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