Weight Loss Tips and Tricks

Weight loss is a big, complicated subject. There are so many factors involved in shedding pounds and keeping them off. Of course, everyone’s situation is different. You might be trying to lose weight because your doctor told you it was time to get healthy. You might have heard about the keto diet and thought it sounded good to lose some weight. Or, maybe you just want to look better on the beach this summer. Perhaps you just want to fit into old clothes again. Regardless of what brought you here, losing weight—and keeping it off—starts with eating right.

Eat whole foods instead of processed.

Whole foods are always going to be better for you then anything processed. Generally, the close to nature it is, the better the food is for you. Highly processed foods are often void of necessary micronutrients and are almost always carb heavy and protein light. Shoot to avoid processed foods, especially those containing added sugar.

When shopping, stick to the ‘ring of life’ that circles around the grocery store. Meats, dairy, seafood, produce. It all rings around the store, while the deeper into the aisles you go the more things are processed. The exceptions to this rule are for dried goods like rice and beans, seasonings, and some baking supplies.

Avoid preservatives, food coloring, food flavoring and other ingredients you can’t pronounce. Too many chemicals are also bad for you. They can wreck your hormones or cause issues with your gut, and a lot of people actually have negative reactions to them in some way. Artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatices exist solely to make processed foods more palatable, and no other reason.

Give me more info on whole foods

If you’re interested in losing weight, it’s important to eat good (i.e. whole) foods. It’s one of the most basic ways to make sure you’re getting all the vitamins and nutrients needed for a healthy body. If you don’t know what “good” food is, here are some tips:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which will help keep your digestive system running smoothly and prevent constipation. They also contain antioxidants that help fight off free radicals (the bad guys) that damage cells in our bodies as we age. The darker the color of a fruit or vegetable, such as purple grapes or carrots with orange skin, the more antioxidants it has!
• Avoid processed foods with lots of added sugars or fats – these can cause weight gain over time because they put extra calories into your body without giving it any beneficial nutrients for growth (such as vitamin C). Instead try fresh fruits like apples when possible; if fresh isn’t available then frozen varieties will do just fine too! Be careful though: some prepackaged versions contain added sugars so keep an eye out for those labels!

Increase your protein intake.

Protein helps you feel full and keeps blood sugar levels stable. It also helps you build muscle, which is important for weight loss because it can increase your metabolism. Protein is essential to general health and well-being, but how much you need depends on your weight and activity level.

I always tell people to shoot for 1g of protein per bodyweight pound as a starter goal. If you’re very active or trying to gain weight (or if you’re pregnant), you might want to go higher while some endurance athletes might want to go a bit lower.

To meet these recommendations without having to eat large amounts of meat or dairy products every day you can include beans in soups or salads. Adding eggs, nuts and seeds to sandwiches can likewise get you pretty far in overall intake, plus all the extra micronutrients those foods bring along. Throw low-fat yogurt into your smoothies, or adding fish a few times a week.

As a final note on protein, make sure that you are eating as many complete proteins as possible. A whole protein source is something that has all essential amino acids we need on a daily bases. Generally, these come from animal proteins, but you can mix and match plant (which always lack 1 or more EAA) proteins to get as close as possible as well.

Don’t drink your calories.

Drinking your calories can be one of the easiest ways to gain weight. While it’s true that liquid foods don’t fill you up quite as much as solid foods do (which is why it’s important to eat a well-balanced meal), drinking too many sugary drinks can still lead to weight gain. Studies have shown that people who drink sugary beverages tend to weigh more than those who don’t consume them regularly.

The reason for this increased risk of obesity is twofold. First, when we drink our calories instead of eating them whole or mixed in with food, they aren’t as satisfying as if we had consumed them directly from a plate or bowl. Second, drinking too many sugary beverages may make you feel hungrier later in the day because sugars cause blood sugar levels to spike and then crash down again after an hour or two without adequate nutrients (like protein) for energy production in between meals—this sets off hunger signals that encourage overeating later on.

In addition to having empty calories without any nutritional value whatsoever, sugary drinks also tend not have any satiating effect either. This means that consuming large amounts will likely make us crave even more food later on than if there wasn’t anything else available besides water.

Eat more fiber

There is one type of food that you should eat in greater amounts if you’re trying to lose weight: Those higher in fiber.

Fiber can help you feel full and keep your bowels moving smoothly, which helps prevent constipation and keeps your metabolism running at an optimal rate. It also keeps your heart healthy by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure while increasing insulin sensitivity (which helps prevent diabetes). Additionally, fiber can improve your gut function, which means you get more nutrients out of whatever else you are eating. Win-win!

Fiber comes from whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans—and yes, even lentils!

Try eating six small meals a day instead of three larger ones.

This tip works for some, but not for all. It really depends on your individual schedule and how full you need to feel after a meal.

Incorporating small meals into your daily routine can be a great way to stave off hunger and control your caloric intake. If you have trouble eating a healthy breakfast in the morning, try adding more snacks throughout the day so that all of your meals are evenly spread out.

Instead of downing an enormous sandwich at lunchtime, make yourself a turkey wrap from scratch with whole-wheat bread and low-fat cheese.

It’s much healthier than ordering fast food, is easy to prepare and eat on the go (in case you’re late for work), and will keep you full until dinnertime.

Personally, I eat 3 full meals a day alongside 2 decent sized snacks and a post workout shake. Works well for me.

Eat more healthy fats.

You’ve probably heard that healthy fats are good for you, but what does that mean?

Healthy fats are those that come from plant sources or animal sources. Examples of these include: avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter). When you’re looking at the fat content of foods that contain animal-based fats (such as meat), look for ones with high percentages of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These types of fatty acids are typically found in fish such as salmon or tuna—but they can also be found in nuts like almonds or cashews.

Fat is flavor, and as long as you consume it in moderation (1g of fat = 9 calories compared to 1g of protein or carbs which = 4 calories each) in non saturated or trans fats varieties, you will be fine.

Research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be more effective than traditional cardio at getting rid of dangerous belly fat… as long as you’re doing it in the right way.

Research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be more effective than traditional cardio at getting rid of dangerous belly fat… as long as you’re doing it in the right way.

The most important thing to remember about HIIT is that it’s not just another way to work out. It’s a specific exercise routine that requires more effort from your body. If done incorrectly or too intensely, it can hurt your health rather than help it.

HIIT involves alternating between short bursts of intense activity and short periods of rest. For example:

• A person might sprint for 30 seconds, then jog slowly for one minute. They might repeat this routine 5-10-15 times during a workout.
• Another option would be to jog for 30 seconds and then sprint for 20 seconds—repeating this cycle three or four times. After each time through this cycle ends, the person should cool down slowly by jogging until they are no longer sweating or out of breath before starting again

HIIT can burn more during a 10-15 minute workout than 30-60 minutes of steady state cardio can.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that weight loss is a process and will take time. You have to make small changes in order for them to stick, because it’s easy to slip back into bad habits when you’re trying something new. But, if you stay consistent and keep working at it, you can reach your goals!

Let Us help You Out

At CONDITIONerd we are here to help you achieve better physical and mental health through exercise. Check out the plans we offer to our customers and see if you could benefit from working with our team. And if you have questions, you can always contact a CONDITIONerd team member. 

Personal trainers, like those found here, can help guide you on your pathway towards reaching your fitness goals, whether that is getting bigger, stronger, faster, more lean, or just generally feeling better.

We can get you setup with a periodized workout plan, supplement information, and advice on nutrition to help you reach your goals.

The only thing you need is some motivation and a willingness to change some old habits.

Get into contact with us to find out what membership is right for you. In a CONDITIONerd program, you’ll be surrounded by others who can help you to get where you want to be.