Sometimes it feels icky to write about weight-loss. Almost gimmicky. Like those google ads that say “lose weight overnight by doing nothing but drinking this MAGIC TEA”. 😉

I always hesitate to write these posts, but when I sent out a survey a couple of months ago on what you want help with, weight-loss was definitely a common topic. So, here I am. 

While I’d love to tell you that I’ve got this secret lose-weight-fast plan, I don’t. Instead, I’ve got a killer SLOW & STEADY plan for you though. At the end of the day, weight-loss shouldn’t be very difficult. If it is, something else is at play. It isn’t just about eating less and exercising more. By following all of the below steps, I'm confident you'll get to the weight you want to be at.

Now, before we jump in to my recommendations, I want to give you two reminders:

1. Give Your Body Some Self Love

Our Instagram feeds are full of people that look perfect, but remember it’s a highlight reel. I find I only like to post my best pictures too, so guess I’m guilty! The negative self-talk associated with being unhappy with your body is actually a major stressor on your body and guess what, too much stress can make weight-loss tough! So, as cheesy as it can sound, think of a few nice phrases to say to yourself about what you love about your body. Buy clothes that you feel GOOD in, not one size too small in the hopes that next week they’ll fit.

2. Be Real With Yourself

Next up, be real with yourself. What is your body’s healthy weight? What is it easy to maintain when you’re relaxed, eating well and exercising? It might not be a size 2 and it might be 5 or 7lbs more than what you WANT, but especially for us women, a six pack and zero body fat percentage isn’t great from a hormone standpoint. In fact, you’d be surprised how many fitness models actually lose their periods because they don’t have enough body fat. So, be real with yourself and stop stressing about just a few pounds!!!

Ok, now that I’ve got those two things out of the way…here’s what I find to be the absolute best plan to lose weight sustainably, that isn't miserable to do and actually keeps the weight off.

1. Write It Down

Whenever I work with 1:1 clients, I have them fill in some paperwork in advance of our first session. The first questionnaire has a section asking them to say what foods they “typically” have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The second has a specific food journal they complete for four days showing everything they ate. What happens almost all of the time is what people think they “typically” eat is MUCH better than what’s actually in the journal. Our brains have this miraculous way of forgetting the bad stuff. 

I tell you this because maybe you’re underestimating the crackers and cheese before dinner, or the number of times you’re having dessert - i.e. it’s not just a treat it’s a habit. Writing it down is really eye opening. You don’t have to do it forever, but a week or so can help!

2. Keep Alcohol In Check

Did I mention you might want to include alcohol in the above journal? I love me a glass of wine, but your body really doesn’t. It’s full of hidden sugars and is a quick way to add too many calories to your daily routine.. Ladies - aim to keep your alcohol at 2-3 drinks per week and men, 3-5.

3. Test Your Hormones

I talk more about this here, but if you’re eating well and exercising and either gaining weight or simply can’t lose any without starving yourself, hormones are likely at play. I offer hormone testing that you can do from home - click here to book a complimentary session to learn more.

Here are some of the systems where hormones affect weight:

Thyroid:

• I talk more about how your thyroid could be impacting your weight here. 
• What I see most often is that thyroid conditions are under diagnosed. The acceptable range for your TSH is wider when tested by your GP than by a natural health care practitioner. That means that you may be told ‘everything’s normal’, when really your thyroid isn’t in the optimal range so you’re still experiencing symptoms. 
• If your thyroid is HYPO, weight gain is a common symptom.

Estrogen:

• While estrogen gives us our amazing curves as ladies, in too high of quantities, you can experience weight gain in the hips, thighs and butt area. I definitely recommend testing this with my at-home hormone testing.
• You can read more about estrogen dominance and weight gain here.

Take The Thinking Out Of It

Some sources estimate we make 35,000 decisions a day. Regardless of the exact number, we make a LOT. When it comes to food, often times it’s an emotional decision, or your brain tells you that you want something that perhaps you don’t reeeeeeally want. This is why meal planning is so effective: it takes so much of the thinking out of it.

In fact, Harvard and the Mayo Clinic both talk about the benefits of meal planning on your waistline, your wallet and your stress levels (since it reduces the thinking significantly).

Click here to learn more about the gluten and dairy free meal plans we have that will help you lose weight.

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Check In With Your Emotions

Food cravings are so emotional. I mean, who hasn’t grabbed for a treat when feeling stressed, down or tired? I know I have. If you are an emotional eater, I’ve got a 7 step process to stop emotional eating here. Really, the most important part is being aware of it and being able to know that the sweet won’t help you beyond the 1 minute you’re eating it. After that one minute, it'll just leave you feeling worse.

Get 6 Servings Of Veggies

Last but certainly not least, rather than focusing on what not to eat, focus on eating more of the green stuff (or any colour vegetable for that matter). Could you go for six servings a day? Of course, our meal plans will have you eating WAY more veggies than you’re used to, and in delicious, creative ways.

Increasing the vegetables you consume results in a few things:

• Improved liver function from the nutrient content, which can help you lose excess weight
• Reduced caloric intake (potentially) if vegetables are replacing other items on your plate
• Better blood sugar management, leading to less cravings and potentially, weight-loss

I challenge you to take action with something from the above. Comment below what you’re going to do. If you found this information useful, please share it.