Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals

You’ve been told again and again, what not to do to achieve weight loss. Cut off an entire food group, restrict certain foods, hands off carbohydrates and more.Tired of them not living up to their hype? Why not turn the situation around with what you can do instead?  Making some adjustments may be all you need to keep the weight off. Ready to achieve your weight loss goals? Here’s how:

Water to the Rescue

Water has no calories. So do other calorie-free beverages. Before you eat, drink a glass of water. It will fill you up and help you eat less. Don’t like plain water?  Infuse your water with slices of lemon, mint or cucumber or drink tea (herbal, white, green, red, black).

Eat Your Vegetables and Fruits

Recently, health authorities suggest increasing the servings of vegetables and fruits to nine servings or more. If you’re striving to keep weight down, this advice is even more imperative. After all, vegetables and fruits are low in calories, high in nutrients and fiber. Often called voluminous foods, they help you feel full with fewer calories. Instead of snacking on foods full of saturated fats and sugar, reach for cut slices of celery, carrots, bell pepper, cucumber and substitute fruits for desserts.

MUFAs are Mighty Fine

Not all fats are bad. Foods rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) not only help to reduce risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and normalize blood clotting, they may also help weight loss. How? MUFAs induce a feeling of satiety and reduce the need to eat unnecessarily. Foods rich in MUFAs include avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds and canola oil. Eat in moderation as MUFAs are still high in overall calories.

Bulk Up on Flab-fighting Fiber

Are you afraid of carbs and what they can do in terms of weight? Why not switch to fiber, technically a form of carbs that cannot be digested. In addition to reducing risks of heart disease, diverticular disease and constipation, fiber fills you up without hefty calories. Eat fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Be sure to increase dietary fiber gradually as increasing fiber intake too quickly may result in bloating, gas and cramps.

Sleep More, Weigh Less

Not all weight loss tools have to do with food. Do you know that sleeping more can actually help with weight loss? Research shows that sleeping more (at least 7 hours of sleep) will not only give you less chance to snack but sleeping is also linked to the production of appetite-regulating hormones such as leptin and ghrelin.  Lack of sleep increases the production of ghrelin, the hormone that controls cravings and decreases leptin, the hormone that signals satiety, which helps to prevent over-eating. When the appetite-regulating hormones are out of whack, you may experience less ability to control food cravings.

Exercise Exhilaration

When it comes to more, more time spent in active activities is better. Exercise not only helps to burn calories, it improves mood and generates a feeling of wellness. Opt for 30 minutes (or more) of physical activities most days – a great and fun way to get in shape and stay in shape.

These are just some of the many ways you can achieve your weight loss goals. For more information and help in this area, contact us.