The Secrets to Weight Loss Success

Nutrition & Fitness Tips

WRITE DOWN what you eat and how much you eat. I recommend buying a journal or notebook to record your progress. Writing down everything is especially important when you first start. Most people don’t realize how much they actually eat. This will help you notice trends that are working and also the ones that aren’t.

NEVER go beyond 4 hours without a meal. Eating is actually good for you. Your best bet is to eat every 3 – 4 hours. Every time you eat, your metabolism actually increases, so eating smaller meals throughout the day helps prevent your body from going into starvation mode (which causes binging) and it also helps you burn more calories throughout the day.

WATCH YOUR PORTION SIZE. Although it’s good to eat, too much of a good thing can end up being bad! So, you need to watch the amount you consume at each meal. I would also recommend you weigh and measure your food in the beginning. This will help you get an idea of what an average portion looks like. In the long run, you won’t need to do this, but for now, we’re trying to make sure you have a calorie deficit – one of the basic ingredients of any successful weight loss plan.

CHOOSE POWER FOODS. These consist of high quality protein, high-fiber / low and mid-glycemic carbohydrates, and low – fat dairy. One way our body often works against us is through insulin – the fat storage hormone. Release too much insulin into your blood stream and instead of burning fat you’ll be wearing it on your hips! Many diets on the market today are based on this fact. Carb control is really insulin control, but severally limiting carbohydrates, and putting your body into ketosis, is not the answer to permanent weight loss. The key is to reduce the glycemic load, or insulin response, of each meal. This is done by choosing the right foods. Remember, carbohydrates aren’t the problem, insulin overload is. See here for a printable food list.

EAT QUALITY PROTEIN with every meal. This helps reduce the total glycemic load of the meal and ensures that blood sugar levels remain stable throughout the day.

DRINK plenty of water. In between meals, if you’re feeling hungry, drink at least one glass of water within 15 minutes. Often, our bodies confuse hunger with thirst. If you drink 1 – 2 cups of water when you feel your willpower fading, you will usually lose the urge to raid the fridge.

MOVING PAST PLATEAUS. If you start this program and don’t lose weight, or if you start losing weight and then stop for three weeks straight, then it’s time for you to do some tweaking. One of the basic components of any weight loss program is creating a calorie deficit. This means you must burn more calories then you eat. If you’re not losing, you just might be overeating.

For more information, please contact me at info@jillsatterfield.com.