9 Essential Healthy Weight Loss Strategies.

Here’s the critical essential elements for weight loss that I have discovered and learnt over the years. Notice that it all focuses on what you need to do, rather than what you need to stop doing.

1. Drink water & herbal tea.

It has been estimated that on average, in moderate conditions a person can survive only 3 days without water, yet up to 3 weeks or more without food. In the 50 degree plus desert, Bear Grylls quoted only 6 hours to survive without water. The human body is approximately 60% water, though in obese people can be as low as 45%. In short your body needs water to survive! Not coke, milk, coffee, fruit juice, soft drinks or other water substitutes, but good old fashioned plain water. If you’re not drinking 8 glasses a day, you need to be. Be aware if you drink caffeinated drinks, that does not count to your total as they are dehydrating. Learn to love green tea, it’s super good for you, the tetleys mint & pomegranate decaf green tea is a tasty way into loving green tea.

2. Eat vegetables, whole grains & legumes.

The World Health Organisation has upped the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables to 9 serves. That is approximately 2 cups of fruit and 3 cups of vegetables. Lots of green and cruciferous veggies, broccoli, Cauliflower, cabbage, cress, bok choy have incredible health benefits and can aid weight los while filling you up. But be sure to include the whole spectrum of fruits and veggies in your daily diet. I try and eat a rainbow every single day as a vegetable challenge. Contrary to popular belief you do not need to eat copious amounts of meat and animal products to get adequate protein for normal muscle development and repair. Vegetables, grains and legumes have protein in them too! Amazing! A completely vegan diet has been shown to completely reverse heart disease, cancers and many other chronic Western Lifetsyle Illnesses, If you are interested in this, read the China Study.

And here’s some more:

• Protein in a Vegan Diet
• WHO on Diet & Activity
• Easy tips to get your 9 serves
• Nutrition Chart for all Vegetables – This is amazing!

3. Eat good fats – Fish oil, avocado, nuts

Your brain needs fat to function. Cutting it out is crazy, and will make you crazy and sick. Full stop. Especially Omega-3 Fatty acid = ALA, EPA, DHA. In our typical western diet the ratio of Omega -6 to Omega -3 is radically out of whack, which causes a massive range of health problems. Educate yourself on this important health info here: Omega 3- 6 Balance

Fish oil is also massively important for weight loss and in treating Depression and any mental health issues. 

4. Eat ProBiotics & fibre.

It doesn’t matter how healthy your diet is if you’re not digesting it properly. Probiotics and fibre support your digestive system to work properly to digest your food and eliminate your waste. You gut has been called your second brain, and is a vital part of your health and wellbeing.

• More on Probiotics and prebiotics
• Gut Health by 180 Nutrition 

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5. Chew your food. Eat slower.

Eating slowly is super important. It helps you to eat more mindfully, slow down and allow your brain to register that you’re full. It also helps you to digest your food better if you have properly masticated it. Count your average chews for each mouthful and add on a couple of extra. Oh and it goes without saying, Sit down at a table when you eat. Not standing or driving. Make eating a small haven of relaxation in your day.

6. Get some relaxation.

Daily focused relaxation is imperative to health and wellbeing. it doesn’t have to be 40 mins of oommmhhing though, (but that is excellent!) You can teach yourself to relax in short breaks through the day, I like this: Close your eyes and take 3-15 deep breaths mini-meditation. Count the breaths from 15 – 1 You can’t say you don’t have 1-3 minutes to stop and breathe can you? Really? No-one’s that busy. Do it when you go to the toilet if you must.

7. Positive focus on what you want.

Critical for any endeavour is to know specifically what you want. It doesn’t mean being all Pollyanna and not taking into account challenges and hurdles, but rather knowing specifically what you want as your end point outcome, and what you will do as the process to get there. Every time you’re not clear on your focus an obstacle will pop up to show you that fact.

8. Do weights.

the fastest way to transform you body bar none is weight bearing exercise in High Intensity Intervals. Think squats, lunges, pushups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and more fancy exercises like woodchoppers, kettle bell swings, plyometrics etc. Using weight and moving all of your body in multiple planes. this will build lean muscle mass, get you fitter, make your body stronger and more functional ,burn more calories at rest, and help you feel empowered. It will NOT make you bulky. If you don’t know where to start ask a PT for a program or go to a local PUMP class. 

9. Stretch.

Stretching feels so delicious, because Its SOOO good for you. Aside from easing body aches and muscle tension. Regular stretching is important to release all the fascia and connective tissue and lengthen the tendons that keep your muscles attached to your bones, all of which helps your body function properly and prevent injury and strain. A weekly all-over yoga session type stretch is the absolute minimum, though daily practice morning and night for just 5 minutes is even better. Get your stretch on. I love the online classes with Yogaglo, which have a free trial. But there are loads of free yoga sessions on youtube and on yogi’s personal websites, just search for free yoga to find some you like.