If you’re reading this, I assume you’re looking for advice on how to lose some weight. Maybe you’ve hit a weight plateau and you’re wondering whether or not it’s time to change your approach to weight loss.
I’ve been there. I remember feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the number on the scale not budging. It’s no secret that we live in a world full of temptation, where healthy food is often presented as an option of last resort, designed to rid us of our excesses. But you’re not alone in wanting to lose weight. Many of us want to live a healthier and happier life, and the numbers back it up:
In 2022, 68% of North Americans reported to the American Institute of Stress that they had gained weight due to pressure from within their relationships. Likewise, 27% of respondents said they had gained weight due to work problems.
In addition to the pressure of living in a constantly evolving world, many of us also have to deal with the emotional eating that often comes with depression and anxiety. Our brains don’t always register the physical act of eating as comforting, especially when we’re feeling emotionally vulnerable.
Make A List Of What You Need
To lose weight and be confident that you’re making the right choice for your body, you have to have a clear picture in mind of what you’re looking for. Make a list of everything that makes you feel uncomfortable with your current weight and lifestyle:
- You hate how you feel when you wake up in the morning
- You’ve reached a weight plateau
- You feel insecure about your body
- Your clothes aren’t fitting you
- You’re tired of trying to diet and constantly giving up
- …And the list goes on
Choose The Right Approach
The way you approach your weight loss journey will determine how successful you’ll be in your endeavor. There are many different strategies and tools designed to help you lose weight, from calorie counting to portion controlling to bariatric surgery. But you have to pick the right one for YOU.
What I recommend is that you choose an integrative approach that accounts for all the different factors that make you feel insecure about your body. There are supplements, there are workout programs, and there are green smoothies that are guaranteed to help you lose weight. But not one solution fits all, and finding the right one for you can be a challenge. That’s why I’m a big fan of the Weight Watchers philosophy, which focuses on creating a healthy environment in your home, with lots of natural light and fresh air. As a result, your metabolism gets a boost and you’ll be burned more calories even while at rest. A 2018 study from Australia’s Monash University found that people who followed the Weight Watchers plan consumed 206 fewer calories per day on average compared to their previous diets. That’s a substantial difference!
The Biggest Loser
One of the best examples of a healthy diet is the one that Sheryl Crow described in her song “Everyday Is A Miracle.” Basically, she says that you should eat what you want when you want it, something that allows you to indulge without guilt. That’s the kind of diet I recommend. It’s called the 80-20 Rule, and it basically means that you should eat a healthy diet 80% of the time and let your guard down on the other 20%.
What’s interesting is that this rule applies to more than just your food consumption. It also pertains to how you want to live your life. When you feel like you’ve been keeping your health in check for too long, allow yourself a small indulgence, something that will remind you that you’re not perfect and you need to stay vigilant.
Avoid These Foods
Now, you don’t want to completely eliminate food groups. After all, you need carbohydrates to stay energized during those long hours at work. What you do want to avoid are the foods that make you feel bad and that you know are bad for you. These are the foods that cause you to gain weight, and it’s important to keep that in mind anytime you’re trying to make a healthier choice. Here are some examples.
- White Bread
- Pasta
- Deep Fried Foods
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Hot Dogs
- Pizza
- Donuts
Eat More Vegetables
If you want to lose weight, you have to eat more vegetables. That’s the simple truth. But even those of us who want to eat healthier can get overwhelmed by the array of vegetables that bombard us every day in the form of produce. Why? Because we don’t always know what to do with it. So it tends to get relegated to the compost heap or the fridge, where it sits and waits for us to remember its existence.
The answer is simple. Eat it. Love it. Weigh it. And most importantly, eat it now. When you finally do decide to indulge in that perfectly grilled burger, pat yourself on the back because it was probably the best decision you’ve made all day. Believe it or not, having fewer calorie-rich foods in your diet will actually help you lose weight. So feel free to eat a dessert every once in a while, but make sure that you’ve got your veggies first so that your body has the nutrients it needs to function properly.
Reduce Stressful Living
I can’t say this enough: The way you approach your weight loss journey will determine how successful you’ll be in your endeavor. There are many different strategies and tools designed to help you lose weight, from calorie counting to portion controlling to bariatric surgery. But you have to pick the right one for YOU.
If you want to lose weight, you should look for ways to reduce your stress. What I recommend is that you choose an integrative approach that accounts for all the different factors that make you feel insecure about your body. There are supplements, there are workout programs, and there are green smoothies that are guaranteed to help you lose weight. But not one solution fits all, and finding the right one for you can be a challenge. That’s why I’m a big fan of the Weight Watchers philosophy, which focuses on creating a healthy environment in your home, with lots of natural light and fresh air. As a result, your metabolism gets a boost and you’ll be burned more calories even while at rest. A 2018 study from Australia’s Monash University found that people who followed the Weight Watchers plan consumed 206 fewer calories per day on average compared to their previous diets. That’s a substantial difference!
Choose Sustainable Seafood
Now, I realize that this point isn’t directly related to weight loss, but it’s important to keep in mind whenever you’re eating out or about to indulge in some delicious seafood that there’s a reason why it’s been that way. It’s been contaminated by mercury or some other chemical that causes chronic illness in humans. So, if you’re going to indulge in some fish, make sure that you’re consuming sustainable seafood.
There’s also a reason why much of the seafood that you find in restaurants has been frozen. Thawing out a frozen fish often means putting your health at risk. So, if you’re going to indulge in seafood, let’s say, salmon, make sure that it’s been delivered fresh from a sustainable source.
You should also remember that many of the fish sold in markets, especially in bigger cities, are farm-raised and, as a result, are not sustainable. You should look for markets where you can get natural, wild-caught fish, which is usually cheaper and certainly more appetizing.
Choosing sustainable seafood means choosing seafood that was caught or raised in a way that doesn’t harm the environment. So, if you want to have a healthy lifestyle, you have to be conscious of the food that you’re eating. Wild-caught fish are usually healthier than farm-raised fish because they’re usually fed a diet of natural food, which is more nutritious. So, in general, eating natural foods, especially the ones that come from animals, reduces the harm that you cause to the environment. Therefore, it’s usually a better option for both your health and the planet.