Isn’t that what now-a-days so many of us want? A body that is healthy within + looks good on the outside as well?

Dream wishing you think – not so much 🙂

It is no overstatement that there are literally millions of theories, diets and plans, and just as many powders, pills and disappointing quick fixes out there, promising easy and fast weight loss.

Yet I wonder, why then are there still so many people struggling with dropping the extra pounds and finally reaching their health goals.

Diet theories change almost every season and new pills climb into the shells in the health section of our food stores.

It is hard to keep up with the newest trends and information, so why don’t we simplify it – listen to ourselves (what really makes me feel good & what doesn’t?), cut out the crap and get back to the roots.

The following tips and tricks are not only helping you drop any extra weight, but will support you on your way to a body that feels good, happy and healthy – because that’s what it’s all about: the way we feel in our skin (not a number on a scale)!

To our health:

#1 Don’t count calories

Counting calories is a safe way to get you hooked into a diet that will be hard and not fun to follow.

Calories are nothing more than an indicator of the amount of energy contained in a certain food. Just because of a certain number, we do not know anything about the quality of a food or its nutritional values.

A healthy way of eating is much more than a number of calories coming in and going out of your body.

#2 Add fiber

In order to turn off hunger, our bodies need fiber.

Fiber can be found in non-starchy vegetables. A rule of thumb is to include 1-2 cups with every meal

#3 Don’t use artificial sweeteners:

Artificial sweeterners have an acid property.

Research and studies have been showing that artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain and even tumors.

#4 Avoid processed sugar

As with everything, the amount is the poison.

However, the less processed foods consumed, the better for you. Applying logic sense, it becomes clear that whole and original foods simply must be better, than refined and processed options.

Studies show that processed sugar can lead to headaches, low energy levels, inflammation, weight gain, blood sugar problems and an increased risk of heart disease, as well as other dangerous conditions. Therefore added sugar should be kept to a minimum.

Instead, a healthy diet based on whole foods is recommended, which will likely also decrease inflammation, boost your energy levels, and improve your ability to focus.

#5 Ditch the “all or nothing” mentality

Life needs to be lived in balance. All or nothing is never a good solution – for any situation.

And again the word moderation comes in. In order to stay consistent, it’s important to not create any prohibitve rules.

Consumption in balance, variety and moderation is the key! Putting a ban on certain food groups or meals will likely cause the opposite but rather evoke feelings of  frustration, giving up, feeling bad and not reaching your goals.

Some reccomend a scheduled treat day (not cheat day! The words you use matter) per week. During this day you could eat something that might not support your physical goal. Pasta could be an example here.

It is very important for you to know you’re not cutting something out of your life. This way you’ll be emotionally satisfied and therefore also minimize the chance of bingeing on forbidden foods.

That being said, I am not a friend of labeling foods – into good and bad. You should develop a healthy relationship between your body & mind and your eating habits. This way you naturally want those kind of foods that are good for you.

#6 Get more sleep:

At first it may look like sleep has nothing to do with you gaining or loosing weight. But everything in our bodies is connected to one another and therefore also sleep affects our weight.

Not getting enough or good sleep…

• increases the hunger hormone (ghrelin), which leads to sugar cravings
• increases inflammation, which will make you feel puffy
• increases cortisol, which causes weight gain around the belly area

#7 Don’t do excessive cardio

This one might be a new and uncharted territory. In the end, that’s what we’ve been told for years, to do more cardio in order to loose weight.

While moving your body and working out is very important and should be part of your routine, not every type of exercise is the same.

Excessive cardio raises the cortisol levels, which is the stress hormone. An elevation leads (again) to weight gain around belly.

However, each of us has a different body with a unique body consitution. 

If your body is not used to working out, going all in and doing all of the sudden excessive cardio, might to more harm than good by overwhelming your body (workout is a type of stress on the body).

If you are just getting started on your fitness journey (or getting back on track) , it is recommended to do 3-4 workout days per week, to give your body enough time to restore and recover.

#8 Don’t eat less

YESSS! This is a huge one. Diets never work and this is why! – Eating less is not the solution.

1. By not consuming enough food throughout the day, we are messing with our hormones.
2. Our body starts burning less calories at rest, because it thinks it’s in starvation mode
3. And as if this wouldn’t be enough, eating less will increase our hunger hormones, leaving you with sugar cravings

Instead, eat until you are satisfied. Don’t overstuff yourself remember to consume a well balanced diet, including fat, fiber and proteins.

#9 Stick to Whole Foods

Whole Foods are what Mother Nature provided us with. Why first take it apart, concentrate and process, when we can consume the whole thing as well?!

In their natural form, they are much more nutrient dense, providing us with everything we need.

#10 Intermittent fasting

In one of the recent blog posts I explained what intermittent fasting actually means, how it can be done and why it’s said to be beneficial.

There are a few things worth paying attention to, making it more beneficial and securing its health benefits. I listed 8 of the most common mistakes when doing intermittent fasting, so you can avoid them and experience its advantages right away.

Summarizing it can be said, that in addition to increasing gut health, intermittent fasting also benefits us at a cellular level. The process of cell cleansing starts after fasting for 12 hours or more.

Besides all the listed ways to loose weight, I want you to remember and know, that life is much more than a number on a scale!

While it is a good thing to thrive for better health & feeling good in your own skin, your weight is just a number and shouldn’t matter at the end of the day. 

Thrive for health, happiness and feeling good and the weight will take care of its own.

Keep on shining bright