As a Master Nutritionist, who personally lost 130+ pounds I might add, I work with people all over America to help them lose weight and get back on track with their nutrition. Of course, New Years opens the floodgates for those desperately dealing to shed the winter weight and get their body back after months of holiday treats.
Here are the 3 Flaws that I find most frequently…
Not Eating Enough
Yes, you can lose weight without starving yourself! I know what you’re thinking— and no this does not mean you’re going to have to live in the gym full time either! The best way to shed fat and reach a healthy weight is to eat healthily. Sounds too good to be true, right?!
How weight loss and nutrition work is not rocket science, but it can easily be confusing and frustrating if you don’t understand how the body uses nutrition and calories to function. Weight loss is not a true “calories in/calories out” scenario like many have claimed. Yes, you do have to be in a deficit (fewer calories than you burn) in order to lose weight. But if you have too big of a deficit, your body will try to protect itself by holding on to everything it can! Yikes! This is called “starvation mode” and the body will experience some very negative side effects that arise from this.
As a Master Nutritionist, I see hundreds of people each year who are overweight, yet under eating and on the verge of starvation or malnourishment. They are fatigued, exhausted, have low immune systems, they look sickly, hair loss, sunken-in and ashy skin, low sex drive and some even experience a loss of a menstrual cycle and/or infertility. When this happens the body stores fat a rapid rate as an emergency storage, increases cortisol levels (stress hormones) and begins to operate at an emergency level. This is where the “calories in, calories out” scenario just doesn’t fit the bill for proper weight loss. The body is now prone to gain weight, at a rapid rate, despite the fact that you’re barely eating.
In my own practice as a Master Nutritionist, I suggest that rather than strictly focusing on dieting or restricted eating, I suggest you focus on healthy eating. If you constantly consume healthy, real foods that are good for you, such as lean proteins, organic vegetables, fresh fruit, and healthy fats, you’ll discover that it is incredibly easy to be in a deficit without ever counting a single calorie! Best of all, because your eating focuses on healthy, nutritious foods your body will respond in kind by becoming healthier, stronger and leaner!
This year if one of your goals is to shed fat, focus on clean eating to get healthy rather than dieting to get skinny. I promise your body will thank you for it in the months to come!
Fake Sugar Overload!
As a whole, we are brainwashed into thinking if it says “diet” it must be good for us. Think again! All the fake sugars found in many so-called health foods could be sabotaging your new year’s weight loss goals. Take for example diet soda. The label clearly reads “diet” and “zero calories”, so you think well this is obviously great for my health goals, right? Think again!
These fizzy chemical cocktails are crammed full of artificial sweeteners and chemicals, which are not even remotely healthy or even safe for your body. Some diet sodas have been shown to literally strip rust from power tools and metal— just think of what it’s doing to your insides! In addition to being connected to causing cancer and other severe medical issues, they can also cause simple ailments such as acne, skin rashes, bloating, depression, anxiety, headaches, migraines, and even fatigue.
Don’t lose hope if you have a sweet tooth. There are healthier options on the market. If you can’t stand the idea of coffee without sugar, in place of artificial sweetener in it, try using products made from Stevia, as that is a safer option for you. It may take some getting used to, however speaking from personal experience I now prefer liquid Stevia in my morning iced coffee now.
Not Eating Enough Carbs And Fats
That’s right! Your dieting prayers have been answered and today is the day where you just learned you CAN have your carbs and fats and eat them too! For years, experts claimed that carbs and fats were the enemies of weight loss. It’s actually sugar, but that’s another topic! Dieters became obsessed with everything “no carb,” and “low fat,”. People became scared to death by fresh fruit and heaven forbid they eat an avocado. This era started a full on war against entire food groups, giving carbs and fats a very bad reputation and causing people to be afraid to consume them.
Even today, people still fear fats and carbohydrates. As a Master Nutritionist, I’m here to reassure you carbs and fats are not your enemies and are vital for your body to function properly. Carbs and fats have so many wonderful health benefits including brain function, hair growth, energy levels, mood and sex drive. Without carbs and fats you’re basically asking to become a balding, exhausted, depressed person with no motivation or sex drive— Oh wait, that describes most of the American workforce!
Bottom line, carbs, and fats are how we get our energy and keep our brain functioning at optimal levels. If you starve the body of these necessities you will reap some very negative side effects. Including those mentioned above and also forcing the body to break down muscle to survive, which causes loss of strength, endurance, ability to metabolize fat, ensure proper bone formation, and support overall health.
The best way to ensure you’re getting the proper amount of carbs is in the form of fresh fruits and organic vegetables. This will ensure your body receives the important vitamins, minerals, and fiber you need on a daily basis.
The best way to ensure you are giving your body the right amount of healthy it needs is to consume healthy fats such as fresh avocado, coconut, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and almond flour in place of white flour. You can also get natural, healthy fats in Salmon and other cold water fish or by taking fish oil supplements.
