Let’s face it: Isn’t it easier to lose weight than to keep it off? Everyday, I meet people who have lost weight and gained it back again-some of them, many times. And each time they try, it’s harder for them to lose and easier for them to gain it back. No matter how religiously they follow the latest diet, they are still not losing weight or keeping it off. Sound familiar?
The sad fact is, they are actually sabotaging their own efforts after years of chronic stress, up-and-down of dieting, eating the wrong foods, and not getting enough exercise. All this adds up to a metabolic slow down which piles on the pounds–and makes sure they bounce right back after you’ve worked so hard to get rid of them.
And now, one more thing might be messing up your ability to lose weight and keep it off.
Drum roll!-you’re getting older. Yup, as time marches on our ability to control our weight marches out the door.
But there are four simple steps to turn that wiggly puppy around:
1. Clean your “House.” Clear out those mind and body toxins that can ruin your chances of metabolizing food and making healthy choices. Reducing stress seems to be especially important in reducing belly fat. For example, learn how to manage stress (yoga and being in nature are two of my favorites); get enough sleep (if you’re waking up with an alarm clock, you’re not getting enough zzz’s); clean up your cupboard of toxic foods (throw them out or give them away); and take “fattening” people out of the picture (who needs bad influences?)
2. Control the Fuel. Eat in a way that boosts, rather than puts the brakes on your metabolism. This can’t be a quick fix, but a true, deep, lifestyle change that you can follow forever. It’s not just how much you eat, it’s what you eat that counts-so, lower the fat content to under 30% (especially saturated fat and transfats-read those labels!). But also emphasize the low-glycemic type of carbohydrate such as vegetables and fruits instead of bread (yes, even whole wheat bread can encourage your body to store fat.) Too many refined and sugary carbs cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to skyrocket and can actually encourage you to deposit those calories as fat.
3. Get that Body Moving. We’re living in a world that encourages us to “take it easy”-from cars to TV’s to leaf blowers. It’s not enough to cut calories; you need to burn them while building muscle. Dieting alone causes you to lose lean muscle mass along with the fat. Exercise is the best metabolism booster there is, and we need both aerobic exercise and strengthening exercise to achieve the best results. Make a plan to get at least one hour of exercise every day and watch your body achieve the shape you want. Lose fat, not lean muscle–it looks better, feels better and is healthier too.
4. Take Supplements for a Healthy Boost. Make sure you’re getting the optimum amount of vitamins and minerals to support a healthy metabolism. Nutritional supplements may have many other added benefits for your health, too such as lowered risk of osteoporosis, cancer, and heart disease. For quicker and better results, consider taking some natural weight loss supplements to rev up your metabolism, help manage carbohydrates, absorb fat from food, and curb your appetite. Some supplements have been found to triple the rate of weight loss.
Remember, losing that extra weight is not just about looking better-it’s about feeling better and lowering our risk for many serious diseases and conditions. Even if you don’t reach your “ideal” weight, you can improve your quality of life and maybe even your length of life.
