Things like exercising more, eating less, the food pyramid, and more have not aged well, yet they are still being used as ways to "get healthy". Here are some key things to consider as alternatives.
Being told to exercise more and eat less is at best lazy advice, and at worse, detrimental to the overall well-being of an individual, especially women. For a certain demographic this can work, in the short-term. Young adults with minimal stress, no kids, no underlying health conditions, and men more than women, have an easier time losing weight by eating less and exercising more. This will be a short-term solution though as huge calorie deficit diets tank our metabolisms so we plateau and eventually gain MORE weight back.
“The Nutrition Program explained so much and has been a lifestyle change rather than a stressful calorie counting mess.”
Here are things we need to consider more than simply "eating less":
1) Quality of food
Fresh, minimally processed, organic when possible. The longer the shelf life of the food you regularly eat – the shorter your life will be. There are always exceptions: honey, canned, freeze dried, and frozen food can last a long time. Don’t miss the message here.
2) Balancing blood sugars What you eat at each meal and snack in terms of macros is what determines your blood sugar levels, insulin output, fat storage, mood, energy level, and cravings.
3) Macros over calories
Macros - there's that word again! Macros are macronutrients which include protein, fat and carbohydrates. How we measure and eat macros is extremely effective compared to simple calorie counting.
Need some guidance on how to account for proper micro and macro nutrients? Discover more in my Online Nutrition Program.
4) Happy hormones
Are you eating to balance hormones? Hormones are produced and released based on thousands of biological factors and what you eat plays a huge role in hormone balancing.
5) Mindful eating
Slow down! It takes up to 20 minutes for your satiety hormone to be released and thus to tell your brain that you’re full. Chew! Digestion begins in your mouth and the more work your stomach has to do to digest your food, the more stomach acid it will start making and acid reflux can become common. Not to mention bloating from lack of chewing! Extreme diets lead to binging! Not eating all day in an effort to lose weight always ends badly in the evening. Being stressed when eating causes bad food associations as well as unbalanced hormones. Sit down and relax when eating as many meals as possible.
6) Boost your metabolism
Rather than tank your metabolism with extreme calorie cutting, let's have an overall mindset of metabolism boosting! This can be done by boosting your basal metabolic rate through strength training. Learn 7 ways to boost your metabolism, here.
Going about your nutrition with all the old, outdated or misinformation out there can feel daunting and overwhelming, especially if you continue to hit roadblocks in pursuit of your goals. I help women take back their health story narrative and give them the tools for success by focusing on what will really make a difference! Learn what my Nutrition Program is all about and get started ONLINE, today!
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