Weight loss is a long (and often challenging) process for most people. The speed of your progress depends on so many things: genetics, lifestyle, nutrition, movement, stress, sleep, etc. These 11 diet and exercise suggestions from Greater Purpose will help you get the most out of your weight reduction journey.
CALORIC DEFICIT
So listen… calories are a touchy subject. Should you track them? Do they matter? How much do they matter? How do you track them without getting obsessed with it? Regardless, the truth is, in order to lose weight, you have to be in a calorie deficit. Simply stated, your body needs to burn more calories than you consume. A few quick tips to make this easier → load up on lots of veggies (low calorie, high volume), focus on building muscle, increase your NEAT (general movement throughout the day), and add some intensity into your workouts if you can. These are just a few of the many things you can do!
AVOID YOYOING
Oooof. If we had a dime for every time someone came to us helping them get out of the yo-yo cycle. Over restricting and then over eating on repeat… sound familiar? So before you get any further, make yourself a HUGE commitment, “I will not over restrict and binge. I PROMISE!”. If you can make this promise, you’ll save yourself from a lot of heart ache and work in the end. Commit to the long game.
EAT YOUR VEGGIES
If you can apply the following to your every day nutrition, you’ll win → “Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar” and “keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not excess body fat.” Now, of course, do we expect all our clients to do this perfectly? Nope. Do we think it’s possible to follow this kind of lifestyle 80% of the time? Yes. We know you can, because we do it too!
MANAGE YOUR STRESS
Stress in small doses is beneficial as it helps you adapt and become stronger. Still, your cortisol levels are always elevated when it’s chronically placed in your body from lack of rest or not having good nutrition or mental recovery. Constant high stress makes it harder to lose weight as it holds on to your cortisol level as a reserve for when you will be using that energy next (Your body basically thinks it’s in survival mode 24/7 – not idea!). Practice mindfulness, prioritize sleep and nutrition, and do more of what relaxes you.
GET MORE SLEEP
Ghrelin levels increase when you don’t get enough sleep. This hormone is often referred to as the hunger hormone. However, it has a dual purpose. It also tells your pituitary gland to produce growth hormones, regulates insulin production, and protects your heart. So what does this mean if you’re not sleeping well? Well… you’re going to be hungry, have a hard time growing muscle, and your heart might be at risk. Sleep is one of the basic needs humans need to survive, and THRIVE!
80-20 GUIDELINE
80% of the time, make healthy choices and make the rest based on joy and satisfaction (without going too crazy!). Having an allowance for celebrations, night-outs (and maybe a glass of wine or two) gives you the freedom to enjoy life and not feel restricted to veggies that you eventually will give up.
PROTEIN
Aim for 0.8-1g/lb of body weight. No idea what that means? No idea how to do that? This is a key in getting a leaner, healthier, and more capable body. It might be a good idea to start tracking for a short period of time in order to figure this one out! Ps. We’d love to help you learn more about how to figure out the right amount of protein for you!
DO MORE
Move it move it! The more you can move, the better off you’ll be. But that doesn’t mean you have to kill yourself every day with super intense workouts multiple times a day. Nah. Find a routine that works best for you and your body! That might look something like this: 3-4x a week crossfit, 1x a week run or bike or swim, 1x a week just walking or stretching, 1 day rest! Between those movement focused times, figure out ways to get more movement. Take the stairs, park far away, stand up and move every 20 minutes, walk you dog a little extra, do a few squats while you make dinner… the ideas are endless.
BALANCE YOUR MACROS (Fats, Carbohydrates, and Protein)
The Greater Purpose Nutrition Program will assist you in determining your base level depending on your lifestyle, height, weight, and objectives. Then we’ll recommend the ideal nutrition plan for you! It might be the hand technique/portion size or calorie measurement, or the macro counts approach (because ya’ll, no one approach works for everyone!).
DRINK MORE WATER
People often mix up thirst with hunger. You can mistake consuming additional calories when all you truly need is a glass of water. An average of 3L a day is a good bet for most people to hit!
THE PLATE METHOD
The Plate Method fills half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, one-quarter with complex carbs or whole grains, and one-quarter with lean protein. The abundance of food will help you feel fuller faster and make you eat a low-calorie meal without even noticing (more veggies = more volume = less calories)!
Pro tip: Eat your veggies first. You may even overestimate your hunger if you feel fuller faster than you can eat the rest of your plate!
Actionable tip: Choose one to start with and do it consistently for two weeks. Then eventually, once you have nailed the first habit, add in other steps one at a time until you become a master of them all!
Here at Greater Purpose, we are happy to help with your weight-loss journey. Book a free conversation to help you with nutrition and fitness here.