Tag Archive for: dont count calories

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Ways to Maintain Your Weight Without Dieting

I discovered 10 ways to maintain your weight without dieting and want to share them with you. First, I want to share what doesn’t work.

Why Diets Are Not Sustainable

Have you tried every diet on the planet including counting calories, and points and even eliminating entire food groups?! Some may have worked temporarily but none of these are healthy or sustainable. In your quest to lose weight, please don’t starve yourself, limit your food choices, or ingest synthetic foods. We know these techniques do not work long-term. 

What Does Work

I’ve maintained my optimal weight for the past 15 years. This, by the way, is the same as my high-school weight, which isn’t bad for a woman 50++ years young! It wasn’t until I stopped the insanity of dieting and started eating whole clean food did I get results.

We all know there is no “one size fits all” in weight loss which is why we recommend nutritional testing. If you’ve attempted these strategies or just want to expedite the weight-loss process, give us a call. We’d love to help you begin a journey to wellness. 

Obviously, weight loss shouldn’t be exclusively focused on how you look and feel. Consider longevity or quality of life with your spouse, children, and grandchildren. The long-term goal may motivate you longer than the short-term one. Putting quality foods in your body says you love and respect the temple God gave to you. You will see, feel and experience the difference so that you won’t want to go back to old unhealthy habits.

Here are my 10 Simple Steps to Weight-Loss Success

  1. Eat clean or organic foods as much as possible.  Grow your own and/or buy from farmers who don’t use chemicals. Purchase certified organically grown in the U.S. We are not necessarily overweight so much as we are over toxic because our bodies are inundated with chemicals within the processed foods we eat.
  2. Eat more fruits, vegetables, and greens. This is one food group that is critically deficient in the diet. This group is also the only one that contains fiber and antioxidants. Animal products don’t. Also, fruits, veggies, and greens digest much easier than meat or dairy products.Vegetables
  3. Add essential fatty acid (EFA) foods to your diet. EFA foods include wild salmon, avocados, chia, hemp or flaxseed, walnuts, coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil (preferably that has not been heated). EFAs are crucial for hormone regulation and brain function as well as other important bodily processes. If you are looking a high-quality omega, we can provide healthcare professional grades at a discount
  4. Eat fewer animal products, especially dairy. When you fill-up on plant foods, you naturally eat less animal food. Again, the downside of animal protein is that it is difficult to digest which causes the body stress. It is also inflammatory, and if not eaten organically, it is laden with hormones, genetically modified feed, and antibiotics.
  5. Start your morning with 6-8 ounces of purified water. Most people are critically dehydrated and are being counter-productive by consuming beverages that dehydrate, such as sodas, coffee, and alcohol. Continue drinking water all day, replacing all other beverages. Water is the best detox and energizer available. 
  6. Sleep 7-9 hours per night and be in bed by 10 p.m. Your body repairs and rebuilds between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. so it is essential to be asleep during this time frame.  Be sure to remove all technology (cell phones, computers/tablets) from your bedroom to eliminate stimulation from electromagnetic radiation.  Also, avoid “electronic insomnia” by powering down your cell or tablet at least 60 minutes before bedtime. Obtaining adequate sleep reduces your body’s need for external sources of energy that can cause us to overeat. 
  7. Engage in fun, sweaty activities daily. Do something you enjoy and that gets you moving, like dance, yoga, tennis, walking, etc. Even moving 10-15 minutes is beneficial.  You don’t have to buy a gym membership since walking outdoors is great therapy.  I own a rebounder, Max Trainer, and a Chi Machine which give me a way to get in my exercise when inclement weather or time constraints prohibit the activity.
  8. Get the white out of your diet. Greatly reduce or eliminate white foods such as pasta, rice, bread, or potatoes. Pasta and bread are not nutritionally dense, and they contain gluten. Even gluten-free pasta typically consists of low-quality filler ingredients. Quinoa is a more nutrient-dense grain/seed as well as a complete protein.  Consider using it in place of gluten-free or traditional pasta noodles.
  9. Get the gluten out. Many people feel that gluten-free diets are a fad. However, many people are gluten intolerant and have no idea. You can use nutritional testing to determine if you are intolerant and/or perform a simple elimination test for two weeks by going gluten-free.  When added back into the diet, most people who are intolerant will experience a multitude of symptoms such as headaches, bloating, gas, increased inflammation, or other digestion issues.
  10. Monitor your portions. You do not need to count calories or points, just learn to eat to satisfaction instead of to a feeling of fullness. If you eat until you are full, typically, you’ve eaten too much. Americans underestimate the number of poor-quality foods they consume and overestimate the amounts of fruits, vegetables, and greens. Keep half of your intake of each meal from plants.

If this all sounds a bit overwhelming, you don’t have to go it alone. Join our community on Facebook or follow us on Pinterest to stay connected. Or if you are ready to have someone walk you through this process every step of the way and get results faster, I’d love to help! Book your call with us here.

How to Lose Weight Without Dieting

Many women accept their weight because of their age especially if they are over forty. Some may use their age as a reason why they have lost all control of their body (and sometimes their mind!).  I’m here to tell you that you can be at your ideal weight no matter what your age.

I know because I did it in my forties and it was a pretty simple process if you take one step at a time.

First step is to eliminate processed food. I chose REAL, WHOLE foods grown naturally or certified organic and preferably non-GMO. Eliminating pesticides and herbicides reduces the toxic load to your body. Besides what is excess weight? Mostly toxins.

Second step is to eliminate or reduce gluten and dairy.

Next, I learned portion control. I used a measuring cup instead of a serving spoon. I would play a game that if I normally ate one cup (if that were a suggested serving size), I would cut the amount down by a third.

A majority of the time I was more than satisfied which brings us to the next key to weight loss, satiation. Satiation means learning to eat until satisfied instead of until you are full. Most people eat until they are full which means you have over eaten. Eat your one serving, put your plate in the dishwasher and step away from the food sources. Let your food digest by resting for 10-20 minutes and go for a family walk.
However please note that I NEVER deprived myself and listened to my body. If I truly needed more food, I ate it. If I had an intense workout and my body needed fuel, I fed it with whole, clean food.

Hydration is key and tracking your daily intake helps as few people are properly hydrated and many are severely dehydrated. Water is the best method to remove toxins from the body and also creates a feeling of fullness. It can provide us with energy and so we rely less on food to provide. What I had to learn is the difference between hunger and thirst, which can be a bit tricky at first.  Drink purified water all day long by carrying a water bottle with you everywhere.

Eating raw foods with my meal or preferably before the meal like a small salad or a handful of raw veggies is beneficial for a couple of reasons.

First benefit is that raw foods contain live enzymes. Most women over 40 have a diminished ability to produce enzymes which connects back to excess weight. A lack of digestive enzymes means your food isn’t breaking food into nutrients to be assimilated and isn’t allowing proper elimination (constipation).

Second, statistically, we know that consuming a small salad before a meal cuts down your caloric intake by 15%. Just remember to pass on the conventional salad dressing laden with fat and preservatives by making your own. Request my free recipe book if you need ideas.

Another simple tip is to replace a meal with a plant-based (not whey) non-GMO, gluten-free protein drink.  The statistics here again tell us this is a good way to reduce weight assuming it is a quality source.  I use and recommend Modere Pure Vanilla Meal Replacement Powder.

Next is the dreaded requirement of weight loss: exercise. I prefer to call it FSA (fun, sweaty activity). Find something to do that is fun and makes you sweat.  Yoga is something that I really love along with hiking with my family and bulldog. When you find something you love, it’s no longer grueling or hard.

A few things I did NOT do are count calories or points or add toxic “weight-loss” products into my body. Counting things doesn’t teach you how to listen to your body or how to enjoy whole foods and life while achieving your wellness goals. Putting more toxins in your body from dangerous weight-loss products will create much bigger health issues down the road.  God gave us everything we need in nature to keep our bodies balanced.

Most importantly, I stopped worrying about what people would think if I didn’t eat the same things they did. I respected myself and the body God gave me and decided to finally treat it like a temple (and stop treating it like a garage).

I’m in my early 50’s and have more energy and feel better now than I ever did in my 30’s.

If you have some keys to your weight-loss success, I would love to hear what worked for you. Or if you need a little help, please call or email at info@brenewed.com.