Losing weight and keeping the weight off is definitely a marathon, not a sprint! The more we practice key habits around food, lifestyle, and exercise over a consistent period of time the more these adjustments adjust us…our weight and well-being while getting us off of yoyo dieting for good. When it comes to weight loss, it’s not weight loss we want, it’s fat loss! Right?!
Here are my 3 key steps to losing not just weight but body fat!
- Don’t eat past 7 pm! Yes, the old adage is true!! The science keeps pouring in on this one, as recently as this year, another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that people who eat dinner later at night or who are perpetual late-night snackers have more body fat. Take away: aim to consume the majority of your calories in the first half of the day when you are burning the most calories.
- Fiber gives us a feeling of fullness longer while regulating our macronutrient intake within a meal, especially fats and carbohydrates, better controlling and lowering insulin for reduced midsection visceral fat. At the same time fiber also drives up the appetite suppressant hormone GLP-1 that our own body produces! Giving us a real physiological sense of fullness and satiety. Take away: Eat a variety of fiber sources daily and aim for 25 to 40 grams of fiber daily for maximum weight loss. Read how fiber burns fat and prevents disease to learn about the best fiber sources.
- Muscle-strengthening exercises keep our metabolism elevated longer than cardio and enable us to burn fat more efficiently. More research shows us that especially as we get older, muscle strengthening exercises like weight training, Pilates, power yoga, or any other muscle engaging exercise enable us to lose fat even more efficiently than traditional cardio exercises like walking and jogging. Take away: It is not one or the other when it comes to cardio or strength training, we need both, but often we think we can meet and maintain our weight loss goals on cardio alone, make sure you include both for maximum fat loss!
Resources
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/106/5/1213/4822338?redirectedFrom=fulltext
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257631/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/11/171101130319.htm
Leona is a family practitioner trained as an Integrative Functional Nutritionist. She helps her clients cut through the many conflicting trends and get to the heart of what is key for their own health in a practical, positive, and supportive space.