Your loss is also your gain! With these three tools, you will definitely lose weight, but you will also gain health!
Calorie Cycling
Most diets call for a set amount of calories each day, specific nutrients loaded into each meal. Life variables can make a regimented plan difficult. If you have struggled with the typical daily-calorie-counting approach, calorie cycling may appeal to you. Even the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found this method to be a good way to increase weight loss. Rather than having a set amount of calories per day, you focus on your weekly calorie and nutritional needs.
Why it works:
Boosts Metabolism
Your metabolism is an important factor in weight loss. When we allow ourselves to eat when we are truly hungry, not bored or craving, we encourage a healthy metabolism. If we limit our food intake when our body is actually hungry, it sends signals that you are in starvation mode and your body holds fast to any food storage (fat) it has built up. If you eat when you’re hungry, your body feels safe and will more readily use fat stores as needed throughout the day.
The human body was designed to eat more on some days and less on others, by allowing this biological process to happen, you will optimize your energy levels and fat burning potential.
There is No Reset
Often while on a diet, one might eat a huge meal at night and think, “Oh well, I’ll just start again tomorrow.” But that is not how calories work. It is claimed that we need a minimum of 1,200–1,800 calories per day, even when trying to lose weight. But what if you eat extra calories the night before? Those calories and nutrients don’t just disappear, your body still uses (and stores) them!
With calorie cycling, you know those extras contribute to your week’s nutritional supply and can adjust your food intake and exercise accordingly.
Flexibility for Social Events, Vacations, and Indulgences
You can remove the words I’m on a diet from your vocabulary. Go ahead and pamper yourself with a lush meal on a special occasion. The next day, rather than eating at the expense of your body’s real nutritional needs, you can find balance. Eating a light snack and exercising will jumpstart your metabolism and utilize those night-time calories.
How it works:
Determine your weekly calorie and nutritional needs, then subtract the amount you’d like to lose per week. (Remember that 3500 kcal = 1 pound)
Once you have your weekly number, you can divide by seven to give yourself an idea of your daily needs.
Rather than try to hit that number, just focus on eating nutritious foods when you feel hungry. If you want an apple a midnight, eat it. If you are not hungry for lunch, eat whenever you do feel hungry. The more you focus on the vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates), the fewer cravings you’ll experience.
Count Nutrients, Not Just Calories
Counting calories is not the best way to lose weight and achieve health, but it is a good place to start. To effectively reach your optimal health, you should pay attention to your actual nutrient intake, rather than just your calories.
Cravings are often the body’s response to unfulfilled nutritional needs. (Sugar is another big culprit in unwarranted cravings) We fill our bodies with junk when they’re really asking for nourishment. Nutrition is far more than just fat, protein, and carbs; you should focus on getting enough of the following vitamins and minerals:
Essential Vitamins
Vitamins A, C, D, E, K as well as the B vitamins: B12, B6, niacin, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, folate, pantothenic acid, and biotin.
Essential Minerals
Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium, Phosphorus
You’ll notice most of those essentials are not found in junk foods. When you fill up on fresh, wholesome foods that meet your daily nutrient needs, your hunger cravings will diminish greatly.
Exercise More Frequently
This doesn’t mean you should spend five hours engaged in hard physical activity. But try to be more active throughout the day. Add a quick 15-minute walk or 10 minutes dancing around your kitchen, do 20 squats, a single sun salutation; find ways to move your body.
The human form was not designed for an intense hour of exercise followed by twenty-three sedentary hours. Our bodies are built to move. Every hour you should be moving your body, even if just for a few minutes. You don’t have to work so hard that you sweat, but enough to get your blood moving. If you feel you don’t have time to squeeze in extra moments of movement, check out how different types of exercise can increase your mental clarity and productivity.
Lifting Weights
Helps with problem-solving, multitasking, and reasoning.
Yoga
Lessens fear and anxiety and integrates emotions and thoughts.
High-Intensity Intervals
Reduces cravings & addition and helps with appetite regulation
Aerobic Exercise
Helps improve memory
Sports
Improves focus, attention, and ability to switch between tasks.
What we eat and do matters in all aspects of our life. Pursuing our own well-being changes the course of our lives on numerous levels. We become capable of reaching our potential when we have health. So get your health on and thrive!
