5 Rules for Healthy Eating and Permanent Weight Loss
If you are reading this blog and starting a weight management program, you are on your way to a healthier way of living and permanent weight loss. Sure there are hundreds of different weight loss methods available for the average person. You can cut carbs, restrict calories, count points, have premade meals delivered right to your front door, and so on and so on. There are endless ways you can get in shape and drop pounds, but why is it that every year the obesity rates increase? Why do we feel like we are less in control and more overwhelmed with trying to achieve our desired body weights? And why is it that permanent weight loss feels more like fiction than fact?
We need to keep it simple, and keep it realistic. Nutrinity Health Services designs programs to give you simple straight forward strategies for living a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy foods, reaching your desired weight and feeling great! No gimmicks, our easy to follow programs will teach you how to manage your weight permanently. Right now we are going to give you control over your weight by introducing you to our 5 easy rules to weight management. (We will go more in depth with each “Rule”, in this blog over the next couple of weeks.)
I know, I know, the term “Rules”, goodness if you haven’t closed down this blog and ran in the other direction I’m sure you are thinking these rules are going to change your world upside down. Well I assure they are not. The term “rules” is really applying to 5 easy things to consider each and every day. If you take these “considerations” into account every day than you will easily be able to reach your weight loss goal and be the healthy vibrant person you absolutely deserve to be!
5 RULES TO HEALTHY EATING AND PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS
1) Eat for Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
2) Plan
3) Record
4) Shop
5) Move
Now I’m sure you are looking at that list of rules now and thinking well that doesn’t look so bad. And really you are absolutely right, it’s not that bad at all, Actually it is rather simple. I will briefly explain each of the above steps. They will each explained more in depth throughout later entries.
EAT FOR HEALTHY BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
I’m sure you have come across the role of blood sugar and weight management throughout your journey to eat healthy and control your weight. There are several scientific opinions on the matter, but lets keep it simple. If you do not manage healthy blood sugar levels throughout the day, your body will store, store and store. Your muscle to fat ratio will become unhealthy and you will find that weight management is impossible. If you do not control your blood sugar levels you may find you are hungry at inappropriate times of the day (eg. evening) and, you find you have cravings for sugar or carbohydrates. I am told over and over in office how my clients feel they just cannot live without carbs, or how carbohydrates are their downfall. This is usually a result of unhealthy blood sugar levels.
You need to manage your blood sugar levels in order to manage your weight. You can use the following information as guidance on better understanding the role of blood sugar in weight management and establishing healthy blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Avoid becoming hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar). Going to long between meals and snacks will result in low blood sugar. Remember our body does not know the difference between busy and starvation. Low blood sugar or hypoglycaemia on a regular basis will only result in fat storage. This is our bodies natural defence to lack of regular nourishment and energy input. Becoming hypoglycaemic throughout the day is not only going to destroy your will power but make you crave all the sweets and carbs you really know you don’t need, especially when trying to lose weight.
Avoid becoming hyperglycaemic (high blood sugar). The following is an example of high blood sugar :
So your blood sugar levels have plummeted because you skipped breakfast and your morning snack. All you can think about is the chocolate bar in the vending machine on the first floor. You curse yourself for you lack of will power as you insert your change and make your selection. A sudden rush of sugar hits your system and although feeling guilty you are overcome with satisfaction.
Well what has happened here my friend is, as a result of your low blood sugar and your body’s physiological need for glucose (blood sugar),it is commanding your brain to satisfy it’s need for sugar in order to continue to function. The sugar from the chocolate bar has caused a sudden rise in your blood sugar levels and as a result you feel instantly better. Your body however has had to release a hormone called insulin. This wonderful hormone is doing its job and responding to the blood sugar high and removing the excess glucose (sugar) from your blood stream and guess what...Storing it! (for later use as needed.)
This reaction over a period of time will also result in insulin resistance which will be further explained in later entries. Insulin resistance puts you at risk for developing Type Two Diabetes and or Metabolic Syndrome. Both of these conditions make weight management very difficult. If you are already diagnosed with either metabolic syndrome or type two diabetes than blood sugar management is absolutely essential not only for weight loss, but for your health as well.
Unpredictable eating habits and poor food selection results in unhealthy blood sugar levels and ultimately storage.
If you can manage to keep healthy blood sugar levels throughout the day you will prevent un-necessary fat storage, you will reduce feelings of hunger and cravings for sugars and starches. You also will boost your metabolism and burn more calories everyday.
So how do you keep healthy blood sugar levels all day long? Simple, you EAT! Seriously all you have to do is have regular, healthy meals and snacks and vola, you have achieved healthy blood sugar levels.
PLAN
If you do not plan to eat healthy I can guarantee you, you will not eat healthy on a regular basis, nor will you reach your weight loss goals. Like anything if you want to be successful at it you need to plan for it! In order to plan for healthy eating and weight loss you need to take a quick assessment of your routines.
Each day you need to take your schedule into account. Examples of this includes:
What time will you eat breakfast and what will you have to eat?
Do you need something fast?
Or, do you have the time to prepare it?
What types of snacks are you going to include?
What are you going to have for supper?
Do you have the right foods on hand?
If you can take 5 minutes each day to make a mental plan of your dietary habits for the day (doing this the night before works best) then you will be prepared and you will eat healthy.
If you plan to eat healthy, you will eat healthy. You will allow for healthy blood sugar levels and you will lose weight.
Planning will allow you to be prepared. You can pre-make meals and snacks. You can pull the necessary foods out of the freezer and have them ready to be cooked when you get home from work. Even if you have a night out planned, you can mentally prepare for the choices you are going to make at the restaurant, or plan on bringing something healthy to the BBQ at your friend’s house. Plan and be prepared and you will succeed!
RECORD
Recording is an essential habit because it:
1) Makes you accountable for your habits
2) Helps you assess your habits
Put it on paper. Once you record it, and now you are now accountable for your actions.
You can easily see where you did or didn’t allow for steady blood sugar levels.
You can easily see where you may of overate, or see that you are hungrier in the afternoon and hence need a more filling lunch.
You can instantly see if you are getting enough vegetables or eating enough protein.
You can see where you are maybe getting in too many carbohydrates.
Recording is a crucial part to being successful at weight management.
SHOP
Ok so you are now ready to plan for healthy eating, you understand that you need to eat on a regular schedule to control blood sugar levels and you are going to record and keep track of your habits. Well none of this is going to go smoothly if you don’t have healthy foods on hand to eat. The old bring a healthy lunch eat a healthy lunch or grab a lunch on the go and eat a crappy lunch applies here. You need to have healthy foods on hand to eat healthy!
In order to have healthy foods on hand you need to shop for healthy foods. Take a look at the foods you are going to eat over the next week and make a list. In order to shop effectively you need to :
- Plan healthy meals and snacks
- Make a list of the foods needed
- Include lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and meat or meat alternatives
- Stick to the list (if cookies are not on your list don’t buy them)
Now I know most of you live with other people and have to take their needs into consideration, but realistically if you are going to eat healthy why would you buy them anything that is going to tempt you? Everyone in the house will benefit from your healthy grocery shopping. If the kids need food for their lunches talk to them about the healthy foods they would like to eat at school. Yogurts, high fibre low sugar granola bars, cheese, fresh fruit and veggies with dip are all great options that you can include daily too. If you can plan for healthy meal and snack options, you can create a healthy grocery shopping list and bring home the healthy foods you need to stay on track.
MOVE
Alright so you have a basic understand of how to get started. You are going to eat for healthy blood sugar levels, you are going to plan your meals and snacks, you are going to shop for the healthy foods you need and you are going to record your habits.
Fabulous you are on the right track, now all you have to do is Move! That’s it. We will go more in depth on “Moving” in later entries, but to keep you on your toes and incorporating regular even simple physical activity daily, we recommend that you give yourself a fitness challenge each week. Whether its to take the stairs at work, a evening walk after supper or to hit the gym at least three times this week. If you follow it, you will get even faster, more permanent, weight loss results, and feel amazing for doing it. By “moving” you will burn more calories, increase lean tissue (muscle, which burns calories by the way), and as a result your body composition will improve making your results more permanent than a healthy eating plan with no physical activity.
Move, move, move, each day. Do something over and above your regular. Be safe while doing it and you will be amazed by your results!
Please forward any questions to
Yours in good health
Alisa Herriman RNCP
Nutrinity Health Services
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