Three Tips For Kick Starting Your Weight Loss Journey
So, you've made the decision – you are ready to embark on a wellness journey. You are motivated to make lifestyle changes to improve your health and maybe lose some of the weight that's been creeping up over the last decade. Whether you're considering signing up for our weight loss program or have already scheduled your first appointment with a nutritionist, waiting to get started on your weight loss can feel like being in limbo. You want to make progress NOW, but ... how to begin a weight loss journey?
While some of you may be counting down the days until your weight loss program begins, and others are still exploring your options, there's no need to wait to begin making positive changes that lead to sustainable weight loss. That extra weight didn't appear overnight, and making sustainable changes that last the rest of your life starts with building a strong foundation.
Here are some essential first steps you can take today to kick start your successful and lasting weight loss:
Tip #1: Drink water.
Even if everything else in your routine remains the same, drinking enough water will support metabolism and can help you lose weight.
We recommend aiming for about half your body weight in ounces of water every day; for most people, that’s 75 oz or more. How close are you to that goal right now? By focusing on water as your beverage of choice, you may naturally eliminate many drinks that slow metabolism or contribute to dehydration.
What to avoid: Things like soda (regular or diet), sugary coffee drinks, energy drinks, fruit juice or “juice like” drinks, slow metabolism and can lead to weight gain.
Why water is so important for weight loss:
Drinking enough water to hydrate your tissues and support liver and kidney function is critical to support healthy metabolism. If you are dehydrated, your kidneys can not function properly, which means the liver needs to pitch in and help do some of the kidneys’ job. When the liver is working overtime by helping the kidneys, it is not able to focus as much on metabolizing nutrients and burning fat.
Additionally, when you’re dehydrated, the body will try to hold on to whatever water it does have, which can lead to water retention and a few extra pounds on the scale. Water retention also means your body is not effectively flushing out toxins through urine, which can leave you feeling sluggish, tired, and inflamed. Don’t let dehydration hold you back from meeting your weight loss goals!
Start small:
If you’re realizing that you have a way to go to hit your daily water goal, don’t sweat it. This is the perfect place to start on your wellness journey and it’s something you can gradually work towards.
Start with small increments of an extra glass per day each week. For example, if you’re currently drinking 20 oz of water a day, focus on hitting 30 oz of water per day this week. Next week, aim for 40 oz per day.
When you don't like plain water:
- If you need a little something to “jazz up” plain water, try infusing water with mint/herbs, citrus, cucumber, and/or berries.
- A scoop of the Key Greens & Fruits drink mix is a great way to transition out of sugar-sweetened or artificially-sweetened drinks and provides a boost of antioxidants.
- Iced herbal tea is also a fun way to switch things up.
- Add electrolytes.
Tip #2: Eat real food. Avoid factory foods.
Choose foods that you can name the plant or animal it came from. Our bodies understand what to do with real, natural foods, but foods that are refined and processed with artificial ingredients “do not compute” with our body’s metabolism.
The phrase “you are what you eat” rings true in this sense, as everything we consume is used to build all our body’s cells. When we build our cells from processed, damaged foods, our cell structure is weakened and cannot efficiently execute our metabolic processes.
Where to start making the switch to real food?
Start by taking inventory of how much of your daily food choices are processed: does it come from a bag, a box, or a window?
Shift from pre-packaged foods to real foods as often as you can. If you find yourself reaching for something with a label, read the ingredients list to check if you can pronounce everything in it. The longer the list, the more processed.
Ignore the marketing on the front; labels are often designed to convince you that you’re making a healthy choice.
Don’t get hung up on how much to eat or portion sizes, at this point; eat until you’re satisfied. Making the switch to real food and reducing processed foods is already doing you a world of good for your health and metabolism.
Choose to eat proteins like meat, fish, eggs, yogurt, or cheese. Pick carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, beans, and whole grains. Add in natural fats like olive oil, butter, cream, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
Tip #3. Don’t skip meals, especially breakfast.
The calorie counting diet culture may have you thinking “less is more” for weight loss, but skipping meals will actually slow down your metabolism over time and make weight loss very challenging. Eating every few hours will keep your metabolism revved up all day and help combat cravings for processed foods.
Skipping meals can significantly slow your metabolism and make your weight loss goals harder to reach. When you skip meals, your blood sugar becomes unstable, which triggers your body to produce more cortisol - a hormone that promotes fat storage. This instability not only affects your metabolism but can lead to intense cravings and fatigue throughout the day. By eating regular meals, you'll keep your metabolism active and help maintain stable blood sugar levels, which is essential for long term weight loss.
Progress, not perfection
Throughout this journey, remind yourself that you are working towards “progress, not perfection.” Taking these few steps before you’re able to get that individualized support will lay the groundwork for success. There’s so much nutrition information out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the actions you could take.
Start by drinking enough water, eating more real foods instead of processed foods, and practice eating all your meals, including breakfast! If you focus on these foundational pieces, you’re off to a great start and will be ready to take it to the next level in your weight loss plan.
Change takes time, but little by little you’ll notice how your efforts pay off.
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