Weight Loss Should be Easy...

So Why Is All The Information Available So Confusing?

So YOU decided to take the plunge. To take control of your health and start researching where to begin. Suddenly it's midnight and you have about 19 different pages open, and still no plan on where to begin. So you say to yourself, I'll go to bed and get back to it tomorrow. So tomorrow comes and you get distracted, you have errands to run, kids to drive to soccer practice....and the list goes on.

One week later, you revisit the idea of starting your fitness journey. You saw one of your girlfriends make a social media post regarding a diet she just did and lost a million pounds in only 4 weeks. Well if it worked for her, I'm sure it will work for you right?!?! Four weeks later you have had nothing but soup (except for the late night snack when no one can give you heck for "cheating"), are feeling low energy, moody and within a week you have gained all the weight back. Then within two weeks you have gained more! Now you are mad, frustrated and feeling down on yourself.

So why is it so hard? Why didn't this diet work? What is missing from the equation?

Let me break it down for you. Weight loss is simple. Proper nutrition (not a diet), regular physical activity, proper sleep and stress management. That's it! Here is where I will break it down even more....

Nutrition: Calculate your daily calories related to your goals, in this case FAT LOSS (I'll get to that later). Now make smart choices! We all actually know what is good and what is bad. Unfortunately, big companies make it confusing saying things like "low sodium, low fat, no sugar added". My suggestion is to avoid the middle isles in the grocery store, inside spend your money on the outer sections. That's where the nutritional items are. Make sure you have a lean protein, complex carbohydrate (carbs are not the enemy), and veggies. Drink lots of water and ditch pops and juices. I suggest tracking your food and there are lots of free apps to help you do this. Lastly, make sure you are meeting your calorie goal each day, if you are not consuming enough FUEL (food) your body will not operate the way it should and could!

Physical Activity: Make sure you check with your doctor if you are unsure if it is safe. Start slow! If you are brand new to exercise then start with walking. Maybe take the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. If you plan to work out at home, pick yourself up some dumbbells or resistance bands. If you plan to go to a gym, make sure ask the staff for a tour and ask ALLLLL the questions. Any question you have, I can guarantee someone else has asked it before you. But wait, I want to lose fat not be a bodybuilder! Don't panic! We want to lose body fat but we don't want to be left with no strength or endurance. When we start building muscle, our body responds by starting to burn fat. So it's a win/win! Find a simple program that works for you and your body according to your goals.

Sleep/Stress: Why is the amount of sleep important for weight loss? People who don't get enough sleep over produce hunger causing hormones (ghrelin and leptin). If you are one of the many that get 6 hours or less a night, you are more likely to show glucose and insulin levels similar to a diabetic. What does that mean? Well your body will become more resistant to insulin, which in turns produces more and causes fat buildup. Have you ever noticed when you are lacking zzzzz's, that you are more stressed out? When we are stressed out, our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol which triggers the reward center in the brain causing cravings. Whoa that was a lot of big words and scientifical stuff right? Makes perfect sense though doesn't it?!

Now, the last points I will make to add to your FAT LOSS formula are PATIENCE and CONSISTENCY. No one needs to starve themselves, eat weird things, take garbage "fat loss" supplements or even eat between certain hours of the day. Its not required to do crazy workouts that only athletes do. Keep it simple and the results will come.