5 Smart Weight-Loss Tips

There are millions of tips and tricks for weight loss, and just as many reasons women gain weight and have a hard time taking it off. Provided weight is put on by simply eating too much and moving too little, here are some of my ‘go-to’ methods for maintaining a healthy weight.

1. Calories:  Type, Timing, Total:  The basic principle of weight loss is taking in less calories then we use, however I have found that many women who are trying to loose weight get stuck on the number of calories they are consuming and neglect the type of calories they ingest and the time at which they consume them.  Calories are energy, they are the energy that keeps our body fueled in order for us to move about our day and ensure that our organ systems have enough energy to function.  I’ve found the best way to deal with calories is by following the 3T’s…

• TYPE: Change the type of calories consumed, when protein is digested it takes more metabolic energy to breakdown before it is used for energy.  Therefore by increasing protein consumption our body expels more energy and is less likely to store it.

• TIMING: The timing at which we eat influences our metabolism (the ‘metabolic’ oven responsible for converting food into energy).  When food is ingested at irregular intervals the body compensates by increasing its storage mechanisms in case of times of hunger.  Thus delaying eating for 3-4 hours means that when you do eat the body will store as many of the calories as fat possible as opposed to using them for energy.  Therefore eat small protein packed meals every 2-3 hours for supporting a fast metabolism.

• TOTAL: Decrease the TOTAL amount of calories you are consuming by calculating your current daily consumption and then decreasing it by 100-150 calories a day.  Decreasing caloric intake any more than 100-150 calories a day is unhealthy and will lead to weight fluctuation.

2. Increase Calcium

• Calcium binds to fat within the large intestine and can prevent fat from being re-absorbed for storage in the body.  Increasing the amount of calcium we consume can help prevent fat storage by increasing the amount of fat excreted through the feces.  Non-Dairy sources of calcium include dark leafy greens such as broccoli, kale, collard greens, or to ensure that dosage is adequate try taking a high quality calcium supplement.

3. Swedish Massage

• One of my personal favorite ways to manage weight loss is treating myself to a Swedish lymph drainage message every week.  This amazing type of message focuses on the lymph system and helps to move adipose (fat cells) for drainage out of the lymph system as well as to help move water and decrease water retention.  Much of the weight that women store is due to water being held within the sub-dermal fascia layer of tissue.  By moving this fluid you can see a visible reduction in weight and water retention the day after treatments.

4. Water… Water, Water, Water.

• Its is simple but it works… Drinking 2L of water a day is one of the easiest ways to loose weight and manage appetite.  Water is obviously innately good but to increase its benefits I like to make my water a little special by adding sliced cucumber. Cucumber has a natural diuretic and helps to sooth digestion and the digestive tract. Simply chop ¼ of a large cucumber into thin slices and add to a large pitcher of filtered water.  Leave in the fridge and enjoy throughout your day

5. Motivation

• Getting in touch with what your authentic motivation is for losing weight is a practice common among women who have successfully lost weight and kept it off. Asking yourself what your true reason is for wanting to loose weight helps women feel grounded in their purpose for taking care of themselves.  Reasons might be as simple as having energy throughout the day to play with your children, or being able to walk up the stairs at your home without loosing your breath.

Written by: Sara Lynn

Founder, Well World

www.Well-World.com

Twitter: @WellWorldBlog