Losing weight comes down to two key components: nutritional intake and metabolic activity. The old “diet and exercise” routine.
But it’s not quite that simple. The nutritional intake component involves serious understanding of both the composition of the food we consume, and an understanding of our body’s ability to process that food and convert it to energy-producing fuel.
Metabolic activity requires a keen understanding of what is not enough exercise (walking a ¼ mile once a week), an appropriate amount (30-60 minutes of moderate to intense cardio and/or weight training 4-6 times a week), and what is too much (maxing your bench press and running a half marathon daily).
But it doesn’t have to be complicated, and there are general rules that apply to all of us. Let’s take a closer look to see how easy, and fun, losing weight the right way can be.
The Right Way to Eat To Lose Weight – Five Easy-To-Follow Steps
1. Reduce or Eliminate Simple Carbohydrates. The more simple the carb, the more simple the nutrition. There are essentially three forms of carbs: sugars, starches, and dietary fiber. Our western diet has an abundance of simple sugars in our foods…and they are the worst for you. Sugars, when eaten, turn to glucose inside your body, which then turn into fats which we do not process as easily as complex carbs and, therefore, fall behind them in the packing order of what our body burns first. If we do not burn through our complex carbs and then get into the stored fat, the fat “sits there” until we can burn it off.
Sugars, sodas, baked goods, white bread, juices, cookies, and many cereals are a simple carb.
Complex carbs pack more nutrients than simple carbs because they are higher in fiber and digest more slowly. This in turn makes us feel more full, aiding in weight loss. Fiber and starch are more complex carbs. Fiber aids in bowel movements and can help control cholesterol. Complex carbs are found generally in fruits, whole wheat and nut breads, carrots, brown rice, beans and others.
2. Incorporate Grass-Fed Protein Into Your Diet. The optimal pH created by a grass-based diet, along with the good bacteria in the gut of the cow, creates a potent healthy fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA. CLA is impossible to produce within the human body, meaning that it has to be consumed entirely from outside sources. The best possible sources for CLA are beef, dairy, and whey protein from grass-fed cows. This ability to create CLA and other important healthy fats is diminished in cows that are fed a grain-based diet.
CLA has been shown to have many potential benefits, including several for athletes and people wanting to reduce their body fat. CLA can enhance muscle growth and metabolism while positively impacting your body composition by helping to burn fat while preserving muscle. Cow’s meat and dairy have the most concentrated source of dietary CLA.
Nutrology’s Grass-Fed Whey Protein, and Nutrology’s Tripact Protein are cold-processed and adhere to high quality assurances to provide the best grass-fed whey protein on the market. Incorporating them into your workout routine, recovery routine, or as a meal supplement or replacement helps control weight and provide important health and immune benefits.*
3. Incorporate 30-60 minutes of moderate to high intensity fitness and conditioning at least 4-6 times a week. Talk with a trainer to create a program that will best benefit your current fitness level. Incorporating both cardio and weight training will help accomplish two important goals – burning through your carbohydrate intake that can be turned into your stored fat, and strengthening your muscles to provide more strength and recuperation into your body core. With more strengthening and conditioning, you build up a stronger foundation, boosting your immune system and preventing injuries that may arise from weaker muscles.
4. Avoid eating after 7pm in the evening, to allow your digestive system and your detox system (your liver and kidneys) to cleanse your system. This will strengthen your body and enable it to expel toxins while extracting all nutrients from your food.
5. Find your zen during the nighttime by using a magnesium supplement to help support relaxation and improve sleep. With its ability to help regulate cortisol magnesium plays an important role in helping to support relaxation. Magnesium can help serve an important functional role toward helping to calm your state of daily excitement, so you can better relax!*
Losing weight can be fun, tasty, and an important part of your long-term health. With a proper approach to your diet, with sensible and consistent exercise, and motivation overall to live a healthier lifestyle, watch the fat disappear and for lean, toned muscle to take its place!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Always check with your doctor before beginning any new diet or exercise program.