Food is Your Biggest Weight Loss Ally!

Not too long ago the term “weight loss” brought up images in your head of starvation, lowering your food intake and feeling hungry all the time, however in my experience, people tend to lose weight better when they eat MORE of the right foods. There are a few reasons why…

FOOD GIVES US NUTRIENTS

Eating a well-balanced diet, rich in whole, lean proteins, vegetables, a couple of serves of fruit a day and 1 to 2 serves of grains per day will provide your body with the essential nutrients required to function adequately. When your body is functioning at it’s best, you will be more likely to reach your goal weight and sustain it.

MORE FOOD MEANS LESS BINGEING

When you eat a healthy, non-depriving diet, you are less likely to feel hungry throughout the day as you will be eating 3 meals and 2 snacks throughout your day. When you feel that intense hunger, you’re more likely to binge on take away foods and refined carbohydrates which of course lead to weight gain.

VEGETABLES FOR FIBRE!

Vegetables are a fantastic source of fibre and studies have shown that a diet rich in fibre can not only help you to lose weight, but it can also protect you from type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Fibre also helps to take care of your digestive system, and a healthy gut will be a massive factor in your weight loss journey.

HEALTHY FOOD CASCADE

This next connection I’ll explain is a bit of a cascade, so bear with me. When you eat healthy food and you are nourishing your body with these beautiful nutrients, you sleep much better, wake up less through the night and are therefore less tired throughout the day. When you’re not so tired throughout the day your need for stimulants such as sugar and caffeine goes down and thus – we have healthier adrenals! HOORAY! When our adrenals are functioning and happy, we lose the weight around our midsection much easier!

EATING FOOD FREQUENTLY HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT

Eating frequently and enjoying snacks in between meals terrifies a lot of people trying to lose weight. The fact is when you eat regular (healthy) meals and snacks, you’re not only increasing your nutrient intake, but you’re keeping your blood sugar levels stable and encouraging a healthy metabolism. It is the type of food you choose which matter! Remember, vegetables are a fantastic source of vitamins and minerals and are quite low in calories!

PROTEIN AND FAT

Protein is so incredibly important for weight loss and so is fat (confused yet? Protein with every meal and preferably every snack will help to keep you satiated and energised throughout the day. When you’re not hungry or hitting a fatigue wall, you’re less likely to binge out on sugar and take away! Ensure you are having a delicious, protein-rich (BIG) breakfast each morning to give yourself the best fighting chance! Our choices when consuming fats will either make or break our weight loss journey. Healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, seeds, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil, omega 3 etc. all help us to make hormones necessary to maintain a healthy body weight and help us to burn fat! On top of this, they also, just like protein, help to keep us feeling fuller for longer.