Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #1
Successfully losing weight and maintaining the weight loss requires several different factors all working together. Get a team of experts behind you to successfully to achieve the long-term weight loss you desire and put together the best weight loss plan possible.
So, who do you need on your weight loss team?
1. Doctor – A step many skip!
2. Nutritionist – I’m happy to work with you:)
3. Personal Trainer – I’ll share a few options.
4. Support Group – If you’re a member of NewU, you’ve got this one covered.
Doctor
Before beginning any new exercise or health program, I recommend you consult your physician. Most people skip this step and jump right into the latest and greatest weight loss program they found. Now, granted if you’re young and in decent physical condition, receiving clearance from your physician may not be critical. However, if you are severely overweight, diagnosed with diabetes or have a family history of heart disease, it’s best to be evaluated by your physician before pushing your heart rate too high.
Be upfront with your physician about the reason for the appointment. Most likely you’re doctor will check your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood glucose, and maybe body fat as a way to evaluate your health and if there are any reasons you should not begin an exercise program. Don’t expect a detailed exercise routine and meal plan from your physician. For guidance on effective diet and fitness steps consult the appropriate expert.
Best Weight Loss Plan – Team Member #2
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Customized Weight Loss Plan – Pick a weight loss plan and stick with it to lose weight!
The largest ever controlled trial of weight loss plans found when it comes to weight loss, the bottom line always comes down to calories.
The study was completed by researchers at Harvard and Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana. Researchers evaluated the results of four different diets providing different levels of fat, carbohydrates, and protein, including a diet similar to the low fat Ornish diet and high protein/low carb Atkins plan. The dieters were encouraged to reduce caloric intake 750 calorie, exercise 90 minutes/week, and keep a food journal.
Weight loss results ranged from a 50 pound loss to a 5 pound gain. The bottom line was reducing caloric intake and sticking with the weight loss plan. Whether the diet was low fat or high protein or whatever, did not have an have an influence.
So, if you want to lose weight you need to find a plan you can stick with for the long term. If you’ve been following my posts, you know I’m “pro” making healthy lifestyle changes and “anti” dieting. I’d love to help you by evaluating your current dietary habits and providing a customized weight loss plan you can move through step by step to achieve your weight loss goals. Learn more here – Customized Weight Loss Plan.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Best Weight Loss Plan Must Include These 5 Things
Losing weight and keeping it off is not a simple task. If it was obesity wouldn’t be one of the biggest health concerns we face. Everyday you can find a new diet that promises fantastic results for the lean, healthy body you want. The list of options is endless! Sorting through the overwhelming amount of weight loss information available to know what really works and what doesn’t is challenging. How do you know which is the best weight loss plan for you?
Here are 5 essential components to look for when deciding on a weight loss plan:
1. Physical Activity and a Healthy Diet
Physical activity is essential if you want to lose weight and keep it off. Physical activity burns calories and builds muscle to boost your metabolism.
2. Flexibility
The weight loss plan must be flexible around your life. It’s unlikely you will prepare all your own meals or only eat the packaged food on a program forever. Holidays, special occasions, potlucks, etcetera will come and go every year. The plan you choose needs to give guidelines and support to enjoy the occasions and still stick with your goals.
3. Be Realistic
Dramatic losses in a short period of time sounds great, but it’s unrealistic and unhealthy. Find a plan that supports small changes over time for long term results.
4. Expert Guidance
Anyone can set up a weight loss plan and market it to individuals desperate to lose weight. Research the person who’s helping you. Are they someone qualified you can trust to guide you to results in a healthy way?
5. Long Term Support
Success doesn’t happen overnight. Depending on how much weight you have to lose it can take weeks or months. It’s hard to stay focused on the end result without long term support to keep you moving forward.
A weight loss plan that meets the above five factors is likely to lead you to success. However, there is one more component I need to mention. Taking action. Just because you find a program, read the information, go through the lessons, and learn the steps you need to implement doesn’t mean the pounds will melt away. You’ll only see results if you take action. Find your motivation and keep it as a visual reminder to take action everyday to a leaner, healthier you.
Now you need to find your best weight loss plan. Here is one option – https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/balanceprogram.html.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Dietary Supplement Safety – Hidden Caffeine in Diet Supplements
Not too long ago I posted on weight loss supplements and the fraudulent (and potentially dangerous) claims being made. I came across more information I’d like to share with you.
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) analyzed over 50 dietary supplements and found approximately half contained the caffeine equivalent of 2 cups of coffee. Dietary supplements are not required to list caffeine content unless pure caffeine has been added to the product.
The caffeine content of the products analyzed ranged from zero to800 mg per dose. The highest level found provides more caffeine than 8 cups of coffee.
As always, choose wisely! A well-balanced diet along with physical activity is the surest and safest way to achieve long term weight loss.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
Top 5 Key Strategies to Lose Weight Permanently
Weight Loss – Can you snack and still lose weight?
There is a general perception that snacking is bad and you need to cut out snacking if you want to lose weight. Well, the opposite is actually true.
It is important to eat regularly, every 3-4 hours to maintain your metabolic rate, promote stable blood sugar levels, and prevent insulin spikes. By maintaining a high metabolism you boost the calories you burn throughout the day, which helps you lose weight. By maintaining stable blood sugar levels and preventing insulin spikes you will prevent drops in energy.
Now, this doesn’t mean just any food will work. You need to select heart healthy snacks. This means eating snacks that balance carbohydrates with protein and/or heart healthy fats. Fat and protein slow the breakdown of carbohydrates, preventing the rapid rise in blood sugar and the corresponding increased insulin release.
Here are healthy snacks that are high in carbohydrates:
- Whole grain crackers
- Dried Fruit
- Pretzels
- Fig bars
- Fresh fruit
You can make these snacks heart healthy by combining with a protein. These protein sources that are easy to include with snacks:
- Glass of skim milk
- Yogurt
- Cheese
- Nuts
- Peanut Butter
Here’s an example of how you can apply this to your daily snacks.
Mid-morning snack: Yogurt with granola
Mid-afternoon snack: Nuts mixed with dried fruit
Evening snack: Light frozen yogurt topped with strawberries
Balancing the carbohydrates and protein in your snacks is just one of many factors that affect weight loss. To drastically increase your success with losing weight and keeping it off you must wade through all the weight loss information available and sort out what works from what doesn’t. Many methods used to lose weight are ineffective and some may even sabotage your weight loss efforts. Sign up for the FREE teleclass The 5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed to learn which weight loss strategies really work. Visit https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/call.html to learn more today.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed
How Many Calories Per Day – Is less really best?
Have you ever been frustrated by not losing weight even when you feel like you’ve done everything possible to cut down on calories?
So is less really best when it comes to how many calories per day we eat? One might think that reducing calories is the most direct way to manage weight. However, this can backfire, especially with eating less than 1200 calories per day (or higher in some individuals). When one cuts their calories down too low the body’s metabolism (the rate at which we burn calories) can become compromised and slow down. This happens as the body senses starvation and switches into conservation mode, burning fewer calories so that the available calories go to vital body organs. As a result of a slower metabolism the body can’t burn calories as efficiently which can slow down and/or prevent weight loss. Does this sound familiar? Many diets actually result in deprivation gone-too-far and slow the metabolism.
The solution in this case is to eat more (and ditch the diet)! By gradually increasing your calorie level with healthful food choices and eating at regular intervals you will be optimizing your metabolism.
Of course, there are times when reducing calories is appropriate by replacing high fat or high sugar foods with healthier options. However, ask yourself it’s possible that you’ve cut out too many calories. You might be wondering how you would know this. Here are some possible signs of calorie intake being too low…
- Extreme hunger
- Fatigue
- Cravings
- Weight plateaus (i.e. not losing any more weight)
- Headaches
- Difficulty making decisions
- Irritability
- Shakiness, lightheadedness, dizziness
Adequately determining how many calories per day is just one of many factors that affect weight loss. To drastically increase your success with losing weight and keeping it off you must wade through all the weight loss information available and sort out what works from what doesn’t. Many methods used to lose weight are ineffective and some may even sabotage your weight loss efforts. Sign up for the FREE teleclass The 5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed to learn which weight loss strategies really work. Visit https://www.lisanelsonrd.com/newu/call.html to learn more today.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
5 Biggest Dieting Myths Revealed
