Creating Balance for Weight Loss

Even a whole-food, plant based diet may not always be enough to reach your goal weight, although it’s a great place to start. For some, it can take an overall healthy approach and re-establishing balance to see improvements. These upgrades are essential for reducing inflammation, lowering oxidative stress, downshifting stress hormones, nourishing the microbiome, supporting the immune system, and resulting in healthy weight loss.

 

1. Eat more plant-based, whole foods.
   1. Emphasis on WHOLE foods and plants.
   2. This means lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole-unaltered grains, legumes, ¼ cups seeds and nuts per day. As Dr. Fuhrman says, the more raw veggies you eat, the more weight you lose.
   3. Weight loss is dependent upon a good nutrient-rich, low-calorie, anti-inflammatory diet. And why not eat as many longevity-promoting, disease-resisting, phytonutrients and antioxidants as possible? Our later selves will thank us!

 

• 2. Pay attention to calorie and nutrient density
  • -Avoid ground flours, PROCESSED foods (even if they’re plant-based), oils, overeating nuts/seeds or dried fruit. Remember, calories still count, even with a plant-based diet.
  • -Emphasize fresh vegetables, fruits, and legumes, whole grains.
  • -Don’t forget to drink plenty of water!

 

•  3. Avoid insulin spikes, creating insulin resistance
  • -Even one bite of something (such as flour, sugar, or animal protein) spikes your insulin and will lead to increased fat storage.
  • -Don’t drink your calories; this includes sodas, coffee or tea with added sugar or sweeteners (even diet drinks – the sweeteners alter the microbiome and can actually lead to weight GAIN), sugary alcohol drinks, energy drinks.

 

• 4. Nourish your gut bacteria, and they will work in your favor
  • -This is high fiber, high resistant starch (think beans, whole oats, raw veggies, flax/chia seeds)
  • -Eating animal products has been shown to increase a metabolite from the bacteria in your gut, called TMAO, which leads to atherosclerosis and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. 1, 2
  • -Having a high ratio of the gut bacteria fermicutes to bacteroidetes, known to extract extra calories from food, leads to obesity and inflammation. This unfavorable ratio is created from eating processed foods and animal products. You can switch to a more favorable microbiome composition through avoiding processed foods, animal products, and eating significantly more fiber-rich plants.3
  • -Sugar and processed foods can increase candida and other pathogenic bacteria, leading to sugar cravings. Change your diet, improve your microbiome, and finally end the cravings. Phew!

 

• 5. Break free of food addictions
  • -You know yourself. If there are foods you simply “can’t give up or live without”, you are probably addicted to them. Follow these steps to break free:
  • -Add in nourishing, high fiber foods.
  • -Crowd out (and eat less of) the food you are struggling to remove.
  • -When you’re ready, eliminate it completely for 2 weeks.
  • -No moderation in this case – it doesn’t work for food addictions and will sabotage your goals.
  • -Once you break free, it becomes easy-peasy!

 

• 6. Timing matters – eat with your circadian rhythm
  • -Insulin is more sensitive earlier in the day. Therefore, it’s beneficial to eat more during the daylight hours – aim for a larger breakfast and lunch; light and early dinner. 4
  • -Time Restricted Feeding (TRF) – significant evidence that your body is not meant to eat and digest at all hours, but works best earlier in the day, with time to heal and repair the gut in between eating. Give your body at least 12 hours of rest (fasting). 14 hours is even better (ie, eat between 8am-6pm or find what works for you). 5
  • -Also, avoid eating continuously, or several small meals a day. Instead, eat 2-3 nutrient rich meals, during your eating interval. This is shown to reduce insulin spikes, improve insulin sensitivity, improve digestion/absorption of nutrients, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, and aid in weight loss.6

 

• 7. Be mindful of possible hidden food sensitivities
  • -If still not getting results, consider common food sensitivities, such as gluten, eggs (avoid animal products), or corn.
  • -This does not mean “gluten-free” crap, but whole foods such as fresh veggies, fruit, and legumes.
  • -Consider individual food sensitivity testing or elimination diet for common triggers.
  • -Remember, as you nourish your microbiome with fiber-rich foods, you can restore balance to your gut, develop proper immune system tolerance, and improve most food sensitivities.

 

• 8. Resistance training, HIIT
  • -No question; building muscle and aerobic capacity is essential.
  • -High intensity intermittent training has been shown to be superior for reducing body fat. 7
  • -Work with a trainer or physical therapists for safe workouts and to build a program uniquely for you. Can also create your own and have some fun with these!
  • -Don’t forget balance and flexibility, too.

 

• 9. Restorative sleep; bedtime matters
  • -Time asleep before midnight is higher quality to reset hormones such as leptin, grehlin, insulin, glucagon, and cortisol. 8, 9
  • -Practice good sleep hygiene: dark and quiet room (think eye mask and ear plugs or white noise), cool, no electromagnetic radiation (screens in another room at night, please), avoid screens for about 1 hour before bed, avoid bright lights at night and enjoy bright light when you wake up, wake up at the same time each day and go to bed early enough to be rested. Get daily exercise, sunlight, and reduce your stress. Finally, avoid caffeine and alcohol (including dark chocolate) if not sleeping well.
  • -Sleep hypoxia – worth a sleep test, as low oxygen while sleeping can lead to daytime tiredness and weight gain (especially my friends at altitude).

 

• 10. Stress-Less
  • -Stress increases cortisol and other stress hormones, and if chronic, this can lead to muscle breakdown, belly fat deposition, increased hunger, insulin resistance, lower thyroid hormones, altered estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and accelerated aging.10 , 11  Therefore, it’s important to:
  • -Avoid stressful situations, as possible (reduce overall stressors)
  • -Learn coping mechanisms, such as taking deep breaths, meditation, yoga, creativity, music therapy, journaling, etc, to downshift your sympathetic nervous system and lower stress hormones. Reduce inflammation, weight loss, improve sleep, and sex drive can result. What are you waiting for? Create your stress-less program today!

 

• 11. Consider hormone imbalance – thyroid, stress hormones, sex hormones
  • -It may be worth checking thyroid hormone levels, reduce stress(see above), and eat to balance your hormones (also see above). A proper diet, sleep, and stress reduction can help bring them into balance.

 

• 12. Laugh more, community
  • -Stay lighthearted and laugh daily, if possible. Watch a silly movie, talk with a fun friend, read an amusing book. Releasing feel-good hormones is a quick way to re-establish balance. Gratitude does this, too.
  • -Find support. It’s easier with others. Surround yourself by those also eating well, exercising, going to yoga. There are lots of online communities and health coaches as well.

 

• 13. Plan, Plan, and create healthy habits.
  • -If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
  • -Pre-make food; know healthy alternatives for yourself, even when traveling, eating out, or celebrating a holiday. Especially then.
  • -Set your environment so healthy food is the default and the easy go-to.
  • -The more you make this your default, the more you create new habits and form a healthier lifestyle.
  • -It takes time and effort for results – believe in yourself, you are worth it!

 

• 14. Find your internal motivation – why it REALLY matters to you.
  • -This is key, and it makes all the difference.
  • -Write it out. Post it all around your house where you see it every day. Meditate on it. And don’t forget it when you have a tough day.

 

• 15. Be kind to yourself
  • -Celebrate your successes and acknowledge the effort you’re putting forth.
  • -Attitude is everything. Appreciate and love yourself for who you are.
  • -Be gentle with yourself if you fall off track. There really is no track. Make a vegetable-based green smoothie or juice, get outdoors and breathe the fresh air, go for a walk. This is the time for a quick pep talk, review your internal motivation, and above all, keep moving in the direction of optimal health.
  • -Smile and breathe. You got this!