Top tips to make weight loss easier
By naturopath Margaret Jasinska
You don’t need to count calories or exhaust yourself with exercise. The science of sustainable weight loss is far simpler and easier. You just need to implement strategies that work and be consistent.
I think for a lot of our patients, weight loss feels like a punishment. They deprive and exhaust their bodies, step on the scales each week and if weight loss is too slow, they give up entirely. Most people struggle not because they lack willpower, but because the advice they follow is too extreme or doesn’t actually work.
Here are 7 tips to make weight loss easier
1. Drink water or other fluids between meals
A glass of water 15–30 minutes before eating helps you feel fuller sooner. Having a hot beverage during cold weather works even better. In winter a lot of people eat because they are cold rather than actually hungry. Staying hydrated can cut down on unnecessary snacking or over eating.
2. Prioritise sleep
Too little sleep raises the hormone that makes you feel hungry (ghrelin) and lowers the hormone that says “stop eating” (leptin). Long term, this can lead to leptin resistance, where this hormone no longer regulates your appetite properly. Aim for 7–8 hours of quality sleep each night.
3. Eat slowly and without screens
Your brain needs about 20 minutes to register fullness. Eating quickly, especially while distracted means you are more likely to over eat before the satiety signal arrives. Put your phone down and focus on enjoying the flavours of your meal.
4. Base each meal on protein
Protein keeps you full longer than carbs or fat. It also takes more energy to digest, and it helps preserve muscle when you’re losing weight. Eggs, poultry, seafood and plain yoghurt are easy options. I recommend you choose fatty cuts of meat, or be generous with added fat such as olive oil or avocado, for additional satiety.
5. Add lots of vegetables to your plate
Vegetables are high in fibre and water, so they take up space in your stomach without many calories. They’re also what make a meal feel more varied.
6. Move more
You don’t need to join a gym. A brisk 30-minute walk each day is usually effective and far easier to sustain. Take the stairs, park farther away, walk during phone calls. Small things add up surprisingly fast.
7. Manage stress
Chronic stress raises cortisol, which increases appetite and promotes fat storage, especially around the belly. Spending 10 minutes each day on a calm activity such as deep breathing or meditation can help to significantly lower your stress hormones.
Sustainable weight loss isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being consistent enough, most of the time. People run into trouble when they make emotional decisions about food that undo their good efforts from the previous weeks and they end up at square one.
Be patient with the process
A realistic rate of healthy weight loss is about 0.5 to 1 kg per week. It can be faster in younger males and slower in older females. Progress also isn’t linear. Your weight will fluctuate by a kilo or two day-to-day based on water, salt, and digestion. Don’t weigh yourself every morning. Look at the trend over weeks, and notice how your clothes are fitting.
If you need guidance and/or support, you can join our amazing Weight Loss Detective program where we look for hidden causes of weight excess. You can do our quiz to discover your body type – do you have an Android, Gynaeoid, Lymphatic or Thyroid Body Type ? Do the quiz to find out – https://www.sandracabot.com/quiz-find-out-your-body-type/
You can go to this section to discover your body type – are you Android, Gynaeoid, Lymphatic or Thyroid Body Type – do the quiz
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