Ask yourself these 3 questions if your weight loss has slowed down but you’re eating healthy and working out
A health and weight loss journey can be overwhelming because we want to see results and we want to see them fast. When you first start out, you probably will see quick results. When you have a lot of weight to drop it’s easy to start losing weight. What’s hard is when you start getting your diet together and you’re exercising and somehow the weight loss slows. This is where people get the “oh screw it!” attitude and want to give up. Instead of giving up on yourself and your health, I want you to ask these 3 questions to see what could be stopping you from losing weight.
Am I being consistent with my food?
Mama, I know you’re thinking about your food. You’re choosing salad over pizza. You’re upping your protein intake. You’re drinking your water. But are you also grabbing a chicken nugget off your kids’ plate when you clear the table? Are you sticking to your diet Monday through Friday then having fun on the weekends?
Consistency is a huge aspect of weight loss, especially when the weight loss starts to stall out a little bit.
I always ask my clients if their food consistency is between 70/30, 80/20, or 90/10. Are you eating well 70% of the time and fudging the other 30%? You need to be honest with yourself and think about all the little bites you take throughout the day because they add up.
If your weight loss progress slows down, you may need to reign things in from the 70/30 or 80/20 range into the 90/10 range.
I also like my clients to think about how they’re doing on a monthly, weekly and daily basis. Maybe you think you’re in the 90/10 range over a month, but then you look back and you’ve eaten out every single weekend. That’s not considered consistent.
If you realize you’re eating out, or snacking more than you should be, then you need to dial your focus and consistency back in. Instead of taking things day by day or week by week, look at your month as a whole. Plan to eat within your boundaries 90% of the time and then only eat outside of those boundaries 10% of the time.
When you look at your food from the monthly point of view it’s easier to see the overall picture of your daily decisions!
Am I getting enough sleep?
Mama, I cannot begin to tell you how important sleep is, not just in your weight loss but in your overall health! A lot of women, especially busy moms, sacrifice sleep to do all the other tasks that stack up on our plates. However, if you’re trying to live a healthier life, you have to flip that mentality! Sleep needs to become your number one priority!
When we sleep our bodies perform essential functions such as
Repairing and growing new tissue and muscle
Restoring energy levels
Balancing hormones
Rids the body of toxins
Retains information in the brain
Boosts immune system
However, it takes time for the body to perform all these! Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each day, but in order to reap all the benefits of sleep, we need closer to eight or nine hours of sleep.
Hormones actually play a huge role in weight loss. The hormones leptin and ghrelin are responsible for your full and hunger cues. When these hormones don’t get balanced you feel hungrier and are more likely to give in to cravings and overeat.
Aim to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to help your body repair and restore your hormones, muscles and tissues for optimal weight loss. As you prioritize your sleep you’ll see a difference in your health, your weight loss and your energy levels - all of which will help you show up better in your life!
Am I getting between 20-30 grams of fiber?
One of the reasons I don’t believe in restriction dieting is because fiber is essential to weight loss and fiber comes from carbs! Fiber is a carbohydrate that doesn’t break down and turn into sugar when it’s digested. It passes through the body without being digested.
You probably already know that fiber keeps you regular, but did you know it also has other health benefits such as:
Controls blood sugar levels
Lowers cholesterol levels
Lowers risk of heart disease
Maintains bowel health
Balances hormones
Aids in weight loss
I advise my clients to have 20-25 grams of fiber each day; however, pay attention to your body because too much fiber can cause you to be blocked up.
Fiber is mostly found in whole foods - fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. When you’re looking on a nutritional label, look under the carbohydrates section to find out how much fiber a food has.
I can tell if my clients are making wholesome carb choices by the amount of fiber they’re eating. If your fiber is under 20 grams, you’re most likely eating processed foods. Whereas if you’re in the 20-30 range you’re getting more whole grains. We know that whole grains are better for our bodies than processed foods, so it’s important to fill up on whole grains and have fewer processed foods.
I would love to hear how you answered these three questions. Did you find an area of your health that you can improve on?
If you want to lose weight but you’re feeling stuck and can’t seem to DIY this anymore, then I’d love to help you. Set up a free discovery call today and I’ll help you figure out if the Macros Made Easy program is the right fit for you. If it’s not, I’ll point you in a better direction. Either way, you don’t need to keep plowing through your nutrition on your own! There’s a better, easier way to lose weight and find your confidence again!
