5 Tips That Will (Actually) Help You on Your Weight Loss Journey

If you’ve ever come out of the rock you're living under and ventured onto the Internet or social media, you’ve likely been bombarded by the countless influencers and accounts praising the latest weight loss method. From the carnivore diet to the Ozempic craze, little room has been left for those of us not trying to consume organ meats in the name of #health. And no diss at organ meats, they are a nutrient powerhouse. Let's get into the 5 best weight-loss tips that will actually help you on your weight loss journey.

1. Use the Plate Method

When it comes to eating healthy and sustainably, there are three main macronutrients to incorporate: protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. However - we can’t stop there! Micronutrients (specifically fiber in the form of fruits & vegetables) are absolutely essential in providing the vitamins and minerals our body needs, diversifying the gut microbiome, supporting regular digestion and consistent energy levels, optimizing blood sugar levels, and reducing our overall calorie intake.

To lose weight, you must reduce calorie intake; the Plate Method can help ensure you are eating fewer calories while promoting satiety that will keep you full for hours! This method is simple - every time you eat, fill up half your plate with fruits or veggies, a quarter of your plate with lean protein, and the remaining quarter with a carbohydrate of your choice - from homemade mac to roasted potatoes! 

1. Count Your Protein

Gone are the days of the Special K diet, we are in the protein-revolution where everyone from our boss to our Gen Z little sisters realize just how important this macronutrient powerhouse is. If you take away nothing else, know this - without eating enough protein in your diet, you could be sacrificing essential muscle that promotes longevity and health for years to come. It’s kind of like investing in your Roth IRA every month without actually ensuring it's invested - a lot of great intent, without the execution (not financial advice).

Unless you have a specific medical diagnosis where you’ve been instructed to limit protein, a good rule of thumb is to aim for 30g of protein per meal and 15g of protein per snack - earning you anywhere from 90 to 120g of protein per day. The benefits of protein knows no limits - from boosting your metabolism because of its high thermic effect (aka - your body has to actually burn energy in order to digest it), keeping you fuller longer (because it takes so long to digest), maintaining consistent blood sugar levels and thus energy levels, and helping you to build and hold onto your hard earned muscle, even when in a calorie deficit.

Another perk? When you are intentionally focusing on eating more protein, you have less room to include many of the highly palatable processed foods we gravitate to in the name of convenience, helping you to reduce your intake and manage hunger.

1. Honor Your Fullness Cues

A dietitian favorite, but one of the hardest concepts for people to execute on is stopping when we are full. Because of a range of habitual, psychological, and socio-economic factors that include how we grew up, economic status, past trauma, nutrition education (or lack thereof), and habit formation, stopping when we are actually full is easier said than done. Nothing is more disappointing when you spend the last 90 minutes cooking your family favorite meal when alas, 6 bites in, you realize you're no longer hungry. Cue eye roll - check out this blog post for a more detailed look into eating intuitively and stopping when you're full. But for now, try out these tips during your next meal:

Slow down your eating: match the eating pace of the slowest person at the table and try to finish your meal when they do!

Implement the fullness-scale: if a 1 is so hungry you could eat a cow and a 10 is being in a literal food-coma, you want to aim to end your meals at a 7 or 8, which is a comfortably full feeling (can still go for a walk after dinner). Once you get into an 8, you approach the danger zone (9-10), meaning you have about 2-4 more bites until you have passed the point of no return. 

Use salad plates vs dinner plates: swap out the large dinner plates in preference for the smaller salad or dessert plates. This can mentally allow you to fill up and finish a full plate, with almost half the amount of food you might normally take, allowing you to more easily stop eating when you’re full.  

Allow yourself to go back for seconds: there’s no point in honoring our fullness cues, if we don’t also honor our hunger cues. You may find that when actually stopping when you are comfortably full, that you also are getting hungrier sooner - this is typically a sign of healthy digestion and a working metabolism! Allow yourself to go back for seconds whenever physically signaled.

1. Include Sweets & Strive for Sustainability

Include sweets to lose weight? Say less! We are all about sustainable approaches that will promote weight loss and healthy weight maintenance for years to come! One of the major drawbacks of many of the dieting methods that gain popularity is the lack of sustainability and the promotion of an all-or-nothing mentality and approach. If you can’t imagine living in a world without your favorite treat, this section is for you. 

Try allowing yourself to have a small portion of your favorite treat daily. A half cup of vanilla ice cream is just 140 calories, or just 7% of a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Need more examples? There are 120 calories in 4 Hershey Kisses and just 90 calories in 4 Twizzlers. These foods aren’t inherently “bad,” but it’s our lack of self-control that we’re scared of and that prompts us to banish these foods to the abyss. Striving for sustainability should always be front of mind so that you can maintain your weight loss for the long-term. Additionally, the mental perk of knowing you allow yourself a small treat daily, will actually help you resist the urge to deviate from your diet throughout the day due to impulse or peer pressure for excess calories that aren’t actually worth it (we’re looking at you, office donuts). 

1. Increase Your Fitness

Drumroll please…perhaps the funnest (depending on who you are) and easiest way to create an additional calorie deficit throughout the day is by increasing your current fitness routine. Regular physical activity is among the most important habits you can do to manage your weight, improve your mental and physical wellbeing, prevent injuries, and promote longevity. Because muscle mass and strength naturally start to decline as you get older (hint, after age 30), the 150-minute weekly exercise recommendations become that much more important, with a particular emphasis on resistance bearing exercises. 

Currently going to the gym for 3 days? Challenge yourself to bump it up to 4. Are you a peloton-junkie? Hop out of the saddle and add in some weights after your ride. Mom of 4 with no time for yourself? Prioritize just 25 minutes daily to put on a pilates YouTube class and teach your littles the importance of movement and sacrifice. Your mental health, physical health, and future you will be grateful.

When you think about the desire to lose a pound a week, you are really aiming to create a 500 calorie deficit each day (1 pound = 3500 calories / 7 days a week = 500 calories to decrease daily). With the tried and true techniques above, use trial and error to figure out what works best for you. We liken nutrition to personal finance, meaning it’s personal. What works well for you, may not work for your neighbor, your sister, or your work bestie. Losing weight is not just about a number, it’s about figuring out the system of success that keeps you consistent in your habits and helps you to feel your absolute best.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is for informational purposes only. Any changes to your nutrition & health should be supervised by a registered dietitian or physician.