Weight Loss Series- TIP # 1 Ratios not Calories

Spring fever is in the air! Can you feel it? Can you smell the fragrance of a new and fresh season coming?

The winter pounds are now more pressing to lose, as we begin to shed the coat layers and big bulky sweaters. No reason to feel anxiety or panic just start a sensible approach to changing your lifestyle now.

Crash diets, extreme exercise routines, and the use of fat burners are what some of you may think is the best way to get the job done fast. However, diets don't teach us how to make healthy choices and develop a healthy lifestyle.

Diets encourage the yo yo effect with your weight climbing up then down, then back up again often higher than before. Very low calorie dieting also encourage the body to go into a "famine" mode, and it will conserve and hold on to as much body fat as it can.

So what to do?

Start with the Basics:

Think Ratios and Rations and Not Calories :

An easy way to design your meals is to simply make sure you have a source of lean protein, low glycemic carbohydrate and some good healthy source of fat at every meal. The picture at the top of this blogs is a great example of what I mean here.

I've found that 30% protein, 50% carb and 20% fat works very well. Its not cutting carbs entirely, and its not too heavy on the protein. AND we need fat! Especially fats rich in omega fatty acids, like those found in fatty fish, flax and chia seeds.

Lean protein sources:

Organic Turkey, and chicken breasts

Organic Eggs, and egg whites

Organic Fish : salmon, white fish, tilapia, grouper, snapper

New zealand hormone free whey powder- for on the go times

Hemp protein, rice protein or

Complex low glycemic carbs:

All green, and non starchy vegetables (This should make up half or more of your carb calories per day)

Brown rice

Quinoa

Beans and legumes

Whole spelt, kamut or amaranth

Millet

Yams

Winter squash

Good Fats:

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Nuts and seeds : especially almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds

Flax seed oil and flax seeds

Udo's blend- great product that consists of the best healthy fats altogether in one product

Now just divide your plate into the percentages stated above and choose a food from each of the lists, and use measuring cups to portion out a sensible size for your body weight and goals.

You may find you need a little more carbs, if your very active and exercise daily. Or you may find you need less because you are more sedentary or you know they are hard for you to metabolize and a prime contributor to your weight gain.

If you have insulin or sugar imbalances you will need to exercise extra care with the types of carbs you have, and really make the effort to combine protein with carbs at each and every meal. This helps prevent any chance of insulin spikes or lows.

Stay tuned for Tip #2 coming next!

In health always,

Namaste

Piera