Summer is coming and we are all looking so much to it. This is the time, in which we start caring about how we feel and how we look.

People’s common mistakes

Many people are making the mistakes to undergo different restrictive diets, which is very wrong in my opinion. These diets are very restrictive and unhealthy. Do you know why? Because they are not personalised and tailored to the individual body needs. They are general and we already know that one size does not fit all. Some people feel great, however some of them really struggle following these diets. That is why the results are not always positive.

Some people with specific health issues may even worsen their symptoms and health. That is why Nutritional therapy and holistic functional medicine approach is very powerful. They do not target only the symptom but they look at the whole body and how it functions.

Few simple changes for weight loss

There are many ways in which people can balance their weight if they go for a nutrition consultation, however there are few simple safe changes that everyone can do to achieve great results. These are the following suggestions:

• Drink minimum of 8 glasses of water daily (add some fresh lemon juice if needed)
• Reduce carbohydrate intake like sugary foods, cakes, breads, etc and replace with naturally sweet foods like fruit and vegetables, or even nasty free protein bar (which is still good choice)
• Include protein at each meal. This will help with blood sugar balance and prevent blood glucose spikes and dips
• Plan your meals and be aware of your portion sizes – include more fiber foods like vegetables
• Walk 30 minutes to 1 hour (or more) every day
• Go to bed at 10pm the latest. This can reduce your stress levels as well.

Are you struggling with weight gain? It is very common problem that I face with my clients. Being overweight or obese can have such a negative impact on the quality of life and general feeling of wellbeing. Some people just get on with it, however most of the people are trying to find permanent solution of this problem. Some are using drugs to reduce their appetite and others are trying different diets but unfortunately with yo yo effect in the end. This is not the solution of this health condition.

My approach to weight loss

I am using easy and natural approaches to help my clients achieve their health goals and balance their weight. How does that work? My main goal is always to start with their eating habits and lifestyle. This is not an easy field as changing someone’s eating habits takes time and requires patience. However, this is the most sustainable approach with great results in the end of the program.

I look at what they eat and drink, their activity levels, current symptoms that might contribute to their weight gain and stress response. There are other factors that might be affecting their weight gain, which I find out during our consultations.

Key factors contributing to weight gain

• blood sugar imbalance – common conditions like Diabetes
• poor diet – junk foods, take aways, high sugar intake, processed foods, etc
• Dehydration – consumption of fizzy drinks, energisers, artificial juices
• sedentary lifestyle
• lack of exercise and low activity levels
• high levels of stress

General tips for weight reduction

• Increase fiber – fiber is very important in this journey. It plays a huge role in digestive system, hormonal balance and entire body. It makes you full, reduces appetite, can regulate blood sugar levels and gives you feeling of fullness. This is how you feel full quicker. Fiber rich foods are whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, salads, legumes.
• Include adequate amount of protein at each meal – protein plays role in satiety similar to fiber. Having protein at each meal can reduce your need for snacking and brings you to the next meal without snacks in between. Protein rich foods are meat, dairy, legumes, nuts, eggs, tofu, fish, seeds.
• Keep up water intake – water is essential for all bodily processes. 8 glasses of water are the minimum amount of daily water intake for average person.
• Do not overeat and pay attention to the portion sizes. This is important aspect of this journey. We should all stop eating when we are around 80% full.
• Avoiding late dinners. This is not only weight loss program requirement but it is a brilliant advice for general gut health. Your body needs to rest and regenerate for the next day. Dinners later than 6pm-7pm can negatively impact the quality of sleep as well.

Supplements for weight loss

There are few supplements that can contribute in weight loss journey, however this could be hard to choose on your own. the reason why is everyone’s circumstances are different and what helps one does not mean can help others. It is always recommended to work with a nutritionist to find out what is the best approach for your weight loss journey, and of course what kind of supplements can fit your health condition.

I will mention a few of them here, that have been proven to have a positive impact on the weight loss: L-carnitine, Magnesium, 5HTP, Chromium.