4 Sensible, Efficient, and Effective Components For Weight Loss

By Jill Rodriguez –

There are two common types of clients who walk through my door. Those who want to Lose Weight and those who want to feel better, be pain free, and maintain a healthy lifestyle with a sensible, efficient, and effective exercise program and diet.

The two types share one thing in common. They believe they eat very healthy already. After all, they shop at Whole Foods, eat fruit, salads, stay away from red meat, and have an occasional glass of wine.

Do you eat healthy and still not lose weight? Let’s find out. Below are four sensible, efficient, and effective components to good nutrition both to lose weight & maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1. Calories consumed are less than calories burned or calories consumed equal calories burned.

To lose weight in a sensible, efficient, and effective way, you must create a calorie deficit – eat fewer calories than you burn. Although you are eating healthy food, it is still possible to eat larger portions than your body needs. For example, whole grains are fabulous for your body but it’s easy to forget that a serving of whole grains is half a cup.

I suggest counting calories with a free online calorie counting software for three days to get an idea of where you stand in the calorie consumption department. When you enter the food you’ve eaten, the software calculates how many calories you had. You can also find out how many calories you should be having each day for weight loss and weight maintenance.

2. Food quality.

Are you choosing foods that are nutritious? Calories are important for weight loss but more important is the quality of food you eat. We call these foods Nutrient Dense in the weight loss world. A colorful variety of nutrient dense foods yields tons of nutrition while staying fairly low in calories. Great examples of nutrient dense foods are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. While a organic pizza, gluten free pancakes, or vegan oatmeal cookies claim to be healthy & natural they are not nutrient dense choices.

3. True health.

I have clients tell me they are healthy but need to lose 40 lbs.. I will be brutally honest here and say that if you are 15-20 plus lbs. over your healthy body weight, you are not healthy. You may feel fine but inside your body, your organs are straining. Over time, excess weight puts you at risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, and high medical bills just to name a few. On the outside, you may not be as physically or socially active as you wish because of the excess weight.

Is your body fat in normal range? Do you move well? Are you embarrassed about your excess weight so you avoid being social?

4. Mindful decisions about food.

Are you aware of what you put in your mouth? Digestion truly begins when you decide what to eat. Studies show mindful choices and mindful eating empowers you with self-control and creates awareness of fullness. Making mindful decisions about food can lead to healthy digestion & healthy weight loss.

Jill is certified with the National Academy of Sports Medicine since 2004 and with the American Heart Association in CPR and AED since 2004. She is also a Level III Master Trainer with Power Plate® North America since 2007. She continues to grow her knowledge base by keeping up-to-date with the latest fitness, nutrition and wellness information so that you don’t have to. Her website: http://www.jilltrains.com/.