Top 4 Diet Hiccups!

By Shawna Hamilton –

Could this be you? You’ve found your ultimate slim down plan, but after a few short weeks of your best efforts, you have come across a few hiccups and hurdles that are putting an end to your success. Am I right? I believe we have ALL been there.

That is why I’m here to offer you a warm hug, a smile, a pat on the back and some answers to your weight loss qualms and queries. If at first you don’t succeed, you know the rest.

Losing weight the RIGHT way takes not only knowledge and determination it takes an enormous amount of patience. The trait that most of us struggle with in our one second society! If you can microwave your lunch in a minute, send a text in a minute, whiten your teeth in a minute and withdrawal money in a minute, why can’t we lose our goo in a minute? Am I right?

Expecting quick results is a conditioning of our culture and that’s why the multi-billion dollar diet industry has grabbed you and held you hostage!

Practicing a healthy lifestyle is the broken record here. You’ve heard it before. Always remember that losing weight effectively and safely is like a lock and key. EVERY component has to synergize and work together CONSISTENTLY for a minimum of 4-6 weeks and even up to 12 weeks for drastic change! These components are your food selection, your food timing, portion distortion, your level of exercise, your quality of sleep and your positive attitude. If you’re missing any of these, it’s like having the key in the lock, but it won’t turn over!

Take a look at these 4 helpful hints, think about them and have faith to try again! I am confident that YOU CAN DO IT! I’ll support you every step of the way – I’m only a message away!

DIET HICCUP #1

“I get very busy, so I tend to eat out a lot”

Oh my, this one has everything to do with the amount of calories that you’re packing in due to food prep (great chefs love butter and oil) and certainly due to portions that could feed two people in one. This is just a nightmare and a certain diet crasher. But I do understand how important business functions, meetings and even our social calendars are seemingly always centered around food. So try these fixes: Make a reservation. Alcohol revs up your appetite, so sitting and waiting at the bar with drinks until your table is ready is a sure fire way to add pounds. Keep to one drink and sip WITH your meal. Order grilled food over fried and ask to have your veggies steamed over sautéed. And if you have to have something decadent – take half home or simply leave it on your plate.

DIET HICCUP #2

“My willpower sinks on the weekends”

This is a biggie. Many of us are All-Stars during the week. We’re extra careful, we’ve planned our healthy meals, we’ve fit in exercise and we’ve just been really GOOD. Then the weekend comes and the structured schedule all goes to the wayside. Then you’re bad one day and decide to write off the whole weekend. There goes the 2 lbs your weekly efforts might have lost, to only find their way back on your body. The fix: I highly suggest scheduling some form of fitness on a weekend day each week. Sign up for that spin class, go for a family bike ride, take a long hike..something. And create a meal plan that doesn’t have you feeling so deprived all week. Factor about 150 calories a day on smarter slurgeworthy options (like a glass of wine, a 3/4 cup of ice cream or 2 oz of cheese) so you consciously or subconsciously don’t feel tempted to scarf them all down on Friday!

DIET HICCUP #3

“I’m ALWAYS starving!”

What are the first three letters in the word “diet?” Yes, it can certainly feel that way in the beginning! But whatever you do, please DO NOT lessen your daily caloric intake too drastically. Here’s a little rule of thumb, it’s not gospel, but it’ll get you thinking. If you add a zero to your present weight, that’s around the amount of calories it takes to keep you alive. Meaning, to keep your organs working in a healthy manner, your brain functioning, your heart strong. When you want to lose weight I don’t recommend ever going under 1400-1600 calories a day. Your body just can’t stay fueled and full on any less and you’ll surely quit. And if you don’t, it’s going to ALL come back on with a vengeance! You’ll be worse off and stuck in the yo-yo phase for life! The Fix: Keep your calorie intake reasonable and sensible, eat them within 3 meals and two snacks daily – never miss a meal. This will ensure that your blood sugar levels remain even throughout the day which will only guarantee a healthy, efficient metabolism. Portion your food accordingly and don’t skimp on lean protein. Protein sends much stronger “I’m full” signals to the brain than carbs or fat!

DIET HICCUP #4

“The number on my scale is stuck”

Plateaus are very very common, especially after a more immediate weight loss. When you’re lighter, your body needs fewer calories, so what used to make you shrink is now what is needed for maintenance. The Fix: Cut out about 200 calories more per day. That’s not drastic, but once added up over a week or two, it amounts to something. If you don’t notice a difference in approximately 2 weeks your portions are most likely off and your water intake is also most likely insufficient. And last but not least, switch up your workout. Do the same, stay the same. It’s that simple. Switching routines will build more fat-burning muscle. Be sure to move your body at a moderate pace as many days of the week as possible. Keep your heart rate up for a minimum of 20-30 minutes a day. And drink half of your body weight IN OUNCES a day in water!

Shawna Hamilton B.A,BKin,H.D, is a Professional Personal Trainer, Nutrition Consultant and Homeopathic Doctor. You will find her at: http://www.fitandonthemove.com/.