Top Tips For Healthy Weight Loss
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 5, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 12, 2024
Written by Beanie Robinson, Nutritionist
Beanie Robinson is one of London's best Nutritionists. She is the Founder of The Health Space, an online Nutrition Clinic that specializes in Weight Loss, Hormonal imbalances; PCOS, IBS, Gut health & Type 2 diabetes.
Struggling to achieve your weight loss goals can be incredibly frustrating. If you've been stuck in a cycle of “failed diets” and yo-yo weight fluctuations, it may be time for a more comprehensive long term approach. Before diving into the next fad diet, consider addressing the physical, mental, and emotional factors that could be hindering your success. Here are some holistic tips to help you finally break free from weight loss struggles.
Balance your blood sugar
Eating too many refined carbs and sugary foods leads to insulin resistance and disrupted blood sugar levels.
Focus on balancing your blood sugar by limiting sugar and refined carbs while increasing your intake of lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs from vegetables, fresh fruits, lentils, chickpeas and beans.
Ensure you're getting proper nutrition
Nutrient deficiencies can affect vital bodily functions like metabolism. I would recommend eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet with plenty of colourful fresh fruits and veggies, quality proteins, and healthy fats. Pre & probiotic foods are a great addition to your regular diet.
As explained in my blog post on the flaws of calorie counting, be cautious of becoming too fixated on calorie counting, as this may mean you miss out on the benefits of healthy foods like coconut, avocado, nuts, seeds, unheated extra virgin olive oil & greek yogurt!
Ultimately, the nutrient density of your diet is more important than the sheer number of calories. If you are concerned about a nutrient deficiency, you can easily get tested to see your vitamin and mineral status. Then you can supplement accordingly if needed with the support of a professional.
Optimise your exercise routine
Both too little and too much exercise can hinder weight loss. Find an exercise that you don’t dread doing. Remember, over stressing the body with high intensity exercise when your body is already tired and stressed may not be the best approach. Remember, movement is medicine to the body, but we want to think carefully about the type of exercise we choose.
Using exercise as a punishment tool or overdoing it can be quite stressful on the body. Remember, if you are tired from too much exercise you may actually feel more hunger as your body will be looking for energy, and it is usually sugar it will be looking for.
Reduce toxin exposure
Toxins like heavy metals can disrupt hormone balance. You may want to incorporate some gentle detoxification through sauna therapy, lymphatic massage and eating your calciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts.
Manage stress levels
Chronic stress leads to elevated cortisol, which may increase your appetite and can promote fat storage around the belly. Additionally, comfort eating something that may happen when stress levels are high.
Be kind to your mind and your body by taking your stress management seriously, perhaps introducing some daily meditation, listening to binaural beats, journaling, breathwork & prioritising rest.
Cycle off caffeine
Caffeine can stress the adrenal glands and lead to blood sugar crashes and increased hunger. Try to aim for one coffee a day in the morning and have 2pm as your caffeine cut off. You may want to try having a total caffeine detox at some point in the year if you are relying on it heavily for energy.
Rebalance your hormones
Hormonal imbalances like excess estrogen can make it more difficult to lose weight. Have your hormone levels tested and work on balancing them through liver detoxification, reducing estrogen exposure (synthetic industrial chemicals), and supporting stable blood sugar levels.
Check your thyroid
An underactive thyroid may affect metabolism. Get a full thyroid panel done (TSH, T4, T3, reverse T3, antibodies) and address any underlying causes like nutrient deficiencies, gut issues, toxins, or chronic stress.
Heal your gut
Think about creating a diet that supports gut healing and repair. For more detailed tips on supporting optimal gut health, check out my blog post: 6 Gut Health Tips for a Healthy, Happy Gut. This covers strategies like reducing ultra processed foods (UPF’s), consuming pro & prebiotic-rich foods, staying hydrated, managing stress, and getting sufficient sleep – all factors that play a role in gut healing and weight loss.
Priorities sleep hygiene
Poor sleep can increase our appetite. Make it a priority to get 9 hours of rest per night through good sleep habits like a relaxing wind down routine, an ideal sleep environment & evening meditation or stretching.
Bonus tip 1: Kitchen closed
I get clients to close the kitchen (physically or metaphorically) at 6pm.
This means nil by mouth except liquids (water and herbal teas).
Try to count 15 hours after your last bite of food until you break your fast the next day.
Wake up and then have a full pint of warm water.
Giving the digestive system a break and then rehydrating first thing in the morning is great for supporting healthy weight loss.
Bonus tip 2: Bone broth dinners
Have bone broth with cooked veggies and a poached protein for dinner four nights a week! This is a fantastic way to kickstart healthy weight loss.
Make lunch your most substantial meal so that dinner becomes the "top up" meal.
Going light at dinner places minimal stress on the digestive tract later in the day when the gut is winding down for the night – ideal for weight loss.
While quick fixes like strict calorie counting rarely lead to lasting results, a holistic, personalised approach can help you finally overcome weight loss resistance for good.
Be sure to address the emotional aspects as well through counselling, journaling, and cultivating self-awareness around triggers or stressors that impact your eating patterns.
Beanie Robinson, Nutritionist
Beanie Robinson is a leader in sustainable healthy weight loss, hormonal imbalances; PCOS & IBS. Her personal journey with PCOS left her searching for a natural and holistic way of alleviating her symptoms. She has since dedicated her life to helping others optimise their health through Nutrition & Lifestyle medicine. Beanie passionately believes in our bodies capacity to heal & guides clients on their journey to full health & vitality.
