Are you struggling with weight loss even after putting in all the effort? My goal today is to offer some tips to help you start to see success in your weight loss journey!

It is possible there are several different factors at play, but with our clients we like to start with small, simple action steps to help accelerate fat loss and lose weight. 

First, the most common factors in weight loss struggles include sleep quality, nutrition, exercise and stress management. 

For a balanced and healthy life-style, these four factors work together in unison. We like to use an analogy of building houses when discussing these four pillars:   sleep quality is the foundation, nutrition completes the walls, movement provides the roof and stress management and recovery are the shingles and siding that keep the elements out. If one of these things is out of place, the weather gets in and causes damage to the structure. It is the same with our bodies.

Here are some simple tips you can implement today to help in all four areas:

IMPROVING SLEEP QUALITY: 

Turn off your phone and screens 1 hour prior to bed. Consider reading a book instead of watching tv or scrolling through social media. The light emitted from the screens tells your body to stay awake, and reading a book will help take your mind off the stresses and anxieties from the day.

Set boundaries for work. Stop your work at least 3-4 hours prior to bed. Working late into the evening and night increases anxiety and leads to tossing and turning in bed.

Make your room as dark as possible. My suggestion is buying black out blinds, especially if you live in the city or on a lighted street. Our body was meant to wind down around 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. and be asleep when it is completely dark. The amenities of light have changed our sleep routines and patterns, so if you can replicate total darkness, it is ideal for the best sleep quality.

Finally, move more frequently through the day. Active people sleep more soundly than inactive people.

NUTRITION:

The following action steps are simple and highly effective. Many clients expect that they will be required to make a huge change in diet, but if you focus on these things, you’ll quickly boost your metabolism and start losing weight.

Add one vegetable and one fruit to every meal (yes, even a veggie with breakfast, my favorite are peppers).

Add protein to each meal. Protein is an important tool to help ramp up your metabolism.

Drink water at each meal. A good rule of thumb is to drink 100-200 oz of water per day.

We’ve found that keeping it simple is the best way to improve nutrition and much easier to sustain than making huge adjustments to your diet.

EXERCISE:

Change up your workout routine. Your body adapts to doing the same workout routine day after day. To burn fat and lose weight, you need to change it up. 

Perform a long workout one day, then a short, intense workout the next. For example, go for a long run on one day, then lift weights the next. This also helps break up the monotony of performing the same routine each day.

Lift weights and lift heavy. Lifting weights at least 3 days per week helps build lean muscle. When you carry more lean muscle you will burn more calories throughout the day.

Perform multi-jointed exercises like deadlifts, squats, push-ups and pull-ups. These exercises work the whole body and are known to stimulate a hormone response that helps with weight loss.

Functional exercise routines like CrossFit incorporate all of those things, which make it a highly beneficial workout regimen for losing weight. 

MANAGE STRESS;

Stress management is the SECRET to losing weight! 

Stress releases a hormone called cortisol and cortisol can lead to stored deposits of fat, which leads to weight gain. 

There are some simple ways to manage your stress levels:

Journal every morning. Pick a quote each day that speaks to you, write down why it speaks to you and what emotions you’re experiencing that day. This will help you navigate your feelings and emotionally unload any stress you’re experiencing.

Take 10 deep breaths any time you feel stressed. Breathing deeply is a great method for relieving stress.

Take a walk for 30 minutes in addition to your normal workout routine. Being outside and walking at low intensity helps reduce stress and aids in recovery.

THIS WEEK’S ACTION STEPS

This week’s action steps are intended to get you started on the path to changing your lifestyle, increasing your metabolism and helping you to start losing weight and keeping it off.

1. Purchase black out blinds or set your room up to make it pitch black
2. Drink a 20 oz glass of water at each meal
3. Set up a Goal Setting Session with your coach. If you’re not a member yet, set up a FREE No Sweat Intro to see if Lincoln Nutrition & Fitness would be the right fit for you.
4. Find a journal and write down your thoughts every morning this week.

Yes! I want to meet with a coach to find out more: https://msgsndr.com/widget/booking?calendar=cG0F1o7IB58d8xZGxrOo,CMDz4uSx2R7G2nBd7yl1

For many clients we may need to dig deeper and it’s ideal to meet with a coach to identify your unique situation. Our coaching staff is dedicated to your health and fitness and ready to help you with whatever you need!