weight loss tips Archives Page 14 of 17

100 Calorie Hacks To Lose Fat Faster (Try these 10 Tips!)

by Cori Lefkowith | Feb 20, 2023 | Blog, Diet

You want to cut your calories a bit to lose some weight…

But you’re sick of feeling miserable and like you’re constantly giving up the foods you love to see results.

In this video I’m going to show you 10 ways to easily cut 100 calories or more from your diet without feeling like you’re missing out on the foods you love!

Hey guys! It’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you create sustainable lifestyle changes to move, feel and look your best!

I know trying to create that calorie deficit can make us feel like we can’t enjoy the foods we love, or that our meals have to be bland and boring, but this restriction is often what also sabotages true lifestyle habit changes.

That’s why I wanted to share 10 ways you can easily cut 100 calories from your day without having to restrict foods you enjoy or choke down ones you can’t stand.

And the 10th tip is the perfect way to include ALL of the foods you love while seeing better results faster!

Tip #1 to help you cut back on calories is to make small swaps to recipes and ingredients.

I see this tip shared frequently to help people reduce their calorie intake…which is why I want to make you aware of a common trap we fall into…

We make swaps that make meals taste…disgusting.

They FEEL like diet meals and aren’t like the originals at all!

And that’s basically as bad as cutting out the food completely…if not worse!

Now what swaps you enjoy or dislike is very personal.

For me, as much as I even like cauliflower, cauliflower rice is NOT the same as rice in my burrito bowl.

On the other hand, I have no problem using egg whites over real eggs on my breakfast sandwich.

I have no problem feeling satisfied with a bowl of popcorn instead of chips.

Or I’m fine to use oil spray or even chicken or vegetable broth to cook in over adding tablespoons of oil to the pan.

The key is finding your balance to make meals more calorie friendly while still being enjoyable.

Try adding in greek yogurt over cream to a sauce. Or in baked goods, swap in applesauce for oil!

But find swaps that don’t make you feel like you’re choking down “diet food.”

Tip #2: Is to get pre-portioned snacks or individually wrapped treats.

Think about having that whole pan of rice krispie treats on your counter

Once it has been cut into, it’s there. And you can cut any size you want.

It’s easy to end up eating more than we wanted and more than we should at that time.

That’s why buying pre-portioned snacks and treats can be helpful to start.

It gives us a cut off and a premeasured portion to help us stay on track.

Consider even getting cereals, individual oatmeal packs and snacks in the 100 calorie or individual serving bags!

If you can’t find what you need already portioned out, you can make your own dishes and portion them out immediately so there is that set amount only available.

Tip #3: Make your favorite meals and snacks at home!

If you love going out, don’t avoid restaurants when trying to make changes. There are plenty of healthy options out.

However, if there are calorie dense foods you love that you CAN make at home, you’re going to cut out a ton of calories just through those homemade variations.

You can choose what swaps to make, adjust the portion of ingredients or even completely remove things that won’t impact the taste for you but may add to the calories!

Try baking chips or french fries.

Even make them in the air fryer. Little to no oil will cut back on calories and you can season them to your liking and make only the portion you want to eat.

Try a homemade sundae with halo top and adjust the toppings based on what you like, maybe even swapping in some fresh fruit for a sugary fruit sauce.

But have fun even testing out how you can make variations at home that pack less of a calorie punch!

Tip #4: Don’t wait to eat till you’re starving!

The hungrier we get, the more our portions tend to expand at our next meal.

Not to mention we even tend to eat things we aren’t craving or snack on whatever is available.

We end up consuming more calories than we need simply because we got too hungry before we ate.

Whether you fast and eat one big meal or choose to eat 6 small meals a day, make sure you aren’t going into your meal so hungry you end up eating a bigger portion than you really need.

Consider even drinking some water BEFORE you eat if you have unintentionally gotten to the point of feeling like you could eat anything in sight!

Even if it is just a handful more to tide us over for a bit longer, those calories we munch on when we’re too hungry to care add up!

Tip #5: Pay attention to the cut of protein you consume.

Many of us have heard that we should increase our protein intake when we want to lose weight.

And we should.

HOWEVER, if we aren’t careful, increasing protein can also dramatically increase our calorie intake.

That’s why we want to pay attention to the cuts of meat or types of protein we’re including.

Now that doesn’t mean you have to cut out your red meat if you love it.

But on your burger, try swapping 85% ground beef for 90 or 93% lean ground beef.

Or if you’re plant based, maybe swap in some tofu for tempeh to cut back on those calories.

Little swaps to the cut or type of protein add up!

But be aware that something being advertised as “healthy” or lower calorie, it’s always what it seems!

Note the portion for those calories as you may end up buying turkey bacon only to realize that the portion is smaller than real bacon which is the only reason for the difference!

Tip #6: Pack in the spices!

No one wants to choke down bland and boring food.

If we’re cutting fat we want our food to taste amazing

So as you’re adjusting your nutrition, don’t slack on the flavor.

Pack in those spices to dishes so they taste amazing and you don’t feel like you’re missing out as you make swaps and tweaks to recipes.

You may even find you can eliminate adding more sauce and therefore more calories from meals by packing in more of a flavor punch with seasoning.

You may find a simple dollop of greek yogurt with ranch seasoning replaces your high calorie dressing.

Or that extra garlic cooked in the air fryer with your crispy brussel sprouts makes them a dish the entire family loves!

Tip #7: Avoid eating on the go.

It’s inevitable that sometimes we WILL need to eat on the go.

But the more we can avoid it, the more we can make sure we’re not mindlessly eating or only consuming very calorically dense, easy to carry bars and snacks that don’t help us feel full or satisfied.

Protein bars and even nuts, while convenient and not bad to include, are calorically very dense and NOT very filling.

So you just want to be aware of this when you are trying to cut out calories.

Instead try to pause for a meal when you can and consume something with more bites.

Or if you do need to eat on the go, think about nutrient-dense smoothies that you can keep lower in calories. Adding in low calorie fruits and veggies along with even a protein powder for that boost!

Tip #8: Adjust your portion by just a little.

A little goes a long way.

Small changes add up and give us the ability to slowly adjust our lifestyle without feeling like we’re missing out.

Yet so often we just cut out anything we know isn’t “good.”

Which ultimately leads to us wanting it even more and eventually giving in to the cravings.

Instead of cutting things out, adjust the portion.

Love your morning oatmeal? Try ½ a cup over ¾ of a cup.

Want your after dinner chocolate? Try getting a mini individually wrapped smaller size!

You may find there are adjustments you can more easily make and those that aren’t as satisfying so focus on the smaller tweaks that don’t make you crave more to start!

Tip #9: Simply READ LABELS.

Many of the same foods have different nutritional breakdowns. Some of which vary more than others.

For instance, you can find greek yogurts that range from 80 calories to 170 for about the same individual serving size.

Even breads and sauces that seem like the exact same thing can vary enough to add up over the day.

Even the same types of FRUIT vary with Fuji being more calories than McIntosh.

So don’t be afraid to compare labels or nutritional breakdowns of foods!

It goes back to those small swaps!

Plus, you may find an ingredient that you like even better that fits your macros and your calories even more.

And finally Tip #10…the secret to cutting back on your calories while eating all of the foods you love…

Measure your food! So often we can simply cut out a few calories by actually measuring portions over eyeballing them!

It is easy to allow those portion sizes to become bigger and bigger, especially the hungrier we are or the more we want something.

Not to mention, by measuring out things, we become more conscious of, and even avoid, mindless snacking.

Those bites, licks and nibbles add up!

So measure and track your food.

It is not only accountability and eye opening, but it can help you make those other little changes to easily cut back on calories without restricting the foods you love or missing out!

Often making changes to see results is about making the smallest change we can so we can keep replicating the habits consistently without continually draining our willpower.

Focus on starting with just 1 of these tips today!

And if you’re struggling to lose fat, check out these 2 tips next…

–> 2 Tips For Faster Fat Loss

Can’t Lose Fat? Try These 7 Tips

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 29, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Functional Fitness

Struggling to see the weight loss results you want and feel like your only option is to overhaul your entire lifestyle?

Well you don’t have to!

In this video I’m going to share the 7 common lifestyle habits we think we need to implement to lose weight that actually hold us back and then explain the secret to increasing your metabolic rate to becoming a fat burning machine!

Hey guys it’s Cori from Redefining Strength where we help you create the healthiest version of your PERSONAL lifestyle to see results. Because one size doesn’t fit all!

Losing weight means making a change to our daily habits.

But sometimes we make changes that actually hold us back.

That’s why, in this video, I want to highlight the 7 habit changes to AVOID and what to do instead to see results while improving your metabolic health!

Mistake #1: Cutting out the foods you love.

What’s the first thing we think we need to do to lose weight?

RESTRICT.

For many of us, dieting means cutting things out.

Often the first foods we eliminate are the ones we love most, but also know aren’t the healthiest for us.

Our dessert. Or salty snack.

But by cutting these things out, we create a feeling of restriction that is also what derails us.

At some point we feel like our willpower runs out.

Because we aren’t meeting ourselves where we are at to make sustainable changes based on our personal lifestyle balance.

So instead of cutting out your favorite food first, make an ingredient swap or portion adjustment first so you can work AROUND the foods you love.

Even focus on what you can add in over cutting out.

Shrink your portion of rice at dinner from 1 cup to ¾.

Do half a sandwich with a side salad to adjust your portion, lower your carbs and add in vegetables.

Sprinkle nutritional yeast on your popcorn to bump your protein and add a cheesy flavor!

Help yourself create lasting changes by avoiding the restriction mindset!

Mistake #2 : Making yourself eat specific things.

Do NOT force yourself to consume foods you dislike just because someone mentioned a potential health or fat burning benefit.

That is a surefire recipe for disaster because you’ll run out of self control eventually and default back to old habits sabotaging any results you’ve built.

We can’t do one thing to achieve results then go back to old habits and expect to maintain those results.

The changes have to stick.

So, if for instance, you don’t like coffee, don’t force yourself to drink it just because someone else says it can help you lose fat faster!

Any fat burning benefits of coffee are small and you adjust to the caffeine intake over time which means that the benefits become less with time unless you keep consuming more.

Caffeine can have a negative impact on mood and sleep.

This is a 1% change that will make no difference if your overall nutrition and workout routine aren’t dialed in BUT may have a huge impact on whether or not you stick with your plan long term!

Just like forcing yourself to eat a ton of vegetables or bland boring dishes because you feel guilty and want to meet someone else’s arbitrary standard of “clean eating,” will ultimately prevent you from making lasting changes.

We get good at what we consistently do and we do more of the habits we ENJOY.

So if you don’t like broccoli, don’t force it. Try other vegetables to find something you enjoy!

Mistake #3: Design hour long workouts or 2 a day sessions.

How many times have you thought… I just don’t have time to workout?

You aren’t alone.

It’s because we see all these people losing weight training for hours a day or doing 2 a day sessions.

But this focus on doing more often leads to a lot of wasted time and effort but holds us back from building a consistent routine and habit.

Quality not quantity.

The best results come from designing for the time you have because then you can be consistent with them.

If you have 3 days a week and 30 minutes, design full body workouts to get in everything you need with those sessions.

That will be far better than ending up missing body part split workouts because you just don’t have the time to stay consistent!

And as you get consistent with that routine, you may find you can work in more workouts later OR that you can maintain these habits even when life does its best to sabotage you and throw you out of your groove!

Mistake #4: Try to burn as many calories or get as many MEPs as possible in your training sessions.

When many of us start training harder to lose weight, we get a calorie tracker or start focusing on those heart rate monitors that measure things like MEPs.

We feel this need to hit a certain calorie intake, get a certain number of meps or have our heart rate hit a certain level for our workout to be “good enough.”

But your workouts shouldn’t be about calories burned.

Workouts can help us create that calorie deficit, especially to start, but over time our body adapts.

And there also is no magic fat burning zone where we need to keep our heart rate only at this level to magically burn a ton more fat.

If our diet isn’t dialed in, we won’t be able to out exercise our nutrition for long.

Trying to out exercise your diet, may be why your metabolism has slowed and you’re now blaming your age for your weight gain.

Stop focusing on burning more calories in your workouts.

Instead turn your focus to building muscle, whether you challenge yourself with bodyweight moves or weights.

This will improve your metabolic rate to burn more calories at rest, but more on this after habit number 7.

Here’s a LINK with training tips to design workouts to help you lose fat faster!

Mistake #5: Forcing a meal frequency.

Eat 6 small meals a day! No!

Do Intermittent Fasting, it’s the secret!

No!

There are so many different meal timings and frequencies out there that people tout as the best.

But one size doesn’t fit all.

How you schedule your meals may depend on your schedule, when you train, and even whether you prefer big meals or more snacking throughout the day.

Many different schedules can work!

While you can for sure adjust meal timing strategically based on your progress toward your goals, and tweaks may pay off the longer you’ve had everything dialed in

don’t stress meal timing or freak out if you didn’t have your post workout protein shake within 30 minutes of training.

Your muscles won’t just melt off.

The key is dialing in our daily portions and routines.

And then we can experiment with meal timings to see what makes us feel most energized while helping us make dietary changes sustainable.

You may find you enjoy less frequent and bigger meals to feel fuller after eating and have to prep fewer dishes.

Or you may enjoy more frequent snacks as you are a grazer and on the go it is easier than stopping for a meal.

The key is designing for YOUR lifestyle!

Mistake #6: Focus on being “good all week.”

Consistency is key.

And while it can feel like you’re being consistent by being “good” all week, that weekend eating or drinking can add up more than we realize.

While it may seem like you’re being consistent for 5 or 6 days and only off on 1 or 2, we can really throw off our weekly averages just because of those couple of days.

Especially eating out, those foods can be more calorically dense, not to mention fancy lattes and cocktails can really add up!

We can often end up even drinking more calories than we realize!

If you’re just starting to make changes, be conscious of how much more you’re eating on weekends as those calories could be throwing you out of the small deficit you’ve created during the week.

Even tracking what you’re currently doing when eating out or over the weekly can really show you how even just one meal can impact your weekly averages.

While focusing on consistent during each day is key, we need that consistency over weeks and even months to add up!

If you do find that being “good all week,” leads to overeating on the weekend, consider whether you’re trying to restrict too much during the week and creating unsustainable habits.

Also take a look at what leads to the change in habits over the weekends to start making some small adjustments or plan ahead.

Maybe you try some new restaurants with healthier options for a Friday night date night or adjust your earlier meals that day to account for a dinner out and strike a balance!

Mistake #7: We do all the habits we “should” be doing.

Honestly, often we try to do MORE. We go 0-60 and search out all of the things we “should” be doing.

Then we implement them all at once because we want results yesterday.

But we never consider if they are realistic for us or if they truly match our lifestyle, needs and goals.

In this effort to get results as fast as possible we do all of these new things, we overwhelm ourselves with change, and then we wonder why we don’t have the willpower or self control to keep going when things come up in our life.

We need to realize that each of us will have a different lifestyle balance. And trying to force someone else’s version of healthy will sabotage us.

So focus on small changes meeting yourself where you are at.

Before even making changes, consider tracking what you’re currently doing, from your diet to your sleep to your workouts, to make small changes that will add up!

Now what’s the secret to increasing your metabolic rate to burn more calories even at rest?

Focus less on losing weight and more on building muscle.

Muscle is the secret to losing fat faster. And no, I’m not telling you that you have to bulk up.

But by emphasizing gaining and retaining lean muscle in your workouts, you will actually slim down faster and get the lean, toned look you want.

Because muscles is key to a healthy metabolism and gaining muscle can even increase your metabolic rate if you’ve dieted in the past causing metabolic adaptations.

Muscle means you burn more calories.

And you can build muscle at ANY age.

So don’t slash your calories super low or turn all your workouts into cardio sessions.

Focus on building muscle and you’ll see that fat loss start to happen!

For more tips to help you boost your metabolism if you’re struggling to lose weight, check out my Can’t Lose Fat? 4 Tips To Boost Your METABOLISM video next.

–> WATCH NOW

I Quit

by Cori Lefkowith | Jan 15, 2023 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, Workouts

I freaking quit.

Do you know the #1 reason why we don’t see the fat loss or muscle gains we want.

We simply, STOP doing the habits we need to.

Honestly we’ve all been guilty of giving up right before results truly have time to snowball.

Because it’s hard to trust the process when we feel like we’re working super hard, giving our plan our all, and results aren’t building as quick as we’d like.

But here’s the cold hard truth you’ve got to accept if you want to succeed…

Results NEVER happen as fast as you’d like.

There will always be ups and downs. There will always be setbacks.

Struggles are a part of success.

But that’s why I wanted to share some tips to help you get BETTER results FASTER.

While we can’t out exercise or out diet time, and there is no magic pill, that doesn’t mean we can’t do things to help ourselves see those wins to avoid wanting to give up.

And one of the first secrets to success is actually to slow down.

So let me share the tale of the two woodcutters to highlight the importance of slowing down….

Two woodcutters were in a competition to see who could cut down more trees by the end of the day. The first was an experienced woodcutter older in years and the second was a younger, stronger man eager to prove his ability.

Both men set out to chopping. After about an hour or so the more experienced man paused, sat down to take a break and invited the other to join him.

The younger, stronger woodcutter replied, “No way! I’m going to keep chopping and I’m going to beat you.”

“Suit yourself,” said the experienced man.

This pattern repeated itself several times throughout the day.

Every so often the experienced man would pause his chopping to rest,

while the younger stronger woodcutter kept chopping away.

At the end of the day when the two woodcutters compared to see who had chopped more wood, the younger & stronger woodcutter was astonished to find that the older woodcutter who kept taking breaks had chopped a significantly greater amount of wood.

He said, “How is that even possible?

You spent far less time chopping than I did. I’m stronger and never once stopped cutting down trees. What is your secret?”

The experienced man said, “every time I sat down, I was sharpening my axe.”

Hard work is key to results.

But hard work without direction, without focus, without intention, is often energy wasted.

Too often we just seek to do more in the gym.

Restrict foods while searching for magic fat burning option…

When really it’s about learning and dialing in those basics.

It’s even about doing the MINIMUM at times.

It’s not about effort it’s about efficiency.

Trust me if it was about EFFORT, I’d have lots of people in far better shape than me…people that train twice a day for hours a day and eat only “clean foods.”

While I sometimes do progressions that are 3 days a week and 30-40 minutes while enjoying my cocktails and desserts.

But sometimes we need to scale back on how frequently we train, the length of our sessions or even how much we do in terms of adjusting our nutrition simply so we can stay consistent.

Because that consistency often adds up more quickly than trying to do more in less time while burning ourselves out.

So don’t be afraid to PAUSE, assess and learn. Don’t be afraid to take time to plan.

Often by even THINKING about what we can do to consider the outcomes can save us a ton of time going in the wrong direction.

And then this even comes down to EMBRACING THE HARD.

I see it when it comes to our desire to avoid tracking.

And trust me…I get it…

I legit tried so much to avoid tracking because it seemed hard and overwhelming and tedious and boring. I even tried the potato diet.

I didn’t understand it so it felt complicated and like it wasn’t worth the effort.

But ultimately in my attempt to avoid the hard, I wasted a ton of time and effort.

I held myself back for so long avoiding the challenge of learning…and even struggling through it.

But there truly is no way around the hard.

All we can do is start by breaking things down.

What’s one small change you can make today?

Can you simply list out what you ate?

Can you start to measure out portions to see how much you’re actually consuming?

The more we can break things down, the more we are able to make changes that don’t feel as hard, but that let us build up to fully embracing the new habits.

But just realize there is no way around that learning process if we actually want to create new habits.

And then remember, you didn’t create your current habits, lifestyles, physical conditioning overnight and you won’t get changes overnight either.

Our body and brain doesn’t like change.

It wants to maintain what it feels is normal – what it’s been TRAINED to see as instinctual and natural.

And yes I do mean TRAINED.

We get good at what we consistently do!

Our body wants to maintain your current weight and will fight the weight loss process.

Your brain likes your current habits because they are easy.

So as much as 3 or 4 months is a long time if you have been working to see results, consider how long you’ve actually not been at your goal.

How long you’ve been implementing other habits…

Because often when we take this step back, we realize we’re expecting basically overnight changes in comparison to how long it took us to get away from our goal.

So as tempting as it is to say “I QUIT” when results aren’t adding up as fast as we’d like, recognizing how long you’ve actually been making changes for in comparison.

And realize that this cycle, quitting right at this point is what you’ve ALWAYS done.

Results take time to snowball

Maybe you’ve only lost 1 lbs. But 1 pound will become 2, will become 4, will become, 15 will become 50…

And the more you lose and the longer you keep it off the leaner you look.

But every time you quit, you doom yourself to keep losing and gaining the same few pounds.

Sure you’ll fluctuate as life ebbs and flows over the year and years, BUT I see my results when I focus in get better and better, not only because I’ve LEARNED as I’ve gone and focused on efficiency not effort…I’ve embraced the HARD, but also because I’ve simply stayed consistent and let time do it’s thing.

That’s why you haven’t seen the results you want.

If you’re about to say I QUIT, double down and keep going.
make changes.

Don’t do more, just keep at those habits, learning and tweaking.

But don’t give up!

And to help you avoid making 8 of the most common weight loss mistakes I see clients making, I’m sharing those tips HERE!

5 Tips To Lose Stubborn Fat Faster

by Cori Lefkowith | Nov 27, 2022 | Blog, Diet, Workouts

There is nothing worse than grabbing those cute pants out of the closet to put them on…and…

AH! Not have them button!

You so desperately wanted to wear them for your holiday party. Your reunion. That big birthday.

Lucky for you, you have a bit of time to trim down and tone up…

What do you do?

How can you avoid gaining more weight and even lose the weight you’ve already gained?

If you’re thinking, “I’m doomed.

I’m too old…

I’m going through menopause…

I’m too busy…

Heck, maybe you even want to blame the pants not fitting on the dryer or dry cleaner…

Stop blaming and start controlling what you can control!

Because there are 5 strategies you can use today to help you feel and look fabulous in those pants.

Right now, as you’re watching this, take a piece of paper or open your phone notepad write down what you’ve eaten or plan to eat today.

Write down the workouts you’re going to be using this week.

Write out your current lifestyle!

Because the best changes to see the weight loss we want are based off of what we are doing currently.

Too often we search for a perfect plan. A perfect time to start.

But there is no perfect time.

The key is taking action NOW.

That doesn’t mean though cutting out the foods you love, starving yourself or starting to train for hours a day.

I know most of us want to go all or nothing. This is what dooms us to not only fall off our plan or even worse…gain more weight!

To fit into those pants we need to make a change that is sustainable.

It might be cutting out a snack.

Walking 15 minutes extra

Drinking more water.

Far too many of us think we’re doomed to fail because we don’t have the time, energy or willpower that someone else has.

When in reality we’re trying to do too much too fast

The first key to avoiding that weight gain is to understand where you are actually starting from to make small adjustments that add up!

Then own your priorities!

If we don’t take ownership of our priorities they will become our excuses.

“I don’t have time because of my job to workout 6 days a week.”

“I can’t eat healthy because of my family.”

“I can’t lose the weight because I travel”

There are certain things in our lives we value most – like our family or our job.

And we should care about those things.

But instead of letting these things in our lives become our excuses, we need to own our priorities, recognize them and then PLAN AROUND THEM!

Design for the time you have!

If 6 days a week isn’t realistic to train don’t plan for that.

Plan for 3 days if that fits your schedule.

Maybe that means you use metabolic strength workouts over separate cardio and strength sessions. Or even full body workouts.

By designing for the time you have you’ll stay consistent and see results build.

Same goes for your nutrition.

I get not wanting to have to prep a separate meal for yourself and then one for your family.

Don’t do it!

Instead plan that meal in first to work around it.

Do you travel a ton?

Set “minimums” to keep you consistent even if they aren’t what you’d do at home.

Maybe it’s a 5 minute hotel room bodyweight workout.

Or maybe it’s trying to finding a local restaurant with healthy options

You can even avoid buying the bulk snacks so you aren’t tempted to eat extra while sitting around!

But realize that there are certain priorities in your life that won’t change and find ways to work around them instead of letting them sabotage your weight loss!

And then…STOP trying to out exercise your diet!

This saves you time and effort and you’ll see results faster.

I know it’s a mental challenge to embrace this/

You can feel so GUILTY for missing a workout or not moving every day.

I know there’s temptation to do DO MORE to lose more weight because training more can create that deficit…

But all this extra working out kept us stuck just having to do more and more to even see near the same result.

It’s even why those skinny jeans we’ve got stuffed in our closet have stayed there for..well…a bit longer than we’d like to admit.

We can’t bear to throw them out, but we feel like no amount of training is going to get us back into them. And it seems to get harder and harder to see the weight budge at all with each year.

It’s because while training burns calories our nutrition alone can make the difference

But most of us don’t want to give up our cake…or chips…

We’re comfortable being uncomfortable when it comes to training but not with our diet

That’s why it’s key we focus on using our workouts to build muscle to keep our metabolism healthy but not to burn calories.

Focus on ADDING IN more whole, natural foods. Focus on ADDING IN more protein.

Sure we know the pizza night with family or cocktail night with friends isn’t the “healthiest,” but it is also something we enjoy the most

The more we restrict those things first, the more unsustainable the changes will be.

We get good at what we do consistently so we need to find ways to create the healthiest version of our personal lifestyle.

That’s why taking the mindset of adding in to start can be so key.

When you have that pizza night, Eat one slice and ADD IN a side salad.

The nutrient dense foods can help you feel fuller while you’re enjoying your pizza.

This can help you adjust your calorie intake to create that deficit without feeling restricted.

And it can help you feel fuller while improving your vitamin and mineral intake.

Then focus on increasing your protein portions at meals.

Especially as we get older we are less able to utilize protein as efficiently to recover from our training and build lean muscle, making it even more key we increase our protein intake.

If you want to look more toned and even keep your skin, and even hair, looking healthy and young, protein is essential as it is the building blocks of all of our tissues!

Consider adding protein powder to your morning fruit smoothie or iced coffee.

Add one more ounce of chicken or steak or tofu or tempeh to your burrito bowl or pasta dish.

If you enjoy dessert, a meal traditional very low in protein, consider a tofu chocolate mousse or protein mug cake.

But focus on small changes based on your current lifestyle rather than elimination.

And while I know it is tempting to feel like these changes are too small to see results, we have to remember that we can’t out exercise or out diet time.

So often we just want to do MORE to feel more in control.

But less is truly so often more.

Losing weight isn’t just about our diet or our workout routine.

It boils down to STRESSORS.

Too much stress on our bodies and we won’t see the weight loss we want.

And I don’t just mean like stress hitting a deadline at work or stress trying to run for your flight or stress trying to make a holiday meal for 12 people coming over that night…

Our workouts and even a calorie deficit are stressors on our body. While they can be good stressors, they’re still stressors.

And trying to do too much – train longer, cut our calories lower – will ultimately backfire and those stressors will become a negative.

They can lead to hormonal imbalances, metabolic adaptations and poor sleep…all things that hold you back from losing weight while you’re working super hard to do just that.

Same thing goes for trying to cut out even “unhealthy” foods to hit some arbitrary standard of clean.

Sure we know that chocolate chip cookies aren’t rich in vitamins and minerals, but often the stress of restriction can be just as bad if it leads to overeating.

The more you can’t have something the more you want it.

Stress sabotages our consistency more than planning in a cookie to our day would have.

We have to realize that healthy habits and doing more can’t come at a cost to our balance or the stressors scale will tip the wrong way.

So, now I want you to go to your closet, pull out those pants, dress, swim suit….you know the clothing I’m talking about…that one you’re worried won’t fit…YET…

And try it on.

If the button doesn’t close, if there’s just that one spot you don’t like how it fits, don’t worry.

Because you’re going to start today, implementing these tips and see those changes adding up so you can rock this outfit!

Ready to take action?

Book a 15-Minute Action Call so we can help!

–> Book Your Call

Can’t Lose Fat? 4 Tips To Boost Your METABOLISM

by Cori Lefkowith | Nov 6, 2022 | Blog, Diet, Exercises, menopause-featured

Are you slashing your calories super low, training harder and longer only to ultimately see your weight INCREASE?

Are you worried your previous dieting efforts have damaged your metabolism?

Are you ready to give up because you feel like nothing is going to work, you’ve tried everything and just end up working hard to go backward?

You’re not alone in your frustration. It sucks when we’re working hard to not see the results we feel we deserve!

But the good part is your metabolism isn’t broken.

The bad part is, everything you’ve done in the past, all those quick fixes and restrictive diets and marathon gym sessions, are now sabotaging your results.

I know it can feel like if we just look at a cookie we gain weight.

But the metabolic adaptations you’re now suffering from aren’t permanent!

And as much as it feels like nothing will work, you can make some small changes that will truly help you lose the weight.

But you’ve got to embrace the hard but simple truth…

Change requires change.

You’re going to need to flip your thinking on how you approach your diet and exercise routine if you want to get your leanest, strongest body as you get older.

You’re going to have to go against what you’ve always done.

Because our body wants to fight the weight loss process.

This is because our body sees a calorie deficit as a threat to survival.

And this is why we see our metabolic rate decrease as we cut our calories lower, try to train longer and harder and even give ourselves less recovery time.

Our body tries to survive based on what we are giving it. This means burning fewer calories at rest to conserve energy. It may mean we see decreases in our performance or even want to move and fidget less.

It is even why we can lose more muscle mass during more extreme diets because our body will utilize what it can for fuel. And muscle is metabolically costly.

We want to keep on muscle for this exact reason. It keeps our metabolic rate higher so we burn more calories at rest.

But when your body feels threatened, and worries you won’t have enough fuel, it is going to catabolize your muscle so you aren’t expending as much energy.

All of this is what can make you feel like your metabolism is broken.

It can lead to you gaining weight as you do more and eat less!

But your metabolism is NOT broken.

It’s just adapted.

So STOP doing more.

Here are 4 tips to help you improve your metabolic health and stop the weight gain frustration as well as where to start today!

4 Tips To Improve Your Metabolic Health:

#1:AVOID Fat Burners.

Trust me, if there was a magic fat burning food or supplement that truly worked…I’d be sharing it with you right now. Because then my clients would love me forever and I’d be able to guarantee a quick fix for fat results!

But there isn’t.

And not only is there no magic food or supplement, but most fat burning supplements on the market are…well..dangerous.

I personally will NEVER use one nor ever recommend them to a client.

And even those fat burning foods and supplements that do work initially work will hit a point of diminishing returns.

Take for instance anything with caffeine.

While it can potentially have an impact on our metabolism to start, and studies have even shown an elevation in fat burning and fat oxidation in leaner individuals more so than obese individuals, our body adapts, and adapts very quickly.

We build up a caffeine tolerance.

So unless you keep guzzling down more and more, you won’t see the same benefits you did initially.

Not to mention as we get older the impact seems to decrease as well.

And often the more you start to rely on these things, the more you sabotage your recovery which can lead to hormonal imbalances that end up holding you back.

We become dependent on it even to maintain our current weight.

And often our sleep suffers, which can be detrimental to your metabolic health.

So STOP searching for a fat burning food to boost your metabolic rate.

Instead focus on whole natural foods and a balanced diet high in protein with a diversity of foods included. This can help you promote optimal hormone levels and metabolic health.

Plus, the thermic effect of protein will boost your metabolic rate as your body has to expend more energy to process and digest protein to use.

Same goes for more quality, whole natural foods. They have a higher thermic effect than more processed, less nutrient dense foods.

So the best way to boost your metabolic rate from foods is to dial in your macros and micronutrients.

By even tracking our food and including that diversity we can make sure to get plenty of vitamins and minerals which will ultimately lead to a healthy metabolism.

Focusing on making sure your levels of Magnesium, Calcium, Vitamin D and B complex and Iron, especially for women and those going through menopause, are optimal will help you improve your metabolic health. So including foods high in these things, or even the occasional supplement, is the best “fat burner” you can get.

#2: Avoid Extended Large Deficits.

Our body fights the weight loss process. It also doesn’t like change.

Our body wants to maintain balance and what it believes to be normal and safe – which is generally where you’ve been maintaining for awhile.

So if you dramatically slash your calories lower, while even increasing your deficit through training harder and longer, your body feels threatened and does what it can to not use up your stored energy, your fat, faster than it needs to.

It doesn’t know when the next meal is coming!

Like everything, we get good at and adapt to what we consistently do. Consistently eat very little and your body gets good at functioning off less!

To avoid creating quick and extreme metabolic adaptations so your body gets used to surviving off of a super low calorie intake, don’t slash your calories super low.

Instead create a deficit of only 100-200 calories.

And at times, give yourself a dieting break especially if you’ve been in a deficit for longer or you’re within 10lbs of your ultimate goal.

This diet break may be one day a week of higher calories. Or it may be a 10-14 day stretch even of eating at maintenance.

Especially if your calories are super low currently and your gaining, this break may be even more essential.

I know the idea of eating more can be scary when we’re already gaining eating so little, BUT eating more can help increase your metabolic rate, help you gain muscle to burn more calories at rest AND restore proper hormonal balance.

You’ll also often find you sleep better, want to move more and even see your performance in your training improve.

All of these things are what ultimately lead to better fat loss results and your ability to have a healthy metabolic rate to MAINTAIN your results long-term!

#3: Challenge Yourself Don’t Slaughter Yourself.

If it challenges you, it will change you.

Whether you use loads, tempos, volume, instability or adjust so many other training variables, results happen because we’ve challenged our body to adapt and grow stronger.

HOWEVER, challenging yourself doesn’t mean causing yourself to feel like death after each and every workout.

It doesn’t mean dying on the ground feeling like you’re going to vomit.

It doesn’t mean being so sore you can’t move the next day.

Too often destroying ourselves with each and every session, doing wasted volume and constantly including new moves that makes us sore, actually leads to us NOT seeing the results we want while working really hard.

Challenging yourself is about clear and consistent progression.

It is about designing a weekly workout schedule you repeat for a few weeks to see growth in moves.

It is about doing one more rep, adding a bit more weight slowly even just on one round, doing a slightly more advanced variation of a move.

Even FEELING muscles better engage in a movement as you increase the range of motion can be the challenge you need.

But challenging yourself in a productive way means having that clear plan in place to make those incremental adjustments and see growth.

Stop focusing on just feeling super worked and start really tracking your workouts to push a bit more each and every week.

This will also ensure you’re truly doing enough over leaving more than you should in the tank!

#4: Don’t Ignore The Importance Of Sleep.

Most of us know how important sleep is…

But it’s a harder one to change and control.

So we often acknowledge it but then never really change it.

We simply feel we don’t have time to sleep more or we can’t fall asleep or stay asleep.

And while, yes, you can’t “force” yourself to sleep like you can to eat a certain way or train, you can create different habits and routines to make getting quality sleep easier.

Which often starts with first noticing what your current habits are that aren’t leading to results.

Are you consuming caffeine later in the day?

Are you doing a workout right before bed?

Are you giving yourself time to actually unwind and relax before going to sleep?

Note the habits you are currently doing and then make small adjustments creating a set pre-bed routine.

Often having this set pre-bed routine can help us mentally relax and be prepared to sleep.

It makes that connection so we are ready and relaxed before bed vs our body and mind not really knowing that it is time to go to bed.

I love including a little mobility work right before bed to even do some deep breathing and allow both my body and mind to unwind before bed! I also take my Immunity for the zinc and magnesium sleep benefits.

But more than what I’m doing is the fact that I know I’m doing this to sleep!

Puts my in a relaxed state to sleep better!

Now…Where Do You Start With All Of This?

The most sustainable changes are based off our current lifestyle.

We need to meet ourselves where we are at.

And one off the hardest, but most essential first changes to often make if we do feel we need to fix our metabolism is to EAT MORE!

But embracing eating more to lose fat can be hard.

That’s why I want you to check out my Eat More To Lose Fat video next. These tips will help you start fueling to increase your metabolic rate and ultimately lose fat faster!

–> Eat More To Lose Fat

STUDIES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7485480/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7611396/