#1 - Decrease Your Carbohydrate Intake

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients (fat and protein are the others) contained within food that our bodies use for energy.  There is nothing inherently wrong with carbohydrates as they are filled with nutrients.  Too many of them can hinder your weight loss because every gram of carbohydrate requires a significant amount of water to be stored in your body.  This means that when you reduce your carbohydrate intake your body will release some of the stored water.  Limit yourself to vegetables as your only source of carbohydrates with 1-2 servings of fruit per day.

#2 - Chill Out

Stress is a large part of our daily lives, and it also plays a role in making us look heavier than we really are. When stressed, we tend to get far less sleep than we need.  Under these conditions (increased stress, lack of sleep), certain hormones in our body begin to contribute to us holding onto excess water from the liquids and foods we ingest.  Make the commitment to get 7 hours of sleep per night and engage in activities that help you to de-stress.  Doing so will help you to wake up a few pounds lighter. 

#3 - Create a Caloric Deficit

Without creating a caloric deficit, any weight loss will be short term.  You need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight.  Commit to daily physical activity and make sure that your nutrition plan meshes with you weight loss goals.

For more information on weight loss and nutrition, contact your All Access Fitness Academy professional. 

Increase Your Protein Intake - When you consider the fact that some pretty cool parts of our body are made up of protein (muscles, hair, nails, your heart), the importance of consuming enough protein within our diet becomes clear.  Did you know that you can decrease the blood sugar response from a meal by simply including a source of protein along with it?  Keeping your blood sugar levels from fluctuating wildly will help ensure that your energy levels are more stable throughout the day.  The best sources of protein are found within meats such as chicken, beef, seafood, and pork but can also be found in dairy products and beans.

Eat Your Fiber - Fiber can be found within all the good stuff in life - fruits and vegetables.  While fiber is great for your digestive health, it also plays an important role in keeping your energy levels in check.  When you eat a significant amount of fiber (10-15 grams) along with a meal, physical stretching of the stomach occurs, which goes a long way towards preventing you from overeating and experiencing that sleepy "Thanksgiving Dinner" effect.  Fiber also slows the rate at which food leaves your stomach, ensuring that you'll be satisfied for many hours to come.

Consider Intermittent Fasting - This sounds complicated but all it means is that you would fast (not eat any food, non-calorie containing liquids are fine) for a predetermined amount of time while then eating the rest of your food during a short eating window.  During the fasting period, certain hormonal processes within the body are expressed that help blunt hunger as well as increase your focus, concentration, and energy levels.

For additional information on these methods of boosting your energy levels or others, contact your All Access Fitness Academy professional.