By Coach KayliHow to Feel Full and Satisfied From Your Meals
We’ve all been there—trying to follow an eating plan perfectly, only to still feel hungry which leads to overeating. Feeling full and satisfied from your meals is crucial for weight management, as it helps prevent overeating and reduces the temptation to snack on unhealthy foods. But how can you achieve that sense of satisfaction without overindulging? This blog article explores:
Recognizing true fullnessMany of us have trouble recognizing when we’re truly full, often continuing to eat past the point of satisfaction. Understanding what feeling full actually means can be surprisingly tricky, as many of us have lost touch with our body’s natural satiety signals due to stress, busy schedules, or ingrained eating habits. True fullness should feel like a comfortable satisfaction, where hunger is gone, and you feel energized without being overly full or bloated. However, many people struggle to feel this way after their meals and are never truly satisfied. Achieving a sense of fullness and satisfaction involves two main factors: nutrition and eating habits. Nutrition and fullnessEver wonder why some big meals leave you feeling satisfied and energized while others leave you still hungry or sluggish? Feeling full and satisfied from your meals is not just about how much you eat, but also the quality and nutrition of your food. Here are our top tips to feel full and satisfied from your meals. Focus on protein Protein is powerful when it comes to managing hunger levels. It promotes satiety by releasing hormones that signal to your brain that you are full and satisfied. High-protein foods like lean meats, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, and Greek yogurt are particularly effective at keeping you feeling full longer. Including a source of protein in every meal and snack helps maintain a sense of fullness throughout the day, preventing overeating and supporting balanced energy levels. Balance your macros Eating a mix of protein, fats, and carbohydrates in each meal is key to feeling full and satisfied. Each of these macronutrients plays a unique role in promoting satiety and sustaining energy levels. For example, if you have just a plain bagel for breakfast, you might feel hungry again soon. But if you choose whole-grain toast topped with avocado, a scrambled egg, and a side of berries, you’re getting a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This balanced meal will keep you feeling fuller and more energized for longer. Choose whole foods Opting for whole, unprocessed foods can make a big difference in how full and satisfied you feel. Whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, are rich in essential nutrients and fiber that promote satiety and help you feel fuller for longer. On the other hand, processed foods, such as chips, cookies, and sugary snacks, are often engineered to be hyper-palatable, making them hard to stop eating. These foods are typically high in empty calories and low in nutrients, leading to overeating without ever feeling truly satisfied. Eating habits and fullnessYou might be wondering how your eating habits could impact your fullness and satisfaction from your meals. On top of what you eat, how and when you eat can also significantly impact your sense of satiety. Let’s explore how small changes can make a big difference. Mindful eating Mindful eating can greatly impact how full and satisfied you feel after a meal. By eating slowly, you give your body the necessary time to recognize fullness signals, helping prevent overeating. Thoroughly chewing your food aids digestion and enhances the feeling of fullness, making your meal more satisfying. Additionally, avoiding distractions like TV or smartphones allows you to focus on your meal, making it easier to recognize when you’re truly satisfied. Meal timing and frequency How often you eat plays a crucial role in how full and satisfied you feel throughout the day. Eating regular meals helps prevent extreme hunger, which can lead to overeating when you finally sit down to eat. Incorporating healthy snacks between meals can also maintain your energy levels and keep hunger at bay, ensuring you don’t overindulge during main meals. Summary Learning to recognize true fullness is the first step. Slow down and pay attention during your meals without distractions. Top Nutrition tips for fullness include:
Eating Habits to focus on:
As always I hope this was helpful. Now it’s time to take action and start implementing these steps if you're ready to transform your body & life! And if you want further guidance, take our Free Metabolism Quiz, to see if yours may be holding you back from your goals!
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 Eating out can make sticking to your calorie goals feel like a challenge compared to cooking at home. When you make your own meals, you have full control over every ingredient, and tracking your food in the FatSecret app is straightforward. But when eating out, it can feel challenging to find healthy options or accurately log your meals. But dining out doesn’t mean you have to give up on your goals. With a few smart strategies, you can still enjoy your favorite restaurants and stay on track. This edition of the Nutrition Nudge explores:
7 tips for dining out without compromising your goals. Sticking to your goals doesn’t mean you have to give up dining out. Navigating restaurant menus and making mindful choices is easier than you might think. With a few simple changes, you can enjoy a meal out without compromising your progress. Let’s explore some practical tips to help you stick to your goals while dining out. 1. Plan ahead Before heading out for a meal, take a few minutes to look at the restaurant’s menu online. This way, you can plan your meal in advance and make healthier choices without feeling rushed. Knowing what to order ahead of time helps you avoid impulsive decisions that might not align with your goals. You can also use the FatSecret app to look up the calorie content of meals at popular chain restaurants and log them to your Diary. 2. Customize your order Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications to your meal. Small changes like requesting dressings and sauces on the side can help control how much you use and significantly reduce the calorie content of your meal. 3. Identify healthy options Opt for lean proteins like grilled chicken, fish, tofu, or legumes instead of fried or breaded options. Additionally, look for keywords on menus like "grilled," "steamed," "roasted," and "whole grain." This can act as a quick guide to selecting meals that are lower in calories and higher in nutritional value. 4. Be mindful of beverage choices Beverages can add a lot of calories to your meal without you realizing. It’s a common habit to have a drink when dining out that you typically wouldn’t pour for yourself at home. When choosing a drink to have with your meals, opt for water or diet soda instead of full flavor sugary drinks or alcohol. If you do choose to have a drink, try to limit it to one and select lower-calorie options. 5. Choose healthy sides Sides are often an overlooked part of your meal that can add significant calories. Choose healthier side options like steamed vegetables, salads, or whole grains instead of fries. 6. Manage portions Food at restaurants typically comes in much larger portions than you would usually eat at home. Consider sharing dishes with a friend or request a takeaway container when the meal is served. Avoid overeating by saving a portion for later before you start eating. 7. Load up on veggies Look for dishes that include a variety of vegetables, either as the main component or as substantial sides. They add volume and nutrients without too many calories. Following these 7 tips if you eat out at restaurants often will make sticking to your health goals 10x easier! Stop overcomplicating your weight loss instead put some guidelines in place so you don't even have to question yourself. Good Luck! Coach Kayli Blog Post By Kayli Montoya-HustonNASM Certified Personal Trainer & NCI Certified Nutrition Coach L1 and Mindset Coach Embarking on a weight loss journey can be challenging, especially when you're committed to shedding those stubborn pounds but see minimal results. If you're wondering why your body fat isn't budging, you're not alone. In this blog post, we'll explore the top 10 reasons that might be hindering your fat loss progress and provide practical solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Inadequate Caloric Deficit:
Conclusion: Identifying and addressing these roadblocks can pave the way for successful fat loss. Remember, patience and consistency are key. Consult with a qualified nutrition coach or personal trainer to personalize your approach and maximize your results. Your fitness journey is unique, and understanding these reasons can help you overcome obstacles and achieve your body fat loss goals. Welcome to 2024!
As we dive into the new year, let's focus on what really matters for fat-loss. I'm not about quick fixes or fads. It's all about practical steps you can actually stick to. This is my 9th January working in fitness, and I'm often inspired and rejuvenated by the new year too. Many people bash "resolutions," making it feel vulnerable to admit having big health goals for the new year. But you aren't alone. There are plenty of others watching this who want to improve how they look, move, and feel. The number one thing I hear from people at the beginning of each new year is their desire to lose weight, closely followed by wishes to eat "better" and "exercise more." Let’s tackle two out of these three: losing weight and eating better. These are the two things (besides maybe better sleep) that will help you feel better. So here is Tip #1 of the 10 no-nonsense strategies to help you lose fat more easily this year.
Stay strong, Coach Kayli! Here's what everyone gets wrong about losing fat quickly... You might have two pre-conceived notions when you hear words like "rapid fat loss."
For the first notion, I get it. The media sucks in almost all ways. For the second notion, I think that's generally sound advice ⏤ it's advice I give all the time. But that doesn't mean there's not a right way to lose fat, fast. If you do it correctly, it can be an excellent way to kickstart your fat loss and ramp up motivation from quick results. I've seen it work time and time again with my 1:1 fat loss clients, along with the other 50+ people who've gone through the Fat Loss Accelerator Phase of my program in the past. The key, however, is to avoid these critical mistakes. 7 Rapid Fat Loss Mistakes (& How To Avoid Them) Mistake #1: You don't do an honest self-audit.
Mistake #2: You mindlessly cut too many calories too quickly. How many calories you take away and where those calories come from are what separates successful rapid fat loss from straight-up "crash-dieting." When your approach is to simply eat way less and move a lot more, it's a recipe to ramp up cravings, lose muscle and strength, and slow your metabolism too quickly. You need a "smart" calorie deficit and just enough of the right cardio to lose pure body fat, fast, without "crashing" your metabolic rate. Mistake #3: Focusing on losing weight, instead of fat. Traditional diets focus on total weight loss with no regard to the composition of those pounds lost. Losing 5 lbs sounds great! But what if it was 2 lbs of fat and 3 lbs of muscle? And what if you could improve that ratio to 4.5 lbs of pure fat and only 0.5 lb of muscle? That should be the goal, assuming you want to actually LOOK noticeably leaner, more muscular, and defined. (Not just see an arbitrary number on the scale go down.) How you do that is by avoiding these next two mistakes. Mistake #4: Not eating enough protein. This piggy-backs off the last two points. Eating a higher-protein diet, especially when in a large calorie deficit, is crucial for retaining muscle mass AND keeping those cravings away. You probably know protein builds muscle, but lesser known is that protein is the most satiating macronutrient (more than carbs and fats). So it's great for staying fuller, longer. Aka, you don't feel like you're starving every day, and you can stick to your diet much easier. Mistake #5: Not having a smart strength training plan to work synergistically with rapid fat loss. To avoid having the "skinny-fat" and "deflated" look from losing weight quickly, you have to take your workouts seriously. A smart program for rapid fat loss is designed to 1) retain/build as much muscle and strength as possible and 2) maximize recovery and minimize fatigue. You want to use your diet to lose fat and your strength workouts to retain muscle, which is exactly how I designed the Accelerator Diet Phase and Accelerator Workouts. Mistake #6: Not having education, support, and professional guidance to guide you to the finish line. Rapid fat loss is not for the weak-hearted, nor something to take lightly. It's even harder to go at it alone. The best approach is to use rapid fat loss to "jumpstart" your long-term weight loss journey and NOT as a sustainable, long-term approach. Use it to build healthier habits and learn new skills to use once the rapid fat loss period is over. Ideally, with a coach or expert guiding you every step of the way. Which brings me to the last, and possibly most important point. Mistake #7: Not having a plan to transition out of the rapid fat loss period without rebounding. Rapid fat loss is pointless if you just end up gaining all the weight back. Which, if done incorrectly, you're prone to gain back even more than traditional diets. This isn't to scare you, because it's not irreversible and you won't "damage" your metabolism, but it's the truth. A slower, calculated transition is key. (Again, hopefully with someone who knows their stuff.) As you could've guessed, this is the part where I pitch my Phoenix Rising Method as the solution ⏤ and, you're right. I created the Rise Method which includes the (Fat Loss Accelerator) Phase with every one of these mistakes in mind so you can safely lose lots of fat, fast. If you've decided you want to learn more, you can apply here for a free discovery call. - Coach Kayli Today's blog consists of 3 of my favorite tips I've accumulated over my years as a fitness coach.→ Tip 1: Reverse psychology "hack" to make better food choices One of the best ways to do this is by focusing on inclusive habits instead of exclusive habits. Inclusive habits suggest adding to their diet (adding protein, adding fruits and vegetables, adding water). Exclusive habits suggest taking away from their diet (no more carbs, no more fats, no more desserts). It's a subtle difference, but makes all the difference psychologically⏤nobody likes to be told what they can't do. → Tip 2: Three Ways To Remain Athletic As You Age 1. Prioritize soft tissue and mobility work. Too often, we can start doing these once we already feel pain. But if we stay proactive and implement just five minutes each day of foam rolling and mobility drills, we'll keep that athletic edge over time. 2. Incorporate single-leg exercises. This doesn't mean compound lifts like squats and deadlifts don't have their place. But lunges, split squats, step-ups, and single-leg RDLs all need to be included for a well-rounded athletic program. Running, jumping, cutting, transferring power ⏤ getting stronger on one leg will help all of these. 3. Lift FAST on the concentrics. You can use explosive movements like kettlebell swings or the olympic lifts, but you can also just make sure every rep you do is performed with a controlled, powerful concentric component of the lift. Moving fast will keep you fast. → Tip 3: Five “hacks” to eat more protein 1. Eat your protein first (in the day and in your meal). Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, so you’re less likely to overeat with this strategy. But on a daily scale, this same tactic can work by front loading protein at breakfast when your hunger is high. 2. Add a whey protein shake before the meal when cutting. When cutting, you can blunt some of your hunger going into a meal by having a half to full serving of whey protein before diving into your food. This also ensures higher quality protein at each meal. 3. Eat protein more frequently. It’s hard to consume large amounts of protein in one to two sittings. So breaking up your total daily protein goal into more meals and snacks will make the goal easier to achieve. For most, three meals and one shake works well. 4. Have a protein shake after training, upon waking, between meals, or before bed. Most people already include a post-workout shake, but it’s helpful to start doing if not. People also assume you should only drink shakes on workout days, yet they can provide a quality protein boost any time of day. 5. Build your meals starting with a protein source. Essentially, every time you’re about to eat, think to yourself, “what is my protein source going to be?” Then base the rest of your meal/snack around that decision. When you're ready, here are 3 more ways I can help you:
1 - Ask me a question about your #1 fitness struggle. Just hit reply to this email or blog post. I read every email I get. (And yes, it's actually me answering!) 2 - Work with me directly to get in the best shape of your life and stop breaking promises to yourself. Every month I open up applications to work with me through my private 1:1 fat loss coaching program. I only work with people that I can help (80+ clients so far). And since you’re here, good chance that’s you. Click here to apply to work with me. 3 - Check out more of my free content. Facebook Group: "The Phoenix Method for Body Transformation" Podcast: Phoenix Rising:Fitness|Mindset|Lifestyle - 100+ episodes where Coach Julie & I share our knowledge to help make your weight loss journey faster & more sustainable! Blog: Start here - “8 Simple Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism”  There are a few key nutrients that can make the sometimes challenging task of balancing your blood sugar easy and approachable! These three key nutrients are: fat, fiber, and protein. Other diabetes resources focus on limiting or even removing certain foods from your diet, but instead we’re going to focus on adding these three key nutrients to your plate each time you eat. . .
THE BLOOD SUGAR ROLLER COASTER
sugar and other forms of carbohydrates.
shown above.
FAT •Fat often gets a bad rep in the media and becomes feared by many, grabbing the non-fat or low-fat options at the grocery store or coffee shop. However, fat is a vital macronutrient essential in everyone's daily diet.
fat to absorb the goodness of these specific vitamins. So eating avocado or salad dressing on a salad will function both for flavor and aiding the absorption of those fat- soluble vitamins in vegetables. •Fat helps keep us full and satiated. This is simply because this macronutrient takes longer to exit the stomach, so when your meals or snacks contain fat, they help keep you satisfied longer and keep hunger away. •Fat can also slow down carbohydrate absorption, which means a more steady blood sugar response after meals and snacks.. FIBER •Fiber is great because it prevents us from getting hungry again soon after we've eaten and can help regulate blood sugar levels. •There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. •Soluble fiber dissolves in water. Soluble fiber is helpful for our cholesterol and blood sugar regulation. •Insoluble fiber is not dissolvable in water and will aid in moving food through our digestive system. •A great way to increase fiber in your daily diet is to keep the skin on vegetables and fruit. So, for instance, if you're making a soup, scrub the carrots well to clean off any dirt but leave that beautiful orange skin on the vegetable to retain more fiber! PROTEIN •Protein is a macronutrient that plays a vital role in balancing our blood sugars. •Protein can be derived from animal-based sources such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Protein can also be derived from plant-based sources such as whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, and seeds. PUTTING IT INTO ACTION Toast
Dairy
Oatmeal
Rice or Pasta
- Coach Kayli Blog Post by Coach Kayli NCI Certified Level 1 Nutrition Coach, NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Woman's and Gut Health Specialist Calculating your calorie needs can be a bit complicated because you have to factor in a number of variables, including your weight, height, age, gender and activity level. But you can get a ballpark estimate using this simple formula:
And of course, the type of calories you’ll be eating matters, too. Focus on plenty of produce and lean protein (fish and seafood, skinless chicken, lean meat, beans, and lentils), and enjoy moderate amounts of whole grains and healthy fats. Now if you are seeking to build muscle your simple formula would look like this:
You can do this! Lots of people looking to improve their eating think meal plans are the answer. The only problem? Meal plans usually suck… and they rarely last. So, instead, check out these 6 ways to transform any diet in a sustainable way. “Do I get a meal plan?”This is the most common question we get from folks who are considering, or just started out in, our nutrition coaching programs. The answer: No, we don’t do meal plans. But we can’t blame people for asking. Sure, meal plans have long been a staple of the fitness and nutrition industry. Coaches are taught to create them. Clients are taught to expect them. Unfortunately… Most of the time, meal plans don’t work.You see, traditional meal plans are explicit prescriptions. Eat this exact thing, in this exact amount, at this exact time. For example, you’ll often see: Breakfast – 7:30am 3 eggs, scrambled 1 cup vegetables 1 piece whole grain toast 1 cup coffee 1 glass water Morning snack – 10:00am 1 protein bar 1 handful mixed nuts Lunch – 12:30pm 4 oz chicken 2 cups salad 1 handful seeds 1 glass water After exercise – 4:30pm 1 scoop whey protein 1/2 cup frozen fruit 2 omega 3 capsules 12 oz water Dinner – 7:00pm 4 oz steak 1 cup cooked veggies 1 baked potato 1 glass water You might be thinking, “Good! I want a plan. I’m sick of trying to figure all this stuff out! Just tell me what to eat!” Unfortunately, when we try to follow rigid prescriptions like this, lots can (and often does) go wrong. For example: Scenario 1: You just don’t stick to the plan.No matter how enthusiastic you are, meal plans can be tough to follow. This is normal. Life can get in the way.
This is also normal. Unfortunately, it means you might not get the results you hope for. For instance, a meal plan you hoped would help you lose weight could actually encourage you to gain weight instead. Scenario 2: You follow the plan perfectly.In fact, you follow it too well and for too long. Most meal plans are meant to be temporary. They’re designed to help a person get to a specific short-term goal, like dropping a few extra pounds before a wedding, learning to manage blood sugar, or cutting weight for an athletic competition. Our bodies can usually adapt to a rigid way of eating for a short period of time. But if you’re too strict for too long, you could wind up with disordered eating habits and lasting health (mental, metabolic, hormonal, etc) consequences. Scenario 3: You follow the plan for a little while but it sucks.It isn’t sustainable. It doesn’t make you feel better. It doesn’t keep you sane. Maybe you see some short-term results (or not). But you hate living and eating this way. You never want to see another stupid piece of lettuce or 4 ounces of chicken. Eventually, you get so turned off by the process that you regress or quit altogether. You conclude that “eating healthy” sucks. And you miss your big chance to learn how to make healthier, more enjoyable, more lasting and real changes. Another reason meal plans fail.One of the biggest (yet generally unacknowledged) problems with traditional meal plans is their focus on “nutrients”. Real people don’t eat “nutrients”. We eat food.We eat meals, often with other people. We eat meals that match our cultural background and social interests. And we rarely measure things precisely. Sure, sometimes an explicit prescription is necessary.For instance, professional athletes or bodybuilders (in other words, people who make money off their bodies and athletic skills) use meal plans to prepare for training and competition. A prescribed meal for someone in that situation might look something like this:
Instead, we eat foods like:
You don’t need to weigh and measure everything, or count out your almonds. Ask yourself: “Is someone paying me to do this?” If the answer is no, you likely don’t need this kind of approach. You just need to think about what you’re already eating, and how you could make it a little bit better. This means fiddling and adjusting. Making small changes and improvements to what you already normally eat and enjoy, one small step at a time. Think about a spectrum of food quality rather than “bad” or “good” foods. Welcome to the meal transformation game.When you play with the idea of a food spectrum or food continuum, you get to experiment with variables like:
In which situations is that easier or harder? When your choices are limited (for instance, when you’re traveling, or eating at a workplace cafeteria), how can you shoot for “a little bit better” while still being realistic, and without trying to be “perfect”? Let’s transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner.Here’s how that “food spectrum” might look in daily life, with a sample day of eating. Transforming breakfastStage 1 Let’s say that your go-to breakfast is a whipped-cream coffee drink and a chocolate croissant. You pick it up in the drive-thru, and wolf it down on your way to work. This is your starting point. It’s not “bad”. It’s just no longer working for you. You’re getting indigestion from rushing, the croissant doesn’t hold you at all, and you’ve just spilled the coffee on your crotch while changing lanes. Now your game is to improve your breakfast just a little bit, starting with what you already have or do. Stage 2 Your opening moves in the meal transformation game:
But this is a solid start. Well done. Stage 3 Next level of game play:
No problem. We’re keeping it real. Stage 4 Now you are seriously playing like a pro.
Transforming lunchStage 1 At this point, starting out, the idea of a sit-down lunch feels flat out ridiculous. “Eat slowly? Who has time for that during a busy workday? Grab a burger and go!” Another “car dashboard” meal. Another stomach ache and regret. You decide you might want to play with this meal too. Stage 2 To improve this meal a little bit:
Stage 3 At this stage, you’re doing a little prep work:
You still grab a diet cola from the vending machine to wash it down. You move from your desk to the lunchroom, where you socialize with co-workers. This slows you down a bit and helps you digest and relax. Stage 4 You’re having the burger without the bun, alongside a nice pre-prepped salad. Instead of staying at your desk or in the office, you take a break. You sit outside and get some fresh air while you enjoy your meal. For a drink, water’s all you need. Transforming dinnerStage 1 It’s 8pm. You’ve just gotten home after an insane day at work. All you want to do is put food into your face and zone out in front of the TV. You can’t even imagine making anything more complicated than boxed macaroni ‘n’ cheese right now. Ketchup and hot dogs are as fancy as it gets. Stage 2 Same concept, but:
Stage 3 Things are getting fancy.
Stage 4 Again, we’re playing at pro level here. With your meal planning and prep strategies, even a weeknight dinner looks good.
Meal transformation is not about reaching perfection.If you’re at stage 1, all you have to do is shoot for stage 2. Or stage 1.5. If you’re in stage 2, play with getting to stage 3. And if you’re stage 3, heck, you can stay where you are. You might never get to stage 4. Or it might only happen at times when you’re relaxed and have a little extra time. Stage 4 might only happen on Sunday night, whereas the rest of your week is a mix of stages 1, 2, and — if you’re super lucky — 3. And that’s OK. How far you progress along the continuum all depends on what YOU want, what YOU need, and what YOU can reasonably do, right now. Over time, things can change. Play YOUR game. Success secret: Have a food prep ritual.You might look at these photos and think, “How can people possibly do all that?” One success secret: Having a food prep ritual. The idea is simple: Practice planning and preparing healthy food in advance. This makes healthy eating convenient and easy. It also makes decisions easier: You don’t have to make a choice when you’re rushed and hangry. Your food prep ritual can include:
Experiment with systems, skills and strategies that work for YOU and YOUR life. The real goal of a meal plan is to stop using a meal plan.Fit, healthy people who have a good relationship with food don’t need other people to tell them exactly what to eat at all times. Living a fit and healthy life doesn’t require perfection, either. If you are using a meal plan:That’s OK. Some people like prescription, especially if they are working towards a specific short-term goal, like cutting weight to compete in wrestling, making sure they get enough nutrients to support a healthy pregnancy, or fueling their triathlon performance. Keep it short-lived. Meal plans are supposed to be temporary, working towards a short-term goal. Keep it real. As much as possible, try to make the meal plan fit your real life, not the other way around. If you’re a parent, a worker, a student, or anyone else living in the real world, most of your meals will fall somewhere in the stages 1 through 3 spectrum. That’s perfectly OK. Just experiment with being a little bit better, wherever you can. Remember all goals require trade-offs. If you want to achieve a high level of performance or exceptional body composition, understand what you are prioritizing and sacrificing. Getting very lean, for instance, comes with costs. Make sure it’s working for you. If your meal plan is making you feel:
…and if you find that meal plans result in you:
What to do next1. Consider where you sit on the spectrum of meal “stages”.Where’s your food game at? What level are you playing at? What level would you like to play at? Given your goals and your current situation, what is realistic? For example, if you currently eat at stage 1, your goal might be to eat at stage 2 for most meals. Or, if you eat at stage 3 most of the time but find yourself dipping into stage 1 or 2 meals more often than you’d like, aim to stay at stage 3 a little more consistently. 2. Start small. One step at a time.Pick one meal to transform and focus on that. For instance, you might leave all your other meals at stage 1, and focus on getting lunch to stage 2. Concentrate on improving that one meal each day. Using the examples above, you might think about things like:
Try just fiddling with one or two, and see which ones work best for you. 3. Add things slowly.Once you’ve improved one meal a day, try another. If you feel like lunch is a solid stage 2 or 3, play with moving breakfast, dinner, or snacks along the spectrum. Or, once you’ve improved one factor in a meal (e.g. adding more protein), try another. For instance, if you’re getting more protein, now try switching out your sugary soda for some soda water. Or adding a little more veggies. Be patient; small steps add up. 4. Set yourself up for success.Notice what makes it easier and simpler for you to eat better. Then figure out how to do or get more of that. For instance:
5. Enjoy your meals.Meal plans don’t usually address how you eat. Before you change what you eat, you can also try changing how you eat. For example, you could:
Meal time is YOUR time. 6. Work towards being your own boss.Sometimes you might just want someone to tell you what to do. That’s fine, and helpful, especially if you’re juggling a lot. But only for a while. Over time, look for ways to help yourself intuitively and wisely make better choices, rather than just following the rules. Think long-term. What do you want to happen over the next few months? Year? 10 years? Do you want to be on a meal plan for the next few decades? Today, if you were to take one small step towards the “better” end of the meal spectrum, what might that look like? How can you start playing the “meal transformation game” today? - Kayli Montoya-Huston Have you ever gone to your doctor asking about ways to lose weight, and the first thing they tell you is that they have a “magic” pill that will help you lose weight fast? All you have to do is take this pill and eat 1,200 calories a day.
Does this sound familiar to you? Unfortunately, this seems to be common practice. Did you know that on average, U.S. medical schools only offer on average 2.8 hours of instruction on obesity, nutrition and physical activity counseling. That sure doesn’t seem like much time dedicated to nutrition to me, but then again, this isn’t normally why we see our family doctors. They are great at many other things but sustainable fat loss isn’t one of them. I have been training and coaching for almost 5 years now and I have had many clients seek my help after having gone through extreme dieting and pills prescribed by their doctor. They dropped a lot of weight fast, but then gained it all back and then some after stopping the pills! For 99% of people, 1,200 calories is way too little to be consuming. Our bodies need that much energy intake just for basic needs, things like breathing and to operate our internal organs. Our bodies are extremely capable of adapting though. This is what has kept us alive for so long. We have survived countless famines throughout history. We used to be hunters/gatherers and only ate when we made a kill or forged and found food. There would be a feast followed by many days of not eating while searching for more food. How did we survive??? We survived because of our bodies ability to adapt. Our metabolisms would “learn” how to run off lower calories and would “slow” down our metabolisms. Meaning we could survive off less food and when we did find food again it would store it as body fat in case of emergencies when there would be no food. Nowadays we rarely have a problem finding food, in fact, we have the complete opposite problem. You can find something to eat on every street corner! We are constantly tempted. Okay, back to why eating 1,200 calories is “wrecking” your metabolism. As described above, our bodies don’t understand that you want to look better in the mirror or drop a couple pant sizes. Your body only knows it isn't receiving enough nutrition to survive long term. So it does its job and lowers your metabolism to keep you alive! I’d say a thanks is in order haha. So rather quickly after eating only 1,200 calories you will notice you are no longer losing weight like you were in the beginning. At first it just slows, then weight loss all together stops. You’ll notice other signs too: constant hunger, cravings, moodiness, poor sleep, skin issues, and women can lose their cycle. This is our body's way of saying, “Hey! I need some nutrition, damn it!” So most of us cave. We go back to eating just like we were before and gain every single pound back. We have to find something sustainable to lose weight, because we will have to continue it to keep that weight off. Enough of the negative. Now, let me share some ways I help my clients lose body fat and keep it off! First, we want to do as little as possible to elicit the most amount of change. Stay with me here. I want my clients to keep eating as much as possible during their fat loss phase. During the first week, we will figure out what their maintenance calories are (what they need to eat to stay at their current weight.) Once we find this number, we will lower their intake by just 250-500 calories max. You will start to see fat loss from this amount. A sustainable fat loss rate is around 1-2 pounds per week. If you are losing more than 2 pounds per week you are not eating enough to keep your metabolism in a healthy place. After a few weeks, their calories may need to be lowered again to keep seeing results but this is why we start high so we have room to make adjustments along the way. Next, I will have them incorporate resistance training 1-2 days per week. Resistance training is proven to build and preserve muscle on our bodies. The more muscle we have on our bodies, the more calories our bodies will burn at rest. It will keep our metabolism “higher.” Plus, I believe you may find yourself to look more aesthetically pleasing with the added muscle. Last, and definitely not the least. . . We program in periodization. This simply means we don’t want to stay in this fat loss phase for longer than 8-24 weeks depending on their size and how much fat they want/need to lose. There needs to be times where you go back to eating at maintenance again or even in a surplus to get your body back to a healthier place. Yes, you may put a few pounds back on but if done properly, it won't be much. If you try to rush the process and stay in a fat loss phase for a long amount of time you will end up “slowing” down your metabolism and end up gaining all the weight you just lost and sometimes more! If you still have weight to lose, you can always go back into a fat loss phase after spending some time in a maintenance phase. The key takeaways here are:
I hope this helps you in your fat loss journey and if you would like even more guidance, I have a few spots opening up soon in my online coaching. Shoot me a DM and let’s talk about what you are struggling with the most right now and see if I can help. |
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