If you’ve been struggling with trying to lose weight for a long time, it may seem like a mystery on how to actually drop the pounds – and keep them off. But beyond all the methods you may have tried, your main problem might be your outlook on losing weight in general – and treating it like a short-term thing, or “diet”. The real, lasting changes come when you determine to first change your mindset and recognize that weight loss is not a one-time occurrence – it’s a forever lifestyle transformation of healthier, cleaner, happier and more fulfilling living.
At 310, we believe the 310 Lifestyle incorporates:
- Clean, whole food eating
- Meeting daily nutritional needs
- Regular, enjoyable physical activity
- Positive, motivational community
In this article, we’ll discuss our top weight loss tips for women from our 310 Nutritionists, in line with these over-arching values of what makes the 310 lifestyle different than quick-fix diets or weight loss plans.
We’ll also address some common weight loss struggles for women in particular, who have unique emotional needs that can sometimes make weight loss challenging or even seemingly impossible. But, you can start to make positive, lasting progress with 310! Read on to learn more…
Weight Loss Tips for Women’s Unique Bodies & Needs
When considering the best weight loss tips for women, it’s important to take into account women’s unique hormonal and emotional needs, and how that plays into the picture. Set yourself up for success with these invaluable tips, below…
1) Rethink your journey
Self-care is so much more all-encompassing than you may think – and you surely cannot meet your health and weight loss goals until you address all of your unique physical, mental, and emotional needs. While we typically think of getting our physical health in order when it comes to losing weight, getting your emotional health in order is just as important – and necessary. This includes breaking down any barriers that may be standing in your way to weight loss success.
So, what does self-care look like? Check out these 5 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Care Every Day, but in summary it means being your own best friend, getting your goals in order, planning ahead for success and to reduce stress, and remembering that your journey to better health is just that… a journey. It’s not a destination, or a “diet” that should make you miserable or stress your body. Instead, your path to a healthier you should be extremely positive, and should make you feel great and energized along the way.
2) Nourish while you slim
Eating for weight loss vs eating for health and weight loss can look a lot different, so know that what you put into your body matters, and wise choices will make you both look AND feel better. So, what are wise choices? Whole foods that fuel your body with all the macronutrients (protein, healthy fats, complex carbs), and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) you need, daily.
But along with the health factor of foods, it’s also important to look at the calorie count, and make sure that it falls in line with your daily calorie goals for weight loss – based on your personal requirements and needs. While many whole foods (like fruits and veggies) are packed with nutrition and also low in calories – they aren’t always the most convenient to eat on-the-go and on a busy schedule.
This is exactly why 310 meal replacement shakes make it easy to provide your body with superior nourishment from plant-based proteins and superfoods, in a low-calorie way that’s ideal for taking with you out the door. The shakes come in super-delicious, dessert-like flavors and we recommend drinking 2 per day in place of regular meals for weight loss.
Here are some awesome smoothie recipe ideas for you to try!
3) Replace sugary drinks with THIS…
Next, just as important as what you eat is also what you drink every day. You already know that it’s important to stay hydrated, but you may have a bad habit of drinking sugary or caffeinated beverages throughout the day for energy, instead of giving your body the hydration it needs.
When your body is hydrated, it can help you better listen to your hunger cues. For example, if you're not drinking enough water you might start reaching for food when you're actually just thirsty! It also means that your internal bodily processes (including energy production and fat-burning), are free to work optimally to support your goals.
The problem may be that you simply don’t enjoy drinking water throughout the day, but we have other solutions to help you get more flavor out of your hydration. 310 Lemonades contain electrolyte minerals that actually help you get more out of your water – increasing hydration benefits and helping to balance your body. And they come in delicious flavors like Blackberry, Peach Punch, and Cherry Lime, all naturally-flavored from real fruits with no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Plus, they also contain a green tea extract to help cleanse the body and support more energy and an enhanced metabolism to help you reach your weight goals.
Another pro-tip? Use an infuser water bottle to infuse the taste of fruits and veggies into your 310 Lemonades, regular water, or other healthy beverages to replace unhealthy drinks.
4) Prioritize sleep to fight cravings
Next up, as part of self-care, you have to prioritize the time your body needs to regroup and rest every night. Not only because your body needs quality sleep in order to function correctly and for you to feel your best, but because it’s necessary for your weight loss goals.
Studies show that when you’re lacking sleep, you actually crave more high-calorie, high-fat foods – which usually equates to junk food. Since your hormones are out of whack, you may get more hungry and reach for things like doughnuts, pizza, and French fries. Since your body is lacking energy and you’re tired, it’s also much easier to give into these cravings than it would be if you were well-rested.
Do yourself a favor and view a good night’s sleep, (and also daily rest by not over-stuffing your schedule), just as important as clean eating and exercise when it comes to your health and weight loss goals!
5) Exercise for physical AND emotional health
You already know that exercise is important for physical health, but you may not realize how important it also is for mental and emotional health as well – which is critical, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. Physically, exercise helps rev up your metabolism, so that you have more energy and your body is able to burn fat and calories faster and more efficiently. In addition, exercising, especially if you add in some type of strength training, helps build lean muscle, which can also help you burn more fat.
On the mental/emotional end of the spectrum, exercise can help you relieve stress, and keep you in a calmer, more balanced state of mind. When your body produces too much of the stress hormone, cortisol, it can ramp up your appetite and increase your motivation to eat. However, regular exercise can help keep stress in check, along with your voracious appetite, and improve cravings control. Not to mention that exercise produces “feel good hormones” called endorphins that can help put you in a better mood and result in a healthier mindset overall.
6) Know your cycle & choose wise snacks
Next, there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying 1-2 snacks throughout the day, even when you’re trying to lose weight. It just matters that you pick the RIGHT snacks that will nourish your body and help you control your appetite by giving your body what it needs. It’s also important to know your individual body as a woman and when you will need more food, and also when you will need more help to fight off cravings for sugar.
Some studies show that appetite and calorie intake is typically higher for women during the “luteal phase” of their monthly menstrual cycle – which includes the time right before menstruation in which many women suffer with premenstrual syndrome (or PMS). At this time, hormones affect appetite, and cravings for sweet or salty foods (and often chocolate), increase!
It’s helpful not only to know this, but to be prepared for this time in advance, with healthy whole food snacks that can help you keep your appetite in control, so that you don’t feel the need to reach for the things you are craving. It also helps to allow yourself healthier desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth, which we’ll talk about next!
7) Crush your sweet tooth, guilt-free
Next, you definitely don’t want to ignore your sweet tooth, which especially during that luteal phase could make you pretty miserable. But, you also don’t want to throw in the towel on your goals, and then feel guilty after for getting off track. The solution? Choose totally delicious, yet also super-healthy desserts that satisfy your cravings for sweets while helping you stay within your calorie guidelines.
Luckily, 310 Shakes can be used to make dessert-like smoothies, smoothie bowls, and even healthier baked goods that rival their unhealthy counterparts in taste. Just take this Chocolate Mint Mocha Shake for example, this Salted Caramel Mocha Smoothie, or these Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Cookies. They use healthy, whole food ingredients that nourish and support your body without the sugar, artificial sweeteners, unhealthy fats, and processed carbs that can throw your system off balance and cause you to gain weight. Here are even more delicious recipe ideas!
8) Schedule your success
Finally, the best way to succeed in your weight loss goals is to plan ahead for them, by organizing your schedule and setting yourself up for success. Research shows that you’re far more likely to actually follow through with accomplishing your goals if you write them down first. So, invest in some type of wellness journal that can help you pinpoint your exact aims in getting healthier, and map out how you’re going to carry out those aims, one step at a time.
In addition, it’s wise to find a meal prep schedule that works best for you each week. Do a pantry clean out and get rid of all the unhealthy food items that you know you don’t want to eat, so you aren’t tempted to reach for them. Then, pick 1-2 days per week where you do some prep work so that you’re organized with healthy choices for when hunger strikes. We also have some meal prep tools and an amazing meal prep kit that comes with recipes to help you save time, and eat deliciously while staying healthy.
Many of our 310 Success Stories show that when you put together a daily plan of what you’re going to eat for the day in advance, you are much more likely to actually stick to that plan – and be successful in your calorie goals and fighting cravings. So take a little time to plan out quick and easy breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and healthy snacks – including 310 Shakes to help you!
Ready to get started with putting these tips into place?! Check out the 310 Community on Facebook to connect with others on their journey’s to wellness, and the 310 Nutrition Blog for more helpful tips and advice – or jump right in and start shopping for the products that work best with your lifestyle.
Sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191008165821.htm
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2725023/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-stress-causes-people-to-overeat
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257992/#!po=42.3077/
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/12-tips-to-help-you-lose-weight/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-7-best-weight-loss-tips-youll-ever-read/
https://www.health.com/weight-loss/best-weight-loss-tips
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/well/fighting-food-cravings-and-pms.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6257992/#!po=42.3077/
Lomeli, S. (Host). (2016, Jan 11). How Emotions Impact Your Weight Loss | Brooke Castillo [Audio podcast episode]. In Tips of the Scale.
