I’ve had so many questions about ditching the diet this week so I wanted to put together my top 5 tips that you can start implementing right away…

The important thing to remember before diving into or implementing any of these is that these may sound ridiculously simple, but do them consistently (the key to creating any long term habit or lifestyle change) and you will see the RESULTS.

Tip 1: Ditch the Diet Language

STOP! Just STOP! Labelling foods as good and bad, healthy, unhealthy, naughty, safe etc… 

This is NOT serving you, using this language starts to create associations in the brain, so every time you have a naughty food, the guilt is brought on, or shame, or leads to feeling down and disappointed in yourself. 

Everything in moderation, I still drink wine, eat chocolate, pizza and ice cream, but they are more sometimes foods, and I only eat them when I really feel like them. 

Start to focus the food that makes you feel energised (not the high and low of sugar, but long sustainable energy), the foods that you know are fueling your body, and then allow for the times that you might be a bit more social and know that those are fueling you in a different way, allowing you to feel free and unrestricted. 

CHANGE YOUR LANGUAGE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

Tip 2: Improve the Quality + Quantity of Sleep
Did you know that if you are dieting and sleep deficient, 70% of the weight you will lose will come from lean muscle mass and you will keep all of the fat! 

Well, not only do we want you off the diet, but actually out of a sleep deficit. As soon as you get less than 6.5 hours of sleep your body becomes insulin resistant, meaning that you are unable to stabilise your blood sugar levels effectively which in turn leads to an imbalance of hormones, sugar cravings, energy crashes and in general an over consumption of food by up to an extra 400 – 500 calories! 

When we prioritise not only the quantity (at least 7 – 9 hours a night), but the quality, we actually allow our body to get into a state of deep rest and reset which is where our body is able to burn fat effectively and efficiently. 

So make sleep a top priority and you won’t even feel like you need those sugary, quick fix energy foods and drinks, and you will fuel your body better! 

Tip 3: Exercise Right for Your Body Type

More is not more! It is not as simple as EAT LESS AND MOVE MORE! Did you know the calorie equation was actually designed to help people SURVIVE in the wars, not THRIVE! 

So, ditch the idea that you need to do endless hours of cardio, because it doesn’t work, and will only damage your metabolism, especially if you couple it with not eating enough. 

Listen to your body, what it needs and move in a way that you enjoy. Make it fun, something that you can stick to, but doesn’t feel overwhelming or exhausting! Females can even train in sync to their menstrual cycle which is even more powerful for them! 

So whether it is weight training, yoga, dance classes, running, gymnastics or a combination of your favourite things, get out there, get your body moving, get a sweat on, but don’t feel like you have to exhaust yourself every time you train, because often that is doing more harm than good. 

Tip 4: Take Time Out Just for You 

We often underestimate the impact of stress on our bodies and it’s subsequent ability for us to lose weight. 

When we are running around on ‘empty’ and our body is stressed out, we are primarily burning glucose (sugar) as a fuel source which means we are storing the fat. In fact, it holds onto more fat because it is worried we are in a faminine.

Think about it like your car, you can’t expect to get anywhere if your tank is empty, so prioritising time for you to recharge, and refuel, and recover you are actually going to see more results, feel better, have more energy to exercise, make better choices with your food, and enjoy the process. 

It is about making choices that are sustainable! So find 10 – 15 minutes a day, a few hours a week to do something that lights you up! Make you a priority! It’s not being selfish, it’s called self-care!

Tip 5: Support Your Body With Supplements
Unfortunately, our soils are deficient in nutrients, and if you don’t have the nutrients in our soils, we don’t have the nutrients in the food! Not to mention that if we have been doing some damage from a lack of sleep, energy, excess stress and poor food choices over the years we also often have some work to undo!

So when it comes to supplementation, we need to top up our stores and maintain them there to sustain optimal health. When our body is in this state it will let go of any excess weight or anything that is no longer serving you. 

Supplements are there to support your system and journey at every stage you are at, making sure you get all the nutrients you need for optimal health! 

If you aren’t sure where to start with these I recommend consulting a nutritionist or naturopath, as everyone’s requirements are different!