Author: Dr Nancy P

Tuesday Tip: Common mistakes that prevent weight loss 🤔

Here are some of the common mistakes I see people make with their diet/nutrition that may be preventing them from losing weight/fat.

#1 Thinking that there is a “perfect” diet.

There Is no ideal diet that you can follow to lose weight. You have to learn about calories and nutrition, go through some trial and error and figure out what works best for you.

#2 Trying to do too much too quickly

Many people try to completely overhaul their diet overnight. Small, simple, step by step changes that can be sustained over time often lead to better long term results.

#3 Eating too little

Now just to clarify – I do not mean that you can ‘hold on to fat’ if you under-eat. If you’re in a calorie deficit you will lose weight/fat (consider the extreme case of some eating disorders etc). But you can hinder your progress by eating too little because most people can only under eat for so long before the mind and body fight back and they binge. A lot of people are stuck in a cycle of bingeing and restricting because they are eating too little instead of properly nourishing themselves. So it’s about finding a sustainable calorie deficit.

#4 Not being willing to make sacrifices.

Sorry but if you aren’t happy at the weight you are, eating and drinking as you are, then you are going to have to make changes and that may mean sacrificing some of the things you currently enjoy consuming.

#5 Too much variety

Finding a few go-to meal options and sticking them consistently helps simplify your nutrition choices and make grocery shopping and food prep easier. Variety is great, but don’t overdo it to the point that eating at home becomes a huge chore.

#6 Expecting results too quickly

You can’t expect to change your diet and see see changes In a week or a month. It took longer than that to gain the weight and it will take longer to lose it. Changes take time so be patient.

#7 Inconsistency

It may be boring but consistency is key. You can’t expect results if every weekend you have a massive blowout. You need to find a happy medium if you want to reach your goals.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Tuesday Tip: Dealing with stress eating 🍫

I think many of us struggle to make healthy decisions when we’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Heightened emotions can drive you to engage in self-destructive coping strategies which range from eating too much, not eating enough, overthinking, isolating yourself, procrastinating, overworking etc. These are just some ways in we learn to cope, but these strategies often come with a cost. If stress eating is one of your coping strategies then the cost could be that you don’t stick to your plan, and then over eat and feel guilty etc which further adds to the feeling of stress and overwhelm.

So how do you prevent this? The problem is these behaviours are often instinctive. You do them mindlessly. If you want to change them then you have to actually remember that at the time when you’re feeling overwhelmed. It helps to anticipate these situations in advance – identify which situations tend to leave you feeling overwhelmed. Then the key is to take ‘REST’ – relax, evaluate, set an intention, take action – R E S T!

A good indicator that you need a REST is when you feel an intense emotion, or have a desire to act impulsively, even if you don’t know why. These are moments of choice.

You can either do what you normally do – react impulsively and potentially cause more distress for yourself. Or you can relax, evaluate, set an intention, and take action using a healthier coping skill.

RELAX – Pause. Take a breath. Step away from the situation to get a different perspective.

EVALUATE – Observe what is happening for you physically, emotionally, and mentally.

How do I feel? What’s happening? What are the facts?

SET AN INTENTION – Ask yourself, ‘What do I need right now?’ Coping, problem solving, self-soothing, communication.

TAKE ACTION – Put your plan into motion (call a loved one, go for a walk, distract yourself with a hobby etc).

Proceed mindfully, moving ahead slowly and with awareness of what you’re doing.

So instead of the old approach which was to feel stressed, act impulsively and eat, then feel guilty, instead you pause, notice the overwhelm, breathe,use your plan (talk to a loved one etc), feel better hopefully.

This can take some time to put into practice. But it’s a skill well worth learning.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx

Tuesday Tip: Ideal Body Fat %? 🤔

I’m often asked what the ideal body fat percentage should be. You’ll hear various numbers mentioned from anything between 10 -25% for men and 20-30% for women.

A recent study showed that the lowest risk of mortality (from all causes) was associated with a 22% BF in men and 30% in women. So what is the ‘ideal’ body fat?

Firstly it’s important to note that there’s no completely accurate way of determining BF% – all the various methods are essentially estimates of varying quality – be it from hi tech scales, body scans or callipers. Some will vary depending on hydration and food content in the gut too (notably the scales). They just give a relative measure- which is fine if you’re using it to gauge progress and measure change, but isn’t something to get too hung up on in terms of the specific value.

Also importantly genetics controls your fat distribution and level- different people have different numbers of fat cells and a tendency to carry more or less fat. The same BF% can look very different on different people.

Finally fat plays an important role in our metabolism – too much or too little can negatively impact health. A high BF% can increase the risk of chronic disease and cardio- metabolic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease. A low BF% isn’t a good thing either as it can impair hormone production, suppress your immune system, make you more prone to injury, affect your performance, energy levels and your relationship with food.

Balance is key – you don’t want to carry too much fat but nor should you be trying to be ‘shredded’ all the time either. So the ideal BF% is highly individual. Essentially you want a BF% which allows you to enjoy your lifestyle and remain healthy. So it should be within or close to the healthy ranges for men (I usually suggest <30 % for women and <25% for men as a starting point) but not so low that it’s impossible to maintain without being overly restrictive with your eating. Being lean isn’t a bad thing. But for most people, you can be healthy without a visible six pack and even if you did have a six pack

it doesn’t always equate to being healthier

Regardless of what your BF% is, you should focus on things that actually improve your health, such as exercise, sleeping well, having a diet filled with a range of food types including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and ‘enjoyment’ foods like ‘junk’ food in moderation , etc.

Happy Tuesday 🤗xx