Calories aren’t bad:

Calories are a measurement of energy. We all need energy to live. The problem is when we consume too many calories from the wrong sources.

Our bodies are fascinating machines. If you drop your caloric intake to half of what you used to consume, then your body will believe that you aren’t in a good environment and goes into storage mode. Back in ancient times, we hunted and gathered for most of our food. If there were weeks with little food, then it was necessary for survival for us to store what we didn’t consume.

Now, we have ample food around us, but our bodies still go in survival mode. When you eat less, it can actually have the opposite effect that you’re looking for. You’ll keep or plateau your weight loss and stop shedding the pounds. Everyone’s caloric intake will be different depending upon your gender, current weight, and activity level. To find out exactly how much you need to consume in a day, calculate your intake with the Harris Benedict Equation.

Eat throughout the day:

What to eat:

Meals should be moderately hearty with protein, “good” carbs, and fats. Yes, that’s right - fats. Unlike the diet information that we got in the 90’s, real fats are good for us. You want to have a decent amount of olive oils, avocados, nuts, and butters. Fats will help you feel full longer and keep you out of the brain fog.

Good carbs are complex carbohydrate that come from fruits, vegetables, seeds, and grains. Have more carbs come from your fruits and veggies rather than grains. You’ll gain more nutrients from these sources as well.

Sugar is the culprit:

It’s not the low-fat diet you need to go on, it’s the low to no sugar diet. We love sugar, and it’s in almost all processed food we consume. Cut back on the sugar-loaded sodas and desserts, and you’ll see a dramatic change in the way your body feels and looks.

Ditch the diet products altogether. If it says “diet” on it, it’s chock full of fake things. It would be better for you to consume the actual “bad” product rather than put chemically produced sugars in you.

Basically, when you feel hungry, listen to your body and eat. When you do eat, choose smart things like an apple and peanut butter, or a hearty chicken dinner with plenty of veggies. You’ll feel better overall and start to see positive results in the mirror. It’s less of a diet, and more of a lifestyle change.