Everything you need to know; Weight Loss

The weight loss space is probably the most talked about within the health and wellness area which also makes it extremely hard to navigate because everyone you talk to will most likely recommend you a different diet or pill to take to lose weight. 

The purpose of this article is to help you navigate the space of weight loss and give you some easy to follow starting points to get you on the right track from the beginning. 

Energy In vs Energy Out 

I believe a great starting point for anyone is to understand that the only way to lose weight is to have less energy coming in as energy being used, this will create an energy deficit and your body will have to use its stored energy (fat and carbohydrates) to maintain your daily activity and bodily function. Though the concept itself is quite simple, many factors can affect both sides of this equation which can make weight loss quite different for some people.

Now for my simple tips to get you going.

Higher Protein Intake 

Protein is mainly known for its role in muscle growth, but it is one of the most important nutrients when trying to lose weight. 

This is mainly due to the fact that protein is the most satiety nutrient when compared to fats and carbohydrates. This means adding more protein to your meals will help keep you fuller for longer therefore reducing cravings and overindulging. 

Additionally, when protein is broken down in the body it uses up to 30% of the calories it contains to just convert it into amino acids. This is known as the thermic effect of food, though this may only make up a small percentage of your daily energy expenditure, every little change adds up to making weight loss that bit easier. 

What I believe is one of the best benefits of a high protein diet when losing weight is the fact that it can help you retain your muscle mass while losing weight which can help maintain your metabolic rate while also enabling you to stay active in your everyday life. 

Fibre 

Fibre is another nutrient that is considered to help with satiety and to keep us fuller for longer. Fibre is found in fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds and wholegrain products. Fibre slows down the digestion of food and soluble fibre takes water with it which adds to food volume which causes that fullness effect 

Fibre has many other benefits for our health that extends from just weight loss. Fibre is essential for good gut health and has a role to play in reducing the risk of heart disease. 

I’m not saying to load up on as much fibre as possible because taken to the extreme fibre can cause gut upset especially if your diet was not already high in fibre. I recommend starting off slow and the general recommendation for fibre is 25g per day for women and 30g per day for men. 

Volume Eating

Volume eating is one of my favorite strategies for weight loss but essentially it means people can “eat more” and lose weight, sounds crazy right? Well in fact it is quite simple because foods have different energy densities for example oils and very calorie dense because they are pure fat and the body can easily turn the oil into energy whereas most vegetables and fruits are not very energy dense due to our body not being able to readily digest and turn the fruit and vegetables into energy. 

But how can you put this into place ? should I eat 1kg of fruit a day because that will make me full. Well that's probably not the best idea and could cause some gnarly gut issues. 

The easiest way to incorporate this strategy is to start adding more vegetables and fruit into your meals that you are currently having. 

For example if you have porridge in the morning instead of having just oats and milk add a banana and some mixed berries or for dinner instead of having curry with just rice chicken and sauce add a cup of mixed veges of your choice. By doing this you are bulking up your meal which will help slow down digestion of these foods making you feel fuller for longer without adding too many calories to your meals in turn making losing weight 10x easier.

Take Home Messages

• Being in a calorie deficit is the most important part of weight loss but it is important to find the best way to create that deficit that will be sustainable and work for you

• Prioritising fibre and protein rich foods is important to help you maintain your deficit

• Incorporate volume eating to bulk up your meals to help you feel fuller

• Remember everyone is different and there is no one solution that will work for everyone which means you need to find what makes you feel your best and stick with that