Lose 10 pounds this weekend!
Revolutionary new juice cleanse helps you lose 10 pounds a week!
Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before…
I’m sure you’ve seen these magazine headlines blaring in the checkout aisle at the grocery store.
Where’s the follow-up story about the people who “juiced off,” only to gain it all back… plus found it even harder to lose weight because they wrecked their insulin response?
While it may be easy to get caught up in the hype of quick-fix diets, the truth is they’re never the answer for long-term fat loss!
Fad diets deprive your body of calories and nutrients. They also leave you miserable and starving, crash your metabolism, zap your immune system, and interfere with your ability to burn fat in the bigger picture.
I have a better solution for lasting weight loss: let’s get back to the basics! I’m talking about the tried-and-true strategies that nourish your body while consistently delivering results.
Incorporate these 10 simple, effective ground rules into your day to burn fat and maintain a healthy weight, without sacrificing your health…
“Where do I start?” I get that question a lot. That’s why it’s so important to have a roadmap you can trust. A roadmap that breaks down your health journey into small, manageable steps. Download my Ultimate Health Roadmap and take control of your health… one step at a time. Get your FREE guide here.
1. Make breakfast a protein smoothie.
All too often, folks either skip breakfast altogether or start their day out with empty carbs and sugar. (I’m looking at you, cereal and muffins!)
Both options guarantee a mid-morning blood sugar crash that leaves you starving and exhausted before lunchtime. Instead, try a loaded smoothie for breakfast.
With a protein smoothie, you get a quick, filling breakfast that tastes amazing and sets you up for sustained energy and a speedier metabolism to help you lose weight.
Want over 50 awesome shake recipes? Get my FREE guide here.
2. Eat by the clock.
Every time you eat, you raise your insulin levels. And when insulin levels are chronically elevated, your fat-burning doors remain locked. That’s why it’s crucial to space your meals out to give your body the chance to dip into fat storage for fuel.
To experience the greatest metabolic benefits, follow these helpful meal timing rules:
- Break your fast with a protein smoothie.
- Eat a balanced meal every 4-6 hours. (More on that coming up…)
- Close the kitchen at least 3 hours before bedtime to get a 12-14 hour fast each night.
Read this blog to learn more about why timing is everything for fat loss.
3. Fill up on fiber.
Fiber is your secret weapon for weight loss! Fiber keeps you full and helps you avoid the cravings that can so quickly derail your weight loss efforts, it also has a host of incredible health benefits.
Some of my favorite high-fiber foods include avocados, lentils, and green leafy veggies. But if you’re struggling to meet your daily fiber quota, stirring a spoonful of Extra Fiber into your protein smoothie is a great way to boost your fiber intake and help you feel full for hours. *
4. Stop counting calories.
Our bodies are chemistry labs, not bank accounts! That means you need to drop the “calories in-calories-out” dieting model if you want to speed up your metabolism and lose weight for good.
What’s really important is how you get those calories and whether your diet includes inflammatory foods. When you choose the right types of foods, you send the signal for your body to burn calories instead of store fat away. (Build a balanced meal every time with the help of this handy diagram…)
5. Gradually wean yourself sugar.
Cutting out sugar cold turkey will only make you feel awful and lead to cravings that can send you nose-diving into the nearest cupcake. I'm not going to be a meanie like that!
My Sugar Impact Diet will gently, gradually help you step off the sugar cycle!
My book lays out a step-by-step process to help you transition off of the foods with the most damaging sugars so you can lose weight, drop fat, and improve your health without feeling deprived.
6. Address food intolerances.
For years, we’ve been taught that typical diet foods like egg white omelets, tofu, and non-fat yogurt (yuck!) are the way to go. But the truth is those supposedly healthy foods may actually be stalling your progress!
That’s because food intolerance is so often the hidden cause of extra pounds. A negative reaction to certain foods like gluten or dairy can trigger inflammation, put your immune system in overdrive, and cause a host of nasty symptoms, including stubborn weight gain.
7. Don’t let the enemy into the house!
If a pint of butter pecan is your weakness, don’t buy it! If one bite of almond butter turns into the whole jar, don’t even think of adding it to your shopping cart. Otherwise, you create a slippery slope that can quickly sabotage your best intentions.
And don’t believe the myth that your family needs other food when you’re eating healthy. There are plenty of tasty, healthy options your whole family will love!
8. Ditch endurance exercise.
Believe it or not, steady-state cardio can actually make you store fat, not burn it! Studies show that prolonged endurance exercise can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol, sending the message to your body to break down muscle for energy and hang on to fat.1
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work out! When you swap long cardio sessions for burst training combined with weight resistance, you’ll be well on your way to shedding excess pounds and building lean muscle. Check out this blog to get an intense, full-body workout in just 8 minutes!
9. Get high-level sleep.
Going without sleep quickly knocks your stress- and appetite-regulating hormones out of whack, making you feel hungrier and more likely to fall prey to emotional eating.2-5 Not only that, sleep loss triggers a rise in insulin levels, causing you to pack on body fat.6
If you want to crush cravings and whittle your waist, you need to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night. Here are my Top 7 Tips to make it happen. Sleep Candy ™ is my go-to formula to safely fall and stay asleep every night. *
10. Manage stress.
Chronic stress takes a toll on your body, leading to elevated stress hormones that signal your body to hold on to fat, especially around your belly.7 (Not to mention that long-term stress fuels inflammation and the risk of serious issues that goes along with it.)
Whether you address your stress with meditation, yoga, or a walk around the block, be sure to make it a top priority. Your weight and your health depend on it! This podcast gives you my top strategies to manage stress.
One final thing: Don't deprive your sweet tooth! I've got mouthwatering recipes for brownies, fudge, and other sweet treats… without the added sugar or guilt. Get 15 of my favorite dessert recipes in this Sweet Treats Recipe Guide. (It's FREE here!)
References
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18787373
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2831987/
3 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2011.100/full
4 http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0010062
5 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9415946
6 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20371664
7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16353426
The views in this blog by JJ Virgin should never be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please work with a healthcare practitioner concerning any medical problem or concern. The information here is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or condition. Statements contained here have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
