• Find a daily activity that increases your metabolism 15-60 minutes a day and have fun doing it. Walking is the most natural form of aerobic activity we were born to do. Other excellent aerobic activity choices include biking, hiking, dance, yoga, exercise class, swimming, stationary home aerobic exercisers, yard work, etc. Any activity that moves the body and increases heart rate will benefit your fitness goals which include weight loss and healthy body weight.

• Consume 3-4 fruits and vegetable servings per day to keep the body’s fat burning furnace and immune defenses activated 24/7. If it is not possible to consume these servings daily for whatever reason, consider purchasing a high-quality C’s, B’s, D3 and Zinc and multi-antioxidant supplements to boost metabolism, immune and digestive and healthy skin, hair and nails and increased energy for an active lifestyle.

• Stay away from any diet plan that severely restricts macronutrients. Such as carbohydrates, proteins, or restricts 20% dietary fats. Eventually restricted diets cannot be sustained long term, add more weight throughout time, and increase health risks when any of the three macronutrients are left off the plate for extended periods of time. Instead focus on balanced macronutrient meals and total calories consumed. Make these two principles your dietary priorities. When you put this to practice daily, you optimize the total health of the mind and body while losing the weight and keeping it off for good.

• Breakfast, healthy snacks and daily hydration. Moderation and balanced macronutrient meal selection is important. But what you consume inbetween this time also counts. Begin the practice of healthy snacking with fiber filled macronutrient foods and drink more water to help curve appetite and feel less hungry throughout the day. Also be sure to eat breakfast daily. This is the most important meal of the day because it provides the nutrients and blood sugar needed to energize and ready the mind and body for optimum daily productivity. Your metabolisms health, energy levels and weight loss goal is dependent upon a 3-meal balanced macronutrient daily diet, healthy snacks and hydration. Remain mindful to add these calories into your total calorie count.

• Avoid eating after 7:30pm. The metabolism slows down with sedentary activities and especially during evening hours. If you do need to satisfy hunger after this time, build an addiction around a healthy fruit-nut, protein drink, etc., snacks. Oranges, grapes, apples, almonds, or other high fiber source are very satisfying. You will become addicted to these types of heart healthy snacks.

Avoid alcohol when possible. Alcohol is responsible for much weight gain and weight loss failure. Too much cheer is also associated with illnesses and chronic disease conditions. If you do not want to quit drinking… consider switching over to red wine. One-to-two 8oz glasses have proven anti-cancer and healthy heart benefits based on resveratrol’s antioxidant polyphenol properties found in red wine. Do not consume more than 2 drinks on any given day. Alcohol has calories and too much of any type of alcohol is not good for you.

“Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant with many strong health benefits. In fact, resveratrol is even found naturally in red wine and berries. Health experts have begun to recognize just how beneficial resveratrol really is. Studies show that resveratrol can help lower blood pressure and help to protect brain function” [consumer-choices 2021].

• Drink water throughout the day and have a full glass at the evening table, or while relaxing watching your favorite shows. Most feelings of hunger are not because the body needs more food. What the brain is really telling your stomach 9 times out of 10… drink more water. Food has water in it and the brain is often confused by what the body really needs. If you have a habit of snacking throughout the day, the body is extracting water from the foods you eat when it need to be hydrationed. When the body doesn’t get 2-3 liters of water a day, it will tell you to eat more food. Get in the habit of having a container filled with water near you throughout the day. The weight loss goal will be achieved much faster.

• When attending social functions where food is served, be sure to eat a small meal, or fibrous snack at least 2 hours before the event. You will not be as hungry and will consume less calories. Try drinking a glass of water before you think about consuming any calories at the event. This will make you feel less hungry and in control of drink and food servings/portions.

• Fast food meals should not be consumed more than once a week. There are so many hyperpalatable chemical additives and preservatives in processed foods. And they will not satisfy hunger for long and will make you want more. Many chemicals within processed fast foods are also associated with reactive illness and acute-to-chronic health problems when consumed long term… e.g., diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, etc. I will not tell you to give up these foods, instead, build a habit of choosing more organic alternatives for snacks, meals and when dining out and limit consumption of hyperpalatable foods.

• Avoid diet sodas and deserts that contain aspartame, splendid and spoonful additives, etc. Aspartame as a sweetener replacement goes by many brand names. Diet soda with these like-hyperpalatable sweetener additives. The aspartame industry has a long history where studies show a connection to obesity, diabetes and cancer, and other related disease in both adults and children at alarming rates.

“My advice is to give up stevia, aspartame, sucralose, sugar alcohols such as xylitol and maltitol, and all of the other heavily used and marketed sweeteners unless you want to slow down your metabolism, gain weight, and become an addict” [Dr. Mark Hyman, Good Reads, 2021].

Unhealthy body weight is not an easy process to reverse for anyone who is now clinically obese. However, by targeting and changing bad habits and behaviors and applying the “10 Practices That Result in Permanent Weight Loss” it is truly possible to lose the weight once and for all and keep it off for good, and live the lifestyle you need, want and deserve now.