By Breanne Kallonen
January 15, 2017
Bust Belly Fat, Lose weight & Stop Cravings Naturally
If weight loss were as simple as calories in, less then calories out, then there would be a lot less confusing advice out there! I want to help you SIMPLIFY and FOCUS your nutrition and exercise plan so that you can achieve the body you want and the life you want to live. This article will go through my favourite ways to stop cravings naturally and start seeing the results you want.
Many factors contribute to an expanding waist line which is why caloric deficit diets and over exercising just doesn’t work. The good news is that weight loss and achieving a healthy body composition can be effortless when adopting a researched backed nutrition, exercise, and supplement protocol.
Foods that Fight Fat and STOP cravings Naturally
- Protein: In my Wild Side Wellness Program I emphasize the importance of eating protein at every meal. Eggs, chicken breast, fish, protein shakes etc are all important to keep you feeling full and build lean calorie burning muscle.
- Remove “white” foods: I also have my clients cut out all white foods – white bread, white sugar, white pasts, white potatoes. I take my clients through a strategic carb cycling plan where we eliminate all grains for a number of days.
- Emphasize veggies: Eat vegetables throughout the day. Cut up broccoli, celery sticks, carrots, cauliflower, etc and keep them on hand. Eating a high plant based diet will keep your blood sugar balance so you will never feel hungry.
- Fats do NOT make you fat!: Lastly, consume adequate amounts of healthy fats- olive oil, avocado, nuts & seeds, coconut oil to keep you energized throughout the day.
Drink your way to Weight Loss
I cannot tell you enough how important it is to consume water. Life literally cannot exist without water. Our bodies are 80% water therefore we need to be constantly taking in fresh water to stay hydrated. Some common symptoms of dehydration are headaches, fatigue, brain fog, digestion issues, constipation, joint pain, cramps and much more.
If you think you are not a fan of water check out my 6 simple steps to keep you sipping.
Supplements to STOP cravings Naturally
Probiotics: Research into the bacteria in the gut is extremely fascinating. Although the data are controversial, if it being recognized that classes or species of bacteria, or bacterial metabolic activities could be beneficial or detrimental to patients with obesity. If you have been eating all the right foods and exercising but have not been seeing the results you expected, it is possible that you need to be on probiotics.
Recent evidence suggests that the trillions of bacteria that normally reside within the human gastrointestinal tract, collectively referred to as the gut microbiota, affect nutrient acquisition and energy regulation; it further suggests that obese and lean people have different gut microbiota! These findings raise the possibility that the gut microbiota is a potential nutritional target and has an important role in regulating weight. Furthermore the gut macrobiotic may be partly responsible for the development of obesity in some individuals.
D-chiro-insitol: Evaluated insulin and insulin resistance is becoming out of control in North America. People with insulin resistance are at risk for weight gain, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and negative alternation in cholesterol/lipid panel. There is evidence to suggest that insulin resistance may be related to a deficiency in d-chiro-inositol. Oral administration of d-chiro-inositol improves insulin sensitivity and balances blood sugar. By stabilizing insulin and blood sugar you can become more in control of your food craving and appetite. Although lets be clear, in no way will taking d-chiro-inositol make up for a high carbohydrate/high sugar diet.
As a side note: D-chiro-insitol may also be helpful for women with PCOS as it improves insulin resistance. Too much insulin inhibits ovulation and stimulates testosterone production, common feature in PCOS.
Chromium picolinate: Chromium enhances insulin activity and thus plays a role in maintaining proper carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in our bodies. It has been used as a supplement to help reduce body weight and alter body composition. Evidence suggests that chromium picolinate increases lean body mass and basal metabolic rate and decreased body fat percentage. A 2003 meta-analysis on chromium picoliate in the Int. Journal of Obesity found that there was a “significant differential effect for body weight in favour of chromium picolinate.” They do recommend though that this be interpreted with caution as the size of effect and clinical relevance is debatable. Therefore it is important to consult a trained professional to see if this supplement would be right of you.
CLA: While conjugated linoleum acid (CLA) has been shown to reduce body fat in animals there is less evidence in humans. A 2000 randomized, double-blind, control trial in the Journal of Nutrition showed that, CLA significantly reduced body fat in users versus the non-users. Another small 2007 study on humans in the Journal of Nutrition showed CLA supplementation resulted in modest loss in body fat.
BCAAs :The branch chain amino acids- leucine, isoleucine and valine- are found in muscle proteins. During exercise muscles are broken down. Research has shown BCAA supplementation before exercise improves muscle recovery by decreasing the release of essential amino acid from exercising muscle. BCAA supplementation just prior to exercise also increases protein synthesis (muscle growth), reduces muscle soreness and increases function. When we are active trying to lose weight it is important to increase our lean muscle mass by lifting heavy weights and consuming adequate protein. Think of lean muscle as calorie burning muscle. This means that we will be burning more calories throughout the day, even at rest!
Green Tea: A 2011 meta-analysis showed green tea has a significant positive effect on weight loss and on weight maintenance. Green tea was found to increase energy expenditure and fatty oxidation. Specifically, EGCG treatment significantly reduces body weight especially in those with central or abdominal obesity. The postulated mechanism by which is is achieved is ECGC is shown to decrease the secretion of ghrelin and increases adiponectin leading to reduced appetite and increased fat breakdown.
Like I said before there is no such thing as a quick fix. NO supplement, NO shake, NO wrap will make up for an unhealthy diet and lack of movement. While supplements may help with appetite control, cravings and balancing your hormones, your number one focus should be on finding a research based nutrition plan that fits your lifestyle.
I would love to hear from you! Comment below if you have tried any of these with any success or perhaps not. If you are interested in learning more I would be so happy for you to join me on the next Wild Side Wellness program where I am committed to helping you achieving your goals.
XO,
References:
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