Feel like you’re lost in a sea of weight loss advice? Here are some tips that might just help.
Did you know your sleeping habits can have a direct impact on your weight?
Not getting enough sleep, or having regularly disturbed sleeping patterns, has been shown to lead to weight gain and a higher BMI[i]. An active lifestyle and healthy diet can help with this, and some supplements have shown to help improve sleeping patterns too – Scutell’Up, a largely unknown ingredient in the US which has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown to help improve sleep regularity[ii].
Forget fat-free – it’s a con.
Fat-free options are often laden with sugar and other harmful ingredients to make up for the flavour lost from removing the fat. They can often be just as, if not more, calorific – and we know more calories in than calories out is what leads to weight gain. Fat isn’t only full of flavour, but it keeps you fuller for longer – by including healthy fats such as olive oil, peanut butter and nuts in your diet you’ll be less tempted to snack on unhealthy treats. Fat also helps the body absorb vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin E – it’s not the enemy!
Apple cider vinegar is the ingredient of the moment – but did you know it could help with weight loss?
Containing pectin from apples, a soluble fiber that helps to support the growth of good bacteria which in turn supports gut health, this wonder ingredient is a natural appetite suppressant. Studies have shown that those who consume apple cider vinegar experience better weight management in comparison to those who don’t.[iii]
A sweet treat in the afternoon can help you lose that feeling of missing out.
When you’re trying to shed some pounds, rather than diving into a box of cookies, try a treat that will truly improve your health. Nourished make the world’s first 3D printed gummies that are 100% personalised to you, and come in a sweet, sour or blackcurrant sugar-free flavour, according to your taste buds. Nourished gummies are personalised to your needs, using the answers provided in a quick online quiz. These take into account lifestyle factors such as screen time, diet and level of physical activity, as well as overall health. These high impact gummies are vegan, sugar-free, gluten free and free from all major allergens, making them suitable for most diets – swapping your afternoon treat for a tasty gummy will help you form a healthy new habit.
Not all calories are created equal.
Little known supplement white kidney bean extract supports calorie blocking by preventing the digestion of starches, which means the calories from these are not absorbed[iv]. Along with a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, this ingredient can help you manage your weight. To feel the effects of this superfood from eating the natural ingredient you’d need to eat a whole lot of beans; whole white kidney beans offer a range of nutritional benefits (including fiber content, prebiotic properties and complex carbs) but white kidney bean extract specifically utilises the carb blocking properties these beans have been found to have.
Did you know you can boost your metabolism by simply being cold?!
Cold temperatures activate your brown fat cells, which can generate heat by burning fat – burning energy to keep your body temperature up. Try having a cold shower in the morning (added bonus, it’ll definitely wake you up!) – or if you can’t quite handle it, try blasting the shower on cold for 30 seconds at the end. If that sounds like torture, you could try swimming in cold water instead – the temperature will make your metabolism work even harder.
You may have noticed in times of stress, you tend to overeat.
There’s actually a scientific reason behind this. Cortisol is the primary stress hormone and when your levels are too high it can lead to issues such as depression, trouble sleeping, memory impairment – and overeating. High sugar and high carb foods seem the most tempting in stressful situations as when cortisol levels are high, so are insulin levels, which means you crave sugary, starchy foods. The natural herb ashwagandha has the unique ability to encourage hormonal health at a cellular level, aiding your resilience to stress[v]. Studies indicate that ashwagandha has a strong anti-stress effect due to its ability to reduce cortisol levels[vi].
[i] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2770720?guestAccessKey=79997185-38d6-472f-b8f7-c5b8434f4700&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=091420
[ii] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874111001590
[iii] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1756464618300483
https://www.nature.com/articles/1600572.pdf
[iv] https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-10-24
[v] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
[vi] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573577/
