The new year is just around the corner and with that comes all the different weight loss resolutions.  It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that there are a lot of different ideas about losing weight.  I mean A LOT!  Sometimes much of the information is confusing, contradicting and outright crazy!  I want to share with you three very simple, but extremely effective strategies that will help you in 2014 with your weight loss resolutions.  Why three?  No real reason other than the fact that I tend to be a minimalist.  I have found that in instances like this, less is more.  If I can keep it super simple and straightforward then the likelihood of people following through greatly increases.  So here you go:

1. Avoid White Foods

Things like white bread, pastas, potatoes, cakes, cookies, chips, etc. are all things that will ultimately sabotage your weight loss resolutions.  Simple carbohydrates such as these create problems for our body by creating spikes in blood sugar followed by spikes in insulin.  These rapid spikes can lead to decreased hormonal sensitivity (particularly in this case, decreased sensitivity to insulin).  When our body becomes less sensitive to insulin it requires more to do the same job.  This can lead to problems like metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes.  Now I know that eating these foods doesn't guarantee you are heading torwards these problems, I get it.  But there is more to it than just this.  One other reason why eating white refined carbohydrates is not a good idea is because these foods are highly inflammatory on our body.  When we eat these foods we put our body into a state of inflammation.  This inflammation has a lot of harmful effects on our body including making it more difficult to lose weight.  So, limit, or even better avoid altogether white, refined carbohydrate foods.

2. Stop Counting Calories

This might seem a bit unusual to some.  Don't we lose weight by burning more calories than we take in?  Don't we lose weight by limiting the amount of calories we consume?  Well, in theory this is correct, but unfortunately the simple calories in/calories out idea is an outdated paradigm.  Its not so black and white.  Not all calories are the same.  500 calories from a handful of Oreo cookies is different than even 1,500 calories from a meal of fresh grilled wild teryaki salmon and asparagus (which is delicious by the way! I have an incredible recipe if you want it!).  Our bodies will hold onto fat due to a varity of different factors, one of which is if we begin limiting our caloric intake.  Our body has a very sophisticated method of adjusting our metabolism based on our calorie consumption.  This is hard-wired into our DNA from hunter gatherer days.  Its essentially a survival mechanism.  If our weight loss strategy is to simply begin restricting calories our body will adjust its metabolism accordingly partly as a survival mechanism.  So, instead of simply counting calories, start viewing your body as a machine that needs optimal fueling.  The more fuel, the better.  When I say fuel I mean real food.  Not processed garbage.  You won't make yourself fat by eating more food when the food you choose is the right kind.  Our thinking is doubly flawed when we think that reaching for a lower calorie bag of snack cookies is somehow good for us.  Not only are we putting poor fuel into our body, but we are also semi-starving ourselves by restricting our caloric intake, its a double whammy!  So just stop the madness.

3.  H.I.I.T. The Gym

While cardiovascular exercise like jogging or walking is certainly better than sitting on the couch watching TV, its certainly not going to give you the most bang for your buck insofar as losing weight and getting in shape is concerned.  More and more experts are agreeing that the best form of exercise for losing weight is "High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise".  This form of exercise means that you are working extremely hard for short bursts followed by intermittent periods of slower exercise.  You can do this by sprinting for short periods followed by jogging and so on, or you can create a variety of different activities creating a circuit type training routine.  Crossfit is a great way to accomplish H.I.I.T.  There are a lot of common myths and misconceptions about crossfit, some of which I used to believe myself.  The truth of the matter is simply that crossfit works. It provides a great workout in a very short period of time and in spite of what some may believe, you are not going to immediately be worked to death from day one doing crossfit.  Most crossfit gyms provide a way for beginners to ease into the program.  I think this may be one of the biggest barriers to people trying this form of exercise is the fear of believing you are going to go from zero to mach 10 your first day. Whether you choose to do crossfit or not, I really have no incentive to convince you other than my genuine desire to help you.

The fact is that Crossfit is fantastic because it does 2 very important things that are important for losing weight and more importantly achieving an optimal level of fitness:

First, it is based around a functional movement exercise paradigm. All the movements in the exercises you do are based around common movements used in a wide range of activities the average person encounters. This makes for far greater application in your everyday life and ultimately will lead to far greater health and fitness than just doing a handful of highly isolated machine based movements at the gym.

Second, it pushes you!  Because the movements are functionally based and based on the H.I.I.T. model they require and recruit a much greater percentage of your body in the exercises. This naturally leads to a much better workout and allows you to push past personal barriers.

So, whether you are looking to just shed a few holiday pounds or if you are looking to make some major changes in 2014, these are 3 highly effective ways to help you in the upcoming year. If you want more help with weight loss you can contact us regarding our personal weight loss coaching program at 208-639-1397.