Nicole Hagen Nicole Hagen

The 5 Best Fat Loss Supplements

If you’re like most women pursuing weight loss, you’ve seen the ads: pills, powders, teas, and tinctures promising dramatic weight loss results with zero effort. But here’s the truth – there are five critical “supplements” you need before ever considering a capsule. And they aren’t sold in stores.

These are the skills that build the unshakeable foundation you need for weight loss that lasts through life’s hardest seasons: family emergencies, stressful deadlines, holidays, and birthdays. The moments where we typically think, “screw it, I’ll start over Monday.”

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, here’s what you actually need in your daily regimen:

1. A Growth Mindset

Weight loss isn’t linear. Setbacks are guaranteed. A growth mindset means believing you can adapt, learn, and improve – even after failures. Without it, every slip becomes a dead end rather than a detour.

Instead of spiraling after a rough day, try asking:

  • What can I learn from this?

  • How can I approach this differently next time?

Those who succeed aren’t immune to failure – they simply refuse to let it define them.

2. Minimum Effective Dose

You don’t need a perfect day to see progress. You need consistency. The minimum effective dose is about looking for the smallest step you can take to keep moving forward.

Real life examples look like:

  • Committing to a 10-minute walk when working out isn’t an option

  • Drinking an extra glass of water each day rather than forcing yourself to guzzle a gallon

  • Prioritizing protein and fiber at one meal a day even if you can’t “eat perfectly” the entire day

Small, doable actions build momentum. Consistency beats intensity every single time.

3. Emotional Regulation

Food can’t be your only tool for coping with stress, boredom, anxiety, or sadness. Emotional eating is a major barrier to fat loss, especially for women juggling career, family, and caregiving.

You don’t need to eliminate emotional eating completely, but you do need awareness:

  • Can I pause before grabbing food and ask, “What am I really needing right now?”

  • Could a walk, journaling, or calling a friend soothe me more effectively?

Developing a broader emotional toolbox prevents you from consuming copious amounts of calories whenever hard feelings surface and can completely transform your relationship with food.

4. Identity Shifting

Sustainable weight loss isn’t just about what you do - it’s about who you become. If you still see yourself as “someone who can’t stick to anything,” your actions will eventually match that identity.

Start asking:

  • “What would the healthiest, most confident version of me do right now?”

And commit to acting in alignment with your future selfbefore the scale catches up. THIS is how you create long-term results.

5. Resiliency

Finally, success requires resilience. You will fall down and you will “mess up.” Resiliency means wiping the slate clean without self-shaming and taking the next step forward.

The next time you make a misstep, instead of beating yourself up, try:

  • Repeating a mantra like “One choice does not define me.”

  • Having go-to meals or workouts to reset quickly.

  • Reflecting on what happened, learning from it, and moving on.

Failure is only final if you let it keep you stuck in the suck.

What About Actual Supplements?

Only once these five skills are strong foundations should you consider nutrition supplements. Supplements are the top 5% of the pyramid – helpful once you’ve spent time mastering the basics, but not magical.

Here are five evidence-based options that may support your fat loss journey once your mindset and habits are dialed in:

Protein powder – convenient for meeting daily protein targets to support satiety and muscle retention
Fiber supplement (psyllium husk) – for fullness, gut health, and blood sugar regulation if dietary fiber is low
Magnesium (citrate or glycinate) – supports sleep, stress resilience, and cravings around your cycle
Creatine monohydrate – preserves lean muscle and supports performance, especially if strength training. ✅ Omega-3 (fish oil or algae-based) – reduces inflammation and supports heart, brain, and metabolic health

But remember: no supplement will replace the skills listed above. Supplements are supportive. Skills are transformative.

Ready to master these skills with support?
This is exactly what I guide my 1:1 coaching clients through so they never have to diet-hop again. If you’re ready to become the healthiest version of yourself, apply for coaching today.

five best fat loss supplements

If you’re done spending your time, energy, and money on the wrong things when it comes to weight loss, don’t miss the audio version of this blog post where Nicole shares exactly what it takes to maximize your weight loss and ensure you can confidently maintain it long-term!

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Nicole Hagen Nicole Hagen

Why You’re Not Losing Weight… even if you think you’re doing everything right

If you’ve ever caught yourself saying “I’m doing everything right and the scale still isn’t moving,” you’re not alone. Many women come to me feeling frustrated, defeated, and convinced their bodies are broken. When in reality, there’s nothing wrong or broken with their bodies. But rather, their lack of weight loss is simply the result of a few hidden truths most of us don’t want to hear…

Let’s break them down:

1️⃣ You’re eating more calories than you think - yes, even if you’re counting calories

Research consistently shows that even trained dietitians underreport their intake by 10–20%.

It’s not because you’re lazy or unmotivated; it’s human nature. Nibbles while cooking, finishing your kids’ leftovers, calorie-dense dressings or oils, and “healthy” snacks can add up quickly. Even if you’re tracking, small inaccuracies can create a notable gap between the amount you think you’re eating and the amount you’re actually consuming.

2️⃣ You’re burning fewer calories than you think - yes, even if you exercise consistently

Most adults lead largely sedentary lives, spending hours sitting at desks, in cars, or on the couch, which lowers total daily energy expenditure more than many realize. And even if you’re consistent with workouts, it’s often a small fraction of your day and doesn’t burn as many calories as most fitness trackers or apps claim. Not to mention, we also tend to compensate for workouts by reducing non-exercise movement later in the day, like sitting more and fidgeting less.

3️⃣ You’re focusing on what to eat less of instead of what to eat more of

When you obsess over cutting carbs, sugar, or your favorite foods, you create a scarcity mindset that often leads to rebounds.

If, instead, you focused on adding:

✅ More protein for satiety and muscle maintenance
✅ More fiber-rich fruits and veggies for volume and gut health
✅ More water for hydration and appetite regulation

you naturally eat fewer high-calorie foods without feeling deprived, making progress. and consistency easier.

4️⃣ No one and noTHING can do the work for you

Coaches, supplements, and even weight loss medications like GLP-1 agonists can be powerful tools, but they don’t replace the work of creating sustainable habits, managing emotional eating, and changing your environment to support your goals.

If you’re waiting for the perfect program to “fix” you, you’ll stay stuck. These tools can help—but only if you’re also showing up for yourself.

5️⃣ You don’t need another meal plan or weight loss challenge - you need to understand why you eat when you’re not hungry

Most women who struggle with weight loss don’t need another recipe, meal plan, or workout routine. What they need is help addressing:

👉 Emotional eating after stressful days
👉 Nighttime snacking from boredom or loneliness
👉 Rewarding themselves with food because “they deserve it”
👉 All-or-nothing perfectionism that leads to giving up after a slip

Weight loss is as much a psychological process as it is a physical one. Until you learn to manage your emotions without turning to food, and build consistency beyond 30-days, results will remain inconsistent.

6️⃣ You haven’t tried “everything”

You’ve tried different diets with different names: keto, paleo, intermittent fasting, low carb, “clean eating.” But if all of them rely on restriction, rules, or cutting out foods you love, they aren’t all that different after all.

What you likely haven’t tried is stopping the diet cycle entirely and learning how to create fat loss from a place of nourishment and sustainability.

This looks like:

🌱 Eating enough to feel satisfied while maintaining a mild calorie deficit
🌱 Allowing yourself to enjoy all foods without guilt, practicing moderation
🌱 Building habits you can stick with - even during busy and stressful seasons
🌱 Tracking progress beyond the scale (energy, confidence, strength)

The bottom line: Your body isn’t broken, and you don’t need to cut out entire food groups - or obsessively count calories to lose weight. Click here to watch my free lose fat without counting calories MASTERCLASS.

But it does require:

💪 Honest self-reflection
💪 A willingness to focus on long-term habits over quick fixes
💪 Support and accountability to stay consistent

You’re capable of creating the results you want—without obsession, restriction, or giving up your favorite foods. Click here to learn more about how I can help you lose weight sustainably with 1:1 Nutrition Coaching.

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Nicole Hagen Nicole Hagen

How To Bust Through Sugar Cravings

EVERYONE experiences cravings sometimes.

But if you’re constantly fighting against cravings; thinking about sweets day and night, and/or can’t end a day without eating dessert… it might be time to make some changes!

Here are four reasons you might have a high volume of sugar cravings and how to manage them:

  1. You’re not eating enough during the day

It’s easy to blame “lack of willpower” for sugar cravings, but often, the issue is under-fueling.

If you’re skipping meals, sipping on coffee instead of eating lunch, or trying to “be good” all day, your body will naturally push you to seek quick energy—often in the form of sugar—later in the day.

What you can do about it:

  • Eat balanced meals (protein, healthy fats, and fiber-containing carbs) every 3–5 hours

  • Don’t skip meals to “save calories” for later

  • Eat enough food to feel truly satisfied, rather than simply “not hungry”

2. You’re not getting enough sleep

Sleep deprivation increases cravings for high-sugar, high-calorie foods. Whether you didn’t get sufficient sleep - or slept poorly - your hunger and fullness hormones (ghrelin and leptin) get thrown off, making it harder to say no to cravings, even if you want to.

What you can do about it:

  • Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep most nights

  • Establish a calming bedtime routine (dim lights, no phone scrolling, relaxing activities)

  • Limit caffeine after midday and create a dark, cool, quiet sleep environment

3. You’re S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D

And you know what that spells backwards! Cortisol (your stress hormone) can increase appetite and drive you toward high-sugar, high-fat foods when you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or emotionally drained.

While using sweets to soothe stress can feel good in the moment, it often leaves you stuck in a cycle of temporary relief followed by feeling worse after the fact.

What you can do about it:

  • Identify non-food stress management tools you can use (deep breathing, walks, journaling, calling a friend, stretching, etc.)

  • Before reaching for food, pause to ask, “Am I hungry, or looking for comfort/a distraction?”

  • Build stress-management practices into your day, even if it’s just 5 minutes at a time, so sugar isn’t your only coping strategy

4. You’re restricting sweets too much

You might have good intentions, but strict rules around food almost always backfire. For example, whenever you tell yourself you “can’t” have something, your scarcity mindset is activated and you often end up craving it more. And when you cave and indulge… all-or-nothing thinking has a habit of stealing the show and you end up eating an amount that feels uncomfortable.

What you can do about it:

  • Allow yourself to enjoy sweets without guilt in a portion that feels comfortable and satisfying

  • Practice mindful eating—sit down, remove distractions, and actually taste your treat

  • Remember, a piece of chocolate won’t ruin your progress, but a “screw it” mindset might

Sugar cravings can be frustrating and hard to deal with as you focus on creating positive changes, but don’t lose hope! Make small changes to your daily routine and diet will have a powerful impact over time and before you know it, you’ll be able to enjoy sweets, in moderation, without feeling like you’re “being bad” or missing out.

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Nicole Hagen Nicole Hagen

"I Deserve A Treat" Is Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

We’ve all been there.

You survived a tough day at work. You finally made it to the gym. You survived a toddler tantrum (or ten) without losing your mind. And in the back of your head, a little voice whispers: “I deserve a treat.”

It sounds harmless - empowering, even. But when this mindset becomes our go-to reward system, it can quietly sabotage our sustainable fat loss efforts and keep us stuck in a frustrating loop.

Let’s talk about why this mindset is so common—and what the research says about handling it differently (without feeling deprived or punished).

Why It’s So Easy to Fall Into the “I Deserve a Treat” Trap

The “I deserve a treat” mindset is built on a couple of very human tendencies:

  1. Moral Licensing
    This is a psychological phenomenon where doing something “good” (like exercising, eating a salad, or completing a big task) gives us permission to follow it with something “bad” (like overeating or choosing something we normally wouldn’t).

  2. Reward Conditioning
    Many of us were raised to associate treats with positive behaviors—cleaning your room earned you dessert, or a good report card meant ice cream. As adults, we often apply this reward loop to our eating habits. And while it can be fun to reward a positive behavior with something yummy every once in awhile, when food becomes our primary way of coping or celebrating, it stops feeling fun and starts feeling frustrating.

  3. Emotional Exhaustion
    When we’re stressed, tired, or overwhelmed (all three, anyone!?), our brain looks for a quick dopamine hit. Food—especially high-fat, high-sugar foods—lights up the reward centers of the brain. And after a long day of willpower and decision-making, it’s hard to talk ourselves out of feeling like we “earned it”.

It needs to be said that treating yourself isn't bad. However, treating yourself in ways that directly oppose your goals, repeatedly and unconsciously, can be a big roadblock.

If “I deserve this” has become your default response to stress, accomplishment, or discomfort, keep reading.

What Research (and Real Life) Say Works Better

1. Reframe Your Reward System
Psychologists suggest replacing moral licensing with value-aligned rewards.
Instead of food being your only way to celebrate or decompress, try building a reward “toolbox” that includes:

  • Rest (yes, a nap counts)

  • Time to yourself

  • A hot shower and your favorite playlist

  • A walk outside

  • A new journal, book, or pair of fuzzy socks

  • (insert another form of self-care that doesn’t derail your goals here)

This mindset swap reinforces the idea that healthy behaviors are their own reward.

2. Make Treats Part of the Plan
Start looking at treats as things that can be enjoyed mindfully, on purpose, and without guilt - not as something that has to be earned. For example: instead of reaching for cookies to munch on mindlessly out of habit, plan to enjoy dessert after dinner on Friday’s when you can actually sit down and savor it.
This shift turns “I deserve this” eating into intentional, flexible nutrition.

3. Notice and Name
Insert a short pause between the urge and the action and identify how you’re feeling.
Ask yourself:

  • What am I actually needing right now?

  • Will this treat help me feel better - or worse - in 20 minutes?

  • Is there a more effective way I can care for myself right now?

Creating space for mindful reflection—even just 90 seconds—can reduce impulsive choices and increase alignment with long-term goals.

The Bottom Line:

You deserve to celebrate wins and cope with hard days. But you also deserve to reach your goals.

Treats aren’t bad. But they don’t need to be your only reward.

Let’s build a lifestyle where food is part of the joy—but not the only way we care for ourselves.


PS. Be sure to tune into my Lose Fat Without Counting Calories Masterclass (for FREE) here!

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Nicole Hagen Nicole Hagen

Lose Weight... Easily?

When it comes to creating sustainable weight loss, there is no EASY button.

Last week I had a Nutrition Consultation with a woman who said something that stuck with me.

She said, "I’ve wasted so much time looking for an easy button, but I've come to find that it doesn't exist." 

And she’s not wrong.

When it comes to losing weight, our brains are attracted to (what sounds like) the easiest solution.

Why? Well, because:

  1. We live in an overnight delivery culture and we don't need to exercise our patience muscle very often, so we learn to value convenience and expect results QUICK.

  2. We feel pressure from social media and our society to “fit in” and look like whatever body type is trending at the time.

  3. We want the path of least resistance. As busy people leading busy lives, anything that requires significant time, energy, and/or effort feels overwhelming - making “quick fixes” attractive.

  4. We don’t have evidence-based expectations. Maybe we’ve never been taught what sustainable weight loss actually looks like, or maybe we’re inundated with before/after stories online that make the process seem sexier (and speedier) than it actually is.

But here's the thing - 

That "easy" option often isn't

Most "easy" options only produce short-term results while leaving you more stuck (or at the very least, right back where you started) in the long-run. 

Because the truth is - losing weight and confidently keeping it off isn’t a quick process.

Just like making a Croquembouche - a French dessert consisting of a tower of cream-filled profiteroles (cream puffs) that are held together by a layer of caramel - if you rush the process, or skip a step, the end result will crumble.

Sustainable weight loss takes time.

  • You need to build healthy eating and movement habits you can execute even on hard days and during stressful weeks,

  • You need to cultivate a growth mindset that views failure as feedback rather than final, and

  • You need to become the version of yourself who can confidently sustain a lifestyle worthy of the results you want to maintain long-term

So the next time you’re tempted to take the “short-cut”, or find yourself looking for the easy way out, remember this: the magic (or should I say habits) happens when you choose the road less traveled and take the time required to create results that LAST.

Need some additional support on your sustainable weight loss journey? Let’s chat.

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