OVERRATED: Health + Weight Loss Edition

When it comes to health and weight loss, we all have limited mental and physical energy to invest. With so many other demands in life, it’s frustrating to see women working so hard—only to focus on the wrong things. The truth is, not everything we’ve been told about getting healthier or losing weight is actually worth our time.

I want you to channel your energy into what truly matters for long-term health and fat loss success. That’s why today, we’re cutting through the noise and calling out five things that are totally overrated.

Here’s what you can stop worrying about right now:

1. Meal timing. There is no perfect time to eat. That being said, there are a few nuances that are worth mentioning when it comes to meal timing…

   For example, I wouldn’t recommend working out fasted (even a small carby snack pre-workout can be helpful!) and I’d encourage consuming carbs and protein within 2 hours post-workout.

   If you struggle with overeating at night, I’d recommend eating more earlier in the day. But outside of those specific circumstances, the only thing you need to do is to eat when you’re hungry and when it works best with your schedule. Don’t overthink it.

2. Supplements. 99% of supplements are overhyped and overpriced. Save your $$$ and invest it instead on a quality workout program and/or healthy groceries. Because unless your diet is dialed in, you’re going to gain more from eating nutritious food consistently than any supplement can give you.

   One caveat here - while protein powder is, technically, a supplement, it can be a very easy, convenient, and cost-effective way to ensure you’re getting a sufficient amount of protein.

3. Eating “clean”. This is a made-up term with zero regulation. Instead of aiming to eat “clean”, focus on eating mostly whole foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, dairy products). There’s no need to fear processed or fun foods, especially when it comprises a small amount of your overall diet. Dose makes the poison, meaning that unless you over consume processed foods, it’s perfectly safe to include them in moderation.

4. Finding your “perfect” macro split. I’ve seen people put wayyyyy too much emphasis on hitting the “perfect” macro split (which doesn’t exist) or obsessing over a 5-10 gram difference in carbohydrates. When it comes to health and weight loss, focusing on consuming an adequate amount of protein and fiber, and making sure your total calorie intake is aligned with your goals is sufficient - this holds true for any and all health or body composition goals.

5. How many calories you burn during a workout. A suuuuper annoying fact? You’re most likely burning fewer calories than your smart watch is telling you. The primary focus of movement shouldn’t be simply to burn calories (think of it as an added bonus). Instead, think about how moving makes you feel, not to mention the numerous health benefits.

Rather than getting overwhelmed with these overrated nutrition topics, your primary focus should be mastering the consistency (not perfection) of your foundational health habits. This can take months to years depending on where you’re starting. Once you feel truly confident with your consistent execution of your daily habits and IF want to take things to the next level (although it’s not necessary), then you can dive into these deeper nutrition issues. Just don’t skip the important things to get to the trendy ones that have a negligible impact at best.

Coach Lauren

“I’m worried about gaining the weight back!

Let’s talk about MAINTENANCE.

But first, an unpopular opinion: diets actually do work. Most conventional diets will put you in a caloric deficit, and, if you stick to them, you’ll achieve fat loss!

The problem is that most conventional diets help you create a calorie deficit using unsustainable methods: drastically cutting back on carbs, only eating in a small feeding window, following a strict meal plan, or eating very low calories, and they don’t actually teach you how to eat for real life (or how to maintain the weight loss).

Sadly, 80-85% of people who lose weight will gain it back, but that doesn’t have to be your reality! Here’s what you need to know about maintenance in order to achieve lasting fat loss:

1. Expect the scale to go up a little bit. The goal of maintenance is NOT to stay at your lowest weight for the rest of your life. As you transition from fat loss to maintenance and begin eating more food, the scale will trend up a few pounds as a result of eating more food and having more water in your body. Instead of expecting to stay at a specific weight forever, aim for a 5 pound range you feel good in and know that small fluctuations are normal.

2. In an ideal scenario, maintenance simply means more food. If you used a sustainable method to lose weight where you ate mostly whole foods, prioritized protein and fiber, and didn’t eliminate any food groups, transitioning to maintenance is simply about adding a few calories back in. This can look like making your meals a bit bigger, adding a snack throughout the day, and/or allowing for more flexibility around meals out and fun foods. It shouldn’t look drastically different from the method you used to lose weight in the first place. Note: You’ll want to start slow, adding only a couple hundred calories back in at a time, and adjust, as needed.

3. If you lost weight by tracking, it does’t mean you have to track forever. Maybe you enjoy tracking your food but want a break, or maybe you’re ready to move away from tracking entirely, either way, you can do so without gaining the weight back. Transitioning away from tracking can take many different forms, depending on what feels best for you: You can reduce the number of days/ week you’re tracking (e.g. only tracking Friday-Sunday since they’re often less predictable), stop tracking the meals you eat on repeat (e.g. if you eat the same thing every day for breakfast and know it works for you), or quit cold turkey and lean on the meal making skills and hunger/fullness cues you have. Here @nutritionwithnicole we believe that tracking is an amazing tool, but should never be something you feel you need in order to make/maintain your progress.

4. Similar to fat loss, maintenance is a skill! Many people have spent a significant amount of time living in dietary extremes - eating as little as possible/being “good” and going off the rails. Being able to confidently maintain your weight is about mastering the space in the middle - building mostly balanced meals, honoring your hunger and fullness cues, enjoying meals out and fun foods without overeating them, and feeling confident about your food choices without micromanaging or obsessing over them. It takes time, practice, and a lot of patience. Be gentle with yourself and celebrate the small wins along the way.

If you’ve struggled with maintaining weight loss in the past, it’s likely because you didn’t lose the weight in a way you could realistically stick with long-term. Remember: the way you lose weight is also the way you keep it off - with a few additional calories and more flexibility. :)

If you’re looking for a sustainable fat loss solution that allows you to lose weight and confidently keep it off, reach out. We’re here to help.

Whether by way of 1:1 Nutrition Coaching, or our monthly nutrition membership, NOURISH, our goal is to equip our clients with the tools and skills they need to lose weight without dieting or deprivation, so they can confidently keep it off through every season.

Struggling with fat loss? Your MINDSET might be the missing puzzle piece!

If fat loss, food freedom, and body confidence were as easy as eating the “right” foods and working out enough, my guess is most of us would have achieved our dream bodies a looooong time ago.

How you think about these things matters more than you realize. It’s true that eating goal-supportive foods and moving your body is important, but so is having supportive thought patterns around these behaviors.

Too many women approach fat loss from a place of hate and shame. They focus their energy on restricting food intake and forcing themselves to push through long, sweaty workouts.

The reality is, punishment and shame can only take you so far before you crash and burn. And instead of progress and improved health, you’ll be left with disappointment and frustration that you failed yet again.

Follow these steps, alongside healthy eating and movement habits, for true, lasting change you can actually feel good about:

1 >> Recognize unhelpful or self-destructive thought patterns:

“I’ll never be successful, I might as well quit.”

“It’s easier for her because of X.”

“I have no self-control, if I eat one cookie I’ll eat them all!”

“I hate exercising and vegetables so I’ll never be healthy.”

“I ate some pizza and now everything is ruined. Guess I’ll start again Monday.”

“I have to eat clean foods only. Processed food is bad.”

These are all common but completely unproductive thoughts. Instead of helping you towards your goal, they only serve to hold you back. In order to create change, you must first create awareness.

2 >> Focus on reframes or fact-check yourself. Now that you have awareness of your personal thought patterns, it’s time to do something about them! You can choose to reframe them or simply decide they’re untrue and no longer worth your time. This can look like:

“This process is taking longer than I thought, but every day I’m closer to my goals.”

“Actually, I’m an adult and no one is forcing me to finish the cookies. Eating 2 cookies is great, and now I’m going to put the rest away even though I wish I could eat more. That choice doesn’t align with my goals.”

“I don’t like traditional workouts but I enjoy walking with a friend and playing tennis. I’ll focus my energy there.”

“I overate some pizza today. That’s totally fine, I’m human and allowed to be imperfect. I’ll wait until I’m hungry and then eat a more goal-supportive meal.”

3 >> Practice patience and self-compassion. You’ve likely had some of these thought patterns for years, if not decades! They won’t go away overnight. Expect them to stick around for a bit. That doesn’t mean you’re failing! It’s hard for your brain to rewire them. Stay focused on your reframes and fact checking. Be kind to yourself when you fall back into old habits. The longer you stick with this, the quieter your old thought patterns become.

Creating lasting change isn’t always easy, or pretty. It requires that you get honest and vulnerable about what’s truly holding you back. But rest assured, leaning into that discomfort does pay off in the end!

As always, if you need any help, do not hesitate to fill out a Coaching Application.

We’re always here to help,

Coach Lauren

Make Healthy Eating SIMPLE With These 6 Steps:

#1. Schedule a standing weekly grocery shopping/delivery date

Because if you don’t have access to the food you need for the week, even the best plan won’t work.

#2. Always have pre-made, ready-to-eat options on hand

Greek yogurt, string cheese, steamable rice and veggies, canned tuna/salmon, rotisserie chicken, etc.

Having a healthy alternative that’s just as easy as takeout will save you calories and cash!

3. Don’t sleep on canned and frozen produce

It’s often as nutritious and more cost-effective when compared to fresh fruits and veggies!

#4. Stop wasting time searching for the *perfect* 32-step recipe. Pick a protein and pair it with a vegetable and a favorite carb

#5. Stop overcomplicating food prep

You don’t have to be a chef or love cooking to set yourself up for healthy eating success.

Hard boiling eggs, grilling protein, and/or stocking up on steamable carbs and veggies in advance of the week is food prep. Keep. It. Simple.

#6. Slow down and sit down when eating

Instead of standing over the sink or scarfing food down in the car, make enjoying your food a priority. Sit, chew, taste, and embrace how food makes you feel.

Tune in to episode No. 305 of the Health, Wellth & Wisdom Podcast with Ali Elman to learn more about how to make healthy eating SIMPLE + enjoyable.