Hey folks, Board-Certified Health Coach Chloe Maleski is here to answer your questions about healthy weight loss. Want to feel lighter and more at home in your body? We\u2019re here with guidance and support! Have a question you\u2019d like to ask our health coaches? Leave it below in the comments or over in the Mark\u2019s Daily Apple Facebook group.<\/em><\/p>\n Jordan asked: <\/p>\n Hi, Jordan! First, take a deep breath and know that you\u2019re not alone in feeling like health, fitness, and wellness goals fell by the wayside this Summer. Similarly, many folks put on extra, unwanted weight over the past few years. A lot has happened! A lot is still happening!<\/p>\n Not feeling our best or most comfortable in our body can be particularly stressful when we have special occasions ahead. This is doubly true when there\u2019s pressure (internally or from others) to fit into a particular outfit, look a certain way, or be \u201con display.\u201d<\/p>\n Just to say: I get it. And\u2026you\u2019re spot on: The \u201close weight fast\u201d approach is never the optimal path towards healthy, sustainable change. That said, there are steps you can do in the immediate term\u2026and steps to set you up for success long after the wedding. Let\u2019s break it down.<\/p>\n To start with the obvious: Is there any way to alter or change up the dress? I know, I know\u2026a wedding\u2019s a big day and often requires advance planning and great expense. Still, if there\u2019s an option to tailor your dress or choose a new one, please know there\u2019s zero shame in that. You want to enjoy your friend\u2019s special day. Doing so will be way easier if you\u2019re wearing something that fits!<\/p>\n I recognize this might entail having an honest, vulnerable conversation with your friend or others involved in the planning process. While that may be difficult, folks sometimes respond better than expected. In fact, they may be experiencing similar places of insecurity. Try to keep all of this in perspective. However special the occasion, it\u2019s one day. It\u2019s also about way more than a dress. This time next year, what you wore will be the last thing anyone remembers.<\/p>\n As a Primal Health Coach (and not a stylist or tailor), I do have more to suggest. You didn\u2019t mention how far away the big day is, but I get the sense it\u2019s coming soon. That\u2019s fine. Even if you followed the guidance I\u2019m about to offer for just one week, you\u2019d still feel lighter and more at home in your dress and your skin. Our bodies truly are on our side and are remarkably responsive when we give them what they need to thrive. Even better news? What they need isn\u2019t complicated and doesn\u2019t have to make us miserable! Here\u2019s what you do.<\/p>\n No \u201ccheating.\u201d No excuses. Keep your end goal in mind and know that this is not the rest of your life. After the wedding, you can pause and reassess.<\/p>\n Again, this doesn\u2019t have to be miserable! We\u2019re talking delicious meals of real, whole foods, including: high-quality protein, healthy fats, and summertime veggies and fruits. We also have a full primer on Primal eating and get tons of healthy recipes. You probably already know this, but eating Primal also means avoiding: grains, highly processed foods, and highly refined vegetable and seed oils.<\/p>\n Again, this isn\u2019t (necessarily) forever. But alcohol is lipogenic (literally, \u201cfat generating\u201d). It tells your body to put metabolism of other things on hold while it clears alcohol out of your system. It also contributes to water retention and makes it far more likely that you\u2019ll store extra sugar and carbs as body fat.<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, drinking alcohol can increase hunger, reduce sensations of satiety, and lower inhibitions. All this adds an extra challenge when it comes to healthy eating! Meanwhile, Primal treats are fine for most folks in moderation. But if your goal is faster weight loss, sugar of any kind will not be helpful.<\/p>\n This one requires slightly more attention to detail but is a game changer when it comes to body composition and weight loss. By eating strict Primal (priority number 1), you\u2019ll already be skipping major high-carb culprits: grain-based breads, pasta, cereals, baked goods, and the like. To dial this up a notch, take it easy on higher-carb Primal fare, such as sweet potatoes and starchy fruits.<\/p>\n There\u2019s not one \u201ccarb level\u201d that works for everyone. As a coach, I help clients fine-tune general guidelines to serve their individual goals and needs. That said, you\u2019ll likely want to keep carb intake under 100 grams a day for effortless weight loss. For more specifics on this and why it matters, check out the Primal Carb Curve.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re sticking with Primal food and eating enough protein and healthy fats, snacking between meals will likely feel less and less necessary. Our bodies have not evolved to eat throughout the day; modern diets high in carbs and sugar have simply thrown our hormonal signaling system off kilter.<\/p>\n Even when eating a Primal diet, lifelong patterns, beliefs, and emotions around food have a strong pull. If this comes up for you, remember that hunger is normal and healthy. Our body needs to rest and digest between meals and can\u2019t do this if we\u2019re always piling on more food.<\/p>\n When we support our body by eating a Primal diet, we can trust its signals and we can trust our thirst. On the other hand, many folks have spent many years being out of touch of their body\u2019s signals and needs.<\/p>\n As you go about your day, notice when you feel thirsty and what that feels like. Respond to that feeling by hydrating when needed. When the body is hydrated sufficiently, it\u2019s less likely to retain excess water \u201cin case you need it.\u201d<\/p>\n Remember that Primal eating is only one aspect of the 10 Primal Blueprint Rules. In the lead-up to the wedding, take care to incorporate frequent movement into your every day. Once a week, do a sprinting session. This takes very little time, has a big impact, and doesn\u2019t necessarily look like traditional \u201csprinting.\u201d<\/p>\n Again, Primal eating is just one part of the picture. Our hormonal system has a huge impact on health and body composition. Insufficient sleep and chronic stress lead to deregulation of that system, impair metabolism, and contribute to systemic inflammation. Those effects will work against your weight loss goals!<\/p>\n Doing the above in a fully committed way will no doubt help you feel better on the big day and feel more comfortable in your dress.<\/p>\n Far more important in the bigger scheme of things is how you\u2019ll carry these practices into your life beyond this single event<\/strong>. This is about sustained weight loss, yes. But it\u2019s also about giving your body what it needs to thrive. In this regard, consistency is key\u2014particularly when it comes to seeing the most significant, most sustained outcomes.<\/p>\n This doesn\u2019t mean that you can never diverge from the above guidelines. But to see the biggest, most lasting results, adhering to the spirit of the 80-20 rule is key. This means: aim to eat and live Primally 100 percent of the time while recognizing that life circumstances sometimes get in the way. When that happens, simply re-set and recalibrate by returning to Primal ways.<\/p>\n Look, nothing I shared here today is overly complicated. Usually, we already know what our body most needs when it comes to maintaining body weight and feeling our healthiest and best. That said, one person\u2019s \u201cperfect protocol\u201d won\u2019t look like everyone else\u2019s. For customized support and implementation backup, consider working with a Primal Health Coach one-on-one!<\/p>\n We can help you get clear on what practices are best for you and help you carry through with them. Visit\u00a0myprimalcoach.com to learn more and get started!<\/p>\n Do you feel pressure to lose weight for an upcoming occasion? Have any encouraging words for Jordan or others wanting to lose weight this Summer? Please share and drop other questions for me in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
\u201cHow do I lose 10 pounds FAST! I have a friend\u2019s wedding coming up, need to fit in my bridesmaid\u2019s dress, and put off losing my Covid weight because\u2026Summer. I know this isn\u2019t the best way to do it, but help!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nHow to Fit into That Dress<\/h2>\n
1. Your first priority is to stick with Primal eating 100 percent during this stretch.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Cut out alcohol and Primal treats and sweets.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Watch your carbs.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. Reduce or eliminate snacking.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. Drink enough water.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. Move your body frequently and try sprints.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. Double down on sleep and managing your stress.<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Sustained Weight Loss<\/h2>\n
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