1. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet.
Read my blog post by the same name here. A study found that hunter-gathers burn the same amount of calories as sedentary Westerners. But you do need to exercise. More on that later…

2. It’s not about eating LESS. Most people need more: more protein, more fiber, and more water. See my 10 Steps to Fix You Nutrition here.

3. You have to monitor. Track your weight, food and water intake, and your exercise. Use an app like My Fitness Pal and your activity tracker. A study showed that people who lost at least 10% of their weight (and kept if off) had these things in common: they checked their weight at least weekly, they exercised at least 60 minutes each day, they spent less than 10 hours per week watching TV, and they followed a portion-controlled, low fat, low calories diet (that included breakfast).

4. Hormones and stress matter. A calorie is not a calorie. 400 kcal of salad, beans, nuts, seeds, and quinoa will have a very different hormonal response than 400 kcal of cookies and candy. Stress will lead to inflammation and belly fat because of the hormones released. And what kinds of foods to you reach for when you’re stressed?

Weight loss gets tougher with age, especially for women because of hormonal changes. Menopausal and post-menopausal women are more sensitive to carbs and sugar. Ladies, you can’t keep eating the way you did 20 or 30 years ago and expect to weigh the same. And hormones doesn’t refer to only sex hormones. You have over 50 hormones (chemical messengers) in your body. Vitamin D is actually a hormone. So is insulin. There’s also ghrelin that tells you to eat and leptin that tells you you’ve had enough. If you’re under-slept, this affects ghrelin and leptin. Your body is tired and needs energy, so it prompts you to go scavenge the panty or the break room in search of quick energy foods (ie cookies, donuts, cereal). If you’re under-slept, you’re more likely to be overweight.

Learn more about hormones and your cycle in Women Code.

Read more about hormones and your thyroid in The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution.

You do have to exercise. Cardio helps with weight loss by improving functioning in the part of the brain responsible for planning, impulse control, and working toward a goal. It elevates your mood and helps control blood sugar. Strength training increase lean muscle so you have more storage space for glycogen (which means less carbs get stored as fat) and you’ll burn more calories all day long.

You’ll be even more inspired to exercise when you read all the amazing benefits it has on mood and hormones in Spark.

5. You have to clean up internal and external environments.
Researchers have found that healthy weight people have different gut microbiomes than overweight people. You’ve got to eliminate ultra processed foods and artificial sweeteners and stop eating out of plastic containers and drinking from plastic water bottles. These fake foods and toxic chemicals are destroying your gut bacteria and disrupting your endocrine system (remember hormones?) You need to eat more plant-based, whole foods including fermented foods. While you’re at it, stop using toxic chemicals in your home and on your body, and lay off the anti-bacterial soap.

And for the hard part: You’ve got to deal with your issues, heal unresolved trauma, and create a positive, growth mindset.

6. You need support and accountability. You need pros like doctors, naturopaths, counselors, nutritionists, trainers, teachers, and coaches. To need to hire out accountability. Your partner or your friend won’t make a good accountability buddy.

7. Sustained weight loss requires consistency, patience, and hard work. Fad diets and quick fixes do not lead to long-term success. Habit change is hard. Make small steps that you can maintain. Get actionable steps from Atomic Habits and Better than Before. Nerd out on the science with The Power of Habit.

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