Your Best Self Blog

Lose Weight -- Without Losing Energy

BY: Cynthia Sass

Fatigue is one of the most common side effects that my clients face in their new attempts to lose weight, and it can lead directly to the I’m-too-tired-to-care-what-I-eat binge. But cutting calories doesn’t have to drag you down. You can maintain high energy levels and a stable mood while you lose weight if you avoid common mistakes. Here are four smart diet strategies that have worked for my clients:

Instead of: Cutting portion size dramatically
Try: Increasing portion sizes of foods with high water content
This means fruits, veggies, salads and non-creamy soups. These foods are naturally lower in calories by volume, so they’ll help you lose weight by filling you up and providing you with essential nutrients that give you energy.

Instead of: Forgoing evening snacks or late dinners
Try: Giving yourself permission to eat up to one hour before sleep …
… Especially if you’ve had an active day. Going to bed hungry can interfere with a good night’s rest, leading to a compromised effort to lose weight (hello, 3 a.m. snacking) as well as next-day fatigue.

Instead of: Skimping on food before a workout
Try: Fuelling your physical activity
Enjoy a small, balanced pre-exercise snack, such as a few whole-grain crackers with low-fat cheese. If you don’t eat, you could become more fatigued during exercise and have to cut your workout short.

Try: Energising with green tea
I recommend that my clients sip green tea for a boost with extra benefits. In addition to delivering caffeine and other stimulants, green tea is packed with catechins and antioxidants that speed up your metabolism and can help you lose weight.

What’s your best strategy to lose weight? Share below or @OralCareHealth