In light of Healthy Weight Week we spoke to some of our favourite health and fitness gurus to help us shape up with their top tips to managing health on behalf of IsoWhey.

 1) Start your day with lemon water

Start each day with a big squeeze of lemon juice in a tall glass of room temperature water to get your metabolism firing.

Lemon water is rich in Vitamin C (to help boost your immune system) and potassium (for brain and nerve function)  plus it’s one of the most alkalizing foods for your body, helping to keep your pH levels balanced.

2) Fuel your fire 

Skipping meals or eating inadequately only serves to weaken and slow your metabolism.

By eating correctly portioned meals and snacks every two to three hours, you can help your metabolism burn efficiently and strongly.

The energy that you consume will be more effectively used to fuel normal bodily functions instead of hanging around and converting to fat.

3) Plan your treats in advance

Eating well long term means enjoying nutritious wholefoods the majority of the time.

But living well and enjoying your life means incorporating treats you love occasionally. Keep track of your treats by scheduling up to 2 of them a week. For example, if you have a party coming up, or a catch up with a friend, schedule your treat around those times.

If you’re frequently eating meals out, choose one or two occasions that week where you will have something you really enjoy – the dessert/cheese platter, a glass or two of wine, or your favourite comfort food dish. Look up the menus beforehand to find your favourite dish that you want to enjoy and stick to it.

Knowing you have dishes to look forward to can make it much easier to say no the rest of the week.

When you do eat it, savour each bite and eat until satisfied, not overly full.

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4) You can’t go wrong with greens 

Greens are the most nutrient dense of the vegetable bunch.

They’re great detoxifiers, high in fibre, low in calories and go with pretty much everything. I encourage my clients to squeeze them into every meal (including breakfast).

If you’re not ready to eliminate some of the “junk” from your diet then the least you can do is start adding some nutrient dense greens in.

5) Eat fat to lose fat 

Many low fat products have a high sugar content.

Good fats like coconut oil, avocado, nuts, flax oil etc helps keep you fuller for longer and helps your endocrine system (hormones) to do their job properly.

6) Use smaller plates 

Enjoy your favourite dishes using smaller utensils and plates to eat them.

Your eyes think you’re getting a bigger portion than you are, and the smaller utensils means it will take you longer to eat.

This helps you to eat more mindfully and gives your stomach a chance to say you’re full before overdoing it.

 7) Healthy weight isn’t just physical movement but also day-to-day mental positivity

We can talk about healthy weight being about getting your body moving till the cows come home but a healthy happy mind goes hand in hand with the desire to get physical.

Why not this week not only focus on you, but on others as well.

Do something generous and positive for someone else. It could be a friend or a stranger, it could be as simple as giving someone a compliment on your morning walk or run, a small word of encouragement can go a long way.

Being positive and encouraging of others can only make you feel happy which in turn exudes positive energy that makes you healthy on the inside, which will show on the outside.

8) Sweet tooth? Go raw 

We all have that sweet tooth and raw desserts are far more nutritious and wholesome for us!

Don’t be freaked out by the thought of avocado mousse – I promise you will love it! It’s all about fooling the palette AND these desserts are far more filling than your regular refined sugary desserts. Less is more! Best thing is, it will keep those inches off your waistline – it’s completely guilt-free, indulge away!

Experts:
Jess Robinson: Personal Trainer 
Mandy Banh: Pharmacist and Creator or Change Room Foods @changeroomfoods
Larina Robinson: Wholefood Dietitian 
Jordanna Levin: Holistic Wellness Coach, Chef and Owner of The Inspired Table 
Valeria Ramirez: Owner of The Well Nest, Health Coach and Personal Trainer 
Lauren Hannaford: Former elite gymnast turned health and fitness professional and National gymnastics coach. @LozHannaford
Katie Isabelle Martin: Personal Trainer and Dancer

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com