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In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Toni continue the conversation around weight gain and metabolism. This time we focus on which behaviours and habits are important so that you don’t gain the “pandemic 15” or the “quarantine 15”!
Tips for Portion Control and Snacking:
- Focus on nutrient dense food, avoiding processed foods with simple sugars
- Use smaller plates, don’t eat as much as the men in your life
- Enjoy smaller serving sizes for treats – not the whole bag or chocolate bar
- Avoid snacks for more time fasting, reduce insulin resistance
- Have set meal times
- If you’re eating your kids leftovers, don’t take a full serving for yourself first
- Try intermittent fasting/time-restricted eating to reduce evening snacking – start with 12 hour fast, increase up to 16 hours or more
- Experiment with your portion size to see how long it takes for you to feel hungry again, especially when you increase amounts of healthy fats and protein
- Is it time for a detox cleanse, go sugar free or increase your fasting window?
Habits and Routine:
Your willpower sucks! Your body thrives with routine. Once you have a habit going, you don’t have to rely on your willpower multiple times throughout a day.
Getting a quality sleep and managing stress is also key!
- Simplest thing for weight loss is getting 8 hours of sleep a night
- Practice sleep hygiene – revisit Episode 4: Sleep Solutions.
- Some ways you can increase relaxation and lower cortisol include:
- Sleepy time teas that have tulsi, skullcap, passionflower, lavender and oats
- Meditation, yoga
- Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping – The Tapping Solution app
Exercise is also a great stress reliever!
Plus, building muscle is important to maintain healthy bones and testosterone levels. You need to watch out for over-exercise, which can stimulate appetite and increase cortisol (not what you want!)
Some ways you can move your body to relieve stress and support your metabolism:
- Low intensity exercise that combines breathing and relaxation like yoga, qi gong or tai chi
- Strength focused workouts like pilates, ballet barre, and strength-training workouts, like on Heather Robert’s You Tube Video
- Getting outside for walk
- Exercise snacks – dance, walk, jumping jacks, low intensity burpees
Address emotional eating:
- Why are you eating? Is it hunger?
- Eat slowly until you are 80% full so your brain can catch up
- What else is a reward for you other than food (or other unhealthy behaviours) to increase your dopamine and serotonin feel good neurotransmitters?
- Use aromatherapy: smelling citrus essential oils can increase your dopamine levels
- Practice mindful eating instead of distracted eating in front of your TV or phone
Your metabolism can slow down with food sensitivities and leaky gut – revisit episode 8 for more details on supporting your gut health and microbiome.
Mama Must Haves:
Dr. Toni satisfies her sweet tooth with sweet treats made without sugar or artificial sweeteners like Zevia soda and teas, as well as Starbucks’ Whole Earth Sweetener with monk fruit and stevia. Dr. Toni also loves the vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free chocolates from Dwarf Stars (you can order them online) and her very own Hemp Protein Power Ball recipe.
Thank you for joining us today!
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