The Lowest Hanging Fruit of Weight Loss

(upbeat music) Welcome to the Mindful Balance Mini Podcast.

If you are a woman over 40, ready to break free from fad diets and discover the power of balance and confidence in your life, then this podcast is for you and I am so happy that you are here.

I'm your host, I'm Rachel, a nutrition and mindset coach and I'm going to break down everything you need to know into bite-sized pieces of sustainable and realistic tips.

I wanna invite you to join me as we explore practical strategies to stop overeating, nourish your body, and use the potential of your amazing brain to achieve your goals.

If you haven't already, make sure to hit that subscribe button so you never miss an episode filled with insights on nutrition, mindset, and building healthy habits.

(upbeat music) Hey everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the Mindful Balance Podcast.

If this is the first time that you are here listening to the podcast, I have a little bit of a different format for you today.

Usually I love talking about how to utilize your brain and your mindset to support your goals, but today I wanted to share just a few very straightforward and easy wins that you can implement right away if you need some easy place to start or if you want to get back on track.

As you know, we often think that making significant changes to our weight or lifestyle has to be this monumental uphill battle, almost like trying to climb, let's say, Mount Everest without any training.

But what if I told you that there are quite a few low-hanging fruits, those easy to reach, easy to pluck winds that could kick start your journey in a meaningful way.

Alright, so let's just get into it.

When I say low-hanging fruits, I'm talking about those small doable changes that don't require a complete lifestyle overhaul.

It's like walking by an apple tree - this is the season, right?

- we wouldn't necessarily climb all the way to the top for the first apple.

You would go for the one that's the easiest to reach.

So what would I consider low-hanging fruits when it comes to sustainable weight loss?

Number one, which I'm sure isn't going to be a giant surprise for you, but it is worth mentioning, is calorie-dense drinks.

Now, I get it, sipping on a sugary coffee in the morning or soda with lunch might feel comforting.

But let's pull back the curtain for a second and look at what's really going on here.

If you're knocking back one of these beverages every day, this is the equivalent of eating an extra meal or two a week without even knowing it.

The good news, this is a fruit hanging so low it's practically touching the ground.

So an action step here would be maybe switching to an alternative like water or herbal tea.

This is one of my favorites this time of year.

Or even a splash of lemon inside a sparkling water.

Now, before you run away, I'm not saying that you cannot have these sometimes.

I'm just saying that it's helpful to become more aware of the calories you're consuming before you cut down on actual nourishment.

Next up is fast food.

And I know fast food is convenient, it's comforting and I know it's so satisfying.

But here's the thing, it's a shortcut and this shortcut isn't helping you get to your goals.

So, let's call it for what it is.

Now, if you are eating fast food a few times a week, perhaps you can try going down to only once a week.

I would certainly not suggest going cold turkey.

But this can also be about any other restaurant or takeout food.

These are fun, but you definitely pay more, quote unquote, for what you get.

And it can be a double-edged sword.

We know that what matters for weight loss at the end of the day is being in a calorie deficit.

That's the science behind it, whether you track your food or not.

This is a place where lots of extra calories hide and it's worth being mindful of.

And an action step here would be when it comes to fast food, maybe making it an occasional treat.

your - I'm calling it GPS aka your daily plan to use these with caution.

Next up, number three, oils, dressing and sauces.

These add flavors.

They're good.

I'm not going to argue that, but they can also be sneaky little calorie boosters.

So when When possible, I personally love using fresh flavors like lemon or fresh herbs and spices to add flavors.

It's not always possible or what you really want, I know that.

But even if you prioritize these sometimes, it can be super helpful.

Next is another good one that isn't even food related.

is sleep.

Think of sleep as your body's reset button.

The word hormones are thrown around a lot, I know that.

But the fact is that poor sleep can actually mess your hunger hormones, making weight loss an uphill battle without it being necessary.

And an action step here would be aiming for seven to eight hours of quality sleep each night.

That means setting a specific sleep time goal and sticking to it.

And now we're getting to the last one that I have for you today and that is movement.

And this is where every minute of you moving your body counts.

Not necessarily for the calories burned but because it creates this feel-good effect.

And I always say that the most sustainable exercise is the one that you enjoy and will actually stick to.

So an action step here would be, it could be a 15 minutes walk or some light stretching.

Anything counts really.

Personally, I love yoga and walking, but seriously, do what feels good for you.

And there are so many free resources and videos out there that it can practically cost you $0 to start.

So there you have it, ladies.

These are some of the easiest low hanging fruits you can reach for right now.

If there is one thing you take from this episode, and I will say it louder for the people in the back don't underestimate these small changes because they can add up to big results, and they do.

And please remember, you don't have to pick all the apples at once.

You can start with just one.

In fact, I highly recommend that you pick one and just start.

You've got this, and I'm here to help you and support you.

If you found this helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and subscribing to the show.

Until next time, take good care of yourself.

You are so worth it.

Okay, bye.

Thank you for tuning in to the Mindful Balance podcast today.

I hope you enjoyed our conversation and find inspiration to find your unique balance and confidence.

Remember that the journey continues on Instagram.

You can find me @rachelemmanutrition.

That is one word where I share daily nuggets of wisdom to help you reach your goals with ease.

If you loved today's episode, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave us a review.

Your feedback fuels our mission to empower more women on their mindful balance journey.

Until next time, take care and stay mindful.

Bye.

Bye.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) The Mindful Balance is brought to you by Rachel Emma Nutrition.

Our editing and mixing engineer is Michael Plawner.

Our theme song is "Good Feelings" by Bo Gleason.

The information in this podcast does not substitute for medical or psychological advice and is intended for educational purposes only.

Please consult a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns before starting a new diet or health program.

Rachel Emma Nutrition LLC and accompanying websites and social media platforms are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions herein or procedures undertaken hereafter.

(upbeat music) [ Music ]