How to Eat to Lose Weight and Feel Better
When you eat an “inflammatory” diet, you are not only making it difficult to lose weight, you are also setting yourself up for more aches and pains, less energy, and a foggy mind.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
The key is to remove those things that produce inflammation in your body and replace them with foods that actively LOWER inflammation.
In this article, I am going to share three of the most important steps you can take to follow an anti-inflammatory diet.
If you want the full approach or are interested in what else you can do to lose weight, check our Ultimate Fat Loss Diet & Recipe Guide for our complete dietary program.
Here are the top three things you can start doing today:
Step 1: Reduce Refined Sugar
You know this already, but it is worth repeating...eating less sugar will not only help lower your inflammation, it will also help you lose weight, have more energy, and experience fewer cravings. Sugar is, after all, quite addictive.
And while you also know that cutting out candy, cookies, and ice cream will help, here are a few things that you may not have realized had sugar in them:
- Low-fat yogurt
- Ketchup
- Spaghetti sauce
- Pre-made soup
- Canned fruit
- Bottled protein shakes
- Cereal
If you really want to dial down your sugar intake, I would recommend you start label reading and try to keep your added sugar to less than 25 grams per day. Of course you will get natural sugars, but any time you are eating something that had extra sugar dumped into it, you’re asking for trouble.
Step 2: Choose Your Fats Wisely
Natural fats are awesome, man-made fats are terrible. Remember that one simple thing and you are golden.
In terms of fats in general, coconut oil should be your go-to for cooking, but you should also include other fats in your diet. These can include avocados, nuts, and even butter (so long as it is from grass-fed cows).
But you must AVOID anything that says it is hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated, and you should also steer clear of the following:
- Corn oil
- Canola oil
- Vegetable oil
- Soybean oil
If you need an oil for dressing your salad, stick with extra-virgin olive oil that comes in a very dark container. Olive oil is great, but it can go bad if it is exposed to too much light.
Step 3: Drink Water (w/ Lemon)
We all know water is important and we all know how much to drink (8+ glasses of water).
So it’s just about doing it! One way you can help make your water experience more enjoyable while improving the anti-inflammatory effect of your water is to add lemon.
How much? I would recommend a half lemon for every 16oz...which is also what I would recommend you drink first thing every morning to get yourself started for the day!
The Anti-Inflammatory Approach
The point of applying this type of diet is to reduce the inflammatory stress that you are putting on your body day in and day out. Inflammation leads to weight gain, pain, and low energy, so if you want to reverse that process, this is a great place to start.
If you would like to learn more about this approach and our full weight loss approach, download our Ultimate Fat Loss Diet & Recipe Guide today and learn about:
- Our 7-Step Anti-Inflammatory Diet
- How much protein you really need
- The best foods to eat (and avoid) to lose fat
- Specific meal plan & recipes for optimal results
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