January is resolution time and many people vow to exercise more, eat less, loose weight, get more active and while I applaud all efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle, it is important to remember that in an effort to cut calories, you don’t want to cut out key nutrients.
Proper Nutrition for Weight Loss
Eating Healthy
Eating less and depriving your body of the nutrition it needs is not an effective weight loss strategy. Instead make sure what you do eat is healthy. Fill your grocery cart, your fridge and your meal plan with basic protein such as fish and chicken, pick whole grains when choosing breads or pasta, and eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and some dairy. Make the calories you are consuming nutrient rich, real foods. Avoid packaged snacks, frozen meals and fat free options that will fill you up with added artificial ingredients in place of the vitamins your body needs.
Taking Vitamins
Consider taking vitamins as an insurance that you are getting the nutrients you need for a healthy immune system. Your goal is to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and proteins to get the vitamins you need through food; however, we all have busy on-the-go days where we are not eating as well as we would like. Certain vitamins can actually help you lose weight by increasing your metabolism and preventing your body from storing fat.
Weight Loss & Vitamins
Multi Vitamins
An all natural Multi-vitamin free of artificial dyes, colours and sweeteners can provide your body with some of the vitamin A, C, D, E and folic acid it needs on a daily basis. Add in the vitamins you will get from eating all those fresh vegetables and fruits, and you are on your way to a healthy strong immune system that can fight off viruses.
B Vitamins
These are fuel for your metabolism. The 8 water soluble B Vitamins include B 1,2,3,5,6, 7,9,12 and they work to help you digest food, turning the protein, fats and carbohydrates you eat into energy and keep your metabolism going. B Vitamins also help make red blood cells, fight disease and infection, and keep your nervous system, skin and muscle tissue healthy. B vitamins are found most often in green leafy vegetables, eggs, nuts, lentils and red meat.
Vitamin D
Calcium and Vitamin D work together to not only grow strong bones, but also have been shown to regulate normal blood sugar levels. These important nutrients may also help your body burn more calories and store less fat. Look for fortified juice and cereals, as well as dairy products to get the calcium and vitamin D your body needs or consider a supplement, especially in the winter months when there is less opportunity to synthesize vitamin D from the sun.
Omega 3s
This essential fatty acid may help you feel full longer, reduce inflammation and help your muscles recover faster after exercise. Omega 3 fatty acids improve the body’s blood flow to the muscles during exercise and help your metabolism work more efficiently. Found in fatty fish such as salmon and fortified in some cereal and dairy products, be sure you are choosing DHA and EPA Omega 3 rich foods or supplements as they contain more health benefits than ALA Omegas found in flax and walnuts.
An important part of losing weight is staying healthy so you can continue to stay active. Eating healthy foods and ensuring you are getting the proper vitamins is the nutrition you need while losing weight.
Great post, Deb! I’m always amazed at how many people I know don’t take their vitamins! Hubby was one of them, but now that he was introduced to Adult Essentials a few years ago, he’s been taking them ever since! Which reminds me, I need to run out and buy more Adult Essentials Multi-Vitamins and Vit B!
I do love my vitamins! Thanks for the info, Deb! Great tips as always.
Long before babies I lost 45lbs just by eating clean. I ate SO MUCH food, but all good for me and 8 times a day. So many people think starving will help. Great job in this post. Yes I love my vitamins especially when in gummy form. YUM YUM
Great post! It is so important to remind people that starving yourself is not going to make you healthy – I have seen it all at work (including a bizarre hot dog and steak diet!). I think people need to remember to eat healthy and focus on clean and unprocessed food. It has been my goal thus far this year and I have noticed by eating more vegetables and fruits and less processed foods I feel better and have already started to lose weight. Win win in my eyes!
Thank you for the reminder Deb and the great advice on vitamins! I’ve been taking Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C and have recently re-added my Adult Essentials B vitamins daily. So nice to know that I’m on the right track! Now I need to concentrate on adding in more veggies to my diet and fewer processed/convenience foods.