8 Weight Loss and Inflammation Tips that Actually Work

Environmental factors, such as weight gain, a poor diet lacking fruits and vegetables, or over-consumption of processed foods and sugar, lack of activity, ongoing severe stress, air pollution, excessive alcohol, smoking, or excessive prescription drug consumption can lead to chronic inflammation.

SO where does one even begin to reverse this process?

Here are 8 SIMPLE tips to reduce the inflammation and lose the weight (That actually work!)

1. Gentle Movement Daily: Now more than ever, we’re recognizing that strict calorie counting and over-exercising doesn’t work, at least not long term. Even 30 minute daily walks can help to speed up your metabolism, lower stress levels and help reduce inflammation. Building this gentle movement habit is far superior to burning yourself out. Of course, exercise is a wonderful thing for the body, but if you’ve been struggling to lose weight due to fatigue, an injury, or mobility issue – the gym simply isn’t an option. Get creative and find ways to move your body in ways that will work for you. Walks, gentle yoga, sitting yoga or swimming are all ways to get the blood pumping and help your body release excess weight.

2. Reduce Your Stress: The stress hormone cortisol can slow down metabolism and cause weight gain. If you’ve endured long periods of stress, you might find your body changes too. Even more minor stresses like moving or changing jobs can have a significant impact on stress levels, and when this happens losing weight can be difficult. Hypothyroidism is another issue that can block weight loss efforts, but all this means is you’ll have to be more calculated in your approach. Soothing your nervous system is essential to getting your metabolism back online. You can do this by eating frequent, Clean meals, drinking enough water, moving daily and getting proper sleep. This helps to regulate your system and signal safety to your brain. When your system is relaxed, you can lose weight!

3. Eat Regularly: Eat more and lose weight! Yes, it’s possible! Smaller, more frequent Clean Eating friendly meals consisting of nutrient dense ingredients can help speed up your metabolism and give your body what it needs to let go. There are a few guidelines here, firstly, it’s important to eat nutrient dense foods and avoid inflammatory foods. Next, make sure you’re not eating late at night. It makes a difference what time of day you’re eating! Our bodies run on cyclical clocks, and during the later hours of the night, our organs are detoxing, resting and rejuvenating. Do your best not to eat past 8pm to get deeper sleep and lose more weight.

4. Low to No sugar: No sugar! This is probably one of the most challenging, yet necessary steps in losing weight. Accountability is usually needed to make a change like this – it can be tough, but not impossible !If you have sore or sticky joints, wake up with puffy eyes and face, or often feel lethargic, reducing or eliminating refined sugars from your diet can make a world of difference.  Karen’s story might inspire you, she lost 18 pounds and beat her sugar cravings in 30 days.

5. Create an Accountability System: Accountability is the glue that holds a weight loss action plan together. It’s far too easy to fall off the wagon and stay there without someone to hold you accountable and cheer you on. Whether it’s with a buddy, your partner, or with the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge – make sure you’ve got support. In our private challenge groups, Billie and Daisy are there on a daily basis to help you stay on track and encourage you when times are tough.

6. Meal Prepping: Once you adapt to the time commitment involved with scheduling and prioritizing a prep day – meal prepping can actually save you time and money. We created the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge as a complete guide on what to eat to lose weight and build a new, sustainable lifestyle. When you have your meals prepped, you avoid giving into cravings in a moment of weakness, or eating out because you’re too tired to cook in the moment. Plus, you can prep super healthy, yummy recipes that satisfy your cravings while supporting your weight loss goals!

7. Water Yourself: Even being a little bit dehydrated can cause your body to hold onto water and slow down weight loss. So drink up! Add a few slices of lemon to your water for an added boost, and get yourself a reliable water bottle so you can take it on the go with you. This simple habit also helps reduce sugar cravings and reduce inflammation in your body.

8. Eat Foods that Reduce Inflammation: Inflammation can slow down the weight loss process by causing low energy, less mobility, and less will power. Cut out inflammatory foods like fried foods, potato chips, baked goods containing wheat and white sugar, refined vegetable oils like sunflower, canola and soybean oil and replace them with fresh fruits and veggies, cooked leafy greens, abundant salads, grass-fed meats, fish & chicken and good fats! Clean Eating is  naturally anti-inflammatory in nature. You’d be surprised at how much weight your body will release when you consistently fuel it with clean ingredients. Margie was successful in shedding 25 pounds and eliminating her inflammation with the 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge!