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Weight loss and better health are complex issues.  There are many things that can help or hinder results.  If you are sick of asking Google, "Why can't I lose weight?" read how these 3 behaviors can hinder your results.

You aren’t believing in the value of the compound interest of your efforts. 

Would you rather:  go on a 1 month diet of no carbs, lose 20 lbs and go back to your old habits gaining back 25 lbs over the next 2 months; OR commit to 3 small and specific tasks to do each day, lose 20 lbs over 3 months and keep them off?  Sadly, many will say the 1 month diet.  We live in the present not wanting to wait for the sum of our efforts to pay off when we can get faster results now.  If going to extremes when it comes to dieting and nutrition hasn’t worked for you in the past, it’s time to try something new. 

Your main focus in any past health attempt has been the scale and not your behaviors. 

Guess what?  The scale is playing tricks on your mind.  Have you ever felt great about your nutrition and exercise only to step on the scale, see that it’s up 2 pounds, and feel completely discouraged?  We all have.  Stop letting the scale dictate your mood and progress when you know you’ve been consistent in your healthy behaviors.  The scale will change day to day; keep consistent.  Set other benchmarks for your success.  Examples:  

• Use a habit tracker chart, like in James Clear's Atomic Habits, to track how often you are doing the behaviors you set out to do.  Review it at the end of the week and make any changes at the end of the month as needed.  
• Instead of just the scale for a weight loss target, measure your waist circumference monthly too.  This is an important measure in heart disease risk.  Women with a waist size greater than 35 inches and men with a waist larger than 40 inches are at higher risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  
• Daily energy or mood check.  If you struggle with one of these, check in daily and keep track.  Look back at the end of the month and see if something you’re doing is effecting these.  Do you have more energy when you do or don’t eat breakfast?  Is your mood better or worse when you eat more fruits and vegetables?  How does exercise effect your mood and energy? 

You are comparing yourself and your results to others based on what you see. 

What you can’t see are all the little details, good or bad, that got them there.  We can do really unhealthy things to look good.  Next time you are scrolling social or admiring a fave celebrity, stop in the moment and ask if you feel better or worse looking at this?  If the answer is worse, unfollow!  

Get help with your nutrition and changing behaviors.  Work with a registered dietitian through online visits.

A sink full of half-rinsed dishes and those nearly-finished but completely stale 5-day old box of donuts don't exactly scream, "this is my kitchen, it is my sanctuary."  A kitchen is a starting place for your health.  If you are blessed to have a functioning kitchen, here are 10 tips to turn it into a healthy environment.  

1. Clear off the counters of snacks other than fresh fruit.  Repurpose a bowl or tray to display them so when you are looking for a snack, it's what you'll see first and use before they go bad.
2. Tuck desserts and junk food away in the back of the cabinet or freezer.  Out of sight is truly out of mind.
3. Stop stocking the fridge with soda or diet soda.  It's too easy to grab one instead of water when they are cold and so easy to open and drink from the can.
4. If portions are a problem, put away larger plates and bowls.  Keep salad plates and small bowls or mugs easy to grab.
5. Invest in tools that help you make healthier options like a single serve smoothie maker, like Magic Bullet, or an Insta-pot.  Better yet, get an Insta-pot air-fryer combo, like Ninja Foodi.
6. Replace processed grains, like white rice, crackers, pasta and couscous with whole grains like brown or wild rice, whole wheat pasta, oats and barley.
7. Wash and prep most produce when you buy it to encourage you to use it first.  Try this:  fill a clean sink with water and 3 tablespoons baking soda.  Add produce and swirl it around for 30 seconds. Drain the sink and give the produce a quick water rinse. Let it dry on a towel at room temp.  This will clean the produce and help remove some surface pesticides on conventional produce.  Don’t pre-wash berries, mushrooms or other very delicate fruits and veggies until you are going to use them. 
8. Get clear containers to store freshly prepped veggies.  Think of it as a salad bar in your fridge.  You wouldn’t want to walk up to a salad bar and have to peek in each container to see what’s there.  When you open your refrigerator, you’ll see those colorful options.
9. Stock your pantry with items that can make a quick, healthy meal.  Canned beans and tomatoes, canned tuna or chicken, whole wheat or bean pastas, marinara sauce, salsa and 90-second brown rice packs can be mixed and matched into 15-minute (or less!) meals.  For instance, combine black beans, canned chicken, 90-second brown rice and salsa for a chicken taco bowl.  Add a little grated cheese, jalapeños and, my favorite, a squirt of fresh lime juice for extra flavor. 
10. Fresh is best, but a well-stocked freezer is even better.  With rising grocery prices, stocking up on items that last longer is essential.  Since frozen fruits and veggies are washed, prepped and packed when fresh, frozen produce is a convenient and time-saving alternative to fresh.  Avoid frozen fruit packed in syrup like the sliced strawberries and check the label on veggies that come with a sauce if you’re watching sodium. 

Your kitchen can be the perfect ally in your healthy lifestyle journey.  Work with a registered dietitian at Well My Way Nutrition to learn more about setting up your kitchen and entire environment for success.  

If your doctor mentioned something about fatty liver or you noticed the term NAFLD or NAFL on your medical chart, be sure to avoid these foods:

• High fructose corn syrup (HFCS):  commonly found in regular soda, fruit drinks, candy, condiments like barbecue sauce and ketchup and desserts.  Choose organic or natural ingredient condiments to avoid HFCS.
• White bread and other foods that list enriched flour as the first ingredient, like most crackers, frozen waffles or pancakes and tortillas.
• Alcohol:  while this type of liver disease is not soley caused by alcohol (alcohol-associated liver disease is), consuming it will cause more harm than good.
• Highly processed food, fast food and fried foods: limit these since they tend to be low in nutritional value and high in added sugar, salt and processed fats.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs when excess fat builds up your liver from reasons other than alcohol.  Experts estimate that 24% of U.S. adults have NAFLD.  

Work with a registered dietitian online to reverse fatty liver and improve your health.  Click here to get started with a free 15-minute discovery call.

Try this simple Healthy Chili Mac with bean pasta for a high protein, low glycemic impact dinner.

In a previous article, the importance of remembering your M.E.D.S. (mindset, exercise, diet and sleep), I explained how these four aspects are key to a healthy lifestyle and reduced risk of disease.  While all four aspects are important, without mindset, can the others be achieved?  Why is mindset everything when it comes to a healthy life?

Get help improving your health and mindset with nutrition and lifestyle coaching.  Book a free discovery call to get started.

Mindset is the established set of attitudes held by someone.  Start thinking of the people around you and by their actions, you might be able to guess some of their established attitudes.  The best thing about mindset, you can adjust it.  It's not determined by genes, environment or other unmodifiable factors.  It's modifiable meaning you can work to change it.  Here are five tips to achieving a mindset of health.  

1. Shift your focus from the scale to your actions.  Many people get into healthier eating in order to lose weight, but if the scale is your main focus and measurement, it's almost guaranteed to let you down.  Weight can be one aspect of your healthy lifestyle, but measure your actions, like exercise sessions per week or reducing your fast food meals, for long term success.
2. It's you against you.  Stop comparing your progress or plan to others.  The truth is that you have no idea what they are doing behind the scenes or their personal health issues.  Picture yourself 6 months from now as the healthy person you strive to be.  Then, plan what needs to happen consistently to get there.  There will be bumps in the road that will test you and help you grow even stronger in your health mindset.  
3. Repetition will help instill your healthy mindset.  Remember flash cards for science class?  I sure do.  Flipping them over and over until the definition and image of the Krebs cycle was burned in my brain.  But it worked.  You can do the same for the mindset you want to achieve.  Post quotes or phrases that match the mindset in obvious places:  mirror, kitchen, phone lock screen, laptop background and planner.    
4. Catch and rephrase negative thoughts about your health.  "I'll never be comfortable in a swimsuit."  Not with that attitude!  When you hear yourself saying these things in your head or out loud, stop and rephrase it.  Say instead, "I'll be more confident in a swimsuit when I know I'm eating healthier and going on regular walks."
5. Find people who bring you up, not down.  Ditch the Debbie Downer's in your life.  That doesn't mean you have to completely avoid them but you can certainly tell them how to support your healthy lifestyle.  For example, tell the person who isn't supportive or constantly nagging on you about your boring healthy eating/no longer wanting to be their party buddy, you still love them and would love his or her support because what you're doing isn't easy.  Be specific, tell the person something they can do to be helpful, like meeting up for a cooking class instead of happy hour.  Nobody wants to be the last person at the party and they will do anything to convince you to stay.  Stay strong, leave when ready. 

It takes practice to change your mindset towards health.  It's also hard to go back once you reach it, making mindset 100% worth it and incredibly important to your healthy future self.  

Building a healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of disease is about much more than what you eat.  A healthy lifestyle encompasses your day to day eating, consuming, sleeping, stressing, moving and thinking habits.

Here's a tool to remember the main components of building a healthy lifestyle. 

Remember your MEDS

Mindset- you are going to have stress in your life; focus on mindset instead of eliminating all stress.

Exercise- move more, focus on strength and don't forget about flexibility and balance.

Diet- all things you "consume" which includes food, hydration, supplementation, medications, what you read and what you watch.

Sleep- quality and quantity

A healthy lifestyle is an ongoing journey.  We all start in a different place.  If you are just getting started, pick one or two of the MEDS and set goals to improve those one or two.  For instance, if you know your sleep patterns are terrible and you don't exercise, set a goal for the week to turn off electronics half an hour before bed and take as long a walk as you can manage each day.  The walking will help you sleep and turning off electronics will help your eyes and mind start to rest.  

Work with a registered dietitian to build your healthy lifestyle and tackle all of these MEDS.  Start with a free 15-minute discovery call.  

The concept of avoiding all white foods is a blanket statement to try to encourage people to avoid bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. Do you have to avoid these foods? Not necessarily. People with diabetes should, if they do eat these, look for higher fiber versions of those foods, like 100% whole wheat bread, brown rice and bean pastas. Saying all white foods are bad gets confusing though, because some white foods, like white onions or the white of an apple, are touted as good for diabetes. When it comes to other white foods, here are 4 we absolutely should include in a health eating plan:

1. Cauliflower: raw, steamed, roasted, mashed or riced, cauliflower is a non-starchy cruciferous vegetable. Cruciferous vegetables are a rich source of compounds known as glucosinolates, which may help to fight cancer.
2. White beans: examples are cannellini beans, garbanzo beans and great northern beans. Like other beans, these white beans are high in fiber and protein, making them an ideal protein option for vegans. Add them to soups, salad or blend into a healthy bean dip with garlic and spices.
3. White fish like cod: people with diabetes are encouraged to eat lean proteins, and white fish is about as lean as it gets.
4. Yogurt: Greek yogurt or non-dairy Greek yogurts are a simple way to get a protein-rich snack. Your best option is to get plain yogurt and add your own fruit for flavor. Add honey for a little sweetness. Each tablespoon adds about 15 grams carbohydrate.

Not a veggie lover but want to be?  Learn 3 ways to love vegetables.

The food we eat is made up of 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat and protein. Some foods are a mix of these and some are primarily one macronutrient. People with diabetes are often told to eat more “lean” protein and eat fewer carbohydrates. Here is a list of lean protein, lower (or no) carbohydrate foods:

For a quick and filling higher protein lower carb snack:

1. Stir 1/4 cup whey protein powder into 5 ounces of Greek yogurt.
2. Top it with 1/4 cup berries and 2 tablespoons granola.

Some of my favorite Greek yogurt options are Siggi’s Nonfat Icelandic yogurt, Siggi’s plant based yogurt, Silk Non-dairy Greek Yogurt, Oikos Triple Zero and Chobani Less Sugar Greek yogurt.

There is no "one" diet for diabetes or prediabetes.  There are several eating plans that can help manage blood sugars or reduce the risk of developing diabetes. 

Take our quiz to see which eating plan could be best for you.

The key is finding a plan that meets your needs and preferences.  Will there be a cake and pizza plan?  No, but you can absolutely learn to include and appreciate your favorite treats on a healthy eating plan.

A variety of eating patterns (combinations of different foods or food groups) are acceptable for the management of diabetes.  What should be part of an eating plan for diabetes: 

• An emphasis on nonstarchy vegetables, like green beans, cauliflower and spinach.
• Choosing food and drinks with less added sugars and reducing refined grains like enriched wheat flour aka all-purpose flour.
• More whole foods over highly processed foods to the degree possible- we all live in the 21^st century and finding a wild caught salmon filet with locally grown organic broccoli is slightly challenging between work, hustling to meetings and after-school activities.

Side note: if you live in the St. Louis area, we have a local company who makes delicious meals like that, ready to eat.  Check out Fit Flavors for healthy, fresh meals on the go.  My current favorite is the Buffalo Turkey Burger.  They also ship around the area!

Because every body is truly unique, an eating plan that makes you feel great and get results, might do the opposite for someone else.  The biggest factor in reaching diabetes health and wellness goals is to be consistent.  There are likely several eating plans that will help you get equal results.  Consider excerpts from these reports below in narrowing down the best plan for you.

A 12-week study comparing 30% versus 15% energy from protein noted improvements in weight, fasting glucose, and insulin requirements in the group that consumed 30% energy from protein. 

Reducing overall carbohydrate intake for individuals with diabetes has demonstrated the most evidence for improving glycemia (blood sugar) and may be applied in a variety of eating patterns that meet individual needs and preferences.

For select adults with type 2 diabetes not meeting blood sugar targets or where reducing diabetes medications is a priority, reducing overall carbohydrate intake with low- or very low carbohydrate eating plans is a viable approach.

—From Diabetes Care, 2019:  Nutrition Therapy for Adults With Diabetes or Prediabetes: A Consensus Report

“The benefits of all types of vegetarian diets in the prevention and treatment of diabetes have been well established. Clinicians and healthcare providers should feel confident in recommending a vegetarian diet to their patients who have pre-diabetes or T2DM. However, the type of foods that should be consumed while following this diet is critical to achieve the therapeutic effects. As Satija et al. demonstrated, a vegetarian diet that is high in unhealthy foods such as refined grains, saturated fats, and added sugars is positively associated with T2DM compared to a vegetarian diet with lower amounts of these nutrients.”

—From Current Diabetes Reports, 2018:  Vegetarian Diets and the Risk of Diabetes.   Melissa D. Olfert and Rachel A. Wattick

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6153574/#idm139653466639680aff-info

“…the Mediterranean diet has been shown to decrease HbA1c levels compared to a control group (such as low-fat diet and low-carbohydrate diet). On the other hand, vegan and low glycemic index diets also improve HbA1c levels.”

—From Nutrients:  Mediterranean Diet Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Disease Progression, and Related Mechanisms. A Review.  Sandra Martín-Peláez, Montse Fito, and Olga Castaner

As you see in the reports, there are several “right” eating plans for diabetes.  The key is finding the best one for you.  Work with a dietitian, diabetes educator to learn how.

This more moderate version of going low carb allows for up to 26% of daily calories from carbohydrate, or about 130 grams per day on a 2,000 calorie plan.  Tips for this plan:

• Spread out your carb intake throughout the day.  If each meal is about 30 grams carbohydrate, you'll have more food options.
• Include fiber-rich foods like beans, berries and oats in your carbs for the day.
• Learn the amount of carbohydrates in a few of your favorite foods as you get started.  For instance, 1 slice of bread is about 15 grams carb.

Get started on a low carb eating plan the help of a registered dietitian.  If you have done low carb before and want help working into your lifestyle again, the Get Started package is recommended.  If you are also working on lowering your blood sugars or A1C, we recommend the Elevate package for extended follow ups and adjustments to your plan.

This eating plan is truly more of a style than a "diet".  Key features of a Mediterranean eating plan are:

• More fish, chicken, turkey and beans; less beef and pork
• More vegetables at a meal than meat
• Encourages additions to meals from healthy fats like nuts, avocado and extra virgin olive oil
• Moving more is a big part of this plan; daily walking, gardening and strolling the farmers market for example
• A glass of wine a day is often encouraged
• Less processed foods and added sugars

Get started on your Mediterranean journey with the help of a registered dietitian.