Lose weight the right way: 7 things your scale will never tell you about your progress.
Lose weight the right way. How would you know that you are on the right path? Most people only see the number on the scale – and in doing so, they fall into a treacherous psychological trap.
There’s losing weight the hard way and losing weight the right way.
I’ve gone both ways. They work. At least, as long as you stay in a calorie deficit.
But I only stuck with the latter.
I don’t believe in the path that only works with permanent self-discipline and “fighting.” After all, we are not robots.
Losing weight should feel GOOD. Then it is the right way.
In this article, we leave out the scales. You probably already know the weight control thing.
Instead, it’s about seven better ways to know if you want to transform your body.
Changes that cannot simply be put into numbers.
This article is for those of us who don’t just want to be slim on Day X – but for life.
First, let’s dispel a common misconception.
Can you eat your fill and lose weight the right way?
I’ve just been working with my client Silvia for a day when she writes:
“I’m fed up, Rachell. Are you sure that’s right?”
Yes, I am. Before our first appointment, she sent me her food diary.
Low-fat, low-calorie, packaged light products for immediate consumption accounted for a large proportion. So stuff with a lot of processed carbs and chemicals, but less “real” food and natural flavor.
She wanted to make losing weight as easy as possible.
So in the supermarket, she had decided on the groceries whose packaging promised exactly that — packaged (supposed) slimming products.
Unfortunately, the exact opposite happened.
The meals didn’t satisfy her, didn’t fill her up – and the number on the scale didn’t want to change either.
Most of us (myself included) can do this for a few days or weeks before throwing in the towel in frustration.
The truth is – and I tell her this:
“It’s not you.”
“You just took a wrong turn at one point. Which is not bad – after all, you are brave enough to change something now.”
So let’s agree on the following:
“Three times over the next week, you eat a big, fresh salad with chicken, avocado, and olive oil.”
A lot of protein, fat, and vegetables. And especially:
Real Food.
Then she writes to me: “I feel full. First time in a long time.” Now she’s on the right track. I know it – although the scales haven’t moved a whit down yet.
Why pounds aren’t everything if you want to lose weight the right way
That doesn’t mean the scale is worthless. Weight control is an important feedback system.
But progress in losing weight does not just mean fewer kilos.
The first signs of your success show up much earlier, long before you notice a change on the scale.
They are subtle signals. Showing up in a place where many of us have had a blind spot. The beauty is:
They are a much more effective source of motivation than the number on the scale.
Sort of like the first dandelion at the end of a long winter while you’re already waiting for summer. A sign that tells you:
Patience! Something will change soon.
Incidentally, this knowledge not only helps you lose weight but also in muscle building.
Because all of this only works if you start to change something – even a small thing. And then you keep at it.
This is the only way to change your diet and build new habits.
Lose 6 Months of Flab in Only 14 Days…
“Photoshoot Preparation Diet Plan”
Forces Your Body to Burn Body Fat as Quickly as Physically Possible
A fitness coach is not a drill instructor. At least that’s not how my colleagues Jenny and I understand it. We are travel guides who will show you the way – if you want.
Conversely, a client in fitness coaching is like a discoverer in a new area.
From this point of view, the main thing is to recognize the first signs of spring together, even though there is still snow on the ground.
And don’t fall into the trap of thinking that NOTHING is happening just because the snow hasn’t started to melt yet.
The 7 signals of a diet that transforms your body sustainably.
To transform your body sustainably, you want to pay more and more attention to the small successes. The supposedly small ones, I should say.
We deliberately leave the weight aside.
Here are seven other – maybe even BETTER – signals to work towards if you want to lose weight the right way.
Lose weight the right way #1: Your meals make you happy
Does it feel like you’re constantly hungry?
Are you constantly struggling to stay in control?
And at some point, you didn’t have the willpower to leave sweets or the children’s dessert leftovers?
Various mechanisms in our digestive organs regulate our feeling of satiety.
As you digest, your gut signals to your brain about the nutritional content of your meal – so you know if you’ve eaten enough of it.
But there is a catch. Evolution lasts.
This analysis process in your body has adapted to the circumstances of nature over thousands of years to survive.
But he is simply unprepared for many of the changes of the last century.
All you need to trick your satiety regulator is a Ben & Jerry’s pack.
Or, if you prefer it salty, a bag of chips.
Processed foods with a combination of:
- salty,
- greasy,
- crispy and/or
- creamy.
Highly processed foods signal our brain:
“Come on, eat more! “Jackpot! There’s more. Eat everything. Then we will have enough energy for the next few weeks!”
For Stone Age man, foods with such a high-calorie density brought a crucial, valuable, and (at the time) extremely rare survival advantage.
But today?
Never run out of supplies. We could keep eating and eating and never getting “enough” – and without ever getting “enough” of actual nutritional value.
What progress looks like
Losing weight properly means eating slowly. And fresh food.
By eating more of the following foods, you automatically leave less room in your stomach for highly processed foods that would whet the appetite rather than satisfy it. For example:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Meat
- Fish
- Legumes
So foods with a high nutrient density with comparatively few calories.
Because they take up a lot of space in your body and provide you with the nutrients that you really need.
This is how they satisfy you. Then the natural feeling of satiety works again:
“That’s enough. You are safe and happy. You have enough.”
Imagine how it feels when you feel “full” for the first time in a long time. Not stuffed. Simply satisfied. As if you had enough.
Well-being in the stomach and peace in the head.
No restless grazing of the food supplies. No bad conscience. It’s just good.
All of that is possible. That’s what I mean by losing weight properly. It’s when you know your nutrition plan is working. It just feels good. And no more after fights.
Note: Are you one of the younger ones who stay tuned, primarily want to build muscle and train accordingly? Then “permanent” hunger can be a good sign: stay tuned and keep enjoying it.
Lose weight the right way #2: You have more power
Many people just feel exhausted. You may also be wondering when the last time you felt rested was? Getting out of bed in the morning without an alarm clock – would that be illusory?
Many can’t get through the afternoon slump without caffeine and sugar.
After work, there is just enough energy to climb onto the couch and let the TV program sprinkle you.
Does the brain feel like puree and the body like goo?
In many cases, it is due to the diet:
Too much processed, too much sugar, too many stimulants.
Perhaps you have simply borrowed the power from the future – and overdrawn your energy account with a high-interest rate.
You may be missing vitamins, minerals, and other vital substances.
Even a slight vitamin deficiency can mean you can no longer get your horsepower on the road.
This happens more often than you might think.
What progress looks like when losing weight the right way
One day you wake up BEFORE the alarm clock goes off. This is what losing weight the right way feels like.
You feel rested when you open your eyes.
Full of energy, maybe even happy?
You no longer need two pots of coffee to get through the day.
In the afternoon, you are concentrated in situations where you would have needed eye matches.
After dinner, you have the power to romp around with your children on the playground.
But there are also unfortunate changes:
Your TV couch is lonely, and Netflix is wondering where you are.
The right diet gives you power – not like a flash in the pan, but constantly and day after day.
When you’re on the right path, that’s exactly what you feel. Sometimes even before anything happens on the scale.
How vitamins and minerals replenish your batteries
Not only your body but your brain needs nutrients like fresh, whole foods. The feeling of thirst for action and power can set in if you are well supplied with it.
Before you resort to dietary supplements, you should always try to meet your needs with natural foods.
- Vitamin B1 and B2:We need thiamine (B1) to convert carbohydrates into energy (ATP). Riboflavin (B2) supports the citric acid cycle, a metabolic process responsible for providing energy.
- Vitamin B6:Your body needs vitamin B6 to make the amino acids L-tryptophan and L-dopa. They are the building blocks from which he produces the happiness hormones serotonin and dopamine. And they give you a good feeling, concentration, and focus. The power plants of your cells, the mitochondria, also need vitamin B6. There it supports the enzymes that convert food into energy.
- Vitamin B12:Your body needs vitamin B12 to protect and maintain the myelin sheath, a membrane that surrounds your nerve cells and is necessary for transmitting electrical impulses. Vitamin B12 also helps produce neurotransmitters and fat and carbohydrate energy metabolism.
- Vitamin C: We need vitamin C to make carnitine, which transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are converted into energy. Vitamin C also supports the body’s production of hormones and neurotransmitters such as adrenaline and dopamine, which increase performance.
- Magnesium: This mineral is an important building block in energy metabolism – i.e., when it comes to converting food into energy. More magnesium also appears to improve cognitive abilities, while magnesium deficiency worsens them. Insulin sensitivity decreases in the absence of magnesium, making it increasingly difficult to burn glucose. Many enzymes that convert food into energy require magnesium.
- Calcium: Calcium helps your body access the energy stored in fatty acids. It also supports ATP production, which is the only energy currency the body can use. A lack of calcium – similar to magnesium – hinders the signaling effect of insulin. Insulin is one of the most important hormones for blood sugar regulation and directly influences our energy metabolism.
- Zinc: Zinc is a trace element of which you do not need large amounts. But what you need is essential. Zinc supports more than 100 enzymes in your body, many of which are needed in energy metabolism. When zinc is lacking, your body releases less insulin, which impedes glucose metabolism. In addition, protein and fat metabolism come to a standstill. Those who do not take in enough zinc cannot adequately use the energy from food. The same applies to the proteins for muscle building.
- Water: Your brain needs electrolytes — mineral ions of magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium dissolved in fluid — to function. For the nerve cells to be able to transmit electrical signals, the electrolyte concentration must be right. Dehydration impairs the brain’s functioning, so you should drink enough water.
Tip: In this article, you will learn how to ensure the correct supply of vital substances in three steps and how to avoid deficiencies.
Lose weight the right way #3: You sleep better
Have you ever lay in bed at night and couldn’t fall asleep? Or have you rolled from one side to the other in a constant half-sleep?
If you don’t sleep all the time enough, you usually don’t even notice the lack of sleep. No wonder:
The body has no sensory organ for chronic sleep deprivation.
Five hours a night is normal for many people – I used to be one of them. Today I know that was a milkmaid bill.
Lack of sleep causes stress, aging, hormonal changes, new offspring, too bright light in the evening, jet lag, and so on.
Diet also plays a role. And your training. Here are some examples that can lead to sleep deprivation:
- a high-calorie deficit
- overtraining due to too much or too hard training,
- an intense workout late at night,
- too large a meal before bedtime,
- caffeine too late in the day or evening,
- alcohol,
- too little protein
- too few minerals and/or
- too few vitamins.
Your body needs the last three to produce neurotransmitters that let you sleep like a baby at night.
Lack of sleep can also result from stress or diet-related disorders in hormone metabolism (cortisol, growth and thyroid hormones, estrogen, testosterone).
What progress really looks like
A balanced diet gives you enough of the GOOD things so your body can make the stuff your brain needs.
Small adjustments can often have a big effect:
- half a glass of red wine in the evening (instead of half a bottle),
- the extra glass of water in the afternoon (instead of another espresso),
- the slightly lighter supper (instead of nightmares where four-cheese pizza haunts you)
The result is altered brain chemistry:
Suddenly your body is no longer permanently in alarm emergency mode.
Suddenly you can easily wind down an hour before bed. You just follow your bedtime ritual and will be knocked out in no time.
Many overlook the point: Losing weight the right way also means sleeping properly.
With a permanent lack of sleep, fat loss becomes a battle against windmill wheels.
Besides, sleeping in is just good.
How does a balanced diet help you sleep better?
- Fresh, whole foods contain more fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Because they’re digested more slowly than processed carbs, they keep you full and satisfied for longer. They also stabilize blood sugar and various hormones that promote sleep.
- The amino acid tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin, which your body converts into melatonin. Melatonin promotes deep sleep. Tryptophan is found in high-quality protein sources.
- If you have been overweight in the past, you can improve the quality of your sleep by losing weight properly. (Obesity promotes conditions like sleep apnea, heartburn, or immobility, which can interfere with sleep.)
Lose weight the right way #4: The clothes are a tiny bit looser
Imagine it’s the day you take that very special piece of clothing out of the closet.
The one that usually only suits you if you haven’t eaten anything for 16 hours and haven’t drunk enough, wrap yourself in cling film and hold your breath at the same time.
And now it fits. Not exactly like that, just like that.
It feels good, and you look good without bulging on the waistband or bra.
What progress really looks like
Muscles and bones are denser than body fat.
Anyone who does proper strength training builds lean mass in the form of muscles. And especially in the first weeks of training, the body stores more water. In the long term, the bones also become denser.
This can lead to a seemingly paradoxical effect:
You get heavier but slimmer.
When I started weight training at the gym, I weighed about 20 pounds less than I did on the bikini photo shoot. I didn’t track my body fat percentage back then, but it was probably even higher.
For the men among us, this means: the shoulders are getting broader, the chest swells, the back takes on the characteristic V-shape, and you develop a “sprinter butt” – while the waist gets narrower.
For the women of us, this means: The number on the scales may increase while your dress size decreases.
That’s why Jenny and I recommend that all our clients (and those who stay tuned) not only measure their weight but also keep an eye on their body fat percentage and circumference. This is the only way to get a picture of what is happening.
Lose 6 Months of Flab in Only 14 Days…
“Photoshoot Preparation Diet Plan”
Forces Your Body to Burn Body Fat as Quickly as Physically Possible
Lean mass vs. fat – what are the differences?
Muscle cells comprise many muscle fibrils (“myofibrils”). If you contract them high enough intensity, your body will adapt by making more myofibrils and sarcomeres, given a balanced diet and muscle-building exercise. This makes the muscle denser and stronger.
Bones consist of a complex tissue of calcium, phosphorus, and proteins.
They are even denser than muscles. Calcium and phosphorus are heavy minerals that give bone strength, flexibility, and resistance to everything we (want) to do to our bodies.
The proteins are mainly collagen.
Adipose tissue is loose connective tissue made up of fat cells (adipocytes) containing light, soft liquid molecules (mostly triglycerides).
In contrast to bone and muscle mass, adipose tissue distributed throughout the body has unlimited storage capacity. Therefore, it continues to increase as long as you consume too much energy.
In numbers, this means:
At the same volume, muscle is 18% heavier, and bone is 33% heavier than fat.
Or vice versa: muscles and bones have less volume than fat with the same weight. That’s why you can achieve perfect body shape – without the number on the scale going down.
Lose weight the right way #5: You’re in a better mood
I don’t know about you, but I remember it well:
When I was hungry, I was obnoxious. Almost HUNGRESSIVE.
No wonder because the lousy mood is often related to metabolism.
Your brain needs the right nutrients to sail in calm waters. And when they’re missing, it’s easy to run aground.
What progress really looks like
Diets are often frustrating – and in the long term (to put it mildly), they usually do not provide “more” emotional stability.
But losing weight properly is based on a balanced, nutritious diet. And that can lead to surprising changes.
Here are some things that have changed for stayers and clients:
- “I believe that I can change.”
- “I make more conscious choices.”
- “I forgive myself for mistakes.”
- “I feel more confident.”
- “I set myself clear goals that motivate me.”
- “I walk upright.”
- “I plan for the next day and the next week.”
- “I am happy.”
- “I feel good.”
- “I dare experiments.”
- “Motivation!”
- “I finally know that I can change.”
It’s not just what you eat. And it’s also what you DO.
As you change your habits, your feelings will change.
Each of us knows this:
You try something new, and you succeed.
This gives you a boost of energy that motivates you to keep going. Of course, diet also plays a role:
The nutrients you consume are the tools your body and brain need to do their jobs.
They regulate your emotions, become “happiness neurotransmitters,” and make you happy or relaxed as they flow through your body.
How Food Affects Your Mood
Food, neurotransmitters, and blood sugar affect each other – what you eat affects how you feel.
- Eating too much sugar can make you feel depressed. In a large-scale study involving subjects from six different nations, researchers observed that excessive sugar consumption and depressive moods are closely linked. This may be related to chronically elevated insulin levels. The permanent blood sugar roller coaster jeopardizes emotional stability.
- A good supply of omega-3 fatty acids appears to improve mood. Nuts contain a lot of omega-3, fatty sea fish and seafood (e.g., salmon, sardines, mackerel, or mussels), and vital DHA and EPA fatty acids. You can also use fish oil capsules if you don’t like fish.
- Too much vegetable oils, (partially) hydrogenated fats, and trans-fats can worsen the mood. These omega-6 fatty acids make it difficult for our body to absorb omega-3 fatty acids. And low omega-3 levels have been linked to depression, impulsivity, and irritability. (Which, in turn, can reinforce bad eating habits—a vicious circle.) Omega-6 fats also promote inflammation in the body, impairing brain function. Many neurodegenerative diseases are associated with inflammation in the brain.
- Eating lean protein sources like chicken, turkey, and fish increases your tryptophan intake. Tryptophan is needed to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and happiness.
Lose weight the right way #6: You have more strength and endurance
I still remember my first training sessions well. What a toil!
I felt weak, uncoordinated, and slow.
While the strong guys and gals lifted appropriate weights, I grabbed a pair of dumbbells from the bottom of the rack.
And what was the reward? In the days that followed, I had the sore muscles of my life!
But then I felt myself getting stronger.
I still had sore muscles, but not nearly as bad. I slowly worked my way from the super light weights to the light weights.
My ambition grabbed me. I got bumblebees up my butt.
If you’re just getting started, expect the first few workouts to be unfamiliar. But they will be worth it. You’ll get progressively stronger and more enduring if you keep at it.
What progress really looks like
- You’re moving the same weight with a greater amplitude. Maybe you didn’t do a squat to start – just a slight lunge. But now, you are more robust and more flexible in ankles, knees, and hips. You can pick up the laundry, get out of any chair, no matter how deep, and squat like a pro when lifting a crate of water. If things continue like this, you’ll soon be able to deliver pianos.
- Your muscles are less hungover. Intense training and new movements cause muscle micro-injuries – tiny tears in the muscle fibers – that your body needs to repair. This repair process is good: it makes you stronger, fitter, and more muscular, even if it hurts a bit at first. Your body’s natural response is inflammation. It causes the muscles to swell and get better blood flow to heal the damage. With an ongoing training routine (and appropriate nutrient intake), your resilience improves and your ability to regenerate.
- You can perform better (and train more). Whether running, swimming, or cycling; longer strength training sessions, longer climbing routes, or a 5-set tennis match – you can simply exert yourself more often and longer. Good nutrition gives you the necessary energy and accelerates your recovery.
- You feel fresher and regenerate faster. You give your body the substances it needs to make you faster, stronger, fitter, and better. Your cells breathe more oxygen, get rid of their waste products better, produce more enzymes, and are otherwise in party mode.
Lose weight the right way #7: It feels like a lifestyle – not like a diet
Let’s call the child by its name:
Diets suck.
They’re another annoying to-do in our already crowded lives and yet another boring, constricting, and unnecessarily complicated task. In most cases, a commitment feels like swimming against the current.
But the main problem is:
Diets are temporary: they have a beginning and an endpoint.
And once you’re at the end, you’re back to square one regarding your eating habits.
So “no longer on a diet.” Again with the processed foods, food cravings, feelings of frustration, and – growing waist circumference.
What progress really looks like
Progress is when you just live.
You have a nice, natural daily rhythm that feels normal.
And not after a “state of emergency.”
Losing weight properly means eating right. And just keep eating proportionately MORE low calorie-dense foods until you reach your ideal body fat percentage.
And I’m not talking about competitive bodybuilding with minimal body fat percentage – that’s a competitive sport. I’m talking about a slim, fit, athletic figure that you feel comfortable with.
With that, a balanced diet ceases to be abstract because it is simply part of your life.
- If you have a choice, choose natural foods. Without overthinking, you take the salmon – instead of the pretzel, stick with bockwurst. “A fresh salad with it,” you think. And you mean it.
- You plan your meals. Just as you plan other things in your life, from your doctor’s appointment to your work day, it’s normal to have an idea in advance of what you’re going to eat the next day (or week). You shop accordingly and prepare things. And if something comes up, you have a plan B in your pocket – or learn from it and develop one for the next time.
- There are no bugs, only feedback. The point is important: you CAN’T go wrong. And you can still enjoy the piece of birthday cake, the Christmas cake or the popcorn in the cinema. The only thing you can do is with a “guilty conscience.” There are simply no more foods you would have made yourself feel bad about. They are a part of your life that comes up now and then. Then you can enjoy it before returning to your routine – fresh, whole foods, just like always.
I know it’s a big change for some of us, but it’s entirely possible.
It is simply the logical consequence of a natural and conscious diet. And a sign of progress – no matter what the scale says.
Lose 6 Months of Flab in Only 14 Days…
“Photoshoot Preparation Diet Plan”
Forces Your Body to Burn Body Fat as Quickly as Physically Possible
Lose weight the right way – Conclusion
Losing weight properly is much more than just a number on the scale. You may lose weight the right way even though the scale isn’t moving – as described in Section #4.
Many still overlook that there is no end to the right look-good-nude diet. And it’s not about AVOIDING foods, either.
Instead, it is about MORE: more healthy food.
So water, lean protein, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit. So that there is less space for things that could hinder your progress.
It’s about so much more than just calorie and weight control.
Don’t get me wrong: both are tried and tested feedback systems. But they are not everything.
Most importantly, you feel how you feel: WELL.
So full, satisfied, concentrated, resilient, and full of power. That may seem like a big step, especially at the beginning. It is.
And all of that is possible if you get more and more into giving your body what it needs. Anyone who used to look at the scales with blinders on can now take them off.
Because progress is lurking everywhere, so look everywhere — a track like crazy.
Every advance counts, no matter how small it seems, like the dandelions in the snow.
The first part about losing weight series: The wrong and the right way to lose weight
