Spring is coming fast here in the Mid-Atlantic, and for many of us, that means thinking about shedding a few pounds for a summer wardrobe. Spring is a great time for new projects, positive changes, and creating a new look. Here are some simple tips to help you succeed with your weight loss goals.
Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated is important all the time, but especially when you’re trying to diet. Drinking a full 8oz glass of water just before a meal can help you feel more full and eat less in a sitting. That extra hydration also improves skin tone, helps with healthy detox, and supports all of your body’s systems.
Add A Fiber Supplement to Your Diet
A simple fiber supplement, such as flax seed meal, psyllium husk powder, wheat or oat bran, or acacia fiber, can really help get your weight loss plan off on the right foot.
Extra fiber in the diet helps cleanse toxins from the lower GI tract, slow the absorption of fats and sugars, and help you feel more full and satisfied after a meal. Fiber supplements support healthy digestion, the cardiovascular system, and blood sugar levels, as well as reducing constipation (make sure you’re drinking plenty of water!), so what’s not to like?
A Good Multi-Vitamin Can Reduce Cravings
People have strong opinions of multi-vitamins. Some folks say they’re a waste of money, others are convinced they’re essential to the modern diet. Sure, it would be ideal to get all your nutritional needs from fresh local foods, but are you confident that that’s happening for you? Here at Smile we believe that a high-quality multi-vitamin, specially designed to improve nutrient absorption, can be a great support for your pretty-healthy-but-not-perfect diet. When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s even more important to get your vitamins and minerals, since a deficiency can cause food cravings, and food cravings can throw your diet plans out the window. Unless you know you’re lacking in a particular nutrient, a good one-a-day should do the trick.
Here are our favorites:
Balance Your Blood Sugar
The real secret to changing your eating habits for the better is being able to enjoy your food, feel full and satisfied. That’s hard to do if your blood sugar is shooting up after you eat and then dropping down again. Simple carbohydrates and sugars, while an important part of the diet, can really cause trouble with blood sugar ups and downs. A great herbal helper is good ol’ Cinnamon, that common spice so beloved in desserts. A medicinal dose of cinnamon is considerably more than you’d get in a slice of apple pie, and some of the flavoring spice isn’t medicinally effective, so it’s a good idea to get your Cinnamon from an herbalist. One dose of Cinnamon immediately after eating can keep your blood sugar from those ups and downs that send us snacking between meals.
Get Yourself Off to a Great Start
Rhodiola rosea is an herb from Siberia, traditionally used for stamina and strength, is a great metabolism booster as well! It can help give you the energy and enthusiasm you need to get yourself started on a new diet and exercise program. Once you start to see results, you won’t want to stop! Rhodiola is a friendly boost, improving mood and concentration, and for some it can help drop a few pounds all on its own due to its energy boosting effect. This herb is a great caffeine-free alternative to coffee and green tea supplements, and just as effective.
Let the herbs, and these simple tips, help you with your weight loss goals so that you can feel like your best and brightest you this spring!
