Simplify Weight Loss for Real Results

Recently, a patient reached out to us seeking recommendations for the best supplement to help him gain muscle. The resulting conversation reminded us how much excess noise and overcomplicated advice there is in the diet and health industry.

We are inundated with messaging about which preworkouts, protein powders, vitamins, supplements, workout splits, and more will give us the ultimate results.

The truth is, while these ultra niche recommendations are good for people whose lives revolve around fitness, for most people, these are unnecessary, complicated additions that can actually prevent us from reaching our true potential.

Sometimes a simple routine is the best method because it’s one you don’t have to think or work so hard to achieve.

Where is All This Noise Coming From?

Why is there so much conflicting advice in the health and weight loss industry? The short answer is money.

Think about it. People don’t make a pile of money by recommending a balanced diet and regular exercise. They make money by filling a perceived need with a product.

Everyone starts their fitness journey somewhere, whether you want to lose weight or gain muscle. Companies profit when they can capitalize on your lack of experience.

There seems to be a powder version of anything you want from protein to greens to every vitamin under the sun. The problem is, nothing you add can supplement the actual work it takes to change your body.

Some of these things might make it easier to hit certain nutritional goals, but there is no such thing as a magic bullet that will catapult you to the finish line, you still have to get there one step at a time.

When Supplements Backfire

Here are two anecdotes that illustrate why sometimes complicating your routine can actually set you back rather than help you:

Our nurse practitioner at TeleHealthNP experienced this first hand when she began taking zinc supplements to boost her immune system after the COVID19 pandemic. After years of compounding symptoms, she found out that the zinc supplements were actually depleting copper in her blood and causing a deficiency.

Another patient decided to use a popular greens powder brand to supplement his diet. Instead of feeling better, what resulted was three days of diarrhea that left him dehydrated and ill. Afterwards, he joked that he should have just eaten a salad.

What these stories illustrate is that sometimes when we try to take a shortcut to solve a problem, we inadvertently create a bigger problem than we had in the first place.

There is No Supplement That Matches Hard Work

Furthermore, complicating our health by constantly seeking new supplements or routines can actually do us a disservice, because we forget the basics.

Of course you can add in supplements, meal plans, or workout splits if they really serve you rather than overwhelm you. The point we are trying to make is that you don’t have to do those things to see results.

Sometimes, these complications, rather than making our lives easier, lead to decision fatigue which leads to burnout which causes us to give up all together.

Instead of relying on the health industry and for-profit businesses to tell us how to get healthy, let’s bring it back to basics.

When your routine is simple, it’s easy to maintain throughout all seasons of life. So, what’s the real secret to losing weight and staying healthy?

It comes down to eating well, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest. Yes, that’s really it!

Let’s break it down:

Eat Fresh Foods

The truth about supplements and vitamins is that although they are helpful if you have a vitamin deficiency, most people can get enough just by eating a balanced diet rich in fresh, whole foods.

The human body has been extracting vitamins and minerals from fresh foods long before the diet industry began to push pills and powders. In fact, this is the most efficient way to get these nutrients.

Science shows us that without the corresponding fiber, fat, or protein that comes from eating whole foods, your body doesn’t always know how to process certain nutrients and you end up excreting most of it through your urine.

The best way you can ensure proper nutrition is by eating balanced meals that contain whole, fresh foods including lean meats, seafood, whole dairy, whole grains, and fresh produce.

Eat in a Calorie Deficit

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the only guaranteed way to lose weight is by eating fewer calories than you burn! Your body uses calories from food for energy and stores the excess as fat.

When you eat in a calorie deficit, you force your body to tap into this fat storage for the energy it isn’t getting from food. If your goal is to lose weight, you absolutely need to be in a calorie deficit.

The easiest way to achieve this is by tracking your food. How much of a deficit you should be in depends on your age, sex, height, current weight, and activity level.

You can check out this post for information on exactly how many calories you should be eating and how to track them.

Exercise Frequently

Exercise can help you lose weight, but more importantly, is essential for your overall health.

Not only does exercise help you burn calories and build muscle, it also helps to boost your cardiovascular health, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, lowers symptoms of depression and boosts your mood, gives you energy, and more.

Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, or about 30 minutes a day 5 days per week, although you can change the routine depending on what works best for your schedule.

Want more muscle? Lift heavier weights. Want increased mobility? Try pilates or yoga. Want to work on your heart health? Do high intensity interval training!

There are tons of ways to work out that will get you closer to whatever your personal goals are.

Prioritize Rest

Rest is so important for your health, and not always top of mind when you are thinking about weight loss or otherwise improving your health.

Your body needs time to recover between workouts. You should make sure that you take at least one rest day every 5-6 days.

When you don’t take time to recover between workouts, you can increase the likelihood of strained muscles or injuries which could set you back even further from reaching your goals.

You also need to prioritize adequate sleep to have optimal health. Getting at least 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night helps with muscle recovery, cellular turnover, lessens symptoms of depression and anxiety, and promotes optimal cognitive function.

You could be doing everything right but not getting enough rest or sleep will set you back from achieving your goals.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is one of the simplest ways to improve your health.

Dehydration can impact so many areas of your body. For example prolonged dehydration can lead to decreased kidney function, electrolyte imbalance which affects your muscles and nerves, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and more.

Proper hydration helps your body to carry nutrients to your cells, cushions your muscles and joints, flushes bacteria from your colon, prevents constipation, and normalizes blood pressure among other benefits.

Experts recommend that men intake at least 15.5 cups of water per day and women 11.5. While drinking water is the best and easiest method, you do get some hydration from eating fresh, raw fruits and vegetables, tea, juice, and coffee.

Wrap It Up

There is a lot of conflicting information out there about the best way to optimize your health and lose weight. From supplements to diet and exercise plans, most of this information is trying to sell you something rather than actually help you.

The truth is, the best way to reach your goals is usually the simplest. Prioritizing proper nutrition, eating in a calorie deficit, getting regular exercise and rest, and staying hydrated are still the best ways to lose weight and maintain your health.

If adding in extra stuff works for you, go for it! We are just here to remind you that you don’t have to do all of those things to stay healthy.

If you are confused or frustrated by all the conflicting information out there, feel free to disregard it and just go back to basics!

In fact, by focusing on really nailing the basics, you will set yourself up for a much more sustainable, healthy lifestyle that you can maintain long after you reach your goals.