How to Lose Weight, Improve Energy and Reduce Joint Pain!

What do losing weight, improving energy, and reducing joint pain have in common?

They are potentially all resolved by what you eat and how you manage your life. It’s really that simple.?

So why do so many of us struggle?

Some nutritionists swear by calorie counting (that’s so last year, darling), whilst others claim that a keto diet is the one and only route to improving your overall health. A keto diet relies on high fat foods with a very low carbohydrate (carb) intake and a small mix of proteins.?The approximate ratios are 75% fats, 20% protein and 10% carbs.

It seems obvious that a reduced calorie intake will lower your weight ?– or does it??I recall trying to calorie count in my younger days and investing in various pocketbooks which I referred to before I put anything into my mouth.?I kept a running total of how many calories I’d consumed as each day progressed and calculated if I had enough left for a treat of some kind as a reward.

What a silly bunny I was.?Not just me though.?Millions of other women were also mesmerised and taken in by the ingenious marketing methods of the popular diet clubs and groups that sprung up overnight.?Where are they now, I wonder?

According to a study published in The Lancet medical journal in August 2020 , none of the 14 popular diets made a jot of difference to weight loss or improved cardiovascular health after 12 months.?Initially, improvements were visible but were unsustainable in the longer term.

The Rainbow Diet

Consuming a healthy balance of nutritious, colourful food is my recommendation.?The Mediterranean way of eating fits the bill as far as I am concerned and how I managed to beat stage IV cancer in 2015 when I was given less than 12 months to live, and how I prepared for a mastectomy in 2009.

In May 2009, my body mass index (BMI) was 34.?To have a better chance of surviving the radical 8-hour surgery scheduled for July 2009, my surgeon explained that I should lose weight and reduce my BMI to at least 30.?The BMI measurement provides an indication of whether we are a healthy weight, although it doesn’t work in the same way for athletes.

My choice was to follow an organic mix of plant-based colourful foods, freshly prepared for each meal.?I juiced like a ninja and created 4-5 fresh vegetable juices daily.?I no longer juice and have an easier method to gain similar levels of nutrition into my body.?Do contact me if you’d like to know how I manage this.?This method has provided an additional bonus in that I no longer wear glasses and my floaters have disappeared – previously I wore varifocals for 40 years.

The Rainbow Diet, so named because the foods on your plate should be multicoloured, like a rainbow, minimises the risk of cancer and aids cardiovascular health as proven by multiple studies.

The Rainbow Diet book by Chris Woollams is a great starting point if you’d like to know more.

Foods to Eliminate...

Our bodies react differently and have different needs.?My clients undergo a finger prick blood test at home plus a hair analysis so that we can assess what exactly is going on inside the body and how best to support it.?In this way, there’s no need for guesswork and wasting money on supplements, which could actually be making matters worse.

For example, following general advice to take more magnesium or calcium can be catastrophic for some people. Magnesium is linked to depression and fatigue, and calcium overload can make bones snap, not stronger.

However, some generalisations do work and here is my little ‘go to’ list which I heartily recommend to you:-

• Avoid dairy because it’s too acidic and is mucous forming, plus it is full of medications given to the poor cows.
• Avoid gluten, which can disrupt the gut.
• Avoid raw tomatoes, aubergines, and white potatoes to minimise joint pain from these acidic food choices – this works especially well to reduce pain from arthritis.
• Avoid processed foods which contain large amounts of bad salts and sugar.

?For good hydration, drink around 2 litres of structured water daily (never from the tap or plastic bottle).?When you feel hungry, ask yourself if you are thirsty instead. Sometimes the feeling of hunger is confused with thirst.

In Summary

When you flood your body with good nutrition, your cells will thank you.?You will lose weight, gain energy and pain will be reduced.

By making your new eating habits a way of life, your weight will find a natural level. You’ll never do a yoyo diet again.

How Can I Help You?

Would you benefit from support with your nutrition and health? You are very welcome to book a time in my diary for a complimentary conversation to see if I can support you in any way. To your health, Elaine.