How to lose weight and increase vitality without diets, starvation, or supplements

Let’s talk about how to lose weight pretty quickly in a healthy way, and most importantly - how to keep it off.

Did you know that losing weight is in the top 3 of the hardest and most challenging things to do? No wonder there are so many diets and supplements that are supposed to help you to lose weight. Social media platforms are filled with tricks and tips on how to lose weight without starvation.

I bet you have tried one or more of those “fast and quick fixes”. Did it work? I can safely assume it didn’t otherwise you wouldn’t be searching for a new way to lose weight.

Let me clarify something before we move on.

I’m not against supplements, detoxes, or dieting. If you found something that works for you and you are happy - I’m happy for you. I’m merely stating my opinion and my approach towards weight loss.

Over the years, I helped hundreds and hundreds of people to lose weight and keep it off. Not once did I coach them on dieting or supplements. In the long run - it simply doesn’t work.

In my 20+ experience in the fitness/wellness/nutrition industry, I immersed myself fully into the weight loss game. I learned firsthand that the process of losing weight is slightly less challenging than keeping the weight off.

Is overweight and obesity really that bad?

Hell to the YES. It is very bad.

You know already about the medical and psychological problems that overweight and obesity are causing. I mention a few examples:

• All-causes of death
• High blood pressure
• High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (Dyslipidemia)
• Type 2 diabetes
• Coronary heart disease
• Stroke
• Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea and breathing problems
• Many types of cancer
• Low self-esteem
• Loss of vitality
• Depression and anxiety
• Lethargy
• ACNE

Childhood obesity is associated with:

• A higher chance of adult obesity
• Premature death and disability in adulthood
• Breathing difficulties
• Increased risk of fractures
• Hypertension
• Early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and psychological effects.

According to WHO, worldwide, The number of obese and overweight people has tripled since 1975.

In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults were obese. Adults are not the only ones who suffer from being overweight and obese.

Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016, and 38 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2019. According to WHO, “most of the world’s population live in countries where being overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.”

As a professional Fitness, Nutrition, and Vitality Coach, these statistics break my heart. What makes me even sadder are companies and individuals who are in the market of selling “magical pills, detoxes, creams, and diets” that are promising fast results. If that was true, if these magical potions existed, nobody would be overweight.

Will supplements, detoxes, and diets help me lose weight fast?

The short answer is “yes, BUT”…. Any change in your eating lifestyle will cause weight loss in the beginning. Most of the time, it is bodily waste and water retention.

There are many ‘proven methods’ out there on this very popular subject. Every month there is a “new and improved” diet, supplement, cream, or detox that promises “easy, safe and fast” weight loss.

I understand the appeal of these products. Who wouldn’t want to drink a special tea, or take two pills daily and wait for the weight to drop?

Have you ever noticed, though, who is promoting these products? Beautiful, tanned, lean, and smiley people. Who wouldn’t want to look like them?

The truth is, though, you are being primed to get the products under the false promise of achieving ‘that’ look.

I get it! We want what we want. We buy things we want, and we do the things we want to do. Nobody wants to change their lifestyle in order to lose weight. Who has time to exercise or eat healthy?

Think about this. It took you some time to gain weight. It is only logical that it will take you some time to lose it.

Fast weight loss methods

First, some truth bombs.

There are no fast-acting tricks and magic to help you lose weight. There is no magical diet or even a workout trend that will help you get the body you want. Instagram worthy diet plans and supplements might help you to lose some weight quickly, but those are short-term fixes at best. You won’t keep it off in the long run.

Anyway, let’s take a look at some of the “fast weight loss” pitches:

Starvation Diets

This one makes my eyes roll back into my skull. I would never in 100 years tell my clients to do a starvation diet. It causes more harm (hormonal imbalance is one of them) than weight loss.

Thank you, Beyonce, for making your “master cleanse” diet so effing popular! It promises weight loss through detoxification and enema by drinking water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.

By the way, variations of detoxing, enema, and colonics have been around since 1950. So nothing new under the sun!

Diet pills and supplements

I am not going to lie. I tried diet pills and supplements before. I got sucked into the premise of speed weight loss. The majority of these supplements promise to suppress your appetite, block absorption of nutrients (why would you even do that?)

Your body needs nutrients, increase metabolism, and burn fat. My clients do all of the above mentioned by eating their favorite food (alcohol included) and exercising. Although there are prescription medications for weight loss, however, none is intended for rapid weight loss, and there can be side effects.

In the U.S.A., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate dietary supplements; however, it treats them like foods rather than medications. What does it mean for the end-users?

Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or effective before selling them on the market. This means that these supplements can be full of harmful ingredients.

Natural nutritional ‘supplements’ (fruits, veggies, vitamins, minerals) can help you re-energize your body and achieve your weight loss goals naturally. They can provide you bioenergetic nutrients, energy, and essential compounds to maximize health and weight loss.

Very Low-Calorie diets (VLCDs)

A 500-calorie diet is an extreme form of a very low-calorie diet (VLCD). It requires you to drastically reduce the amount of food you eat, usually to a maximum of 800 calories per day. This diet can be dangerous and requires medical supervision.

If your doctor hasn’t recommended a 500-calorie diet, DO NOT, try this diet. A diet like this has enormous health risks associated with it.

Some people use a 500-calorie diet as part of the recently popularized 5:2 intermittent fasting diet plan.

Under this diet, you should eat a balanced diet of about 2000 calories for five days of the week and then limit yourself to 500 low-carbohydrate calories per day for the other two days.

The two “fasting” days are usually nonconsecutive. However, there is very little evidence to support the benefits of 5:2 intermittent dieting over daily calorie reduction.

Creams, Devices, and Magic Voodoo Spells

There seems to be no end to ridiculous ideas and tools promoted in the name of fast weight loss. Most promise to replace eating healthy or exercise; or both.

I am not even going there... I bet you’ve seen a few. All of these are a great way to lose… money and motivation. That’s what will happen if you keep trying to take shortcuts. You start to prime yourself to experience failure because none of those nonsense tools will work.

Does Fast Weight Loss Work?

I’ll let you decide that for yourself.

Aside from the medically supervised very low-calorie diet and weight loss surgery, no other product, pill, or diet has been proven to work for fast weight loss.

In any fast weight loss program, what really burns fat is not a pill or type of food or when you eat it. It’s a substantial reduction of calories, combined with exercise.

How can I lose weight, keep it off, and feel vital again?

I don’t believe in ‘diets’. If you are ‘on a diet’, it implies you will be ‘off the diet’ eventually. And then what? You will gain all the way back, and you realize that you suffered for nothing. Yes, the word ‘diet’ makes you cringe and imagine the suffering of the worst kind.

I’m coaching my clients on how to eat balanced and healthy foods in proper amounts, including desserts and alcohol. Yes, I am talking about Portion Control. Join my FREE webinar on this topic. I promise it will change your perspective on ‘eating healthy’.

“You can overeat on healthy foods. It won’t make you extra healthy, it makes you gain weight”

Lasting weight loss occurs when you change your lifestyle. What do I mean by that? It means that no matter what the occasion is; or where you are or with whom, you will stick to your lifestyle.

75% of people going on vacation will gain weight because “they want to enjoy the local cuisine”. There is nothing wrong with that; we all should enjoy life. But how long will it take them to lose that weight?

Well, they won’t; they will carry it for the rest of the year because there is always the New Year resolution. And we all know that is a bunch of bs!

Making small changes, adapting your life to better fit your health and fitness needs takes time, but once you commit to these healthy weight loss tips, you’ll lose weight and feel more energetic and vital.

10 Simple steps to make lasting eating changes and increase vitality

I like simple things. Life is already complicated. This is what you can do to start losing weight today.

1. Make sure you know how many calories you can consume per day

Whether you under-eat or overeat, you will gain weight. I can help you to calculate your calorie intake. Or reach out to a professional nutritionist or dietician.

If your assumed calorie intake is based on an app or whatever anybody else is doing - hello disappointment!

I teach my clients to eat the proper amounts of food by using color-coded containers. No need to count calories or macros. Easy and simple! Weight loss guaranteed.

2. Meal prep

Meal prep means planning out what you will eat during the week, and color-coded containers will help you portion it precisely. Many people don’t like to plan or schedule anything because they think it reduces the joys in life. However, it is quite the opposite.

Meal prep is one of the best weight loss principles – when you get hungry, you have your portioned and nutrition-dense food with you, hence less chance to grab last-minute junk food.

Set yourself up for success by preparing your food. Eat and watch your weight dropping and vitality increasing!

3. Change and redefine your relationship with food.

Everything in life involves food. You eat for many reasons - maybe you enjoy food. Or you are bored. Or lonely. Or you eat during social events. Make sure you have a healthy relationship with food.

I see food as fuel for my body. I want only the best fuel for myself.

4. Be mindful of your eating habits.

When do you eat? How are you feeling? What foods are you craving? Why do you crave them?

Are you really hungry or just bored? . Increasing your mindfulness about what we put into our bodies is one of the most crucial weight loss tips.

Next time you find yourself searching for a quick – and very often unhealthy – option, ask yourself: Does my body really need this? What else could I eat?

I know it’s easier said than done! But as I coach my clients, you can learn to prime yourself in getting healthier in every way.

Pay attention to your body and mind!

5. Don’t be hard on yourself if you fall off the wagon.

So you ate the whole cake or the full bag of chips. It happens to all of us. As long as you don’t make it a habit (or an excuse)! Acknowledge the mistake, understand what triggered it, and make a plan to do better tomorrow.

There’s no point in holding in feelings of shame and self-hatred – because those emotions trigger more unhealthy cravings. You can take a moment of practicing mindfulness - find something about your body you are grateful for.

My lifestyle change includes treats, indulgences, and alcohol. They are a crucial part of the permanent weight loss lifestyle. Doesn’t that sound great?

6. Educate yourself

There’s a lot of misinformation and misconception out there when it comes to weight loss ideas.

Fad diets; bogus supplements; over-exercising (aka spending hours on the treadmill) to starvation.

It can be overwhelming and discouraging. I want you to look beneath the big claims these companies or individuals make and ask yourself:

• Will this help me change my lifestyle?
• Will it provide weight loss help and support in the long run?

The only truly lasting weight loss comes from making long-term, sustainable changes in your eating habits, diet, and exercise habits.

7. Drink more water

Hydrate hydrate hydrate! The human body is mostly water – up to 60 % – and it needs to be constantly replenished.

I drink a glass of water every hour. Some people carry around a big jug!

Some veggies and fruits are largely comprised of water - Celery, watermelon, and spinach.

When you feel ‘hungry’, drink a glass of water. Wait 10 minutes and see if you are still hungry.

8. Adopt a sustainable fitness routine

Although you don’t need to exercise to lose weight, to increase your vitality and overall health - you need both. Changing your lifestyle and exercise - they go hand in hand.

If you’re just starting out on your path to losing weight, you might get over-motivated. Crazy fitness routine, crazy eating. You might feel pumped up and energized when you begin, but you’ll quickly burn out. This is not sustainable.

Find something you like. Anything can turn into exercise. Dance, wash your car, play with your kids.

My workouts are anywhere between 20 to 50 minutes long. They are effective as hell. I don’t like to waste my time on endless exercises because there is no point in that.

For optimal results, combine cardio and strength exercises. Burn calories and build lean muscles.

9. Replace the ‘how’ with ‘who’

Have you tried to lose weight by yourself, and you don’t see the results? You are not alone! Very often, we lose motivation for various reasons.

When you are about to give up - try to ask yourself:

• WHO can help me to lose weight?
• WHO can show me where to start?
• WHO can help me stay focused?

When we replace the ‘how’ with ‘who’ - we will get the results faster.

10. Positive affirmations

Your mindset and attitude are the most crucial elements to create a lasting change in your life. Your thoughts and emotions are very powerful, be mindful of them. Be mindful of how you talk to yourself, how you describe yourself to others.

“Your words - you become them”

In the American English language, there are more than 3,000 words we use that relate to human feelings and emotions, and 2,086 of them are negative! How crazy is that?

Now, think of this in another way - You have a thousand positive choices! You can prime yourself to be open for (body)positivity.

Replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations:

• “I can’t” transforms into “I will, I can, and I am.”
• “I don’t have time” transforms into “I will make time, I am in control of my day and my schedule and this matters to me.”
• “I’m too tired” transforms into “I’ll feel energized and vital after I do this! I have what it takes.”
• “I hate dieting” transforms into “I love how I feel when I eat well, I like treating myself how I deserve to be treated and I love making smart choices.”
• “Exercise is too hard” transforms into “I know I can do this, I am vital and strong, and I love being this capable.”
• And finally, “I can’t lose weight” or “losing weight is impossible” transforms into “I can lose weight, I’m already doing this, and there’s no stopping me now! I am worth it!

Bottom Line Losing weight and keeping it off can be challenging. I can help you transform your body and mind. I can help you change your eating habits and enjoy working out. I can help you feel vital and loving your body again!

No matter what roadblocks you can think of, I believe they are there to help you grow and assist you on your journey to be more vital, stronger, and healthier.

I know YOU CAN! Do you?